It is the perfect two phrases in sports activities: Sport. Seven. And we have got a Sport 7 within the NBA Finals on Sunday, because the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers will face off one final time to resolve a winner, capping off what’s been probably the greatest Finals matchups we have had in recent times. It is going to be the primary time the Finals has gone the gap since 2016, which was one other instantaneous traditional in league historical past (extra on that later).
For all of the speak about how boring this 12 months’s Finals matchup can be due to the small-market groups taking part in and the dearth of main star energy on both facet, we have gotten a number of the greatest playoff basketball within the final decade. Neither workforce has been capable of finding a large benefit that has sustained previous a single sport on this evenly contested matchup, one thing nobody anticipated.
As we put together for Sport 7 on Sunday, let’s have a look again at each Finals matchup because the final Sport 7 and rank them from worst to greatest.
10. Warriors beat Cavaliers, 4-0 (2018)
Probably the most memorable factor about this matchup was LeBron James‘ 51-point efficiency, which was squandered as a result of J.R. Smith had poor situational consciousness, considering the Cavaliers have been up because the clock ticked to zero.
It birthed one of many greatest sports meme’s ever, however like what occurs with any tv or film collection that drags on, the fourth iteration is rarely the perfect, and this one was the worst of the bunch. The Warriors obtained their second consecutive title, and it marked the top of James’ second period in Cleveland, as he headed to the Lakers that summer season. This matchup did not have the identical intrigue as the 2 earlier occasions these groups met, and with it being the one sweep on the record, I’ve to place it on the backside of this record.
9. Nuggets beat Warmth, 4-1 (2023)
This one simply felt like a mismatch. The Warmth tried their greatest to offer some intrigue after stealing a win on the highway in Sport 2, however Denver rattled off three straight wins after that, proving this was by no means actually that near being with. Seeing Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets win their first title was superior, however on the finish of the day, this was only a five-game collection that in all probability ought to’ve been a sweep. Nothing too dramatic right here, however we did get some all-time nice performances from Jokic and Jamal Murray to deliver the Nuggets followers their first Larry O’Brien trophy.
8. Celtics beat Mavericks, 4-1 (2024)
On paper, this had the makings of an excellent Finals matchup, however the Celtics have been a traditionally nice workforce that the Mavericks couldn’t match up nicely in opposition to. Luka Doncic tried to will Dallas to a win each sport, however he obtained little to no assist from the supporting solid. In the meantime, the Celtics employed a roster the place at any cut-off date, you’ve got obtained 5 guys on the ground who can simply flat out shoot 3s. It was a little bit of a revenge second for the Celtics, who fell within the Finals two years prior, and have been lastly capable of climb to the mountaintop. However apart from that, nothing actually stands out in what was a closely lopsided matchup.
7. Lakers beat Warmth, 4-2 (2020)
The bubble championship was a completely distinctive expertise that, years from now, we’ll look again on and take into consideration how loopy it was that the Lakers received a title with none followers in attendance. It is going to be a historic marker probably seen in historical past books to indicate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Simply two years after becoming a member of the Lakers, James delivered the workforce’s first title since 2010, and maybe extra profoundly, the Lakers received this championship simply 9 months after Corridor of Famer and Lakers legend Kobe Bryant died tragically in a helicopter crash alongside his daughter, Gianna, and 7 others. There have been tons of feelings tied into this win for James and the Lakers, and whereas the Warmth, led by Jimmy Butler, tried their greatest to problem L.A., it felt just like the Lakers have been a workforce of future that 12 months.
6. Warriors beat Cavaliers, 4-1 (2017)
It was the third straight assembly of those two groups within the Finals, and after the Warriors misplaced in 2016, they went out and added some reinforcements by buying Kevin Durant to actually put this workforce excessive. All season lengthy, the Warriors have been very clearly the perfect workforce on the planet and had a traditionally nice offense led by a three-headed monster in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Durant. To not point out Draymond Green, who may anchor the protection and get you sporadic factors on the opposite finish. This was actually Golden State’s to lose, they usually proved to be the dominant pressure all through, led by KD, who claimed his first NBA title and Finals MVP.
5. Raptors beat Warriors, 4-2 (2019)
This collection would in all probability be even increased had it not been for Durant tearing his Achilles tendon in Sport 5 of the collection, and if Thompson hadn’t torn his ACL in Sport 6. It actually put a damper on what may’ve been an all-time nice matchup, however there have been nonetheless some memorable moments, led by Kawhi Leonard, who the Raptors traded for halfway via the season to assist ship the franchise’s first title. However essentially the most standout factor of this Finals run by the Raptors did not occur in opposition to the Warriors, however as an alternative within the Jap Convention finals in opposition to the 76ers, when Leonard hit one of the greatest game winners in league history in Sport 7 to ship the Raptors to the NBA Finals.
4. Warriors beat Celtics, 4-2 (2022)
Simply when everybody mentioned the Warriors dynasty was useless, Golden State proved everybody flawed. Stephen Curry delivered an all-time efficiency, averaging 31 factors all through the collection, and at last received that elusive Finals MVP that he had beforehand lacked in his extremely embellished trophy case. Whereas it wasn’t the official finish of the Curry-Thompson-Inexperienced Warriors, that got here in the summertime of 2024 when Thompson left to hitch the Dallas Mavericks, it is going to function a bookend of types for a trio that received 4 championships collectively over eight years.
