The NBA is finally fixing the Finals court. Adam Silver went on Pardon My Take and confirmed that the league is dropping the NBA Finals court decal that players have been slipping on for years and painting the Finals logo directly into the hardwood for the 2026 NBA Finals. This is the right call, and it's overdue.
Why the NBA Finals Court Decal Has Been a Problem
The Finals decal has been a running complaint across the league for multiple postseasons. Players driving through the paint or planting at half-court have repeatedly lost footing on the edges of the logo sticker. The issue is the decal itself. Adhesive court overlays sit on top of the playing surface, create a slightly raised edge, and can lift or shift after extended contact. Painted logos sit at the same level as the rest of the floor because the paint is applied directly to the hardwood.
The safety argument alone makes this a no-brainer, and Silver acknowledging it on a podcast is the league saying the quiet part loud. For a sport where a player slipping in the Finals can swing an entire series, letting a cosmetic choice become a safety risk was a decision that had to end.
Why Painting the NBA Finals Logo Looks Better on Broadcast
The design upgrade matters too. Decals always looked like decals. Every wide shot and every overhead broadcast angle showed the sticker edges, the seams, the slightly-off color saturation where the decal sat on top of the wood. A painted NBA Finals logo gets treated the same way the NBA Playoffs logo already gets painted on conference and first round courts. It reads as part of the floor, not stuck on top of it.
The weight of a painted logo matches the weight of the moment. The Finals is the biggest stage in the sport. The court branding should feel permanent, premium, and part of the building. A sticker never read that way.
Our Hope: Paint the Finals Logo on Both Sides of the Court Too
Now that the league is painting the logo, we want the NBA to go all the way and put a Finals logo on each side of the court in addition to center court. The NBA has been running the Finals logo at center only for years, which leaves the rest of the floor looking like a regular playoff court for half the broadcast.
Painting a Finals logo in each key would double the on-broadcast Finals branding at every camera angle. The paint treatment means it can be added to the baselines without the safety concerns that would have come with a stack of decals. The backboards already carry the logo. The baselines should too.
If the league is committing to doing the court right, commit all the way.
Context on the 2026 NBA Finals
The 2026 NBA Finals will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. It's the first postseason under the NBA's new broadcast deal with NBC and Amazon Prime Video joining for the early rounds, but ABC retained the Finals. The host courts for the 2026 Finals will carry the painted Finals logo per Adam Silver's confirmation on Pardon My Take.
Round 1 is wrapping up now. For the running jersey tracker for every 2026 Round 1 matchup, see our NBA Playoffs 2026 Round 1 Jersey Tracker. For our broadcast scorebug rankings across all three 2026 Playoffs networks, see our 2026 NBA Playoffs Scorebug Ranked.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 NBA Finals Court Logo
Is the NBA painting the Finals logo on the court in 2026?
Yes. Adam Silver confirmed on Pardon My Take that the NBA is painting the Finals logo directly into the hardwood for the 2026 NBA Finals instead of using an adhesive court decal. The change addresses player safety concerns after multiple postseasons of players slipping on the Finals decal at center court.
Why did the NBA use a decal for the Finals logo in previous years?
The NBA has used adhesive court decals for the Finals logo because Finals-branded courts have to be prepared on a tight postseason turnaround and the host venues aren't always the same floors used in the regular season. Decals travel between venues more easily than a painted logo. The tradeoff was that the decal sat on top of the playing surface with a raised edge that players could catch on.
Have NBA players slipped on the Finals court logo?
Yes. Players have repeatedly made contact with the edge of the NBA Finals decal at center court and lost footing, which has been a public safety criticism of the Finals court setup for multiple seasons. Adam Silver directly referenced the slipping issue as the reason the league is switching to a painted logo for 2026.
Will the NBA Finals logo be painted on the backboards and baselines too?
The NBA Finals logo has typically appeared on the backboards during Finals broadcasts. Adam Silver's announcement specifically addressed the court logo at center court. The league has not confirmed whether the baselines or key areas will also carry the Finals logo in 2026. Painting the logo in each key would give every camera angle a championship visual.
When does the 2026 NBA Finals start?
The 2026 NBA Finals tip off in June 2026 after the Conference Finals conclude. Dates will be finalized as the Conference Finals matchups are set.
What network is the 2026 NBA Finals on?
The 2026 NBA Finals will be broadcast on ABC and ESPN. It is the first NBA postseason under the league's new broadcast deal, with NBC, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video airing early round games, but ABC retained the Finals rights.
Does the NBA paint the Playoffs logo on the court?
Yes. The NBA Playoffs logo has been painted on host courts during the First Round, Conference Semifinals, and Conference Finals for years. The Finals decal was the outlier. The painted treatment on the 2026 Finals court brings the championship round in line with how the league already handles the rest of the postseason.
We'll update this post when the 2026 NBA Finals court designs are unveiled and we can see the painted logo in action.