How many times has the NBA Finals gone to Game 7?

It’s going the distance. The Indiana Pacers went into Thursday’s Game 6 knowing that defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder would see their dreams of a championship ended.

The Pacers were under pressure in front of a passionate home crowd but they fed off an incredible atmosphere to grab the victory. That 91-108 win for the Pacers has kept their championship chase alive and has forced the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 2016.

This year’s winner-takes-all clash will be the 20th Game 7 in NBA Finals history. That most recent championship game has gone down in history and has been a key peak in the incredible NBA career of LeBron James.

Remembering the last Game 7

The last time that a championship series went the whole way was in 2016, when LeBron’s Cleveland Cavaliers were up against an iconic Golden State Warriors team.

The Warriors held home advantage for the series and raced to a 3-1 lead, leaving the Cavs on the brink of defeat. But two back-to-back wins for Cleveland put them back level heading into Game 7 at the Warriors’ Oracle Arena.

The Cavaliers came out 93-89 winners in a Game 7 that would come to be defined by ‘The Block’, an incredible defensive play by LeBron that has been ranked as one of his greatest-ever career moments. Lebron James ended the series as the leader for points, assists, steals, and blocks across both teams, the only player to do so in NBA Finals history.

That was the most recent of the 19 previous times that an NBA Finals has gone to a Game 7. In the 21st century, there have been only four Game 7s before this year: Cavaliers - Heat (2016); Spurs - Heat (2013); Celtics - Lakers (2010); Pistons - Spurs (2005).

The Pacers - Thunder Game 7 will be held at Paycom Center on Sunday, July 22. The tip-off is set for 8:00pm ET / 5:00pm PT. After incredible seasons both teams have every right to believe that it is their destiny, but only one will be proved correct.

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