Basketball, the Scudetto final returns to the best of 5 games after 16 years: “The health of the players was at risk”

After 16 years, Italian basketball will once again award the Scudetto at the end of a best-of-five series. Last time, in 2006-2007the success of the Mens Sana Siena by Simone Pianigiani on Virtus Bologna. Since then, the turning point in NBA style, in the best of seven races: the maximum distance was reached in 2014 (win in race 7 in Milan over Siena), in 2015 (Sassari over Reggio Emilia), in 2019 (Venice over Sassari) and, of course, 2023 (Milan on Virtus Bologna). The decision was adopted during the Lega assembly and anticipated by Petrucci’s statements to the Gazzetta dello Sport and from a press release from Giba, the players’ association, concerned about the enormous number of matches in the season: “We have long maintained that a high number of matches puts the health of the athletes at risk, exposing them to a greater risk of injury and a physical stress which can also compromise the investments of the companies and the spectacle for the public – writes Giba – As highlighted by the protagonists of the last few finals, also the reduction of the final series from seven to five races is an opportune change and we are in favor of supporting in every seat this proposal. The Players’ Association will take an active part in an overall assessment of the period of activity and the number of sustainable matches in order to protect the well-being and health of our players”.

The numbers: Milan and Virtus have each touched 100 matches

Milan and Virtus have reached the end of the championship with 43 league and 34 Euroleague matches under their belts, plus the Italian Cup (one Milan match, three for Virtus) and the Italian Super Cup (one Milan, two for Virtus). About ninety each, a blunder. “The start of the regular season of Serie A UnipolSai is scheduled for Sunday 1st October with the end of the regular season on 5th May 2024 – the Lega Basket announced – La Frecciarossa Italian Cup Final Eight it will be played from 14 to 18 February 2024 while as regards the playoffs, the Assembly has resolved that, like the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the final series of the 2023-24 season will also be played in the best of 5 games. This also accepting the requests of the components of the basketball movement who have expressed themselves in recent days on the need to reduce the number of matches necessary to award the Scudetto”.