[rQUOTEr]NEW YORK (AP) -- The NBA Finals could return to a 2-2-1-1-1 format. The league's Competition Committee voted unanimously to recommend the change from the current 2-3-2 system and owners will vote on it next month at their meetings. ''The idea was raised at the Competition Committee and was well-received and the committee ultimately unanimously voted to recommend the change in format,'' NBA spokesman Tim Frank said Sunday. If approved, it hasn't been decided if the change would begin with the 2014 finals.[/rQUOTEr]
I don't understand the argument that 2-3-2 reduces the homecourt advantage. Assuming the two teams are reasonably evenly matched, then it's difficult to win 3 in a row, so the team with the middle 3 has an even more difficult task - they have to win all 3 of those games, or they have to win TWO on the opponent's court. (if they aren't evenly matched, home court doesn't really matter anyway)
They're dragging the playoffs as long as possible so the reason for switching 2-3-2 doesn't apply much anymore
I don't like 2-3-2 because it favors the "away team" who has the 3 in a row, and then swings back to favor the original team too much for having games 6 AND 7 at home. 2-2-1-1-1 seems more leveled out to me.
This. I'm not even sure what the reasoning is for switching out of the 2-2-1-1-1 in the first place lol. Even crazier in the current system is if the opponent wins the 1st game, 3 of their next 4 games are at home, in that case seems way more advantageous to be the 2nd seed rather than the first.
I actually like the idea of Home Court advantage not playing as big of a role in the finals because the East is so weak. So with a 2-3-2 system it somewhat evens it out (but not really)...because of the East vs West discrepancies I think Spurs technically should have had home court advantage in the finals last year because they came through the tough west...
Because home court advantage in the finals tends to reflect whose conference is weaker rather than who was the better regular season team, also means no team ever gets more than 1 game ahead via home court.