We obtained some classic moments from Curry in that collection, like racking up 13 factors within the fourth quarter of Sport 6 to shut the door on the Celtics to assert his fourth title.
It was maybe essentially the most spectacular title within the Warriors dynasty, as a result of regardless of the principle guys nonetheless being there in Curry, Thompson and Inexperienced, it was definitely essentially the most troublesome. This occurred when everybody was slightly older and on the opposite facet of their prime. Curry was simply two years faraway from a damaged hand that saved him sidelined for all however 5 video games in 2020. Whereas Thompson was in his first full season again after lacking two years as a result of a torn Achilles and torn ACL in back-to-back years. It might not be the primary championship that may come to thoughts years from now when this workforce is talked about, nevertheless it’s in all probability the one which deserves essentially the most respect.
3. Bucks beat Suns, 4-2 (2021)
It is troublesome to select a single spotlight from this collection as a result of there have been simply so many. There’s Giannis Antetokounmpo dropping 50 factors within the closeout Sport 6, then following that up by ordering 50 rooster nuggets at Chik-fil-A the next day to commemorate the second. There’s additionally the insanely acrobatic block he had on Deandre Ayton in Sport 4 of that collection in crunch time, which helped Milwaukee tie the collection up after falling behind 2-0 within the first two video games.
Solely Antetokounmpo is able to the talent, consciousness, and athletic means required to get well in time to completely time this block and never foul. This play will perpetually be in his profession spotlight reel, and it was a second that propelled the Bucks to win the following two video games and shut out Phoenix in six video games.
2. Thunder vs. Pacers, TBD (2025)
There actually is not any contest for this spot within the rating. What’s ironic is that heading into this matchup, everybody cried and complained about how simply the Thunder would have the ability to win this collection in opposition to a Pacers workforce nobody thought ought to be there. Many predicted a sweep, or a fast, lopsided five-game affair in favor of Oklahoma Metropolis. As a substitute, what we have gotten is essentially the most thrilling Finals matchup within the final 9 years, and can be atop this record had it not been for what’s occupying the No. 1 spot. For as a lot as individuals complained about there being two small-market groups within the Finals with no marquee names, we have gotten some actually spectacular performances from each side.
There was Tyrese Haliburton’s universal buzzer-beating (virtually) game-winning shot to steal Sport 1 on the highway.
There was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander displaying everybody precisely why he was named MVP this season by dropping 15 factors within the last 5 minutes of the fourth quarter of Sport 4 to provide the Thunder a highway win to tie up the collection.
And the numerous, many highlights from the likes of Jalen Williams, who’s doing his best Scottie Pippen impression, and TJ McConnell who might very well get a statue in his identify if the Pacers win this complete factor. This has been an NBA Finals matchup that was made for actual basketball followers who get pleasure from underdog tales, unlikely comebacks and legacy-making performances. It is solely becoming we get a Sport 7 at this level, and no matter the way it ends, it is going to stand as probably the greatest Finals matchups we have had in current historical past.
1. Cavaliers beat Warriors, 4-3 (2016)
“Cleveland, this is for you!” That line will perpetually be etched in my thoughts as James known as out after his Cavaliers pulled off the unthinkable in 2016. Not solely did Cleveland beat a Warriors workforce that simply completed off the common season with a 73-9 document, the perfect mark of any workforce in league historical past, however they did it after overcoming a 3-1 collection deficit. The Cavaliers grew to become the primary workforce in NBA historical past to not simply come again to pressure a Sport 7 after being down 3-1, but additionally the primary workforce to win in that scenario.
It’s nonetheless the championship James says means the most to him, and for good purpose. James returned to the Cavaliers after a controversial choice to depart his hometown workforce to hitch the Miami Warmth in 2010. After tasting success with the Warmth within the type of two titles, James set a purpose to return to Cleveland in hopes of delivering not simply the Cavaliers their first championship, however the metropolis of Cleveland its first skilled sports activities title ever.
He did it in essentially the most dramatic, movie-esque means attainable by going in opposition to the Goliath Warriors who simply spent the entire season dominating each different workforce within the league. Golden State additionally dominated the Cavaliers via the primary 4 video games of this collection, however then LeBron placed on his cape and delivered his most spectacular playoff efficiency ever. He averaged 36.3 factors over the past three video games of that collection, with two 41-point performances. He virtually averaged a triple-double too, placing up over 11 boards and almost 10 assists throughout that stretch and delivered essentially the most iconic block in NBA Finals historical past.
It was maybe the perfect Finals we have seen at the least within the final 25 years, and it is the final Sport 7 we have had till now between the Pacers and Thunder. We might not get one thing this thrilling on Sunday, given every little thing that led as much as that Sport 7 in 2016, nevertheless it’s fairly troublesome to beat this collection if you had so many baked-in storylines that made it probably the greatest NBA Finals matchups we have ever seen.