How Many NBA Finals Have Gone to Game 7?
The answer may surprise you. In fact, it may even make you a little bit emotional.
Introduction
The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion.
Since the NBA Finals began in 1947, there have been a total of 71NBA Finals including 2020. Of those 71 finals, 30 have gone to a Game 7. That means that 42.25% of all NBA Finals have gone the distance.
The most recent NBA Finals to go to a Game 7 was in 2020 between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat. The Lakers won 106-93 to give them their 17th NBA Championship.
Game 7s in the NBA Finals
As of June 2019, there have been 35 Game 7s in the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics have played in the most Game 7s with 10, while the Los Angeles Lakers have played in the second-most with 9. The most recent Game 7 was in 2016, when the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors.
1948
The Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers met in the final round of the playoffs for the first time in 1948. The Celtics, who had been dominant in the Eastern Conference, won the series four games to two.
1949
The 1949 NBA Finals was the championship round of the inaugural season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The games were played between the Minneapolis Lakers and the Washington Capitols, with the Lakers winning the series four games to two. George Mikan starred for Minneapolis, averaging 27.4 points per game, as they won their first ever NBA championship.
1950
1950 NBA Finals: The Most Controversial Ending in NBA History?
The 1950 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s 1949-50 season, and the conclusion of the season’s playoffs. The Western Division champion Minneapolis Lakers defeated the Eastern Division champion Syracuse Nationals 4 games to 3 to win the NBA title. The deciding Game 7 took place at Syracuse’s home arena, then-named the Onondaga County War Memorial Arena.
The game was broadcast on radio by NBC, with future television legend Dick Enberg calling the game. Minneapolis shot 49 free throws to Syracuse’s 21, a decisive edge that came about becauseminutes into the game, a fight between Syracuse’s Dolph Schayes and Minneapolis’ Vern Mikkelsen resulted in Mikkelsen being ejected. As a result of Mikkelsen’s ejection, Lakers head coach John Kundla was forced to play short-handed for much of the game. With Mikkelsen out and George Mikan in foul trouble, Lakers reserve center Jim Pollard was forced to play extended minutes.
The game is best remembered for its controversial ending. With under two seconds left in regulation and the score tied at 89-89, Lakers guard Andy Phillip took an inbounds pass and made a layup to give his team a 91-89 lead with one second remaining. However, as Phillip went up for his shot, Syracuse’s Ralph Beard appeared to swipe at the ball, causing it to go out of bounds off Phillip’s fingers. The officials ruled it a goaltending violation on Beard, giving Minnesota a 93-89 victory and their first NBA championship.
Syracuse would win an NBA title four years later in 1954 behind rookie center Dolph Schayes; they remain the only franchise from outside California or Texas to have won an NBA championship.
1951
The 1951 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1951 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season’s playoffs. The Western Division champion Rochester Royals played the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks for the title, with Rochester having home court advantage. The series returned to a 2–2–1–1–1 format after three years of a 3–2–2 arrangement. It was also the first finals broadcast on television, albeit locally in Rochester.
Rochester, who finished the regular season with a 44–24 record, defeated the Syracuse Nationals in five games in their first ever playoff appearance. In contrast, New York finished their season at 36–30, but swept the Philadelphia Warriors in four games to become only the second team in NBA history to make it to the Finals with a sub-.500 record.
The Royals won game one 80–75 at home before losing game two 85–79 at New York. Despite 27 points from Bob Davies, Rochester lost game three 95-78 at home and trailed in the series 2 games to 1. A 69-61 victory in game four evened up the series as each team won on its home floor. Game five shifted back to Rochester due to a scheduling conflict at Madison Square Garden, and saw the Knicks win easily 98-81 behind 28 points from Connie Simmons to take a 3-2 lead in the series.
In game six at New York, Rochester rallied from 14 down in the fourth quarter to force overtime. The teams traded leads several times in overtime before Davies made two free throws with 7 seconds left to put Rochester ahead for good 113-110; he finished with 32 points for the game as Rochester forced a seventh and final game back in Rochester with a 115-112 victory.
Game seven was close throughout, but Connie Simmons again led New York late and his basket with under two minutes left gave his team a 97-96 lead they would not relinquish; he had 32 points for the game as well and was named NBA Finals MVP despite his team’s loss. The Knicks would not make it back to another NBA Finals until 1970 (losing that year as well), while it would be 1955 before Rochester made it back (also losing).
1952
The 1952 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1952 NBA season, which was the sixth season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Western Division champion Minneapolis Lakers faces the Eastern Division champion New York Knicks for the title, with Minneapolis having home court advantage. In Game 7, played at Minneapolis’ Metropolitan Stadium, George Mikan led the Lakers to a 112–99 victory to win their second straight title.
Conclusion
In conclusion, out of the NBA Finals that have been played, thirty-two have gone to Game 7. Out of those thirty-two, the home team has won twenty-one times. So, in other words, the home team wins about sixty-six percent of the time in a Game 7 scenario.
