The NBA Finals format will be switched back to the 2-2-1-1-1 format from the 2-3-2 after a unanimous vote by the league's owners.
Since 1985 the team with home court advantage in the Finals got the first two games at home, followed by the next three on the road, and finally coming back home for the last two. Starting this year the team with the better record will have the firs two at home, the second two away, and the two teams will alternate home courts in the last three games.
According to Chicago Tribune David Stern announced this change at his last Board of Governors meeting before his retirement on Feb. 1.
The change will only be made for the Finals. The first three rounds of the playoffs will remain using the 2-2-1-1-1 format it that has been used.
"There has been," Stern said, "an abiding sense amongst our teams, and they've stated two things: One, in a 2-2 series, it's sort of not fair for the team with the better record to be away. And two, it's difficult for the team — the better team in terms of record to spend as many as eight days on the road away from home"
USA Today reports that if the series were to go to a Game 7, there will be an extra day of rest between Games 6 and 7.