NBA Finals Logos Added (Digitally) to Court After Backlash

The NBA heard the complaints loud and clear.

After Front Office Sports and several other outlets and personalities lamented the lack of pageantry in the NBA Finals, including a court that did not include painted logos for the Finals or the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, the long-missing logos have alternated as being digitally imposed on the floor in Game 2. 

Previously, the NBA had decals for the Finals and the Larry O’Brien Trophy on the court, but it removed them more than a decade ago, citing player safety. While there was about a week to get prepared this year, it’s often the case that there’s too short a turnaround for paint to dry on the court before the Finals begin. 

At an NBA Cares charity event in Oklahoma City this week, league commissioner Adam Silver admitted that he missed the trophy being on the court in the Finals. 

“Maybe there’s a way around it,” Silver said, as covered by The Athletic. “To be honest, I hadn’t thought all that much about it until I [saw] it [on social media]. I’m nostalgic, as well, for certain things. And also, I think for a media-driven culture, whether it’s people watching live or seeing those images on social media, it’s nice when you’re looking back on highlights and they stand out because you see that trophy logo or some other indication that it’s a special event. So, we’ll look at it.”