Game 7s are the pinnacle of the NBA playoffs, where everything is on the line, and legacies are made. The high stakes of a Game 7 are what makes them so thrilling, and it’s why fans look forward to them every year.
From buzzer-beaters to upsets, Game 7s have delivered some of the most memorable moments in NBA history. In this ultimate guide, we’ll take a trip down memory lane and look at some of the greatest Game 7s of all time.
From the early days of the NBA to today’s modern era, we’ll cover all the classics, including the players, the drama, and the moments that made them unforgettable. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a casual observer, you won’t want to miss this trip through NBA history.
Interesting Facts About Game 7 In The NBA
The 2023 NBA playoffs have been extremely exciting, with plenty of upsets and incredible performances. One of these top playoff performances occurred in a Game 7.
The defending champion Golden State Warriors took on the resurgent Sacramento Kings in Sacramento for a Game 7. Golden State had been terrible on the road all season long, compiling just an 11-30 record.
This didn’t matter to Stephen Curry. The Chef set the record for most points scored in a Game 7 with 50 points on 20-38 shooting and 7-18 from three. What Curry did on the court is what every legend dreams of doing in a Game 7.
So, this brings us to our first question. What are the best Game 7 performances by NBA legends?
NBA Legend’s Best Game 7 Performance
When you hear the word “NBA legend,” the first player that usually pops into fans’ minds is Michael Jordan. How could it not be MJ? Still, to this day, whenever a player has a big game, especially in the playoffs, he is compared to His Airness.
Yes, Jordan is the golden standard for NBA players. With this high standard, Jordan must have had a dominant Game 7 performance. Right?
The answer to that question is yes. In Game 7 of the 1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Chicago Bulls took on their 90s rivals, the New York Knicks.
Even though New York was tough, nobody saw this series going seven games. The game was held in Chicago, and Jordan wasn’t about to let the home fans down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx5kJU_jtc8
Jordan scored 42 points on 15-29 shooting, including going 12-13 from the free throw line. MJ also added 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks in the game. It’s safe to say Jordan had an epic Game 7 performance.
The player whose name is often intertwined with Michael Jordan is LeBron James. King James is still playing in his prime in his 20th season at the age of 38. Pretty remarkable stuff.
What was also remarkable was LeBron’s Game 7 performance against the Indiana Pacers during the 2018 First Round of the playoffs. LeBron has been to eight Game 7s in his career and has had many incredible performances.
Who can forget the historic Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals and LeBron’s game-saving block? Or LeBron’s Game 7 duel with Boston Celtics’ star Paul Pierce in the 2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals, where he scored 45 points.
The thing with LeBron’s 2008 Game 7 performance was despite his 45 points, LeBron’s Cleveland Cavaliers lost the game. LeBron’s 2018 First Round Game 7 performance was similar to the 2008 game, as LeBron scored 45 points, but the outcome would be different.
The Cavaliers squeaked out a 105-101 victory as the young Pacers team fought hard. But nothing was stopping LeBron as he shot 16-25 from the field, 2-3 from three, and 11-15 from the free throw line to score his 45 points.
Of course, LeBron is more than just a scorer. He added 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals in the Cavs’ Game 7 victory. LeBron truly might be the King of Game 7.
The next NBA legend we’ll look at for their best Game 7 performance is the late great Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba played in six Game 7s, including Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals, where Kobe led his Lakers to the championship victory.
Kobe struggled to shoot in that Finals Game 7, shooting just 6-24 from the field, so this game is not considered his best Game 7. No, Kobe’s best Game 7 came in 2002 against the Sacramento Kings in the Western Conference Finals.
Kobe and his Lakers won two consecutive NBA championships and were looking to complete a three-peat. The Sacramento Kings had other plans, forcing LA to a Game 7 in Sacramento.
Game 7 went down as an instant classic as the game went into overtime. The Lakers would pull out the 112-106 victory, stunning the Sacramento crowd. Kobe scored 30 points in 52 minutes of playing time.
On top of his scoring, Kobe contributed in other ways to make sure his team won the game. Kobe collected 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals. This Game 7 was one of the early games in Kobe’s career that proved The Black Mamba was going to be the best player in the league for years to come.
Magic Johnson is an NBA legend that is no stranger to playing in big games. This includes Game 7s. In his career, Magic played in four Game 7s, and his best performance occurred in 1988.
Now, you could argue Magic’s performance in Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals was his best. He scored 19 points on 6-9 shooting while collecting 5 rebounds, 14 assists, and 2 steals. Of course, winning the NBA title is a nice touch to go with it.
Still, on a personal level, Magic’s performance in Game 7 of the 1988 Western Conference Semifinals against the Utah Jazz was better.
Magic scored 23 points on 9-15 shooting while adding 9 rebounds, 16 assists, and 1 steal. The Lakers won the game 109-98, and eventually, they’d win the 1988 NBA Finals, which was the series I mentioned earlier that went seven games.
Since we mentioned Magic Johnson, you should know we have to mention Larry Bird. “Larry Legend” as he was known, played in eight Game 7s, and like Magic, despite winning Game 7 of the 1984 NBA Finals over Magic’s Lakers, this was not Bird’s best Game 7 performance.
