When the Oklahoma City Thunder began Thursday's NBA Finals Game 6 by going on a 10-2 run, it felt as if the Indiana Pacers had run out of gas, and that the series was over. When the Pacers tied the game at 10 in an eye blink, it felt as if the entire landscape had shifted. Sure enough, the Pacers seized command at that point. They took a 22-point lead into halftime and won the game by a final score of 108-91. These NBA playoffs have been nothing short of bonkers, so of course, the NBA Finals will go to a decisive Game 7.
The Thunder have been favored all series, but honestly, any NBA fan would be lying if they said the winner of Game 7 is easy to pick. The Thunder are the home team and have the far better roster on paper, but the Pacers have been as resilient as any team in NBA history. Anytime they're counted out, they prove their doubters wrong. It would not be surprising in the slightest if they stole Game 7 on the road for their first-ever NBA title.
Let's do a deep dive into the NBA Finals' Game 7 history and what it might tell us about how this winner-take-all game might unfold.
What was the last NBA Finals to go to Game 7
The most recent NBA Finals to go to a Game 7 happens to have been one of the most memorable NBA Finals series in the history of sports. The 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers were down 3-1 against the Golden State Warriors but clawed their way back to not only tie the series, but also win it in Game 7 on the road. They became the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit in the NBA Finals.
That game featured all of the drama NBA fans could ask for. Draymond Green looked like an unlikely hero for the Warriors by scoring 32 points, but LeBron James famously chased down an Andre Iguodala layup attempt, and Kyrie Irving hit one of the biggest shots in NBA Finals history in the final minute, handing the city of Cleveland its first-ever NBA title.
To put it simply, the Pacers and Thunder have a lot to live up to. If the game is even a fraction as entertaining as it was in 2016, they will have done their job.
How many teams have won Game 7 in the NBA Finals on the road?
Winning a Game 7 of the NBA Finals on the road is as daunting a task as it sounds. The 2016 Cavaliers are more of the exception than the rule. They became just the fourth team in NBA history to win a Game 7 of an NBA Finals series on the road.
Cleveland's win snapped a six-game losing streak for road teams in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, spanning nearly 40 years. The last team to accomplish this feat before the Cavs was the 1978 Washington Bullets, who defeated the Seattle SuperSonics. Neither of these teams exists anymore.
Yes, the Pacers can win. The odds are certainly not in their favor, though.
List of every NBA Finals series to go to Game 7
Only 19 NBA Finals series have gone to the full seven games. Here's a list of all of them. And note: Home team for Game 7 is italicized.
Year | Winning Team | Losing Team | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|
1950-51 | Rochester Royals | New York Knicks | 79-75 |
1951-52 | Minneapolis Lakers | New York Knicks | 82-65 |
1953-54 | Minneapolis Lakers | Syracuse Nationals | 87-80 |
1954-55 | Syracuse Nationals | Fort Wayne Pistons | 92-91 |
1956-57 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 125-123 (2OT) |
1959-60 | Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 122-103 |
1961-62 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 110-107 (OT) |
1965-66 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 95-93 |
1968-69 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 108-106 |
1969-70 | New York Knicks | Los Angeles Lakers | 113-99 |
1973-74 | Boston Celtics | Milwaukee Bucks | 102-87 |
1977-78 | Washington Bullets | Seattle SuperSonics | 105-99 |
1983-84 | Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 111-102 |
1987-88 | Los Angeles Lakers | Detroit Pistons | 108-105 |
1993-94 | Houston Rockets | New York Knicks | 90-84 |
2004-05 | San Antonio Spurs | Detroit Pistons | 81-74 |
2009-10 | Los Angeles Lakers | Boston Celtics | 83-79 |
2012-13 | Miami Heat | San Antonio Spurs | 95-88 |
2015-16 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Golden State Warriors | 93-89 |
Home teams have the clear upper hand in NBA Finals Game 7s, but something to take note of is that most of these games came down to the wire. More games have been decided by one possession (5) than by double figures (3). Two games have even gone to overtime. Ultimately, it's anyone's game.
When is Game 7 between the Thunder and the Pacers?
Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Thunder and the Pacers will tip off on Sunday, June 22, at 8 p.m. ET from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
NBA Finals Game 7 history tells us exactly what sportsbooks tell us: The Thunder are favored. While they might have the upper hand on paper, that's the exact situation the Pacers want to be in. They thrive while being considered underdogs. For that reason and many others, this series should end with a memorable Game 7.