The NBA Playoffs are supposed to feel different. The intensity goes up, the stakes go up, and you should be able to tell just by looking at the court that this is not a regular season game. That used to be the case. It's not anymore.
We went back through every NBA postseason from 2010 to 2026 and tracked how the league has displayed its playoff, Conference Finals, and Finals branding on the court, the basket stanchion pad, and the broadcast. The trend is not good. Here's the full visual history.
2010-2014: The Golden Era
This is what playoff court branding is supposed to look like. "The Finals" in that iconic cursive script, painted right on the hardwood at center court. You turned the game on and you immediately knew this was the NBA Finals. No question.
2014 NBA Playoffs, the last year with on-court playoff branding
The Finals cursive logo on center court
2014 was the last year the NBA had the Playoffs logo on the court. Clear, visible, no question about what you were watching. The Finals patch was also on the front of every player's jersey during this era. You could see it on TV during every close-up. The Conference Finals had similar on-court branding. Everything about the presentation screamed that this was a bigger deal than a regular season game. This was the standard for years, and it worked.
2015-2017: The Logo Disappears
Starting in 2015, the NBA made a major change. The Finals logo and the playoff branding were completely removed from the court. No more cursive script at center court. No more Conference Finals logo on the hardwood. Gone.
2015 NBA Finals, no logo on the court
The Finals patch also moved from the front of the jersey to the back. That happened because the NBA logo itself moved to the back of jerseys, and the Finals patch went with it. We hated that change. The patch on the front was visible on every broadcast camera angle. On the back, you barely notice it.
The only way to tell it was a playoff or Finals game was by looking at the basket stanchion pad. That padded cushion at the base of the backboard support would say "Western Conference Finals" or "The Finals" depending on the round. That was it. That tiny pad was carrying the entire postseason brand for three years.
2016 Western Conference Finals basket stanchion pad, Golden State
2018: New Playoffs, Conference Finals, and NBA Finals Logos
2018 NBA Finals, new wordmark on the basket stanchion pad
2018 Western Conference Finals, Houston
The 2018 Finals introduced a brand new Finals wordmark. The cursive "The Finals" script was gone, replaced with a blocky "FINALS" logo. It still wasn't on the court. It was only on the basket stanchion pad, just like the previous three years.
We always liked the cursive script better. It had character. The new wordmark felt corporate and generic. But at least the basket stanchion pad was still clearly marking the round.
2019: The Logo Returns (Barely)
2019 NBA Finals, sideline branding
In 2019, the Finals logo finally came back to the court. Sort of. Instead of center court, the NBA put a small "NBA Finals Presented by YouTube TV" graphic on the sideline. It was tiny. You could barely see it on a wide broadcast shot. But technically, the Finals branding was back on the floor.
This was also when YouTube TV's sponsorship started becoming a bigger part of the Finals visual identity. The logo on the sideline was just as much an ad for YouTube TV as it was branding for the Finals.
We skipped 2020 because the bubble was obviously a completely different situation.
2021: The One Good Year
2021 Western Conference Finals, on-court sideline logo
2021 was a weird year, but in a good way. For the Conference Finals, the NBA actually put "Western Conference Finals" and "Eastern Conference Finals" on the court sideline, presented by AT&T. It was the only year they did this. You could actually see the round branding during the game.
This was a step in the right direction. It wasn't center court, but at least the branding was visible and told you what round you were watching.
2022-Present: Back to Nothing
2022 sideline branding, back to just "Playoffs"
After the one good year in 2021, the NBA went right back to the downgrade. Even during the Western Conference Finals and Eastern Conference Finals, the sideline branding just said "Playoffs." Not "Western Conference Finals." Just "Playoffs." It was like they took a step forward and then two steps back.
Western Conference Finals, 2024. Just "Playoffs" on the sideline.
Look at that image. That's a Western Conference Finals game. You would have no idea from looking at the court. It just says "Playoffs" on the sideline. That's it. This is a Conference Finals game and the court looks exactly the same as a first round game.
2022 NBA Finals basket stanchion pad, Boston
The one positive from this era is that the NBA went back to the cursive Finals script logo on the basket stanchion pad. We like that. The script logo has always looked better than the blocky wordmark they used in 2018. At least they got that part right.
