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 Metropolis Thunder and Indiana Pacers will face off one final time to resolve a winner, capping off what’s been top-of-the-line Finals matchups we have had lately. It will likely be the primary time the Finals has gone the space since 2016, which was one other immediate basic in league historical past (extra on that later).
For all of the speak about how boring this 12 months’s Finals matchup could be due to the small-market groups enjoying 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 staff has been capable of finding a large benefit that has sustained previous a single recreation 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 had been up because the clock ticked to zero.
It birthed one of many biggest sports activities 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 acquired their second consecutive title, and it marked the tip of James’ second period in Cleveland, as he headed to the Lakers that summer time. 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 listing, I’ve to place it on the backside of this listing.
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 most likely 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 carry the Nuggets followers their first Larry O’Brien trophy.
8. Celtics beat Mavericks, 4-1 (2024)
On paper, this had the makings of a great Finals matchup, however the Celtics had been a traditionally nice staff that the Mavericks couldn’t match up nicely towards. Luka Doncic tried to will Dallas to a win each recreation, however he acquired little to no assist from the supporting forged. In the meantime, the Celtics employed a roster the place at any time limit, you’ve got acquired 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 had been lastly capable of climb to the mountaintop. However aside 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 gained a title with none followers in attendance. It will likely be a historic marker possible seen in historical past books to point out the impression of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Simply two years after becoming a member of the Lakers, James delivered the staff’s first title since 2010, and maybe extra profoundly, the Lakers gained 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 had been a staff 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 essentially put this staff excessive. All season lengthy, the Warriors had been very clearly the perfect staff 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 Inexperienced, who might anchor the protection and get you sporadic factors on the opposite finish. This was actually Golden State’s to lose, and so they proved to be the dominant drive all through, led by KD, who claimed his first NBA title and Finals MVP.
5. Raptors beat Warriors, 4-2 (2019)
This collection would most likely be even greater 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 might’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 by way of the season to assist ship the franchise’s first title. However probably the most standout factor of this Finals run by the Raptors did not occur towards the Warriors, however as a substitute within the Japanese Convention finals towards the 76ers, when Leonard hit one of many biggest recreation winners in league historical past in Sport 7 to ship the Raptors to the NBA Finals.
4. Warriors beat Celtics, 4-2 (2022)
Simply when everybody stated the Warriors dynasty was lifeless, Golden State proved everybody flawed. Stephen Curry delivered an all-time efficiency, averaging 31 factors all through the collection, and at last gained 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 affix the Dallas Mavericks, it would function a bookend of kinds for a trio that gained 4 championships collectively over eight years.
We acquired 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 probably the most spectacular title within the Warriors dynasty, as a result of regardless of the primary guys nonetheless being there in Curry, Thompson and Inexperienced, it was definitely probably the most troublesome. This occurred when everybody was a bit older and on the opposite facet of their prime. Curry was simply two years faraway from a damaged hand that stored him sidelined for all however 5 video games in 2020. Whereas Thompson was in his first full season again after lacking two years attributable to a torn Achilles and torn ACL in back-to-back years. It might not be the primary championship that can come to thoughts years from now when this staff is talked about, however it’s most likely the one which deserves probably 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 hen 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 ability, consciousness, and athletic potential required to get better in time to completely time this block and never foul. This play will eternally be in his profession spotlight reel, and it was a second that propelled the Bucks to win the subsequent 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 towards a Pacers staff nobody thought ought to be there. Many predicted a sweep, or a fast, lopsided five-game affair in favor of Oklahoma Metropolis. As an alternative, what we have gotten is probably the most thrilling Finals matchup within the final 9 years, and could be atop this listing had it not been for what’s occupying the No. 1 spot. For as a lot as folks complained about there being two small-market groups within the Finals with no marquee names, we have gotten some really spectacular performances from each side.
There was Tyrese Haliburton’s newest buzzer-beating (virtually) game-winning shot to steal Sport 1 on the highway.
There was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander exhibiting everybody precisely why he was named MVP this season by dropping 15 factors within the remaining 5 minutes of the fourth quarter of Sport 4 to present 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 greatest Scottie Pippen impression, and TJ McConnell who might very nicely get a statue in his title if the Pacers win this entire 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 would stand as top-of-the-line Finals matchups we have had in latest historical past.
1. Cavaliers beat Warriors, 4-3 (2016)
“Cleveland, that is for you!” That line will eternally be etched in my thoughts as James referred to as out after his Cavaliers pulled off the unthinkable in 2016. Not solely did Cleveland beat a Warriors staff that simply completed off the common season with a 73-9 document, the perfect mark of any staff in league historical past, however they did it after overcoming a 3-1 collection deficit. The Cavaliers turned the primary staff in NBA historical past to not simply come again to drive a Sport 7 after being down 3-1, but in addition the primary staff to win in that state of affairs.
It’s nonetheless the championship James says means probably the most to him, and for good purpose. James returned to the Cavaliers after a controversial determination to depart his hometown staff to affix the Miami Warmth in 2010. After tasting success with the Warmth within the type of two titles, James set a aim 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 probably the most dramatic, movie-esque method attainable by going towards the Goliath Warriors who simply spent the entire season dominating each different staff within the league. Golden State additionally dominated the Cavaliers by way of 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 during the last three video games of that collection, with two 41-point performances. He virtually averaged a triple-double too, placing up over 11 boards and practically 10 assists throughout that stretch and delivered probably the most iconic block in NBA Finals historical past.
It was maybe the perfect Finals we have seen a minimum of 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, however it’s fairly troublesome to beat this collection while you had so many baked-in storylines that made it top-of-the-line NBA Finals matchups we have ever seen.
