Basketball fans in San Antonio and New York will see a familiar sight during the NBA Finals this year. The NBA has announced the return of the Larry O’Brien Trophy logo at midcourt for the finals games held at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio and Madison Square Garden in New York. This decision marks the first time since 2009 that the trophy logo will be prominently displayed during the finals.

Reviving Tradition

The finals series, which features the San Antonio Spurs facing off against the New York Knicks, will also see the return of the script logo for ‘The Finals’ on either side of the court. These logos were last seen in the 2014 finals between the Spurs and the Miami Heat. The tradition of using the finals wordmark on the court began in 1989, with the combined wordmark and trophy logo introduced in 2004.

Fans have expressed their desire for the return of these logos, noting the lack of finals-specific court designs in recent years. The league has been known to create alternate courts for events like the NBA Cup games, leading to questions about the consistency of finals branding.

New Integration

This year’s finals bring a new twist to the traditional logos. The center court trophy logo will be integrated with the branding of the participating teams, adding a unique touch to the finals experience. The series is set to begin on Wednesday in San Antonio, promising an exciting matchup for basketball enthusiasts.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.