The 2025 NBA Finals, featuring the Indiana Pacers versus the Oklahoma City Thunder, are being roasted as the most mind-numbingly dull championship in recent history.
Game 1 averaged just 8.91 million viewers on ABC, an 18% ratings drop from the 2024 Celtics-Mavericks opener, marking the least-watched Finals Game 1 since Nielsen’s modern tracking began in 1988, excluding COVID-impacted years.
Fans are yawning, ratings are tanking, and the league’s hype machine is coughing up dust.
This small-market showdown lacks the star power, drama, and cultural juice that define iconic Finals, leaving viewers stuck with a series that feels like a G-League scrimmage on a Tuesday night. But is it really that bad, or are we just spoiled by past glories?
Let’s tear into why this matchup is getting dragged and why some contrarians think it’s worth a second look.
These aren’t the superstars we are used to
The biggest sin? No superstars, no swagger. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton are ballers—Shai’s a silky MVP contender, Haliburton’s a pass-first wizard—but they’re not LeBron, Curry, or even Giannis.
They don’t have the cultural gravity to make casual fans care. Fans call it “the Finals nobody asked for,” with one viral thread joking that watching paint dry has more plot twists.
The NBA thrives on larger-than-life figures, and without a villain like KD or a hero like Kobe, this series feels like a Netflix show canceled after one episode.
Small markets = small ratings
Then there’s the market problem. Indiana and Oklahoma City? Yawn.
These flyover-state squads lack the glitz of LA or the edge of Brooklyn. Viewership for Game 1 barely hit 6.6 million, a far cry from the 20 million who watched the 2016 Warriors-Cavs slugfest.
Netizens are savage, with some refusing to tune in because “nobody cares about cornfields vs. tornadoes.” The media isn’t helping—ESPN’s Knicks obsession and constant Lakers gossip overshadow the Finals, making it feel like a sideshow.
Small markets can win hearts (think 2019 Raptors), but this matchup’s getting no love.
Low effort presentation
The presentation is another gut-punch. ABC’s broadcast is a snooze, with lackluster graphics and commentary that sounds like it’s on Ambien. Fans lament the “zero vibe” production, comparing it to a midweek MAC game.
No killer intros, no celebrity cameos, just Mike Breen trying to salvage a sinking ship. Add in awkward scheduling—gaps between games longer than a CVS receipt—and you’ve got a series that feels like it’s begging you to change the channel.
But here’s the controversial bit: the basketball isn’t the problem. Pacers’ top-ranked offense versus Thunder’s suffocating defense has delivered two overtime thrillers.
These young, title-less teams are scrappy, with Shai’s clutch buckets and Haliburton’s no-look dimes creating highlight-reel moments. Yet, fans still whine, spoiled by memories of LeBron’s block or Kyrie’s dagger.
Trolls call it “mid-tier hoops,” but that’s unfair—Game 2’s 48-point third quarter was electric. The real issue? The NBA’s failure to market these squads. They’re letting a compelling underdog story rot in the shadow of coastal bias.
This Finals isn’t just boring—it’s a victim of a star-obsessed, big-market league that can’t sell grit. It’s a wake-up call: either the NBA figures out how to hype its new blood, or fans will keep scrolling past.
For those still watching, the 2025 Finals are a sneaky-good battle, but good luck convincing the haters.
