What happened: Athletic NBA writer Jared Weiss highlighted a dedicated NBA Finals section in Thursday's New York Times, describing it as wall-to-wall coverage of the series. Weiss added that his own photography appeared in the print edition.

Why it matters: A standalone print section in a national newspaper signals the cultural weight major outlets are assigning to this year's Finals. It reflects heightened mainstream attention around the matchup as the series unfolds.

What to watch: Watch whether expanded mainstream coverage and viewership continue to build as the Finals progress.