I don't like the 2-3-2 Finals format

[Darth_Pelican]

I don't understand why the NBA changes the playoff format for the Finals. Why not keep the playoff format consistent at 2-2-1-1-1?

It don't think it's fair that the team with HCA should get both game 6 AND game 7 on their home floor.


And here is a telling stat on how much of an advantage it has been for team with HCA:

Since 1985, when the league went to the 2-3-2 format for the finals, the team with home-court advantage has won 20 of 26 championships.

[crc21209]

Well you could also argue that its pretty tough to play 3 consecutive games on the road as well. Games 3, 4, and 5 are very important in a series.....

[DMC]

I don't understand why the NBA changes the playoff format for the Finals. Why not keep the playoff format consistent at 2-2-1-1-1?

It don't think it's fair that the team with HCA should get both game 6 AND game 7 on their home floor.


And here is a telling stat on how much of an advantage it has been for team with HCA:

Since 1985, when the league went to the 2-3-2 format for the finals, the team with home-court advantage has won 20 of 26 championships.

Figures don't lie but liars figure.

What are you really saying?

The team in the Finals with the best record has won the Finals 20 of 26.

Shocker

[Darth_Pelican]

Well you could also argue that its pretty tough to play 3 consecutive games on the road as well. Games 3, 4, and 5 are very important in a series.....

Sure you could argue that as well... So again, why not just keep the 2-2-1-1-1 format, which is more balanced?

[Cessation]

I agree, why they change it anyway?

[dirk4mvp]

I don't think it puts the Mavs at much of a disadvantage with them being such a swell road team. Plus it's not like the Heat have some insanely loud home fans.


lol fan up

[JoeTait75]

I agree, why they change it anyway?

They changed it during a stretch where it was always a straight East Coast-West Coast matchup: Washington-Seattle, Philadelphia-Los Angeles, Boston-Los Angeles, etc. The motive was to cut down on travel costs.

For a matchup like this 2-3-2 doesn't make sense from that standpoint. It can't be much further from Miami to Dallas than it is from Portland to Dallas, if at all.

[Kai]

They changed it because East vs West can equal a long travel time.

Edit: JT beat me to it.

[Fpoonsie]

I don't think it puts the Mavs at much of a disadvantage with them being such a swell road team. Plus it's not like the Heat have some insanely loud home fans.


lol fan up

:lol

Yeah, over/under on how many empty seats there are at tip-off...

[Cessation]

You play all playoffs with 2 2 111 then you switch all of a sudden to 2 3 2, seems kind of gay, tbh.

[Darth_Pelican]

Figures don't lie but liars figure.

What are you really saying?

The team in the Finals with the best record has won the Finals 20 of 26.

Shocker

Well if it's all about records, then the Cavs would have reached and won the Finals in 2009 & 2010, and the Bulls would have won it this year, since they had a better record than all of their opponents.

[Tinystarz]

You play all playoffs with 2 2 111 then you switch all of a sudden to 2 3 2, seems kind of gay, tbh.

http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/thebrewery/SternAP.jpg

[frodo]

play 2-3-2 format so the two teams don't need to travel too much across the continent imho, assuming that the eastern & western champs are farther separated than teams of the same conference imho

[DMC]

Well if it's all about records, then the Cavs would have reached and won the Finals in 2009 & 2010, and the Bulls would have won it this year, since they had a better record than all of their opponents.
The Cavs weren't in the Finals either year. The Bulls aren't in it either. Your data was for teams in the Finals. It's not surprising that the team in the Finals with the best record who was obviously built for playoff basketball (thus the Finals) wins a large majority of the time.

[DMC]

I think it's for the media, not the teams so much. Unlike the other games that have other games going on around the same time frame, the Finals is one event and everyone has to move and set up again. It seems to be no different, but the Finals have an ASG type atmosphere and the logistics are a bit different than the playoffs.

[BanditHiro]

Why would a Hornets fan be considered about something his team will never experience...

i'm just kidding.

Yeah it does suck. Game 5 should always be hosted by the team with HCA.

[Darth_Pelican]

They changed it during a stretch where it was always a straight East Coast-West Coast matchup: Washington-Seattle, Philadelphia-Los Angeles, Boston-Los Angeles, etc. The motive was to cut down on travel costs.

For a matchup like this 2-3-2 doesn't make sense from that standpoint. It can't be much further from Miami to Dallas than it is from Portland to Dallas, if at all.

It's crazy that 2 extra airplane flights changes an HCA format that could determine the NBA Champion.

[Giuseppe]

It was ok'd by the rank & file back prior to the change.

They can change it again if they so desire.

[John Basedow]

They changed it during a stretch where it was always a straight East Coast-West Coast matchup: Washington-Seattle, Philadelphia-Los Angeles, Boston-Los Angeles, etc. The motive was to cut down on travel costs.

For a matchup like this 2-3-2 doesn't make sense from that standpoint. It can't be much further from Miami to Dallas than it is from Portland to Dallas, if at all.

