After the 2013-2014 season NBA fans can expect a different experience from the NBA Finals. According to reports, the league is considering a format change to the most important series of the season, and doing away with the 2-3-2 style in the Finals.
In the championship's current form, the top-seeded team receives two home games to start, followed by three road games, then closing out with two in front of the home fans. For the entire postseason preceding the Finals, however, the format is two home games, two road games, then alternating home games until a winner is determined.
The NBA's competition committee is likely going to make all series uniform, and shift the Finals to the 2-2-1-1-1 style, according to NBA spokesman Tim Frank. "The idea was raised at the competition committee and was well-received and the committee ultimately unanimously voted to recommend the change in format."
The 2-3-2 style was originally implemented because of the travel headaches caused by frequent Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers Finals matchups, requiring constant cross-country flights on commercial airlines. Now that each team has its own chartered flights, wand the level of comfort and luxury has been ramped up, these concerns are ancient relics of the past.
The main reason for the proposed change is the effect the format has on home court advantage for the higher seeded team; specifically, three straight home games in the middle of the series lessens the higher seed's gains. According to ESPN, while the Miami Heat won Games 6 and 7 on their home floor in last year's Finals, that has only been done four times in 29 years.
A secondary reason for the format switch is monetary. Lower seeded teams receiving home games in Game 6 increase the chances of a lengthy Finals series reaching a seventh game.
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