In the current NBA playoffs, Game 7s are defining the season, reaching a record five times so far, matching previous records set in 1994, 2014, and 2016. On Saturday night, San Antonio will face Oklahoma City in the seventh game of the Western Conference finals. This year, Game 7 saw Philadelphia defeating Boston, Cleveland triumphing over Toronto and Detroit, and all games significantly impacted the postseason.
Historically, home teams have a strong record of 117-42 over 159 Game 7 instances in NBA playoff history. Oklahoma City and San Antonio have never previously competed against one another in Game 7.
Oklahoma City Thunder Game 7 History:
- Since relocating to Oklahoma City: they hold a 4-2 overall record, with a 4-0 home record.
- Their last home win was by double-digit margins, averaging 17.5 points.
- Their losses were out of state areas, including the bubble playoffs of 2020.
San Antonio Spurs Game 7 History:
- Overall they have a 4-7 record, with a road record of 1-5.
- Their only road win came against New Orleans in 2008.
- They haven’t faced a Game 7 on the road during the Western finals but lost to Washington in the Eastern finals in 1979.
Game 7 holds additional significance for Spurs forward Harrison Barnes as he celebrates his 34th birthday on the same day. Notably, players have consistently won on their birthdays in Game 7. Previously, Barnes marked such an occasion when Golden State defeated Oklahoma City on his 24th birthday. Other instances include notable players like Paul George, Pablo Prigoni, Udonis Haslem, Kevin Garnett, Scott Hastings, and Walt Hazzard, who all celebrated victories on their birthdays.
Game 7 Birthday Wins:
- Pablo Prigoni (35th birthday) assisted Houston’s win over the Clippers on May 17, 2015.
- Udonis Haslem’s 32nd birthday contributed to Miami’s victory against Boston on June 9, 2012.
- Kevin Garnett (28th birthday) saw Minnesota triumph over Sacramento on May 19, 2004.
- Scott Hastings (30th birthday) saw Detroit defeat Chicago on June 3, 1990.
- Walt Hazzard (24th birthday) aided the Lakers’ victory against St. Louis on April 15, 1966.
The encounter between Oklahoma City and San Antonio on Saturday will also be the culmination of a 12-game series, with San Antonio leading 7-4 in prior games. Previously, such a high number of matches between two teams was last seen in the 2019-2020 season between Golden State and Houston and earlier during the 1994-95 season with San Antonio facing Houston.
Due to the current NBA scheduling allowing teams to meet up four times during regular play, their total regular season meetings don’t exceed 11 games even in full seven-game playoff series. Nonetheless, the NBA Cup creates possibilities for twelve matches a season. Teams can theoretically meet 13 times combining four regular season games, NBA Cup, and subsequent playoff rounds. However, the record set between Minneapolis Lakers and St. Louis Hawks of 20 games during the 1959-60 season and Los Angeles Lakers against Hawks the following year was possible due to a smaller league.