This. They should either institute this for all rounds, or eliminate the format altogether. Some WC and EC matchups are longer trips than the Finals matchups anyways. Dallas-Miami has gotta be shorter than Dallas-Portland.

[DJ Mbenga]

i've always felt it helps the road team. shit aint getting changed. the media dont want to constantly travel and set shit up.

[John Basedow]

i've always felt it helps the road team. shit aint getting changed. the media dont want to constantly travel and set shit up.

I've heard both points of view, but at the end of the day it's still 4>3 in home games. Besides, has any road team ever won the Finals down 2-3 (in the 2-3-2 format)? Not sure, but I don't think they have.

[Giuseppe]

HC will have nary an impact on this Finals.

[Ace]

I don't think it puts the Mavs at much of a disadvantage with them being such a swell road team. Plus it's not like the Heat have some insanely loud home fans.


lol fan up

Has that kept them from playing better at home?

[Ghazi]

HC will have nary an impact on this Finals.

just be happy for him (Dirk) in June...k 'eppe? :)..

[BlackSwordsMan]

seppe said it first that JJ was gonna be the best player in the playoffs this year

[Giuseppe]

just be happy for him (Dirk) in June...k 'eppe? :)..

Of course.

It'll ruin this site, but, I'd I'll be keen to bear witness to Dirk, his people & you fellows at ring.

It'll be a sight to behold.

[boutons_deux]

Game 82 Win Gave Heat Home Court for Finals Opener
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

MIAMI (AP) — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will play Game 1 of the NBA finals on their home floor.

They can thank Eddie House, Juwan Howard and Jamaal Magloire for that privilege.

The story goes like this: On the final night of the regular season, the Miami Heat were playing against the Toronto Raptors — and had an eye on the Dallas Mavericks. The Heat were already locked into the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, but the game was far from meaningless in the sense that by winning, Miami would finish with the NBA's third-best record.

So?

Miami finished with 58 wins. Dallas finished with 57. Had the teams ended tied, Game 1 of the finals would be in Dallas, since the Mavericks swept the Heat in the regular season. Instead, the Heat hold home-court advantage going into the title series — hardly a minor deal considering Miami is the only team still unbeaten at home in this year's playoffs.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/05/30/sports/basketball/AP-BKN-NBA-Finals-Home-Court.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=print

[Darthkiller]

i like it though, i think it helps prolong teh series, because the road team have a very good chance to even the series with 3 games at home even if they go down 2-0

[picc84]

Its nearly impossible to win 3 straight games at home. If the home team wins the first two games, they've pretty much wrapped up the series since they'll usually win one on the road, then have two at home to close out.

[Giuseppe]

^ Exactly. At 0-2, it's 4 in-a-row, or, a Game 7 in Miami.

One or the other.

[greyforest]

i think it should be 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

it's not like they can't afford the airfare

[DMC]

Of course.

It'll ruin this site, but, I'd I'll be keen to bear witness to Dirk, his people & you fellows at ring.

It'll be a sight to behold.

Except the new troll base will so infiltrate the board with smegma that it will be borderline impossible to keep a decent thread on the first page.

[Narutoluva]

Except the new troll base will so infiltrate the board with smegma that it will be borderline impossible to keep a decent thread on the first page.

sup scrah?

[Ed Lover]

Except the new troll base will so infiltrate the board with smegma that it will be borderline impossible to keep a decent thread on the first page.

c'mon son

[Giuseppe]

Except the new troll base will so infiltrate the board with smegma that it will be borderline impossible to keep a decent thread on the first page.

This is true.

[jacobdrj]

i think it should be 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

it's not like they can't afford the airfare

Agreed!

[stretch]

doesnt bother me too much. if you truly are the best team, HCA should make no difference, except MAYBE in a game 7. teams that rely on their home crowds to help them be more motivated (like Portland did) have no business winning any playoff series.

besides, Dallas has already dealt with Portland and OKC crowds, possibly the two loudest arenas in the NBA, especially with OKC pumping fake crowd noise through the PA. Dealing with crowd noise in Miami should be a cakewalk for them.

[Ghazi]

we've played about the same at home as on the road this year..

I dont think HCA will matter too much. Maybe a slight, slight advantage IF it comes to Game 7.

but it wont

Mavs in 5

[Giuseppe]

Where yer at a distinct disadvantage is that the Heat have Riley. You have Cuban.

[Ashy Larry]

the main thing about the move was to really accommodate the media and their traveling parties ...... Miami to Dallas is really just a 2.5 hour flight right over the Gulf of Mexico. But what happens when it's Los Angeles and Boston. 3000 miles. Now that the internet is booming and most newscasts have a east coast and west coast home base, it really shouldn't be a major problem to go back to the 2-2-1-1-1 format.

There's enough reporters to keep one in Boston and one in L.A. if needed.

[DMC]

Where yer at a distinct disadvantage is that the Heat have Riley. You have Cuban.
True, but Spo vs Carlisle is lopsided as well. Those are the guys making the call during the game. Cuban becomes a cheerleader.

