The NBA playoffs this year have showcased the tension and excitement of Game 7. For the fifth time in this postseason, a series will reach the ultimate showdown. San Antonio is set to visit Oklahoma City this Saturday night for Game 7 of the Western Conference finals. Several noteworthy Game 7s have taken place this season, including Philadelphia’s victory over Boston, Cleveland’s triumphs over Toronto and Detroit, and Detroit’s win against Orlando.
This season matches the record for the most Game 7s with previous years, namely 1994, 2014, and 2016. Moreover, never before have three Game 7 road wins occurred in the same season. San Antonio aims to achieve this feat.
Game 7 Records
When analyzing the Game 7 records of Oklahoma City and San Antonio, both teams enter with distinct histories. Oklahoma City, since its relocation, has a record of 4-2 in Game 7s, remaining unbeaten at home with a 4-0 record. Notably, all their home victories have been substantial, with an average winning margin of 17.5 points. The two losses occurred during road games. One was merely classified as such because Oklahoma City was a lower seed than Houston during the bubble playoffs in 2020.
On the other hand, San Antonio holds an overall record of 4-7 in Game 7s and 1-5 on the road. Their sole road Game 7 triumph was in New Orleans in 2008. Though the Spurs have no experience in a Western finals Game 7 on the road, they have played and lost a Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals on the road to Washington in 1979.
Game 7 Birthday Significance
Spurs forward Harrison Barnes will celebrate his 34th birthday on Saturday. This occasion could be favorable for San Antonio. Historically, no player has lost a Game 7 NBA playoff on their birthday. A recent example includes Paul George, who turned 36 on May 2 when Philadelphia defeated Boston. Barnes has been in a similar situation before, celebrating his 24th birthday in 2016 when Golden State defeated Oklahoma City.
Some other players who have won Game 7s on their birthdays include:
- Pablo Prigoni turned 35 on May 17, 2015, as Houston won over the Los Angeles Clippers.
- Udonis Haslem turned 32 on June 9, 2012, as Miami beat Boston.
- Kevin Garnett turned 28 on May 19, 2004, as Minnesota overcame Sacramento.
- Scott Hastings turned 30 on June 3, 1990, as Detroit triumphed over Chicago.
- Walt Hazzard turned 24 on April 15, 1966, as the Los Angeles Lakers bested St. Louis.
Best-of-12 Season Series
Saturday’s game will mark the twelfth contest between Oklahoma City and San Antonio this season. San Antonio currently leads the matchup series 7-4. This year’s season bears resemblance to the 12 meetings between Golden State and Houston last season, including regular-season games, an NBA Cup additional game, and a full seven-game playoff series in Round 1.
The last time two teams encountered each other 12 times in a single season was the 1994-95 season, also involving San Antonio when they faced Houston. Over the past three decades, the league structured schedules to limit regular-season meetings to four, with the addition of the NBA Cup now enabling up to a 12-game series. Theoretically, teams may meet as frequently as 13 times, adding matches from regular-season, NBA Cup, play-in tournaments, and a seven-game playoff series.
Despite these possibilities, no team has ever surpassed the record set in 1959-60 by the Minneapolis Lakers and St. Louis Hawks, who played 20 times in one season, followed by a similar scenario for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Hawks in 1960-61. During those times, the league consisted of only eight teams carrying out a 75-game schedule.