The NBA Finals will begin Thursday night after an eight-day layoff following the Conference Finals, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver admitted the league in previous years "would have moved up" the start of the Finals to today, but he said it would have been "too difficult" for broadcast partner ABC. Appearing on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike," Silver said, "We used to have them move up. ... A few years ago, we made a decision given how many broadcasters and media partners we had around the world to lock in the date." He added, "With ABC, locking in primetime windows is difficult, and asking them with only a few days to go to then clear out their programming for tonight would have been too difficult." Silver: "Even more so, we have 1,000 members of the media who are credentialed who cover the Finals, and a lot of them are coming internationally ... so it didn't make sense logistically. While there were some reports that we were looking at it last week when we saw we were going to have two short series, I think in fairness to the teams I hate to change a rule mid-course” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 6/2). In N.Y., Bob Raissman notes the "big chill" of eight nights without basketball is for ESPN/ABC, as the games "are being played on nights of high viewership." NBA execs a few years ago decided to "'lock in a start date' because of TV" and the league’s digital partners (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/2). In DC, Michael Lee noted no scheduling conflicts existed at either Oracle Arena or Quicken Loans Arena, but "other factors came into play" about not moving up the start date, including "hotel availability and travel" for int'l media (WASHINGTON POST, 5/30). ESPN’s Michael Wilbon said ESPN and the NBA "feel they have to set a date and stick to it." Wilbon: "They don’t move it up, they don’t slide it like used to be the case” ("PTI," ESPN, 6/1). ESPN’s Israel Gutierrez said the layoff “is just unlike the NBA, it’s out of the NBA’s nature to have to wait this long" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 6/1).
GOOD FOR THE GAME: USA TODAY's Jarrett Bell writes the "lull leading up to Game 1 on Thursday night has been a bit of a drag," but the Warriors and Cavaliers "deserve this break, even if this wasn't by design." Bell wrote of Cavs G Kyrie Irving and Warriors G Klay Thompson, "Let those achy muscles heal." Bell: "If we can roll with a two-week run-up before the Super Bowl, a one-week window for the Finals should be appreciated for the value of allowing the teams to recharge before they get on with the business of engaging in such a compelling championship matchup" (USA TODAY, 6/2).
HEADED THAT WAY: The AP's Josh Dubow reported the NBPA has "hired neurologists to examine the policy and determine whether any changes are needed to prevent players from playing with an undiagnosed concussion." With two "high-profile head injuries in less than a week" to Thompson and Warriors G Stephen Curry, the NBA "is taking its turn in the concussion crosshairs that are more often focused on the NFL and NHL." NBPA Exec Dir Michele Roberts "is not convinced that players shouldn't be held out longer out of caution after being hit in the head" (AP, 6/1).
