Zach Lowe calls for return of 2-3-2 NBA Finals format

Zach Lowe has a problem with the NBA Finals.

And unlike everyone else in sports media, it’s not with ESPN’s coverage of the Pacers-Thunder series. Instead, Lowe — and, to a lesser extent, Bill Simmons — believe the issue lies in the structure of the Finals themselves.

Namely, the NBA’s 2-2-1-1-1 format, which replaced the old 2-3-2 setup back in 2013. Under that system, the higher seed got Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 at home, while the lower seed hosted the middle stretch. It’s been out of circulation for more than a decade, but Lowe wants it back.

Zach Lowe calls for the NBA Finals to return to the 2-3-2 format.pic.twitter.com/64S2UnhZPY

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“I am on 2-3-2 needs to come back,” Lowe said following Indiana’s Game 6 win. “2-3-2 makes the Finals — I have a lot of arguments for it. I am pro 2-3-2. I love 2-3-2. It allows you to have the two days of rest fewer times than happens in 2-2-1-1-1. I’m gonna go through it on a later day. I love 2-3-2.”

Just like he’s brought back his New York Mets fandom — and just like ABC/ESPN has revived full starting lineup introductions — Lowe wants the league to dust off another relic of a bygone era. The NBA hasn’t used the 2-3-2 format since 2014, when the San Antonio Spurs dismantled the Miami Heat in five games to claim their fifth NBA Championship.

That was 11 years ago.

But it’s not just because the format was cleaner or more nostalgic. For Lowe, the appeal lies in the rhythm of the series. The NBA adopted the 2-3-2 format in 1985 to reduce cross-country travel, particularly during Finals matchups between Eastern and Western Conference teams. For nearly three decades, the championship round had fewer travel days, more continuity, and — in Lowe’s view — a more cohesive viewing experience.

Lowe also pushed back against common criticisms of the 2-3-2 format, calling them outdated and overstated.

“The two big arguments against 2-3-2…[John] Hollinger wrote about this 15 years ago,” Lowe said. “There’s an argument that, well, it’s unfair to the top seed because the top seed should always have Game 5 at home. And then it’s like, well, it’s unfair to the lower seed because it’s impossible to win three straight games at home. Well, who is it unfair to? The answer is: it’s not really unfair to anybody more or less than the 2-2-1-1-1.”

There’s truth to that. No format is perfect. Sure, 2-2-1-1-1 keeps Game 5 in the higher seed’s building, but it also means more flights, more off days, and more chances for the series to lose momentum. The old 2-3-2 format wasn’t perfect either, but it kept things moving and, in Lowe’s eyes, made the Finals feel less like a slog.

That said, Lowe’s argument isn’t about nostalgia; it’s about what actually makes sense. And at the very least, that’s a conversation worth revisiting for Adam Silver and the league’s broadcast partners.