<Ul> <Li> 2005: Each conference was realigned into three divisions with each division winner qualifying for a top - three seed regardless of record . The next best five teams from each conference also qualify for the playoffs . </Li> </Ul> <Li> 2005: Each conference was realigned into three divisions with each division winner qualifying for a top - three seed regardless of record . The next best five teams from each conference also qualify for the playoffs . </Li> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Conference quarterfinals Best - of - 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Conference semifinals Best - of - 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Conference finals Best - of - 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> NBA finals Best - of - 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E1 * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E8 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="4"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E4 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E5 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="9"> Eastern Conference </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E3 * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E6 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="4"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E2 * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> E7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="14"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W1 * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W8 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="4"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W4 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W5 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="9"> Western Conference </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W3 * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W6 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="4"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W2 * </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> W7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="5"> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Conference quarterfinals Best - of - 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Conference semifinals Best - of - 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> Conference finals Best - of - 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> NBA finals Best - of - 7 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr>

When did the nba finals change to 2 3 2 format