Adam Silver’s NBA Switching Between Digital Larry O’Brien Trophy and Finals Logo on the Fly in Game 2 Angers Fans: “What an Embarrassment”

Adam Silver's NBA came under fire for not displaying the Larry O'Brien Trophy or the Finals logo anywhere on the court in Game 1.

Adam Silver’s NBA Switching Between Digital Larry O’Brien Trophy and Finals Logo on the Fly in Game 2 Angers Fans: “What an Embarrassment”

Adam Silver's NBA displaying digital Larry O'Brien Trophy and Finals logo on court (Image via FirstSportz)

Commissioner Adam Silver was probably happy that most of the conversations surrounding Game 1 of the NBA Finals were about Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton‘s game-winner. Along with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s inability to hold a lead, fans and members of the media had a lot to talk about.

In between those conversations, a couple of debates started to brew, but did not gain much traction in the face of what many thought was the best game-winner in Finals history. One was about that game-winner not getting Mike Breen‘s famous ‘BANG’.

Fans were unhappy that the shot did not get the call, as he kept it safe for three-point game-altering shots. Again, this was a post-game discussion and tended to put a lid on another controversy brewing during the game.

That was regarding the NBA’s decision not to have the Larry O’Brien Trophy or the NBA Finals logos on the court. The only places the league chose to displace those logos were on the courtiside boards. Fans felt the league’s decision did not make sense as the team’s logo in the middle made it look like a regular-season game.

In Game 2, the league decided to make use of the digital floor they introduced last season. First, they assigned a Larry O’Brien trophy on either side of the court. Then, as the 2nd half started, fans quickly noticed that the trophies were replaced by NBA Finals logos on either side.

NBA fans take shots at Adam Silver and his executives for half-hearted changes

Basketball fans watching these 2025 NBA Finals believe Adam Silver and his team listened to their complaints in Game 1. But their efforts to make fans happy seemed half-hearted. Adding small logos on either side of the court was embarrassing.

Fans wanted Silver and his team to realize that the NBA Finals should have been trumpeted as the best championship series in sports. Instead, keeping the team logo in the middle is undermining the NBA’s efforts to bring back its lost fans. Check out examples of those reactions below.

Basketball fans believe the only solution is to make the Larry O’Brien and NBA Finals logos appear where they have been for decades. These new methods are detrimental to the league’s efforts to try and make the sport as exciting as it could be.

In the face of declining ratings, the last thing the league should have done was to make these games look like another regular-season game. The Finals have to look and feel different, but so far, their efforts hardly trend towards that.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder leading by 18 after 3 quarters

Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winner was the only time the Indiana Pacers led Game 1. For the rest of the time, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his Oklahoma City Thunder were in front, and at one point of time, by nearly 15 points.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander' Thunder are leading after 3 quarters
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder are leading after 3 quarters (Image via Open Source/X)

In Game 2, the Pacers tried to keep pace with the home team throughout the 1st quarter. But in the 2nd, the West champions raced into a lead which kept increasing until half time. In the 3rd quarter, the away team tried to stage a run and reduce the deficit.

However, the Thunder have not let their foot off the gas, and now, as the 3rd quarter came to an end, they are 19 points ahead of their Eastern Conference opponents. Going by how the Pacers handle the last quarters of a game, it is still too early to put a lid on the night.

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