NBA Finals ratings surge as the league welcomes Trump, drops woke messaging — but is it sustainable?

ESPN posted a graphic Wednesday afternoon highlighting the viewership for Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Spurs and Knicks. The ratings were significant. The network says the game averaged 23.8 million viewers, making it the largest NBA Finals Game 3 audience since 1998 and the most-watched NBA Finals Game 3 ever on ABC and ESPN. You'd think the NBA's media fanboys would be pleased. The ratings are undeniably impressive. Instead, they did what they so often do whenever the NBA claims to rec