Pacers-Thunder
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Fans are not happy with the 2025 NBA Finals court.
Nostalgia is having a moment around the NBA and some fans are not happy with one decision made during the finals. From throwback jerseys to the old NBA Finals logo, both the teams and league are leaning on its history in recent years. Yet, the court for the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder has fans wanting more.
Fans are pushing the league to go back to the old NBA Finals court that featured a giant Larry O’Brien Trophy at centercourt. The league has clearly heard the loud cries from some people, but the NBA’s solution leaves a lot to be desired.
During Game 2, the television broadcast featured small superimposed Larry O’Brien Trophies at each end of the court. There were a couple of things wrong with this approach, namely whenever a player walked over this section of the court it made for poor viewing on TV. Lastly, it looks nothing like the old courts that fans have been clamoring for in recent weeks.
Mark Jackson’s Burner
What happened to the game I love. We used to have NBA Finals on the court and the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Now it’s YouTube TV 💔
“Adam Silver and ESPN putting a 480p ClipArt Finals logo on the court,” Barstool Sports posted in a June 8, 2025, message on X.
Here is a look at why fans are pushing back against the NBA’s decision.
Fans Are in a Frenzy Over the Fake NBA Finals Graphics on the Court
A side by side comparison shows the difference between the two courts. It appears the NBA would have been better off not doing anything rather than superimposing questionable graphics.
Novo
What we asked for vs What we got…
“We need/ Want THIS in the hardwood with the finals written in cursive on both sides of the court,” one person noted.
“It looks so bad,” a fan remarked.
“Its the worst thing I have ever seen,” another added.
“They spent $2 billion on TV rights just to make the court look like a powerpoint slide from 2006 😭,” said one fan.
Adam Silver Is Open to Bringing Back the Vintage NBA Finals Courts
The NBA added digital trophies to the court then switched them out for the Finals logo 💀
What an embarrassment, the league used to have aura 😭 pic.twitter.com/zQu2aqflbf
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) June 9, 2025
The backlash comes as NBA commissioner Adam Silver teased a potential solution ahead of Game 2. Silver admitted that the league is open to going back to the classic NBA Finals courts, but The Association would be wise not to superimpose the graphics.
𝐙𝐨 🌶️🔥
NBA Finals courts used to have so much aura man 💔
“Maybe there’s a way around it,” Silver told The Athletic’s Sam Amick during a June 6, story titled, “NBA trophy logos may return on finals courts next year, Adam Silver says.” “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.”
As for the 2025 NBA Finals, the Thunder are still a heavy favorite to win the title at -550 heading into Game 3, per FanDuel. The Pacers sit at +410 to win the NBA championship despite a stunning Game 1 victory.