Celtics
No staff in NBA historical past has performed in additional Recreation 7s than the Celtics, who’ve achieved astonishingly effectively in win-or-go-home video games.
Historical past is on the Celtics’ facet getting into Sunday’s Recreation 7 in opposition to the 76ers.
No staff has gained extra Recreation 7s than the Celtics (26) and whereas they’ve performed essentially the most Recreation 7s in NBA historical past (35), additionally they have the very best profitable share amongst all groups which have performed in a number of Recreation 7s (.743).
As well as, there’s additionally been no extra frequent Recreation 7 matchup in NBA historical past than Celtics-76ers. Boston’s gone 5-2 all-time in opposition to the group (together with Boston’s Recreation 7 win within the 1959 Division finals in opposition to the Syracuse Nationals). The Celtics additionally gained the final Recreation 7 matchup between the 2 franchises in 2012.
The Celtics’ present group of stars has fared effectively in Recreation 7s, too. Jaylen Brown and Marcus Sensible are 5-1 in Recreation 7s over their careers whereas Jayson Tatum has gone 4-1 in Recreation 7s in his profession.
Let’s take a short take a look at every of the 35 Recreation 7s the Celtics have performed of their franchise’s historical past earlier than they play their thirty sixth Recreation 7 on Sunday.
1957 NBA Finals vs. St. Louis Hawks
Boston gained its first of 17 NBA titles in franchise historical past with a 125-123 double-overtime win. Lengthy earlier than his days as an announcer, Tommy Heinsohn helped ring the Celtics’ dynasty of the ‘50s and ‘60s, scoring 37 factors and grabbing 23 rebounds within the deciding sport.
1959 Japanese Division finals vs. Syracuse Nationals
A staff effort helped the Celtics outlast the Nationals with 5 gamers scoring at the least 18 factors and Invoice Russell securing 32 rebounds within the 130-125 win, serving to them advance to the Finals the place they gained their second title.
1960 NBA Finals vs. St. Louis Hawks
Frank Ramsey scored a team-high 24 factors whereas Russell scored 22 factors and grabbed 35 rebounds within the 122-103 win, securing Boston its third title.
1962 Japanese Division Finals vs. Philadelphia Warriors
Invoice Russell got here out victorious in his first Recreation 7 in opposition to Wilt Chamberlain, scoring 19 factors and grabbing 22 boards as Sam Jones pitched in 28 factors within the 109-107 win.
1962 NBA Finals vs. Los Angeles Lakers
It took seven video games plus additional time to find out the winner of the primary Celtics-Lakers Finals matchup. Laker guard Frank Selvy missed a 12-foot jumper with 5 seconds left in regulation that will’ve gained Los Angeles the title. As an alternative, the sport went to additional time and the Celtics gained 110-107 behind Russell’s 40 rebounds, tying his report for essentially the most in an NBA Finals sport that also stands at the moment.
1963 Japanese Division finals vs. Cincinnati Royals
Sam Jones scored 47 factors, which is tied for the third-most in a Recreation 7 in NBA historical past, because the Celtics gained 142-131. The win helped the Celtics attain the NBA Finals, the place they gained yet one more title and helped ship Bob Cousy into retirement as a champion.
1965 Japanese Division finals vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Jones stepped up large once more, scoring 37 factors whereas Russell grabbed 29 rebounds and had eight assists within the 110-109 win.
1966 NBA Finals vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The Celtics accomplished their eight-straight title-winning season by beating the Lakers, 95-93, in Recreation 7. Russell scored 25 factors and grabbed 32 rebounds in what was Purple Auerbach’s last sport as a head coach.
1968 Japanese Division finals vs. Philadelphia 76ers
After dropping to them within the season prior, the Celtics bought their revenge on the 76ers with Jones scoring 22 factors to associate with Russell’s 12 factors and 26 rebounds within the 100-96 win.
1969 NBA Finals vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers’ had all their plans set in place for his or her first title win in opposition to the Celtics. However they didn’t put the plan into motion as a result of John Havlicek scored 26 factors and Don Nelson made a desperation soar shot proper earlier than the shot clock expired with a minute left to place the Celtics up by three with simply over a minute left. The Celtics went on to win 108-106, giving Russell his eleventh title in his last NBA sport.
1974 NBA Finals vs. Milwaukee Bucks
The Celtics gained their first title with out Russell with a comparatively straightforward Recreation 7 win. They had been in a position to decelerate Kareem-Abdul Jabar as Dave Cowens scored 28 factors and grabbed 14 rebounds en path to a 102-89 win.
1977 Japanese Convention semifinals vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The Celtics misplaced their first Recreation 7 in franchise historical past as Cowens’s 27 rebounds weren’t sufficient as World B. Free scored 27 factors off the bench for an 83-77 76ers win.
1981 Japanese Convention finals vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The Celtics accomplished the 3-1 collection comeback in dramatic vogue. Larry Hen scored 23 factors, together with a soar shot that put the Celtics up 91-89 with 29 seconds left. Mo Cheeks break up a pair of free throws, giving Boston a 91-90 win.
1982 Japanese Convention finals vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia bought its revenge a yr later, defeating Boston 120-106. With the sport not being shut, followers on the Boston Backyard broke out the inaugural “Beat LA” chant in hopes the 76ers would defeat the Lakers within the NBA Finals.
