The NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the negative comments of the first two games of the 2025 NBA final between Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers.
Fans have expressed their dissatisfaction with social networks on the lack of efforts for the final series to feel different from the regular season. The first factor that led to bitter reactions was the way the NBA did not have special logos in the field with the Larry O’Brien trophy.
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After the fans were unleashed on social networks during match 1, the League Flashe Virtual NBA and the icons of Larry O’Brien on the field of the Paycc Center for match 2. However, viewers were not satisfied with the quality of the graphics during the ESPN broadcast.
Before Match 3 of Wednesday evening in Indiana, Silver joined the ESPN panel and explained the league decision.
“I saw part of the cat on social networks on decals on the ground. People do not realize that they left ten years ago because there were statements that Kendrick [Perkins] Know, they were slippery, “said Silver, pointing to the old center Kendrick Perkins, who was on the show.
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“We are back to add them practically, so these are on,” he added.
Silver also discussed the low notes in the first two games in the Thunder-Pacers series. Match 1 was the first least watched match in the Nielsen Meter era (since 1988) outside the COVVI-19-MARRED seasons in 2020 and 2021, with a note of 4.7 and 8.91 million viewers on ABC, by Sports Media. The game underwent an 18% drop in notes and 19% in the hearing.
The effect of Thunder game 2 on the Pacers did not do better, because it attracted figures almost identical to the opening of the series. OKC’s 123-107 victory has become the second lective watched for match 2 since 2007, excluding the 2020 bubble, with 8.76 million viewers on average on ABC.
However, Silver insisted that the finals have an impact on the small markets of Oklahoma City and Indianapolis. On the way to the final, the Pacers and Thunder defeated the teams with huge stars of larger markets by eliminating the New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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“This is an interesting period in society,” said Silver. “We have two markets which are completely captured by the finals. Each store in which you go, there is a signaling. Everyone in the street is for team colors. I have been doing this for a long time; I do not remember that these were two markets that feel so dominant to have these games.
“As a media question, people compare us 20 years ago, but games 1 and 2, so far, are the best rated programs in May and June on television,” added Silver. “If something beats us, it will be another sports program. Twenty years ago, we often won the night when the finals were underway, but the absolute note is lower now.”
The Indiana took the lead with a victory of 116-107 while the series moved to the state of Hoosier. The Pacers will try to get a 3-1 lead in match 4 Friday evening before the series returns to Oklahoma City.
