NBA Playoff Schedule 2013: Complete TV Info and More for NBA Finals

The San Antonio Spurs have pushed past the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference finals, landing back in the NBA Finals for the first time since winning it all back in 2007.

Joining them will be the winner of the Miami Heat-Indiana Pacers Eastern Conference finals, a series that could still go another three games and run through Monday, June 3.

Even if it goes the distance, the NBA schedule-makers built in some much-needed rest for the victor and slated the first Finals contest for Thursday, June 6.

While it won’t be as significant an amount of a layoff as the Spurs, who will have 10 days of preparation and recovery time prior to the much-anticipated East vs. West showdown, Indiana or Miami will be quite appreciative nonetheless.

Let’s take a look at when each of the guaranteed four Finals games will be played, when the possible other three could take place, see how teams have historically fared in the Finals on such long rest, if home-court advantage matters and more.

NBA Finals TV Schedule (via ESPN)

Date	Game	Watch	Time
Thursday, June 6	NBA Finals Game 1	ABC	9 ET
Sunday, June 9	NBA Finals Game 2	ABC	8 ET
Tuesday, June 11	NBA Finals Game 3	ABC	9 ET
Thursday, June 13	NBA Finals Game 4	ABC	9 ET
Sunday, June 16	NBA Finals Game 5*	ABC	8 ET
Tuesday, June 18	NBA Finals Game 6*	ABC	9 ET
Thursday, June 20	NBA Finals Game 7*	ABC	9 ET

Will Long Layoff Hurt Spurs?

Some may look at the extended period of rest the Spurs are getting and claim that it could work against them, killing momentum and any rhythm the players may have generated during their first three rounds of the playoffs.

That is certainly true, and in plenty of past situations, it has been a factor—even as recently as the Eastern Conference semifinals. I’m referring to when the Chicago Bulls were able to come out and bust the Heat at home in Game 1, which—after Miami won the next four—was easy to blame on rust.

Upon sweeping the Milwaukee Bucks, the Heat had to wait eight days before the Bulls finished off the Brooklyn Nets in Game 7 of their first-round battle.

Miami is clearly a championship-caliber team, proving that even the best are capable of slipping into a funk after spending too much time away from the game.

However, due to the Spurs’ veterans being well versed in preparing for the Finals—plus coach Gregg Popovich’s experience with motivational tactics and other methods to keep his players engaged—San Antonio looks to be absolutely fine and shouldn’t miss a beat.

Expect Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili to set an example that the rest of the roster follows in lockstep. Their “Big Three” will be ready, and so will the supporting cast come June 6. 

 

Does Home Court Advantage Matter?

The Spurs will not know if they have home-court advantage until the Pacers and Heat series is settled. San Antonio would hold it over Indiana, but concede it to Miami.

Playing an extra game in front of the home fans is certainly something that every franchise covets and fights for over the course of the regular season, but is it actually the great advantage that it’s often made out to be?

With the NBA Finals using a strange 2-3-2 format, in which the home team plays the first and last two (if necessary) games of the series at home—instead of the standard 2-2-1-1-1 used for the rest of the postseason—the answer is a bit murky.

It seems that the advantage is there, but it’s not as great as the hype surrounding it would make one believe. According to TheresAStatForThat, home court has hardly been a defining factor in the Game 7’s the NBA Finals has seen since 1994.

The Houston Rockets overcame the New York Knicks largely due to their two road wins in ’94, the Spurs also picked up two crucial road victories against the Detroit Pistons in 2005 and the Los Angeles Lakers stole two games from the Boston Celtics in 2010.

However, it’s worth noting that each of those teams closed out the series on their home court.

While having the extra game at home may be important, it all depends on how the Finals teams do on the road. Unless it’s a back-and-forth affair with neither contender earning a road victory, it’s not an end-all, be-all benefit and likely won’t be in 2013.