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Why the Celtics have to wait more than a week for the NBA Finals to begin
The league made the decision that a fixed date for all seven Finals games was better logistically for fans, teams, and broadcast partners.
By the time the NBA Finals commence on Thursday, June 6, the Celtics will have had nine whole days without a game since completing the sweep of the Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals on Monday.
This is mostly a positive development. Kristaps Porzingis gets more time for his strained soleus muscle to heal, and the layoff allows for older Celtics, such as Al Horford, who turns 38 on June 3, to get welcome rest before the final push for Banner 18.
Still … that’s a long time between games. And with the Mavericks leading the Timberwolves, three games to one, in the Western Conference finals, it might seem feasible on the surface for the NBA to adjust the Finals schedule so that it begins earlier, presuming Dallas wraps up the series in five games.
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But in recent years, the NBA does not allow for flexibility in the Finals schedule. This year’s championship round has been locked in to begin June 6 for more than three weeks.
Sources at the NBA and ESPN/ABC who were authorized to speak on background about the schedule said there are a number of reasons the Finals has a fixed starting date.
The first reason is broad: The league used to have a move-up date, but a few years ago made the decision that a fixed date for all seven Finals games was better logistically for fans, teams, and broadcast partners.
The NBA has a massive global following, with games airing via digital partnerships in more than 200 countries and territories. The league expects more than 1,000 domestic and international media members to travel to cover the Finals.
“When you start moving dates within 7 to 10 games of the first game, it creates quite a challenge for those traveling in for the series,’’ the NBA source said.
It also allows fans to plan well in advance for Finals games, without having to worry about the series being moved up because the conference finals finished early.
“[The league understands] the unfortunate aspects of the potential break, but it’s not common for both series to be sweeps (or even finish in five games) so we feel our current process best serves all of our key stakeholders,’’ the NBA source added.
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And then there’s the benefit that the Celtics just happen to be gaining right now.
“And at the very least, it does allow some time for teams who earned it to get some rest and get healthy,’’ the league source said.
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