NBA Finals Schedule 2016: Known Dates, Game Times and TV Guide
The Cleveland Cavaliers have already punched their ticket to the NBA Finals and now await the result of Monday's Game 7 between the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The NBA released the dates and schedule format for the NBA Finals, with the exact times and locations to be determined based on the result of the Western Conference Finals.
Here's a look at the NBA Finals schedule, which will follow a 2-2-1-1-1 format:
| Game 1 | Thursday, June 2 | TBD | TBD |
| Game 2 | Sunday, June 5 | TBD | TBD |
| Game 3 | Wednesday, June 8 | TBD | TBD |
| Game 4 | Friday, June 10 | TBD | TBD |
| Game 5 | Monday, June 13 | TBD | TBD |
| Game 6 | Thursday, June 16 | TBD | TBD |
| Game 7 | Sunday, June 19 | TBD | TBD |
Home-Court Advantage
LeBron James and the Cavaliers might not publicly address their rooting interest in the Western Conference Finals, but there's no question Cleveland is rooting for Oklahoma City.
If the Thunder win the West, the Cavaliers will earn home-court advantage and host Game 1 on Thursday night. Home court for the NBA Finals is determined by regular-season winning percentage, which gives the edge to Cleveland despite Oklahoma City's impressive playoff run.
If Golden State wins, however, Game 1 will be out West, as the Warriors wrapped up home-court advantage throughout the playoffs on the strength of their 73 regular-season wins.
Home court has historically proved to be significant in the Finals, with the team owning the advantage posting a 50-19 record in the Finals dating back to 1947, according to Zach Harper of CBS Sports.
Series Format
This will be the third season in which the NBA uses a 2-2-1-1-1 format for the NBA Finals after a 29-year stretch in which the league used a 2-3-2 format.
The switch was made, in part, to give the team earning home-court advantage a more significant edge.
During the days of the 2-3-2 format, if the teams split Game 1 and Game 2, there was the potential for the series to never return to the top team's home court again. With the 2-2-1-1-1 format, the team with home-court advantage is guaranteed a chance to return home for a pivotal Game 5 in every scenario except a sweep.
TV Guide
The NBA Finals return to ABC for the 14th consecutive season.
Mike Breen, who has become the voice of the NBA for ESPN and ABC, will call his 11th Finals, the majority of which have also featured partners Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy.
Expectations should be high for viewership, regardless of the Western Conference outcome, thanks to the number of high-profile players in the series.
In 2015, the series between the Warriors and Cavs drew a record-setting Nielsen rating, according to Ben Cafardo of ESPN.
Regardless of whether James gets a rematch with Stephen Curry or faces off against Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, ratings will likely approach or even break last year's mark.
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