5 greatest Game 7s in the 21st century | NBA Playoffs
The Milwaukee Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets gave NBA fans one of the greatest deciding games in NBA playoffs history, in their second-round matchup of the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo came up with fabulous performances, with the duo scoring 48 and 40 points, respectively. In the process, the two former NBA MVPs became only the third pair of rival players to score 40 points apiece in Game 7 of the NBA playoffs.
The decider between the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets went to overtime, which marked the first Game 7 in NBA playoffs history since 2006 to go the distance.
NBA playoffs history is replete with several memorable Game 7s. On that note, let's have a look at the five greatest Game 7s in NBA playoffs history since the turn of the century. Without further ado, let's get started.
#5 San Antonio Spurs vs Miami Heat - 2013 NBA Finals - Game 7
The San Antonio Spurs were involved in a historic Game 7 in the 21st century, in the 2006 second round against the Dallas Mavericks. However, the Miami Heat's Game 7 win over the Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals gets the nod here due to the greater stakes involved.
The 2013 NBA Finals were an instant classic, as two great teams faced each other in a seven-game series that had drama, blowouts and two extraordinary final games. After Ray Allen saved the Miami Heat's season in Game 6 with a game-tying three with five seconds left, Game 7 made more drama in store.
The Spurs were up by five points with less than 30 seconds on the clock in Game 6, but they could not hold on to their lead to win the championship. Although the San Antonio Spurs were expected to be a deflated lot after the manner of their loss in Game 6, they came out all guns blazing in the deciding game.
However, LeBron James produced one of the greatest games of his NBA career to help the Miami Heat pull off a 95-88 victory to seal the Championship. Though the final score was not that close, the game was only decided in the final minute.
With the Heat up by two points, Tim Duncan missed a hook shot and then missed a seemingly easy tip-in that would've tied the game with 46 seconds left. LeBron James then hit a jump shot over Kawhi Leonard with 27 seconds on the clock, and the Heat eventually closed the series in their favor from the free-throw line.
James ended the game with 37 points, 12 rebounds and five three-pointers; he also made eight attempts from the FT line. Dwyane Wade added 23 points for the Heat, and Shane Battier came up big off the bench with six three-pointers.
For the Spurs, Tim Duncan had 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Kawhi Leonard had 19 points and 16 rebounds.
#4 Philadelphia 76ers vs Toronto Raptors - 2019 Eastern Conference Semi-finals - Game 7
The Toronto Raptors' run to the 2019 NBA championship was an eventful one, with one of them being Kawhi Leonard's game-winning shot at the buzzer to take his team to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The back-and-forth series between Leonard's Raptors and the Philadelphia 76ers, who had Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons, was decided by the only game-winning shot at the buzzer in a Game 7.
The Raptors won the opening game of the series, thanks to Leonard's 45-point outing. The 76ers responded with two wins in a row but dropped Game 4 at home, with Leonard scoring 39 points.
The Raptors capitalized on their home-court advantage to take a 3-2 lead in the series, but the 76ers forced a decider after taking a 112-101 victory in Game 6.
The decisive game of the series was a closely-fought matchup that seemed destined to go to overtime after Butler tied the game at 90-all with a layup. But with four seconds on the clock, Kawhi Leonard grabbed the ball and shot a two-pointer from the baseline; the ball went in after multiple bounces on the rim as both teams looked on.
The Raptors took down the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals before beating the Golden State Warriors to win the 2019 NBA Finals.