NBA Finals Lacks Thrill Amid Digital Age
The anticipation that typically surrounds the NBA Finals seems to have faded in the current digital landscape. The championship series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers felt strikingly mundane, almost indistinguishable from other January games. It’s a far cry from the past when the Larry O’Brien Trophy prominently graced Center Court, signaling its significance. Bob Costas’ iconic voice introducing the starting lineup now feels like a distant memory.
Heading into Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals, there was a palpable sense of disappointment among fans regarding the series’ lack of excitement and branding. Social media comments highlighting this view prompted the league to implement a makeshift—and frankly, unsatisfactory—solution. As Game 2 neared its start, a small digital version of the Larry O’Brien Trophy was projected onto the court. This effort was less than seamless, as both the NBA and ABC switched logos mid-game, leaving many puzzled.
Images circulating before and after Game 2 showed the trophy placed on the court amid other branding changes.
During the NBA Finals game, the Digital Larry O’Brien trophy was placed on court to appease those who complained that the Finals logo or signs were in court. You can see it magically displayed just before tip-off.
– Arash Markazi (@Arashmarkazi) June 9, 2025
The NBA may have believed they were listening to the fans by showcasing the trophy digitally, but it came off as though they were scrambling to placate critics. The results were subpar: a grainy appearance and a hasty setup that only intensified fan frustration.
Take a look at some of the responses:
Fan: The NBA Finals should be something special. At least you can put the logo back on the coat.
NBA: There are the badly low res digital Larry O’Brien Trophies stacked on the coat, as you’d like. If we are too fast for them, they disappear in the glitch.
– Mike Beauvais (@mikebeauvais) June 9, 2025
Larry O’Brien CGI overlay looks even worse on ESPN as he laughs incredibly hard on the internet and screams about not having a trophy on the court for the finals.
– Robbie Kalland (@rkalland) June 9, 2025
Adam Silver really saw the tweet and cgi’d 720p image of the trophy lmfao.
-g (@freewave3) June 9, 2025
The NBA is so online that it had to somehow address the lack of pageantry in the Finals. However, the digital logo on the small butt perfectly represents ESPN’s care and attention to detail in basketball.
-ct (@ct_wiu) June 9, 2025
Rather than painting the Final logo on the floor, it’s almost even worse than completely ruled out. It’s horrible.
– Carter Donick (@cdonnick1) June 9, 2025
At this point, there was a genuine sense that the NBA had lost touch with what made the Finals special. The strategic placement of the trophy and the logo had historically enhanced the event’s mystique. Now, with an eye on revenue from advertising, the league seems to prioritize profits over the fan experience.
Some fans long for the days when the league put more effort into not just the games, but the visuals and branding. Remembering the past, these images from earlier finals evoke a sense of nostalgia.
While the Thunder took a 123-107 victory over the Pacers in Game 2 of the 2025 NBA Finals, it’s clear that branding, not just game play, is at stake here. Winning one of the Larry O’Brien trophies is monumental, but the league ought to consider how they sell the game to its audience, prioritizing genuine fan engagement over advertising space.
