NBA Finals 2013: Players ok with 2-3-2 Format
By Mike Dyce
Ever since the NBA changed to format from 2-2-1-1-1 to 2-3-2 in the Finals it has been the subject of controversy. And the debate is whether or not the home team really has a home court advantage in this format.
Why does the rest of the NBA playoffs, including the conference finals, still use the 2-2-1-1-1 format?
Originally it was to ease the travel burdens of the teams. And while fans debate its merits the coaches and players seem to not have a problem with it.
“Without obsessing, it’s just a sense of urgency when it’s the Finals,” Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, via the USA TODAY. “You’re talking about the first team to four. It doesn’t matter how you get there. There’s nothing else you can change in terms of your routine or preparation. We’ve been on both sides of it. The next games is important not because of 2-3-2 but because it’s the quickest to four.”
Spolestra’s superstar forward, LeBron James echoed his sentiments.
“It doesn’t matter,” LeBron James said. “Two best teams in the NBA at this point. Both teams have won and can win on each other’s floor, so it’s not a biggie.”
“At the end of the day it’s a Finals game,” James said. “Every game is important. Game 1, Game 2, 3, 4, no matter 2-3-2 format or it could be a 3-2-2 format. No matter what the format is, it’s the Finals. … Every game is important, no matter if you’re at home or on the road. …
“You can’t afford to not play with a sense of urgency in a playoff game.”