The National Basketball Association utilizes a specific criterion to determine which team secures home-court advantage in the Finals when the two competing teams have identical regular-season records. This procedure focuses on head-to-head regular-season results. For instance, should the Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets both finish with a 60-22 record, the team that won more regular-season games against the other would host more games in the Finals.
This tiebreaking mechanism offers a significant strategic benefit. Securing home-court advantage in the Finals translates to hosting four out of a potential seven games, increasing the likelihood of victory due to factors like familiar surroundings, crowd support, and reduced travel fatigue. Historically, teams with home-court advantage have exhibited a higher win percentage in the Finals series. The procedure ensures fairness and places added emphasis on the importance of regular-season matchups between potential Finals contenders.
