For the first time in nine years, the NBA title comes down to a Game 7. League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the charge with the Oklahoma City Thunder against the underdog Indiana Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton.
The Pacers are trying to become the first professional franchise across the four major sports to win a championship despite odds at +8000 or higher entering the postseason, according to CBS Sports Research. With a victory, the Pacers would tie the 2004 Pistons (+700) as the largest NBA Finals underdog to win the series in the last 40 years (Odds per FanDuel Sportsbook).
Oklahoma City hopes to bounce back from a lopsided showing in Game 6 that included eight turnovers from Gilgeous-Alexander — which tied the record for the most Finals giveaways — and an equally disappointing showing from Jalen Williams, who was held to 16 points after lighting up the Pacers for 40 in Game 5.
It may take a historic showing from one of the stars of the series to punctuate the finale for either squad. Looking back at NBA history, there’s have been several unforgettable moments in Game 7 of the Finals.
7. Biggest shot of Kyrie Irving’s career
Irving stepped into a 3-pointer off the dribble in the final minute of Game 7 at Golden State, a shot that came a few moments after James’ all-time block. Irving scored 12 of his 26 points that evening in the third quarter to help the Cavaliers erased a multi-possession deficit heading into the final frame. Irving’s jumper with 53 seconds left was followed by a miss from Curry at the other end as the home crowd stood in silence at what was transpiring — Cleveland becoming the first team to ever erase a 3-1 deficit to win the Finals.
6. Tim Duncan takes slugfest with Pistons
Only once did a team eclipsed 100 points during the 2005 NBA Finals, a black-and-blue defensive battle between the Spurs and Pistons. Duncan’s 25 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocks helped San Antonio stopped Detroit’s dominance at the top of the NBA and marked his third of five career titles over an illustrious, 19-year career. Duncan earned Finals MVP for his efforts, his third such honor.1. LeBron’s chase down block, triple-double
5. LeBron delivers vs. three Hall of Famers
James seized his second NBA title with the Heat in 2013 and closed out San Antonio with several big-time plays in the fourth quarter. South Beach was buzzing after his pull-up jumper with 28 seconds put the nail in the coffin against Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. James finished with 37 points and 12 rebounds, quieting some of the naysayers who doubted the ‘Big 3’ following the infamous decision in 2010. The Heat’s heroics came after Ray Allen forced a Game 7 a few nights prior with one of the biggest 3-pointers of his career.
4. Lakers’ Worthy performance downs Detroit
Los Angeles became the first NBA franchise in two decades to win consecutive titles in 1988 thanks to James Worthy’s first career triple-double, which came in Game 7 at the Great Western Forum against the Detroit Pistons. Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabber were the headliners for the Lakers, but it was Worthy’s pressure-packed outing that helped Los Angeles win 108-105.
3. ‘The Logo’ reigns supreme
There’s a reason Jerry West is synonymous with basketball greatness. He scored a Game 7-record 42 points during the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss to the Boston Celtics in 1969 and recorded a triple-double during the matchup — a first of its kind in the Finals. James Worthy and LeBron James are the only other players to earn triple-doubles in Game 7s of the Finals.
2. Bill Russell’s perfect record
The first ballot Hall of Famer finished a sparkling 10-0 in Game 7s for his career, three of those coming in the Finals with the Celtics. Unstoppable down low in the 1960s, Russell achieved the following double-doubles in deciding Finals games — 22 points, 35 rebounds (1960), 30 points and 40 rebounds (1962), and a 25-32 effort (1966). Russell’s NBA-record 11 championships likely will never be broken.
1. James blocks Warriors’ go-ahead layup
With under two minutes to play and the scored knotted at 89, Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala had a 2-on-1 fastbreak against Cleveland’s J.R. Smith with LeBron James trailing the play. Curry hit Iguodala with a bounce pass in the lane before James skied toward the backboard and pinned the basketball against the glass with his right hand for an incredible block. James finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists during a memorable all-time performance as the Cavaliers erased a 3-1 deficit in the series to win the 2016 title.
“My thing is, I knew (LeBron) was coming and I (wanted) to give him a chance,” Smith said.