West Finals ft. Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Without LeBron James and Steph Curry Struggling to Attract Viewers

The WCF battle between two future Face of the NBA candidates Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was supposed to excite fans.

West Finals ft. Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Without LeBron James and Steph Curry Struggling to Attract Viewers

Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led WCF Game 1 did not attract fans (Image via FirstSportz)

After LeBron James and then Steph Curry exited the NBA playoffs, it seemed as if the young guns, namely, Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, had the chance to take over from the veterans into a new era.

Edwards booted both James and Curry out of the playoffs, which many felt was his way of establishing himself as the next young superstar, snatching the face of the NBA mantle from them. Fans and members of the media believed his time had finally arrived.

On the other hand, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had just defeated three-time league MVP and widely considered to be the best player in all of basketball, Nikola Jokic. This seemed as if there was a change of guard, and both these young stars were going to help the NBA slowly get over their overdependence on the veterans.

Game 1 of their Western Conference Finals was initially a closely contested affair. But in the second half, the Oklahoma City Thunder blitzed the Minnesota Timberwolves to win the game 114-88. The 26-point loss was alarming for a team that had nearly 6 days of rest, as opposed to the Thunder resting for just 1 day.

But that was not the only alarming part about the game. As per Sports Media Watch, Game 1 registered 5.36 million viewers across ESPN. That happens to be the least-watched conference final opener since 2021.

What should be concerning to the NBA is that the 5.36 million is lower than what games involving LeBron James and Steph Curry notched in earlier rounds of the playoffs. But the real concern should be if Game 1 impacts the rest of the series.

Game 1 between Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander may have contributed to poor viewership numbers

In Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, the game was initially tight, and many expected the two young star guards, Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to define the game. But soon it became evident that the latter was getting far more foul calls than the opposition.

This led to some gnarly reactions on social media, and fans were livid that the league was allowing this after focusing on physical basketball for much of the playoffs. To the fans, it seemed as if the league was helping the Oklahoma City Thunder gain an edge.

That snowballed into a disappointing second half where fans felt as if the Minnesota Timberwolves had given up. They believed the road team understood the game was going out of hand and eased off. Could it be that this contributed to the lower viewership ratings.

If it did, then the league will need to fix the problem and ask its referees to officiate the next games fairly. If it did not have an impact, then the league should be worried that this problem could cause fans to lose interest in the series. The league needs both teams to battle closely to bring back that excitement.

NBA needs Anthony Edwards and his teammates to save the series

Whatever the situation is, the NBA will need Anthony Edwards to come back with some highlight reel plays along with his swagger in Game 2. Along with that, they need the Minnesota Timberwolves to believe they can win the series and advance to the NBA Finals.

NBA needs close battles between Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to bring back fans
NBA needs close battles between Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to bring back fans (Image via Open Source/X)

Only then can the series get some heat back into it and help the remaining six games become a battle that basketball fans can enjoy. Basketball fans tune in to get some excitement from a game. If the series gets a few more of how Game 1’s second half turned out, expect these numbers to slide even more.

The only way fans can acknowledge a change of guard is if these young stars can excite them more or at least equal to what LeBron James, Steph Curry, and others have done for almost two decades. The task is tough, but Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have the tools and, most importantly, the chance to do so.

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