Where We Are Now: 2025-2026
Current NBA Playoffs sideline branding
During the regular playoffs, the sideline says "Playoffs," which is fine. We like that it's there. It's not enough, but it's something. We wish it was on the court itself, but ad space is ad space and everything is about money.
Current first round basket stanchion pad
The basket stanchion pad still says "Playoffs" during the first round with sponsor branding around it.
Current NBA Finals basket stanchion pad
For the Finals, the basket stanchion pad says "Finals" with YouTube TV branding. At least that's consistent.
Current NBA Finals sideline. Just "YouTube TV."
But here's the worst part. During the Finals, the sideline doesn't even say "Finals." It just says "YouTube TV." That's it. The NBA's biggest stage, the championship round, and the on-court branding is just an ad for a streaming service.
The Finals logo is now only shown as a digital overlay on the broadcast, which looks fake and doesn't have the same presence as something physically on the court.
That digital trophy on the court is not it. It looks artificial, it doesn't have weight, and it takes away from the atmosphere instead of adding to it. Put the real logo on the real court.
The NBA Can Do It When They Want To
NBA Cup court design
And this is what makes it so frustrating. Look at what the NBA did for the NBA Cup. They completely redesigned the court with special branding, colors, and logos everywhere. They proved they can make a court look special when they want to. The argument that court decals make players slip or cause safety issues is complete nonsense. If they can do it for the NBA Cup, they can do it for the NBA Finals.
There's Hope
There are reports that the NBA will bring the Finals logo back to center court. We'll believe it when we see it, but this would be a huge win. It's what the fans have been asking for.
That's what it used to look like. That's the standard. Bring it back.
Our Take
We went from "The Finals" in cursive at center court to "YouTube TV" on the sideline. That's the trajectory. And it's depressing.
The NBA Playoffs should feel like a different event. When you turned on a Finals game in 2012, the court told you everything you needed to know. Now you have to squint at a basket stanchion pad or wait for a digital overlay on TV to figure out what round it is.
We get it. Ad revenue is important. But there has to be a middle ground where the NBA can sell sponsorships and still make the postseason feel visually distinct. Put "NBA Finals" back on the court. Put "Western Conference Finals" on the hardwood. Let the sponsors have the basket and the broadcast overlays. Just give us something on the actual playing surface that tells us this game matters more than a Tuesday night in January.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the NBA put the Finals logo on the court? Not anymore. The NBA used to paint "The Finals" in a cursive script at center court through 2014. Since 2015, the Finals logo has not appeared at center court. It currently appears only as a digital overlay on TV broadcasts and on the basket stanchion pad. There are reports the NBA may bring it back for 2026.
When did the NBA remove the Finals logo from the court? The NBA removed the Finals logo and Playoffs logo from center court starting with the 2014-15 season. From 2015 to 2018, the only on-court Finals branding was on the basket stanchion pad. In 2019, a small sideline graphic returned, but the logo has never gone back to center court.
What is the basket stanchion pad in the NBA? The basket stanchion pad is the padded cushion at the base of the backboard support structure. During the NBA Playoffs and Finals, it displays round-specific branding like "Playoffs," "Western Conference Finals," or "Finals" along with sponsor logos.
Why does the NBA Finals court just say YouTube TV? YouTube TV is the presenting sponsor of the NBA Finals. During the Finals, the sideline branding on the court reads "YouTube TV" rather than "NBA Finals." The Finals branding appears on the basket stanchion pad and as a digital overlay on TV broadcasts.
When did the NBA Finals patch move to the back of the jersey? The Finals patch moved from the front of the jersey to the back starting in 2015. This happened because the NBA logo itself was relocated to the back of jerseys, and the Finals patch moved with it.
Did the NBA change the Finals logo? Yes. The NBA used a cursive "The Finals" script from the early 2000s through 2017. In 2018, they introduced a new blocky "FINALS" wordmark. The cursive script has since returned in some forms, including on the basket stanchion pad, but the center court logo has not come back.
Will the NBA bring back the Finals logo on the court? Reports indicate the NBA is planning to bring the Finals logo back to center court for the 2026 NBA Finals. The league has faced fan criticism for years over the lack of on-court playoff branding, especially after the NBA Cup proved that special court designs are possible without safety concerns.
The 2026 NBA Playoffs begin this week. We'll see how the branding looks on the new ESPN, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video broadcasts.