The unlikely foursome that makes up the final leg of the NBA Playoffs is the least-predictable, most surprising conclusion to the season — and it’s wonderful.
Early ratings returns aren’t just showing that interest is overwhelming at the end of this season, but they might eclipse anything we’ve seen in recent years.
These swelling market share numbers better reflect the changing ways people watch TV, and that those choosing to watch live programming are tuning in.
Those numbers exceed the 2020 Finals between the Lakers and Heat, and rival the 2007 Finals between the Spurs and Cavaliers.
We don’t need to relitigate super teams. The concept has been discussed and debated to death for over a decade, ever since LeBron James joined Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami and formed the first modern super team.
Sure, you can technically call the Clippers a super team with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, but it’s not nearly as pronounced as past teams. Couple that with Devin Booker and Chris Paul-led Suns, Giannis and Jrue Holiday in Milwaukee, and the Hawks with Trae Young and John Collins, and there are a lot of names lapsed NBA fans aren’t used to seeing this late in the playoffs, if they’re familiar with them at all.
Of course, it also helps when these players are living up to their billing and Trae is dropping damn-near 50 points with swagger.
While the Bucks and Clippers were 2nd and 4th respectively in Vegas betting, the Hawks and Suns were 17th and 14th.
You can keep calling this a “nightmare” if you want, and you’d be wrong — because it turns out these small-market finals might be the turning point at winning back millions of lapsed NBA fans.