Kevin Durant believes fan “programming” is to blame for the decline in NBA ratings

The NBA has a ratings problem. Or it doesn’t. It kind of depends on who you ask.

Heading into the holiday week, ratings were said to be down, but after posting huge gains in five games over Christmas – including a game between the Warriors and Lakers that was the most-watched regular season game in five years – the Ratings mostly down I feel a little better about the state of the sport.

Still, Kevin Durant makes it his mission to keep interest high, telling ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, “I want to see the people, the viewership. I want them to skyrocket again. The league isn’t going anywhere, but we’re in a difficult phase when it comes to that.

Durant has a pretty strong theory about where the apathy started in the regular season.

“I feel like the fans just want free agency and drama and only care about playoffs and Finals and what that means for someone else’s legacy,” Durant explained. “Then they become programmed to just think about what caused them to not want to care about the regular season.”

Because interest in the NBA relies so heavily on narratives, it may actually be easier for fans to find compelling moments in teams’ personal relationships and roster management capabilities than it is to look forward to a regular-season game between the Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic.

In some ways, Durant’s point is clear: wrestling culture and debate shows have undoubtedly made it harder to appreciate the miracles that happen night after night across the NBA. Still, it’s days like the NBA’s Christmas that ultimately prove that the sport of basketball is just fine.