The NBA is going big for the Spurs–Knicks Finals, literally. The league has unveiled fresh court designs for the championship series that plant an oversized Larry O’Brien Trophy right at midcourt in both arenas. The artwork will be featured beneath each team’s main logo at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio and at Madison Square Garden in New York, marking the first time since 2009 that the jumbo trophy has taken over center court in the Finals.
According to The New York Times, the move is a direct response to fans and broadcasters who felt last year’s stripped-down court made the Finals look a little too ordinary on television. Bringing back the giant trophy restores a familiar visual cue that many viewers associate with the peak of the NBA season.
Painted, Not Stuck On
Sports Illustrated reported back in October that the league would reintroduce the Larry O’Brien graphic by painting it directly onto the hardwood instead of slapping on a decal. Players had previously complained that the old decals could get slick under game conditions, which helped send the design into temporary exile.
CBS Sports noted that commissioner Adam Silver had already hinted the league was searching for a safer way to bring the popular logo back after last year’s backlash to the toned-down floor.
Fan Reaction
The unveiling hit social media like a long-awaited sequel, with many users expressing relief that the oversized trophy is back where they think it belongs, right in the television frame, according to Larry Brown Sports. The updated layout also restores a classic "Finals" script on the end lines, a touch that critics said was sorely missed when the league leaned on a more digital look in 2025, per Yahoo Sports.
What To Expect On Game Day
On the court, the change is mostly cosmetic. The new paint is not expected to alter how the ball bounces or how players move, but it will give TV audiences and arena fans a more instantly recognizable Finals backdrop when San Antonio hosts Games 1 and 2 and New York takes over for Games 3 and 4.
The matchup itself has plenty of star power, with Victor Wembanyama leading the Spurs and Jalen Brunson headlining the Knicks. The league says the revised artwork has been designed to be both broadcast-friendly and tough enough to withstand the pounding of a Finals series, according to The New York Times.
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