NBA Owners Change NBA Finals Format

The NBA Finals is moving back to a 2-2-1-1-1 format after 28 years in a 2-3-2 format.

NBA owners voted unanimously Wednesday to make the change, citing competitive balance and a need to align the schedule with the rest of the NBA playoffs.

The change will take place this season.

"There has been," NBA commissioner David Stern said, "an abiding sense amongst our teams, and they've stated two things: One, in a 2-2 series, it's sort of not fair for the team with the better record to be away. And two, it's difficult for the team — the better team in terms of record to spend as many as eight days on the road away from home.

"So for all those considerations and many others, the Competition Committee voted, it was explained to the owners, and they voted to make the change."

Stern initially made the change to the 2-3-2 format in 1985 after then-Boston Celtics president Red Auerbach complained about traveling back and forth from Boston and Los Angeles for during several NBA Finals.