OKLAHOMA CITY — For the twentieth time, there will likely be a Game 7 within the NBA Finals.

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Indiana will play at #Oklahoma City on Sunday night time within the closing sport of the season, with the winner getting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Home groups are 15-4 in Game 7 of the finals, however a highway crew — Cleveland, over Golden State — received the latest of these video games in 2016.

A glance inside some numbers surrounding this matchup:

There have been solely two 40-point scoring performances in Game 7 of the NBA Finals — and each got here in shedding efforts.

#Jerry West scored 42 factors in Game 7 of the 1969 collection, however the #Los Angeles Lakers misplaced to the #Boston Celtics in Bill Russell’s closing sport. And #Elgin Baylor scored 41 factors in Game 7 in 1962 — one other Lakers-Celtics matchup — however Boston prevailed in that one as properly.

#Bob Pettit had the third-highest scoring complete in a Game 7. He had 39 for the #St. Louis Hawks towards the Celtics in 1957 … and Boston received that sport as properly.

The highest-scoring Game 7s in a profitable effort? Those could be by Boston’s #Tom Heinsohn in that 1957 sport towards #St. Louis and Miami’s #LeBron James within the 2013 collection towards #San Antonio.

Both had 37; Heinsohn’s was a double-overtime sport, James bought his in regulation.

Yes, these are high-scoring groups. #Oklahoma City was No. 4 in factors per sport within the common season and Indiana was No. 7 . The Thunder are second in that class within the playoffs , simply forward of No. 3 Indiana .

In Game 7, which may not matter a lot.

No crew has reached 100 factors in Game 7 of the NBA Finals since 1988. Or even topped 95 factors, for that matter.

The final 5 Game 7s:

— 2016, Cleveland 93, Golden State 89

— 2013, Miami 95, #San Antonio 88

— 2010, #Los Angeles Lakers 83, Boston 79

— 2005, #San Antonio 81, Detroit 74

— 1994, Houston 90, New York 84

The final finals Game 7 to see somebody hit the century mark was when the Lakers beat the Pistons 108-105 in 1988.

The common margin of victory in Game 7 of an NBA Finals: 6.9 factors.

Each of the final eight such video games have been determined by single digits. Only 4 have been double-digit wins: Boston over #St. Louis by 19 in 1960, Minneapolis over New York by 17 in 1952, Boston over Milwaukee by 15 in 1974 and New York over the #Los Angeles Lakers by 14 in 1970.

The closest Game 7 within the finals was Syracuse beating Fort Wayne 92-91 in 1955. That was one in every of six finals Game 7s determined by three factors or much less.

The Thunder are the twenty second No. 1 seed to play in Game 7 of an NBA Finals. Their 21 predecessors on that listing are 12-9 within the final sport; seven of these video games have been ones the place each groups entered the playoffs as No. 1 seeds.

The Pacers are the fourth No. 4 seed to make Game 7 of the title spherical. Their three predecessors went 1-2 .

It’ll be the fourth Game 7 for Indiana forwards Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner. Siakam’s groups have gone 2-1 in Game 7s, Turner’s have gone 1-2.

Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith is 2-0 within the pair of Game 7s wherein he has performed, with Indiana profitable at New York final 12 months and Boston beating Milwaukee in 2022. Both of these wins had been within the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s reigning MVP, has averaged 27 factors in two earlier Game 7s. Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 factors in his lone Game 7 so far.

No participant on both facet has beforehand been a part of a Game 7 within the NBA Finals.

The NBA does not announce referee assignments till sport day, so it will not be identified till Sunday morning who the three-person crew is for Game 7.

This a lot is definite: for not less than two of the referees, it’s going to be the primary time on the Game 7 finals stage.

Scott Foster — who would appear a possible decide this 12 months — labored Game 7 of the finals in 2013 alongside Dan Crawford and Monty McCutchen, and Game 7 of the title collection in 2010 with Dan Crawford and Joe Crawford.

The most up-to-date Game 7 of the finals was in 2016 and the crew for that sport was Dan Crawford, McCutchen and Mike Callahan.

Outside of Foster, no referee on this 12 months’s pool has been on the ground for a Game 7 within the NBA Finals.

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