In the 1984 Finals, Bird dropped 20 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Bird shot 6-18 in the game. These numbers are good, but they pale in comparison to Bird’s Game 7 stats in the 1984 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
https://twitter.com/HonestLarry1/status/1260571739081379840
The Boston Celtics played the New York Knicks in Boston, and Bird refused to let his team lose. Bird dominated New York to the tune of 39 points on 13-24 shooting while adding 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals.
The Celtics won the game 121-104, and eventually, they’d go on to win the NBA Finals in the series against the Lakers that I mentioned above. You can’t go wrong with a 39-point Game 7 triple-double in a victory.
Another Celtics legend who may just be the greatest player of all time, yet, he’s usually left out of people’s top 5 best players of all time, is the late great Bill Russell. How can you not recognize Russell’s greatness?
Bill Russell has won more titles than any player ever, with 11, and one of those titles ended in arguably the greatest Game 7 performance by any player in NBA history. Russell played in 10 Game 7s, but his best performance occurred in Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals.
The Boston Celtics were taking on their rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, in the Boston Garden. Boston would squeak out the 110-107 victory behind Russell’s incredible 30 points and 40 rebounds.
Yes, that was not a typo. Russell scored 30 on 8-18 shooting and 14-17 from the free-throw line while adding 40 rebounds. When Russell wanted to win a game, there was seemingly nothing anyone could do to stop him.
Russell’s biggest rival during his playing days was the great Wilt Chamberlain. “The Big Dipper” as Chamberlain was known, played in nine career Game 7s.
Chamberlain is the player known for putting up ridiculous scoring games, like his 100-point game. So, we now have to ask, what was Chamberlain’s highest-scoring Game 7?
The most points Chamberlain scored in a Game 7 was 39 points, and it occurred in the 1964 Division Finals against the St. Louis Hawks.
Rare 1964 San Francisco Warriors NBA Western Division Playoff Program vs. Hawks https://t.co/teiMER2IbV please retweet pic.twitter.com/qJc79WbdIV
— john edwardsen (@followbacksen) November 13, 2016
Chamberlain’s San Francisco Warriors walked away with a 105-95 victory, and it’s mostly thanks to Chamberlain.
On top of scoring 39 points, Chamberlain added 30 rebounds and 6 assists. The NBA didn’t count steals or blocks stats at the time, but if they did, I’m sure Chamberlain’s numbers would be out of this world.
There are many more NBA greats who played in a Game 7, but the last legend we’ll look at is the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Kareem played in six Game 7s, but none were better than his performance in the 1977 Western Conference Semifinals.
Kareem was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1977, and he led his Lakers against the Golden State Warriors. In this “win-or-go-home” game, Kareem dropped 36 points while adding 26 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals, and 1 block.
Kareem’s unstoppable sky-hook shot was just that in this Game 7, unstoppable. There’s a reason why Kareem held the all-time scoring record for nearly 40 years.
NBA Franchises With The Most Game 7 Victories
The NBA has 30 teams in the league today, with a few more possibly joining in the near future. At this point in our article, we’re going to look at which NBA franchises have the most wins in a Game 7 and which franchise has played the most Game 7s.
It should come as no surprise that maybe the most historic NBA team of all has played the most and won the most. I’m talking about the mighty Boston Celtics.
The Celtics have played in 35 Game 7s and have amassed a 26-9 record. This includes playing in two seven-game series last postseason against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat.
The Celtics’ arch-rival franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers, have played in the second most Game 7s, which is 24 games, and they’ve won 16 games, which is also second most.
Here is the complete list of every NBA franchise that has played in a Game 7 and their records:
– Boston Celtics: 26-9
– Los Angeles: 16-8
– Philadelphia 76ers: 6-11
– New York Knicks: 7-8
– Atlanta Hawks: 5-9
– Houston Rockets: 7-5
– Milwaukee Bucks: 3-9
– Miami Heat: 6-5
– Oklahoma City Thunder: 6-5
– Golden State Warriors: 6-5
– San Antonio Spurs: 4-7
– Washington Wizards: 6-4
– Detroit Pistons: 5-5
– Chicago Bulls: 4-6
– Phoenix Suns: 4-6
– Los Angeles Clippers: 4-5
– Indiana Pacers: 3-6
– Dallas Mavericks: 5-3
– Cleveland Cavaliers: 5-2
– Denver Nuggets: 4-3
– Sacramento Kings: 2-5
– Utah Jazz: 3-3
– Toronto Raptors: 3-3
– Portland Trail Blazers: 2-2
– Brooklyn Nets: 1-3
– Orlando Magic: 2-1
– Memphis Grizzlies: 0-3
– Charlotte Hornets: 0-2
– New Orleans Pelicans: 0-2
– Minnesota Timberwolves: 1-0
As you can see, the Celtics and Lakers dominate this list, while the Philadelphia 76ers have struggled, winning only six Game 7s out of 17 played. The Celtics and Lakers played in five Game 7s against each other, with Boston winning four of them.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are the only franchise to go undefeated in Game 7s, thanks to playing in only one such elimination game, which was the 2004 Western Conference Semifinals vs. the Sacramento Kings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PQMTwB1DR4
Now that you know which NBA franchises have performed the best in Game 7s, we have to take a look at the players with the all-time best records in Game 7s. It’s safe to say there are likely to be a few Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers players to make the list.
