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The Best Game 7s in NBA Finals History: Will Pacers-Thunder Deliver a Classic?
We’re in for a Treat as the Pacers and the Thunder Are Headed to Game 7
History-Making Game 7
The Indiana Pacers are taking their miracle run at a championship all the way to Game 7 of the NBA Finals after an impressive 108-91 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Some fans thought the Thunder never had a chance after Pascal Siakam was seen doing an Undertaker-like eye roll before the game started.
Siakam astral projected into the future during the pregame huddle 🔮
pic.twitter.com/Roye4TcadB— TheWarriorsTalk (@TheWarriorsTalk) June 20, 2025
NBA rumors joke the Pacers have fueled their improbable run with dark magic, so maybe Siakam, a favorite for Finals MVP, is the source of it all. But what a memorable dunk on Jalen Williams and what an incredible series this has been—easily the best NBA Finals since 2016.
Gonna have to delete multiple years of childhood memories to clear up all the space in my brain this play will take up.
pic.twitter.com/6UfGdgfvZX— Dave “Mortgages” Searle (@MillerTimePod) June 20, 2025
We’ll see if the Pacers make historical NBA news Sunday night in OKC, or if the 68-win team can finish the job in the 20th ever Game 7 of the NBA Finals and the first since 2016.
Can we please get a classic ending? Anything but a repeat of Nuggets-Thunder Game 7 from the semifinals.
The 5 Best NBA Finals Game 7s
Let’s look at the five best Game 7s in NBA Finals history, and it’s a tough list when 15 of the 19 games were decided by single digits.
5. 2010: Lakers 83, Celtics 79
It’s the most recent chapter in the NBA’s greatest rivalry, and it was a slugfest on a Friday night when Kobe Bryant and the Lakers pulled it out at home despite Bryant shooting 6-of-24 from the field. But it’s one of the most intense games you’ll ever see and the final championship for Kobe.
15 years ago today, on June 17, 2010, Ron Artest gave us one of the funniest postgame interviews in NBA history after hitting a clutch shot to win Game 7 of the 2010 Finals! 🪣
“He passed me the ball! Kobe passed me the ball!” 😂
Artest’s quote will forever be a meme! 😂 pic.twitter.com/D0X9PF6O8v
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) June 18, 2025
4. 1969: Celtics 108, Lakers 106
The Lakers were home and finally favored to beat the aging Celtics, but Boston had one title left in them for Bill Russell, who was a player-coach by then. The Celtics led 91-76 going into the fourth quarter, but Jerry West tried his best with 42 points before the Lakers came up short in the end for another tough loss to Boston.
West remains the only Finals MVP who didn’t win the championship.
Jerry West speaks about being named the 1969 NBA Finals MVP.
He won a free car as his reward. A brand new Celtic green Dodge Charger. In his book, West by West, he says it was probably intended for a Celtic, and in the moment he wished he could have blown it up with dynamite. pic.twitter.com/JLsGl9n1So
— WiltStats (@WiltStats) June 18, 2024
3. 1957: Celtics 125, Hawks 123 (2OT)
The start of Boston’s dynasty (11 titles in 13 years) was in 1957, and it took double overtime to get it done against the Hawks. Bob Pettit (39 points) just missed a shot to force triple overtime too. It’s the only Game 7 in NBA history (any round) to go into a second overtime.
The 1957 NBA Finals pic.twitter.com/k6BXcnPRbh
— History Photos And Videos (@videos_history) November 2, 2024
2. 1962: Celtics 110, Lakers 107 (OT)
The Lakers and Celtics were tied after the first, third, and fourth quarters, sending them to overtime, where no other NBA Finals Game 7 has gone since. Boston prevailed in the extra session as Bill Russell finished with 30 points and 40 rebounds (no typo).
DID YOU KNOW
Bill Russell delivered a 30 pt 40 reb performance in Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals to lead the Celtics past the Lakers’ dynamic duo of Jerry West (35p6r) & Elgin Baylor (41p22r) to the franchise’s 5th 🏆
The Greatest Winner of All Time and Finals MVP Eternal
☘️🐐 pic.twitter.com/RCc6de6M4Z
— Apex Jones (@ApexJones22) August 7, 2023
1. 2016: Cavaliers 93, Warriors 89
Down 3-1, the Cleveland Cavaliers won their first championship with the NBA’s all-time series comeback with a mesmerizing defensive battle in Game 7 against the 73-9 Warriors. From Draymond Green’s game-high 32 points to LeBron James’ huge block to the Kyrie Irving 3 that put Cleveland ahead for good, it’s the peak of Game 7 in the NBA.
The last time the Finals went to 7 games…
“BLOCKED BY JAMES.”
“KYRIE IRVING FROM DOWNTOWN.”
“CLEVELAND, THIS IS FOR YOU.”Sunday can’t come fast enough. pic.twitter.com/kjCYzx6sie
— NBA (@NBA) June 20, 2025
After such a thrilling 2025 postseason with so many memorable NBA games, let’s see what the NBA betting odds underdog Pacers and dominant Thunder have left for Game 7.
