The NBA Finals have arrived and boy was Game 1 absolutely electric. This year’s matchup features the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers—two not-so-big teams.
Unlike in years past, when a big-market team typically emerged from either the Eastern or Western Conference, both teams are considered small markets, which has drawn some criticism from fans.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently refuted the notion that it’s a bad look to have two small-market teams in the Finals. To back up his argument, he made an interesting comparison to the NFL, likening the Thunder and Pacers to the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.
"If we were going into a Super Bowl and it was Packers against Steelers, you guys would be celebrating that," Silver said on Fox Sports 1's Breakfast Ball. "Those would be storied franchises."
Silver continued: "People wouldn't be talking about the fact that Pittsburgh is a small market. I'm happy whatever team ends up in the Finals, but it's been intentional from our standpoint to create a system, a collective bargaining agreement, that allows more teams to compete."
Within the sports TV Markets, Indianapolis ranks No. 25, Pittsburgh Ranks No. 28, Oklahoma City ranks No. 47, and Green Bay/Appleton ranks No. 69.
The point Silver is making is valid, as all four are smaller markets in terms of size and TV ratings. However, the Packers’ and Steelers’ success over the years, and their notability within NFL history, debunk any and all small-market stigma.
Both teams have won a combined 10 Super Bowl championships and have appeared in 12 Super Bowls. On the NBA side, the Thunder and Pacers have appeared in seven Finals (including this year) and have won a single NBA Championship. That lone Finals win comes from Oklahoma City, back in 1979, when they were known as the Seattle SuperSonics.
While Silver makes a compelling case, the reality is that small markets aren’t viewed in the same light in the NFL as they are in the NBA. This year’s Finals may be the starting point for the NBA to adapt and become more like the NFL.
Game 2 of the NBA Finals is taking place at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK.