The Boston Celtics won the 1957 title with a double-overtime victory over the St. Louis Hawks and the 1962 title with an overtime win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The archival footage is essential and impeccable; it’s why a “Game 7” episode on, say, Bill Mazeroski’s 1960 World Series-winning home run wouldn’t have worked as well. But there’s nothing quite like hearing Cleveland’s Rajai Davis talk about trying to scale the center-field wall to catch a home run by the Cubs’ David Ross — and then seeing a younger Davis slip as his foot tries to stick in the wall. Tiny details like that are what carry a series — both the TV and the sports kind. • Hall of Famers Willie Stargell (1979 World Series) and Max Carey (1925 World Series) are the only players to club at least three extra-base hits in a winner-take-all Game 7.
List of NBA game sevens
However, it was essentially a tight contest throughout and likely best known for the Knicks’ inability to get over the hump, and John Starks’ 2-of-18 shooting performance, which included missing all 11 3-point attempts. Of the 13 playoffs without a Game 7, seven occurred when there were just three best-of-seven series each year. Prior to 1968, the division semifinals were best-of-five, leading into best-of-seven division finals and Finals. • Clemens is the only pitcher to have started a Game 7 four times in his career. Amazingly, The Rocket did that for three teams and over a span of 19 seasons. In between, Clemens took the ball for the Yanks in the final games of the ’01 World Series and ’03 ALCS.
• There have been 61 winner-take-all Game 7s, between the World Series and LCS, counting the 1912 World Series, which required an eighth game but only due to an earlier tie. Leaving out 2020 games played at neutral sites, home teams have gone 30-29, including the Astros and Phillies losses in the LCS. In Liiga (or Finnish Elite League) playoffs, game seven can occur in all playoff series except the wild-card rounds. The Liiga playoffs’ final series has seen several series decided in game seven. Coach Banchi will certainly be looking for ex-CSKA Moscow duo Toko Shengelia and Will Clyburn – ranked 17th and 18th, respectively, in the all-time scoring charts – to step up to the plate.
For the second time in three seasons, this storied rivalry was renewed with the NBA’s ultimate prize on the line. The Celtics topped the Lakers in six games for the 2008 championship, and it seemed they were ready to do it again. Los Angeles won two of the first three games, then Boston took the next two for a 3-2 lead with the series headed back west. Rolled to a 22-point Game 6 win, but trailed by nine after one quarter and as much as 13, in Game 7. However, the Lakers chipped away, and despite shooting 32.5 percent for the game, scored 30 points in the fourth quarter and held Boston to 40.8 percent shooting. Kobe Bryant went just 6-for-24 from the field but had 23 points with 15 rebounds, and Pau Gasol added 19 and 18 boards during the Los Angeles triumph.
In 1969, Los Angeles won the first two games of another memorable Finals series between the two rivals. The Celtics took the next two, then after splitting Games 5 and 6, it came down to a highly anticipated Game 7 at The Forum. Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke expected his team to win and had balloons set to drop upon victory. However, the Celtics ended celebrating after building a lead entering the fourth.
The 2025 season does not have international competition next year game review with neither Olympic nor World Cup events scheduled. Engelbert said “we all want to grow the game globally … which is why most of what we’re doing is expanding our season on the backend,” a nod to the increased playoff games. In the best-of-7 era (since 1985), the Dodgers have only led an NLCS three games to one one other time.
In an interesting side note, for years it’s been alleged that various Pistons’ players were paid, by gamblers, to throw the series. Notably Game 7, which Fort Wayne led by 10 after one quarter, and by 16 in the second period. In 1959, the Boston Celtics swept the Minneapolis Lakers to ignite that storied rivalry and begin their run of eight straight NBA championships. Boston won every other game in the series and rolled to a 19-point victory in Game 7 versus the Hawks. That contest is also remembered for Boston great Bill Russell pulling down 35 rebounds to go along with 22 points.
• The largest margin of victory in a Game 7 is the Braves’ 15-0 rout of the Cardinals to end the 1996 NLCS. Mike Richards and Jeff Carter are the only players to have been a part of two comebacks from being down 0–3, having played for both the 2009–10 Philadelphia Flyers and the 2013–14 Los Angeles Kings. The Minnesota Timberwolves have the lowest number of Game 7 appearances among active teams with just one. Their first chance at doing so comes Friday afternoon in Game 5 against the Mets.
Dodgers & MLB history of teams leading 3-1 in a best-of-7 series
The final title in the Celtics’ streak of eight consecutive league championships. Extending that legendary streak appeared as if it would be easy for Boston, which jumped out to a 3-1 series over the rival Lakers, now in Los Angeles. However, the Lakers certainly made things interesting by winning Games 5 and 6. In the all-or-nothing Game 7, Boston led after three quarters, but the Lakers weren’t about to roll over and scored 33 fourth-quarter points to make it a game before the Celtics prevailed. Boston’s Bill Russell and Sam Jones combined for 47 points, while L.A.’s Jerry West topped everyone with 36 in the losing effort.
1954: Minneapolis Lakers 87, Syracuse 80
But compared to so many other 21st-century Game 7s, it’s not exactly a memorable entry. Two separate episodes include Mark Messier, which is not exactly a surprise given that Messier is an executive producer on the series. But the hockey episodes — the 1987 Stanley Cup Final, Edmonton vs. Philadelphia, and the 1994 Stanley Cup Final, Rangers vs. Canucks — lack the energy and vibrancy of the baseball ones. As we move into late October and the final act of baseball’s postseason, it’s a fine time to begin considering the historical weight of Game 7s. Prime Video takes on that challenge with “Game 7,” an engaging, enjoyable five-episode documentary beginning Tuesday that covers some of sports’ greatest moments, as told by the players, coaches and fans who lived through them. • Only five Game 7s, and the 1912 Game 8, have gone into extra innings — five times in the World Series and once in the ALCS (the Aaron Boone game in 2003).
The home team has won five out of six times when Game 7 goes beyond the requisite nine innings. The lone road victory came in the finale to the 2016 World Series, when the Cubs beat Cleveland, 8-7, to clinch the title. Engelbert said the better seeded teams will host the first, second, fifth and seventh games. The league also will be changing the opening round to give the lower seeded team at least one home game. In Major League Baseball (MLB), a game seven can occur in the World Series or in a League Championship Series (LCS), which are contested as best-of-seven series. Based on the playoffs format arrangement, game seven—when necessary—is played in the ballpark of the team holding home-field advantage for the series.
A Game 7 is one of the rarest treats in sports, especially when it happens in the World Series. Speaking of the Sixers, they have the most Game 7 defeats in league history with 12. Six of those came against Boston, with Celtics-Sixers being the most common Game 7 matchup historically with eight showdowns dating back to 1959, when the Sixers were the Syracuse Nationals. Perhaps access to subjects complicated these particular possibilities; Jordan and James aren’t exactly lining up to appear in documentaries.