The Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves faced off in Game 5 of the 2025 Western Conference Finals, but while the action on the court promised to be intense, due to it being a possible series clincher, the viewership numbers told a different story.
According to Sports Media Watch, the game averaged 4.62 million viewers, making it the least-watched Western Conference Finals game since 2013, aside from a 2020 matchup between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers that aired on an NFL Sunday in the NBA Bubble.
Oklahoma City has historically been one of the NBA’s smallest markets, but previous Thunder teams—particularly during the Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook era—drew significantly higher viewership. Their 2016 Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors remains one of the most-watched conference finals series in NBA history, averaging nearly 10 million viewers per game.
In contrast, the 2025 series against Minnesota struggled to capture national attention. The full five-game series averaged 5.59 million viewers, a 17% decline from last year’s Mavericks-Timberwolves Western Conference Finals. Several factors contributed to the drop, including the lack of a marquee superstar matchup and the lopsided nature of the games—four of the five contests were decided by at least 15 points, with leads of 24 points or more in each.
While Oklahoma City boasts a talented roster led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the team lacks the mainstream appeal of larger-market franchises. The absence of household names like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, or Kevin Durant may have contributed to the lower ratings. Additionally, Minnesota, despite its strong season, has historically struggled to generate widespread national interest.
The disparity in viewership compared to past Thunder playoff runs highlights the impact of star power and market size on television ratings. Durant and Westbrook’s presence in previous years helped elevate Oklahoma City’s profile, whereas the current iteration of the team, despite its success, has yet to reach that level of mainstream recognition.
Despite the decline in ratings for the Western Conference Finals, ESPN and ABC have reported an overall 7% increase in NBA playoff viewership compared to last year. This suggests that while individual matchups may fluctuate in popularity, the league remains in a strong position.
