As the NBA playoffs unfold, the pivotal Game 7 moment has arrived yet again. This season, five playoff series have stretched to Game 7. The next crucial matchup features San Antonio traveling to Oklahoma City for the Western Conference finals showdown on Saturday night.
Earlier in this postseason, Philadelphia triumphed over Boston away from home in Round 1, while Cleveland defeated both Toronto and Detroit on their respective turfs. Detroit also bested Orlando. This year’s five Game 7s equal the all-time high in a postseason, matching records set in 1994, 2014, and 2016. Only three times before have visiting teams won Game 7 in a single season, and the Spurs hope to add to that tally on Saturday.
Historically, home teams have dominated Game 7 in the NBA playoffs, with a record of 117 wins to 42 losses in 159 attempts.
Game 7 Records
The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have never faced each other in a Game 7 before. Their records in these decisive games paint an intriguing picture:
- Thunder: Since relocating to Oklahoma City, they hold a 4-2 overall record. At home, they are undefeated with four victories by an average margin of 17.5 points. Their two losses came on the road, including one during the 2020 playoffs when they were the lower seed against Houston.
- Spurs: The franchise’s Game 7 record stands at 4-7 overall and 1-5 when not playing at home. Their sole away victory in such a game came against New Orleans in 2008. They have not faced a Game 7 on the road in the Western finals before, although they played in the Eastern Conference final Game 7 in 1979, losing to Washington.
Game 7 Birthday Matters
Interesting facts often arise in playoff narratives. Spurs forward Harrison Barnes celebrates his 34th birthday on the day of the game. No player has played in a Game 7 on their birthday and lost in NBA history. Paul George was successful on his birthday earlier this season, and Barnes has an encouraging precedent from 2016 when he won on his birthday with Golden State against Oklahoma City.
Other notable Game 7 birthday victories include:
- Pablo Prigoni turned 35 on May 17, 2015, as he helped Houston defeat the Los Angeles Clippers.
- Udonis Haslem celebrated his 32nd birthday on June 9, 2012, in a victory for Miami over Boston.
- Kevin Garnett and his Minnesota team beat Sacramento on May 19, 2004, his 28th birthday.
- Scott Hastings won with Detroit against Chicago on June 3, 1990, when he turned 30.
- Walt Hazzard’s Los Angeles Lakers defeated St. Louis on April 15, 1966, on his 24th birthday.
The Best-of-12 Season Series
Saturday’s game marks the 12th meeting between Oklahoma City and San Antonio this season. The Spurs have a 7-4 edge so far. This scenario is unusual, as the current scheduling format limits teams to four regular-season encounters. In this case, additional games stem from the NBA Cup and play-in tournament setups.
Historically, the only comparable seasons involved San Antonio meeting Houston 12 times in 1994-95. Long ago, teams such as the Minneapolis Lakers and St. Louis Hawks faced off 20 times in a single season, but with league expansion, such occurrences are unlikely now.
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