The question remains, which player has the best record?
The Best Game 7 Records By NBA Players
As mentioned, the player with the best Game 7 record is likely a player from either the Boston Celtics or Los Angeles Lakers. It is, in fact, the great Bill Russell who played in 10 Game 7s, and his team walked away as the winners in every game.
Yes, Russell’s 10-0 record in Game 7 is the best record by a player in a Game 7 in NBA history. This is another reason why Bill Russell is criminally underrated today.
Here is a list of the top basketball players and their records in Game 7:
– Bill Russell: 10-0
– Sam Jones: 9-0
– Wilt Chamberlain: 4-5
– Jerry West: 4-5
– Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 4-2
– Magic Johnson: 3-1
– Larry Bird: 6-2
– Michael Jordan: 2-1
– Scottie Pippen: 2-4
– Reggie Miller: 2-3
– Patrick Ewing: 3-4
– Shaquille O’Neal: 3-1
– Kobe Bryant: 5-1
– Paul Pierce: 5-5
– LeBron James: 6-2
– Dwyane Wade: 5-3
– Kevin Durant: 3-2
– Giannis Antetokounmpo: 1-2
– Stephen Curry: 3-2
As you can see, the two best records in Game 7s are two Boston Celtics who were part of the greatest dynasty the NBA has ever seen. Some people knock the 60s Celtics because of the league being weaker or not having as many teams, but the fact remains the same when it mattered the most, Bill Russell and Sam Jones led their team to victory.
Some other stars’ Game 7 records might come as a bit of a shock. For example, Michael Jordan had a 2-1 Game 7 record, while his longtime running mate, Scottie Pippen’s record is worse at 2-4.
This, of course, was due to Pippen playing a full season with the Bulls without Jordan in 1993-94 and during his later career as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers.
NBA Stars’ Stats In Game 7 And Other Interesting Game 7 Facts
We saw some of the NBA’s biggest stars’ records in Game 7s, but this doesn’t tell the entire story. This time, we’ll look at these players’ stats in those Game 7s, as well as some other interesting Game 7 facts:
– Bill Russell: 18.6 points, 29.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists
– Sam Jones: 27.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists
– Wilt Chamberlain: 24.4 points, 27.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists
– Jerry West: 30.9 points, and 7.7 rebounds *not enough assists stats for every Game 7
– Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 20.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists
– Magic Johnson: 20.5 points, 14.0 assists, and 7.0 rebounds
– Larry Bird: 27.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists
– Michael Jordan: 33.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.0 assists
– Scottie Pippen: 12.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists
– Reggie Miller: 18.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists
– Patrick Ewing: 23.9 points, 14.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists
– Shaquille O’Neal: 26.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists
– Kobe Bryant: 22.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists
– Paul Pierce: 18.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists
– LeBron James: 34.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5.6 assists
– Dwyane Wade: 19.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists
– Kevin Durant: 36.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists
– Giannis Antetokounmpo: 29.0 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists
– Stephen Curry: 32.6 points, 7.0 assists, and 6.4 rebounds
The stats show an interesting perspective on these players and how they performed in Game 7s. For example, if you look at Jerry West’s record in Game 7s, you might believe he didn’t play well. Of course, a player putting up 30.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game isn’t someone who ran from the pressure.
On top of these NBA greats and their performances in Game 7s, and the NBA franchises themselves, there are a bunch of other interesting facts about Game 7s in the NBA. Here are a few interesting facts about the final game in a seven-game series in NBA history.
(h/t NBC Sports):
– There have been 146 Game 7s in NBA Playoff history
– The NBA Finals went to 19 Game 7s in NBA history
– Home teams are 15-4 in Game 7s in the NBA Finals
– For the rest of the rounds, there have been 36 Game 7s in the Conference Finals, 58 Game 7s in the Conference Semifinals, and 29 Game 7s in the First round
– Seven Game 7s have gone to overtime, including one that saw double overtime
– Ray Allen played in 11 Game 7s, the most by any player
– LeBron James has scored the most total points in Game 7s with 279
There you are, some of the most interesting facts about Game 7s in the history of the NBA. There are truly no two words more exciting than “Game 7” in sports. This is because Game 7s are the epitome of excitement in the NBA playoffs.
They bring out the best in players and coaches and capture the hearts of fans around the world. The win-or-go-home scenario creates an atmosphere like no other, with the stakes so high that every moment is crucial.
Game 7s are the ultimate test of a team’s character, mental toughness, and ability to perform under pressure. Winning a Game 7 is a badge of honor that stays with a team and its fans for a lifetime. It is the culmination of an entire season’s worth of effort, dedication, and hard work.
While not every NBA playoff series goes to Game 7, when they do, they are special. And for those lucky enough to witness one, they are reminded of why they love the game of basketball.
Game 7s are more than just a game, they are a spectacle and the ultimate showcase of what makes the NBA playoffs so unique and special.
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