Chasing History: Eastern Conference Opening Round
Look back at a thrilling first round in the Eastern Conference with three Game 7s.
The 2026 NBA Playoffs delivered the most-watched first round in 33 years, averaging 4 million viewers per game across ABC/ESPN, Amazon Prime Video and NBC/Peacock.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ 109-100 Game 7 road win over the Boston Celtics on May 2 averaged 11 million viewers on NBC/Peacock, making it the most-watched first-round Game 7 ever and the most-watched first-round game in 27 years.
The record start to the NBA Playoffs follows a historic regular season in which 170 million people in the U.S. watched NBA games across ABC/ESPN, Amazon Prime Video, NBC/Peacock and NBA TV, the most in 24 years and up 86% year-over-year.