[Giuseppe]

True, but Spo vs Carlisle is lopsided as well.

Gee, D hittin' dead center twice in the same morning!

Matzel, Matzel.

Spo will have his marching orders from Riley emblazoned on his very soul prior to each opening tip & during half time.

But, yer right:::those 48 minutes of actual game time/sans Riley is the Mavs killing ground.

[mindcrime]

Game 1: Mavs
Game 2: Heat
Game 3: Mavs
Game 4: Mavs
Game 5: Heat
Game 6: Mavs

Mavs in 6

[Dex]

All I know is I was glad to have both Games 6 and 7 at home in 2005.

[Darth_Pelican]

All I know is I was glad to have both Games 6 and 7 at home in 2005.

That's the big advantage of the 2-3-2 format. It's almost like the team with HCA just has to get the series to a game 6, and even down 3-2, they have to feel pretty good that they can win the series, because they get the last 2 at home.

[dunkman]

It's very difficult to come back from a 2:3 IMHO . . . the Lakers had luck the last season. In game 6 Perkins went down which allowed them to put the series 3:3, the game 7 was decided from FT line by the refs favoring the Lakers.

[dunkman]

The better team will win more games on the road. It's all about matchups first, lock down defense second, then about superstars to get points when the things get really difficult.

[picc84]

Look at a potential finals series under finals and normal HCA rules. For kicks, team 1 is the Raptors, and team 2 is the Wolves.

Raptors have HCA and win games 1 and 2.

Wolves win game 3.

Raptors win game 4 in OT thriller, as game 4's are always close.

Raptors lead 3-1.

Wolves squeeze out game 5 in Minnesota to send it to 3-2 going back to Toronto.

But if game 5 was in Toronto as it would be under regular HC rules, the series would have been done in 5. Because of the extra home game, it extended the life of the Wolves one more game past what it should have been.

Now, it doesn't necessarily help the road team win the series, but it extends it past what it could have been. Conversely, the road team has virtually no chance to win because its home games are finished. Down 3-2 and with two games on the road, its extremely unlikely to come back from that.

In contrast, say the Wolves won game 2 on the road. They win 2 games in Minnesota, and go back to Toronto up 3-2. They still have odds against them to win the series.

The finals 2-3-2 format seems to do one thing very well. It extends the lifespan of the road team while at the same time almost guaranteeing they ultimately lose the series.

If the team with HCA wins the first two, they are winning the series. Its a 99% lock.

If the team with HCA loses one of the first two, they still have odds on winning because

1. Game 5's are always hotly contested so they have a better chance than in a game 3, which the home team almost always wins, and
2. Game 6 is at home.

Basically, if Dallas doesn't win both games in Miami, they probably won't win the series. Tall order. Shawn Bradley tall.

[Giuseppe]

The better team will win more games on the road. It's all about matchups first, lock down defense second, then about superstars to get points when the things get really difficult.

dunky

[Budkin]

I hate the format as well and have never understood it.

[Darth_Pelican]

Look at a potential finals series under finals and normal HCA rules. For kicks, team 1 is the Raptors, and team 2 is the Wolves.

Raptors have HCA and win games 1 and 2.

Wolves win game 3.

Raptors win game 4 in OT thriller, as game 4's are always close.

Raptors lead 3-1.

Wolves squeeze out game 5 in Minnesota to send it to 3-2 going back to Toronto.

But if game 5 was in Toronto as it would be under regular HC rules, the series would have been done in 5. Because of the extra home game, it extended the life of the Wolves one more game past what it should have been.

Now, it doesn't necessarily help the road team win the series, but it extends it past what it could have been. Conversely, the road team has virtually no chance to win because its home games are finished. Down 3-2 and with two games on the road, its extremely unlikely to come back from that.

In contrast, say the Wolves won game 2 on the road. They win 2 games in Minnesota, and go back to Toronto up 3-2. They still have odds against them to win the series.

The finals 2-3-2 format seems to do one thing very well. It extends the lifespan of the road team while at the same time almost guaranteeing they ultimately lose the series.

If the team with HCA wins the first two, they are winning the series. Its a 99% lock.

If the team with HCA loses one of the first two, they still have odds on winning because

1. Game 5's are always hotly contested so they have a better chance than in a game 3, which the home team almost always wins, and
2. Game 6 is at home.

Basically, if Dallas doesn't win both games in Miami, they probably won't win the series. Tall order. Shawn Bradley tall.


Well said.

[92 Shoot em up]

Road team has an advantage

[Darth_Pelican]

Road team has an advantage

Then why is the road team 6-20 in since 1985?

[92 Shoot em up]

Then why is the road team 6-20 in since 1985?

Argument over I just realized your a hornets fan :lol

[Darth_Pelican]

Argument over I just realized your a hornets fan :lol

There was never an argument. A 6-20 record statistically means that the road team doesn't have an advantage. And yes, I am Hornets fan. Funny I know.

[dunkman]

dunky

plan b es plan b . . .