List of every NBA Finals series to go 7 games

Few sporting events are as thrilling as a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. After a back-and-forth series of evenly matched opponents, glory comes down to one last game.

Throughout the NBA Playoffs, there are countless references to the difficulty of closeout games. It's hard to mimic the emotion, desperation, and urgency of a team on the brink of elimination. In a Game 7, with both teams facing those same emotions, fireworks often erupt. With everything on the line, each dribble, pass, and shot can have legacy-defining and career-altering implications.

There have been 151 Game 7s throughout the NBA's storied history. The higher-seeded team has typically prevailed in Game 7. Home teams have won 74.2 percent of those contests for a 112-39 record.

As the grueling NBA Playoffs advance and the teams begin to dwindle down, the number of Game 7s in each round become rarer. The exception is the first round, when the true contenders generally sweep up and knock off the low-seeded teams.

There have been just 31 Game 7s in the first round. The Conference Semifinals have seen 63 Game 7s while the Conference Finals have seen 38 Game 7s. The NBA Finals, where the two last remaining teams battle for a championship, have pushed into a Game 7 just 19 times.

Here's a look at all of the NBA Finals series that have gone the distance in the past.

How many times have the NBA Finals gone to a Game 7?

The most recent Game 7 in NBA Finals was won by LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. The Cavaliers clawed their way back against the dynastic Golden State Warriors and became the first team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals.

Two of the Game 7s in the NBA Finals have extended into overtime. Both were won by the Boston Celtics. The storied franchise won the 1957 NBA Finals in a double-overtime tilt against the St. Louis Hawks and the 1962 championship in an overtime win against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Celtics hold the record for most Game 7 appearances in NBA history with 37. Given the Celtics propensity to push series to seven games, it's entirely possible that the 2023-24 NBA Finals could turn into a seven-game duel. The heavyweight series between the Celtics and Dallas Mavericks will feature Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown against the tandem of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.