It Remains A Travesty That The NBA Still Hasn't Gone Back To The Old NBA Finals Court Designs

6/05/2025 9:45 PM

Joe Murphy. Getty Images.

I know when it comes to the internet, it's virtually impossible to get people to unanimously agree on something. It's basically like seeing Halley's Comet when it happens. Despite knowing that reality, I do still think that when it comes to the NBA Finals, there is one thing that anyone with working eyes and a brain can agree on, and that is what a fumble it continues to be from Adam Silver and the NBA when it comes to the court designs.

No, sorry @NBA, there is no starry-eyed emoji when looking at that OKC court. You know why? Because it may as well be a regular season game in December! If they didn't have the Finals logo on the jumbotron screen, you'd have no idea that this was Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The most important series of the entire season, their crown jewel, and we get nothing to make the court special? We instead have to deal with bullshit hologram ads on the court instead?

Giphy Images.

I think what makes this even more insane and pretty inexcusable is the league and Silver put more effort into differentiating the In-Season Tournament than the NBA Finals. Their whole schtick is that they want viewers to be able to tune in and see that this is a "special" type of game, as if any living person gives two shits about the In-Season Tournament.

Ron Hoskins. Getty Images.

Zach Beeker. Getty Images.

It's infuriating that everything we as fans want on the Finals court seems to be able to exist on the IST courts, so what's the deal?

I don't think we're even asking for too much when it comes to this. Really it just boils down to two things

1. Give us the Larry O'Brien trophy at midcourt

2. Give us "The Finals" script along the paint

Jesse D. Garrabrant. Getty Images.

Kevin C. Cox. Getty Images.

Obviously, I used the Garden (real starry-eyed emoji) as my example, but it's a look that works for EVERY Finals court, regardless of where the games are happening. You see the IST photos above, both OKC and IND had something similar for those games, so what the hell is Adam Silver's problem? I am yet to hear any logical rationale as to why this went away.

If people suggest that the logo at center court is a player safety issue or something, well then why is there a giant trophy in the middle of the IST courts? Surely that same logic should apply there no? Admittedly I'm a moron, but that feels like a tad inconsistent.

Here's my next question.

OK, say no matter what, the logo and the script can never actually be put on the floor again. Why don't they just superimpose it on the broadcasts like they do with those annoying ads? Why is that not an option? Personally, I think they should just stop being idiots and bring back the old look, but how is there not a workaround in 2025?

Those courts are what made the Finals feel iconic. It's what made the game and the series feel "different" and more significant, which just so happens to be the very things that the NBA wants to happen to the IST. Adam Silver himself has talked about why those courts are different. You know, the same exact thing that existed with the old NBA Finals courts, yet they went away from it??

Giphy Images.

I get it, maybe this is just me morphing into an "old" and this isn't actually a complaint for most rational people, but I call bullshit on that. Everyone agrees with bringing the old look back. Everyone. I feel the same way about the All Star Game. I don't need USA vs The World. All I need is East vs West with everyone wearing their normal team jerseys like the old days.

So while it does not appear that this will be addressed for the 2025 NBA Finals, I'm going to need Adam Silver to stop being weird and correct this decision by the time we get to the 2026 NBA Finals. I don't care how you do it, just