The NBA's competition committee is pushing for the NBA Finals to return to a 2-2-1-1-1 home and away format. Sources told the Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett that the committee voted unanimously to return to the format that was changed to the 2-3-2 home and away groupings that have been a part of the Finals since 1985. The change must next be approved by league owners.
NBA Finals to return to 2-2-1-1-1 format, pending vote from owners
The NBA could ditch the current 2-3-2 finals format and return to the same one used before 1985.
USA TODAY Sports
The first round, conference semifinals and conference finals of the NBA Playoffs already use the 2-2-1-1-1 format, but the Finals format was changed in 1985 to two home games, three road games and then two more home games for the team with the better regular season record.
Travel costs and television marketing purposes led to the new format, but since implementation of the 2-3-2 format, lower-seeded teams have struggled. They rarely win all three of their home games as the higher-seeded teams get used to the road atmosphere.
With team charter flights making it easier to travel more and in less amount of time -- and with television being live for all games -- the change back to a 2-2-1-1-1 format appears logistically sound and viewed as a more competitive model.
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