Ridiculous NBA Finals Schedule

[Stu]

Did anyone else check out the (typically) ridiculous schedule for the Finals? Here it is:

Thursday, June 5 (9 p.m. ET)  Lakers at Pistons or Celtics 
Sunday, June 8 (9 p.m. ET)  Lakers at Pistons or Celtics 
Tuesday, June 10 (9 p.m. ET)  Pistons or Celtics at Lakers 
Thursday, June 12 (9 p.m. ET)  Pistons or Celtics at Lakers 
#Sunday, June 15 (9 p.m. ET)  Pistons or Celtics at Lakers 
#Tuesday, June 17 (9 p.m. ET)  Lakers at Pistons or Celtics 
#Thursday, June 19 (9 p.m. ET)  Lakers at Pistons or Celtics

It has two days off in between games played in the same city - TWICE - between games 1&2 and 4&5.  Even more idiotic is that both times the teams have to travel, they only have one day off!  Boston-L.A. is a six hour flight.  The only apparent explanation is that the NBA is in love with Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.  Thanks a lot, NBA.  Way to look at the logical way to do the schedule, and then do the EXACT OPPOSITE.

[celticmaestro]

you've got a point there, disco stu.

[Roy Hobbs]

I know what you're saying, but I'll take the extra rest, no matter how it happens.  This team needs it.

As for the 6 hour fights, it's stupid to only have one day off, but the good thing is both teams are affected equally.

[LarBrd33]

The good news is that if we somehow manage to beat the Pistons on Sunday and make it to the Finals... we will have 3 days off to at least catch our breathe a little.  I mean... the Lakers will have a whole week off, but at least we'll have a few days that we are in desperate need of.   And then we have 2 whole days off until game 2.   That'd be great for this team seeing as they have been playing every other day since Atlanta.

[Hoops]

I've done a lot of research about this given that I'm trying to fly from Portland, OR to Boston for game 2 of the Finals (assuming Boston makes it).  Originally, I thought game 2 would be on Saturday (6/7). I found out that this funky schedule is totally ABC's doing. For TV scheduling/ratings purposes, they like the Thursday/Sunday/Tuesday format. When I first saw the schedule, I thought it was stupid from a basketball standpoint. I still think it's stupid. However, the schedule isn't so ridiculous when you think about it from ABC's perspective. If you look at last year's Finals, ABC used the exact same schedule. We don't have to like it, but that's the reason they're doing it.

[CelticsWhat35]

The good news is that if we somehow manage to beat the Pistons on Sunday and make it to the Finals... we will have 3 days off to at least catch our breathe a little.  I mean... the Lakers will have a whole week off, but at least we'll have a few days that we are in desperate need of.   And then we have 2 whole days off until game 2.   That'd be great for this team seeing as they have been playing every other day since Atlanta.

What was the final score for game 6?  You already spoiled the ending for me, so I'm not gonna bother watching.

[Bleedgreen]

Why one earth wouldn't they play Sunday as a day game rather than making all you poor East Coasters stay up until midnight for a game? That schedule is ridiculous!

[ma11l]

Why one earth wouldn't they play Sunday as a day game rather than making all you poor East Coasters stay up until midnight for a game? That schedule is ridiculous!

I agree.  Sunday afternoon, Celtics-Lakers, it just sounds right.  I loved the fact that our two game 7s so far were on Sunday afternoons.  I wish, if there was a Game 7 in this series it would also be played during the day.  I feel it would also help ABC's ratings.  Who doesn't watch sports on Sunday afternoons?

[Section 87]

They had to take three arena schedules into account. Detroit and Boston have a few concerts during the Finals. Los Angeles is more heavily scheduled, with music, basketball, and football.

It's not as if the NBA gets total access to any date on the calendar. And by scheduling now, they have to make sure that the dates for games 1, 2, 6, & 7 will work for both east teams, and games 3, 4, and 5 work for the Staples Center. And yes, they NBA and their national broadcasters have ALWAYS liked Sundays. They can't have a day game in LA on the Sunday the 15th, because there's a matinee concert.

[angryguy77]

What suck about this most is the 2-3-2 format. That doesn't favor us if you think about it with our history on the road. If LA steals one at home, we are in a world of hurt then. I have always wished that the would do the 2-2-1-1-1. That is the fairest way to do it. # at home in a row gives the that team an edge in my opinion even though they have 1 less home game

[Section 87]

They had to take three arena schedules into account. Detroit and Boston have a few concerts during the Finals. Los Angeles is more heavily scheduled, with music, basketball, comedy rasslin', and football.

It's not as if the NBA gets total access to any date on the calendar. And by scheduling now, they have to make sure that the dates for games 1, 2, 6, & 7 will work for both east teams, and games 3, 4, and 5 work for the Staples Center. And yes, they NBA and their national broadcasters have ALWAYS liked Sundays. They can't have a day game in LA on the Sunday the 15th, because there's a matinee concert.

[Rich]

What suck about this most is the 2-3-2 format. That doesn't favor us if you think about it with our history on the road. If LA steals one at home, we are in a world of hurt then. I have always wished that the would do the 2-2-1-1-1. That is the fairest way to do it. # at home in a row gives the that team an edge in my opinion even though they have 1 less home game

Wait, am I missing something?  They change the home/away "schedule" just for the Finals?  Because for the entire playoffs thus far it has been 2-2-1-1-1...I was unaware if this is true, and if it is it's also silly and ludicrous!

[Bankshot]

I hate the 9:00 starting times.  That is too late.  What is the reason they couldn't start these games at 8:00, at least the ones on the East coast?

And the 2-3-2 format seems to punish the team that worked all year to get home court advantage.

[QuinielaBox]

Did anyone else check out the (typically) ridiculous schedule for the Finals? Here it is:

Thursday, June 5 (9 p.m. ET)  Lakers at Pistons or Celtics 
Sunday, June 8 (9 p.m. ET)  Lakers at Pistons or Celtics 
Tuesday, June 10 (9 p.m. ET)  Pistons or Celtics at Lakers 
Thursday, June 12 (9 p.m. ET)  Pistons or Celtics at Lakers 
#Sunday, June 15 (9 p.m. ET)  Pistons or Celtics at Lakers 
#Tuesday, June 17 (9 p.m. ET)  Lakers at Pistons or Celtics 
#Thursday, June 19 (9 p.m. ET)  Lakers at Pistons or Celtics

It has two days off in between games played in the same city - TWICE - between games 1&2 and 4&5.  Even more idiotic is that both times the teams have to travel, they only have one day off!  Boston-L.A. is a six hour flight.  The only apparent explanation is that the NBA is in love with Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.  Thanks a lot, NBA.  Way to look at the logical way to do the schedule, and then do the EXACT OPPOSITE.

Man, I feel bad for you fans that have to catch a commuter train out of North Station with that 9:00 start. These games tend to run close to three hours. One time back in 1976, that triple OT game ended at 12:30 AM and the last train to South Acton left at 12:10AM. My father had to drive in to get me.

[Rich]

And the 2-3-2 format seems to punish the team that worked all year to get home court advantage.

agreed...i was unaware of this,

Edited
Please no masked profanity feel free to re write
Thanks
Edgar