2-3-2 Finals Format

[Andthentherewas21]

I thought of this before the OKC series, but I figured I would refrain from posting it before the series was over so as not to seem like a homer in the series.

Anyways what do people think of the 2-3-2 format?

Personally I don't understand the shift. I've heard a number of explanations, from its suppose to reduce costs, reduce travel, the NBA is rigged, ect.

The format as it is seems to give an edge to the team without home-court advantage. Suppose a team has home-court and defends it for the first 2 games, so its a 2-0 series. Then the other team defends their home-court. Congratulations your home-court advantage in the series has now yielded you a 2-3 deficit in the series. Obviously you've got the last 2 at home, but now both are elimination games.

The counter argument might be that the team with home-court advantage could have taken 1 on the road...but the same argument could be made for the road team in a regular 2-2-1-1-1 series.

To make the regular season record matter in the postseason, I would allow the team with home-court advantage to decide the format for the finals. Worse case make it so you can only have 3 consecutive home games so a 3-3-1 or a 3-1-1-2 series or something like that.

Thoughts?

[jimo2305]

eastern conference champs vs western conference champs..

imagine all that traveling back n' forth for games 5, 6 and 7 especially if it were boston vs la

i think that's the reasoning behind it

[Creation88]

lets not confuse things...these teams fly charter luxury jets. travel distances should be no problem. it should be 2-2-1-1-1. i agree it gives a huge advantage to the team w/o HCA.

[tesseractive]

lets not confuse things...these teams fly charter luxury jets. travel distances should be no problem. it should be 2-2-1-1-1. i agree it gives a huge advantage to the team w/o HCA.

I've always heard that it's more about all the mass media folks that don't cover the rest of the season but descend en masse to cover the finals -- same basic idea as all the mediots who show up for the Super Bowl. The NBA needs all that publicity to make their money, so they cater to the people who provide it.

Supposedly team front offices prefer the logistics of a 2-3-2 finals as well, but I really doubt that coaches do.

[dunkman]

The problem wasn't with the teams, they can pay it, but with the press.

[Andthentherewas21]

Still if you shifted to a 3-3-1, you would have the potential for the same amount of travel, and then it at least benefits the team with home-court advantage. Mind you then your only guaranteed 1 home game if you don't have HCA but it would give an incentive for teams to play out the season (at least playoff teams).

Its just one of those situation where if you drop one of the first 2 home games, and you have HCA advantage your giving the lesser of the 2 teams a chance to close things out at home, whereas every other series they have to steal at least 2 games before the team without HCA has the chance to close out the series on their homecourt.

[lefty]

They changed the format before the 84-85 season

KC Jones after the Lakers won game 6 to win the 85 title : "TBH with you, I don't like the new format "


Excuses :lol

[baseline bum]

I have always thought the 2-3-2 format was a huge advantage for the team with the better record. It virtually ensures that in any matchup where one team isn't completely overwhelmed that the clinching game takes place on the homecourt of the team with the better record. I can't imagine the Lakers winning the 2010 title in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, for instance. Same with the 94 Rockets.

[Russ]

I have always thought the 2-3-2 format was a huge advantage for the team with the better record. It virtually ensures that in any matchup where one team isn't completely overwhelmed that the clinching game takes place on the homecourt of the team with the better record. I can't imagine the Lakers winning the 2010 title in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, for instance. Same with the 94 Rockets.

Agreed, if you're the lower seeded team, it's easier to win three home games if they're not all in a row.

2-3-2 favors the team with the HCA, not the reverse.

[ffadicted]

It's for the media folk