Following a particularly electric stretch of basketball in the winner-take-all showdown in the 1987 Eastern Conference finals between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons, CBS play-by-play announcer Dick Stockton paused. Soaking it all in, Stockton then offered this:
“I guess this is why you grow up and want to play this game.”
This, of course, refers to everything that makes a Game 7 special: the relentless energy, the desperation felt by both teams, the breathtaking quality of basketball, as put on display by some of the greatest athletes on the planet, and the moments that wind up defining careers and enriching memories.
Anticipation is high for any Game 7, but not all of them live up to great matchups of the past. Here's hoping that a legendary Game 7 emerges in these playoffs, giving fans yet another memory to cherish.
NBCSports.com contributor Bill Woten, author of “Game 7: Inside the NBA’s Ultimate Showdown,” ranks the 10 greatest Game 7s of all-time.";
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Affectionately remembered because of a hobbled Willis Reed’s dramatic entrance, this game was played in front of one of the most electric crowds ever at Madison Square Garden. Reed gave the Knicks an incredible emotional boost, but he only tallied four points and three rebounds in 27 minutes. Lost in the shuffle was Walt Frazier’s masterpiece: a perfect first quarter (5-for-5 from the field, 5-for-5 from the line) and game totals of 36 points, 19 assists and five steals in the Knicks’ win.";
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Only the third time that a pair of teams with 60-plus wins squared off in a Game 7. This one had it all: superb quality of play (Mavs hit 18 of their first 21 shots), a big comeback (Spurs rallied from 20 down) and monster efforts from two superstars (Dirk Nowitzki had 37 points and 15 rebounds; Tim Duncan countered with 41 and 15). Fittingly, 48 minutes weren’t enough to decide it, and Dallas made its final push in overtime to win.";
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One of the finest basketball games ever played (combined 59 percent shooting; in the fourth quarter, both teams scored on 17 of their 22 possessions) came down to a scintillating duel between Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins. Bird, who delivered on his victory promise, recovered from a slow start to score 20 of his 34 points, including a 3-pointer and lefty layup, in the final 12 minutes. Wilkins, meanwhile, delivered 16 of his 47 (tied for the most ever in a seventh game) in the fourth.";
spt_NBA_080503_Top10_game7s[i++] = new Array("","4. 1988 Finals, Lakers-Pistons","Coach Pat Riley and the Los Angeles Lakers celebrated the championship after outlasting the Pistons in 1988.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Williams%2C%20Ed/Photos/Pat%20Riley/Riley3_6-88.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Frederick M. Brown", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "394", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
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Could the Lakers become the first team since 1969 to repeat as champions? That was the culmination of L.A. coach Pat Riley’s famous guarantee from the previous June. The Lakers backed up their coach’s promise, thanks to James Worthy’s only career triple-double (36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists) and a stretch of beautiful fast-break basketball: 10 consecutive made shots during a 23-7 blitz in the first 6:24 of the third quarter. The run proved to be just enough as L.A. held on.";
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The start of Boston’s run of 11 titles in 13 seasons took two overtimes, still the only Game 7 to require that long. And it was worth it, particularly for a national television audience that had yet to embrace the NBA. Bob Pettit forced overtime with two free throws late in regulation. Then, the teams traded baskets in the final 15 seconds of overtime. One session later, the Celtics finally had won when Pettit’s redirection of a court-length pass was off target. Rookie Bill Russell had 32 rebounds.";
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Larry Bird called this the most emotional game he ever played in. What it lacked in beauty (35 turnovers, 45 personal fouls), it made up for in intensity (16 blocked shots, 32 offensive rebounds) between two longtime bitter rivals. The 76ers surged ahead by seven points with 5:23 left, but managed just one point the rest of the way as every trip down the floor turned into a rugby scrum in the paint. Bird sank what proved to be the game-winner, a 16-foot bank shot with a minute to go.";
spt_NBA_080503_Top10_game7s[i++] = new Array("","7. 2002 West finals, Lakers-Kings:","Phil Jackson, Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant would get the better of the Kings during this Game in 2002, clearing the way to their third straight title.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050614/050614_coachkobe_hmed_1p.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Jeff Haynes", "AFP", "273", "424", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
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By this point in the series, Sacramento, which held leads of 15, 27, 24, 10, 7 and 9 in the final six games (but lost three of them), was the better team. The Lakers, as Rick Fox later said, were running on fumes as their bench contributed just five points and one rebound in Game 7. In overtime, however, Los Angeles made one final surge while the Kings missed nine of 12 shots, many of them badly. The Lakers escaped and went on to win their third consecutive championship.";
spt_NBA_080503_Top10_game7s[i++] = new Array("","8. 1965 East finals, Celtics-76ers","Before the Boston Celtics could hold this celebration after beating the Lakers for the 1965 championship, they had to edge the 76ers in a dramatic Game 7 of the East finals, when John Havlicek (17) \"stole the ball.\"","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Slideshows/_production/ss_061028_auerbach/ss_061028_auerbach_16.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Frank Curtin", "AP", "273", "377", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
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The play forever remembered as “Havlicek stole the ball” was initially set up because of a huge gaffe by Celtics superstar Bill Russell, whose inbounds pass with five seconds to go struck a supporting wire that ran from the corner of the backboard to the Boston Garden rafters. Philadelphia, trailing by one point, now had time to design the game-winner. But Hal Greer’s pass to Chet Walker was deflected by an alert Havlicek. Sam Jones scooped it up and dribbled away as the buzzer sounded.";
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The first of three 1980’s championship meetings between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson went the distance. The Lakers, who were one or two mistakes away from winning in a sweep, let the Celtics back into the series. And by Game 7 in Boston Garden, L.A. had little chance. Boston hit first and hit often, outmuscling the Lakers with 20 offensive rebounds and 51 trips to the free-throw line. Cedric Maxwell will never forget this night: 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.";
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Los Angeles trailed by 15 points early in the fourth quarter and appeared dead in the water. Then, the Blazers started missing — 13 shots in a row, in fact — while the Lakers went on 15-0 run. With 1:34 to go and the game still tied, Kobe Bryant put his signature on a 6-0 run with two free throws, a tough jumper and a memorable lob that Shaquille O’Neal slammed down, setting off pandemonium all around. Easily the happiest moment of the Bryant-O’Neal relationship."; // END editorial data