1984 Japanese Convention semifinals vs. New York Knicks
The Celtics had been in a position to survive a second-round scare from Bernard King and the Knicks behind Hen’s 39-point efficiency in Recreation 7, profitable 121-104.
1984 NBA Finals vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The primary Larry Hen-Magic Johnson Finals culminated in a Celtics Recreation 7 win. Cedric Maxwell’s 24 factors plus a steal with simply over a minute left helped Boston maintain off Los Angeles for a 111-102 victory.
1987 Japanese Convention semifinals vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Hen stepped up once more in one other Recreation 7, scoring a game-high 31 factors as he performed everything of the Celtics’ 119-113 win.
1987 Japanese Convention finals vs. Detroit Pistons
Two video games after Hen’s legendary steal and Dennis Johnson’s game-winning layup that gained the Celtics Recreation 5, the Celtics completed off the Pistons. They wanted one other full 48-minute efficiency from Hen, who scored 37 factors, to win 117-114.
1988 Japanese Convention semifinals vs. Atlanta Hawks
This Recreation 7 featured two of the most effective particular person head-to-head performances in NBA historical past. Hen and Dominique Wilkins traded buckets for a lot of the fourth quarter of the sport. Wilkins completed with a game-high 47 factors, however it was Hen’s 20-point fourth quarter that gained out as Boston gained 118-116.
1992 Japanese Convention semifinals vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Hen didn’t have one final type of Recreation 7 magic in him. Coping with again issues for a lot of the season and collection, Hen scored simply 12 factors in what ended up being his last NBA sport because the Celtics misplaced 122-104.
2005 Japanese Convention first spherical vs. Indiana Pacers
The Celtics didn’t have a lot playoff success for over a decade after Hen’s retirement. Of their first Recreation 7 in 13 years, these playoff struggles continued. The Pacers routed Celtics on the FleetCenter, profitable 97-70.
2008 Japanese Convention first spherical vs. Atlanta Hawks
The 66-win Celtics one way or the other discovered themselves dealing with a do-or-die Recreation 7 in opposition to the 37-win Hawks. However the 29-win distinction between the 2 groups confirmed in Recreation 7 with the Celtics cruising to a 99-65 win.
2008 Japanese Convention semifinals vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Twenty years after the Hen-Wilkins battle, Paul Pierce and LeBron James had an identical tilt. The leaders of every staff stepped up, with James scoring a game-high 45 factors and Pierce scoring 41. Pierce made a pair of clutch performs on the finish although to carry off a surging James. He dove for a unfastened ball after a soar ball within the last minute and bought a fortunate bounce on a free throw that helped the Celtics preserve a two-possession lead en path to a 97-92 win. The win helped the Celtics proceed their playoff run that resulted of their first NBA title in 22 years.
2009 Japanese Convention first spherical vs. Chicago Bulls
After 5 of the primary six video games had been determined by one rating (with 4 of these video games going to additional time), the Celtics made certain to not have one other tense battle in opposition to a younger Bulls squad. Ray Allen scored a team-high 23 factors to assist maintain off the Bulls 109-99.
2009 Japanese Convention semifinals vs. Orlando Magic
Boston wasn’t in a position to win back-to-back Recreation 7s prefer it did within the first two rounds a season prior. The Magic throttled the Celtics 101-82 with Kevin Garnett’s absence for the complete postseason being felt.
2010 NBA Finals vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The Celtics had been so near capturing Banner 18 after they made a run to the NBA Finals in 2010. They took the lead halfway by means of the second quarter and led by as many as 12 within the third. However the Lakers slowly chipped away on the lead earlier than taking it halfway by means of the fourth. It largely remained a one-possession sport however Ron Artest hit a 3-point with a minute left that put the Lakers up by six. The Celtics’ incapacity to seize a clutch rebound continued that haunted them because it allowed the Lakers to seal the sport and win 83-79.
2012 Japanese Convention semifinals vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Boston discovered itself in a seven-game battle in opposition to the eighth-seeded Sixers, who upset the Bulls the spherical prior after Derrick Rose tore his ACL. The Celtics held a decent lead for a lot of the sport till Rajon Rondo hit a pair of key buckets late, together with a 3-pointer that helped give Boston an 85-75 win.
2012 Japanese Convention finals vs. Miami Warmth
In some way, the Celtics had been on the doorstep of their third Finals look in 5 seasons. They went up 3-2 within the collection in opposition to the Warmth, however an all-time efficiency by LeBron James in Recreation 6 pressured a Recreation 7. Nonetheless, the Celtics had been nearly in a position to pull of a shock Finals run for the ages as they led by as many 11 factors. After each groups traded the lead within the opening minutes of the fourth, James and Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh took over as they scored their staff’s last 31 factors to beat the Celtics 101-88 in Ray Allen’s last sport with the staff.
2017 Japanese Convention semifinals vs. Washington Wizards
In what was the height of the Isaiah Thomas-era Celtics, Boston gained a high-scoring affair in opposition to John Wall, Brad Beal, and Washington. It was the primary Recreation 7 of Marcus Sensible and Jaylen Brown’s careers, with every participant scoring 13 and 9 factors off the bench, respectively. However it was Kelly Olynyk who stole the present, scoring 26 factors on 10-of-14 capturing within the 115-105 win.
2018 Japanese Convention first spherical vs. Milwaukee Bucks
Down Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, the younger Celtics confirmed up in opposition to an ascending star in Giannis Antetokounmpo. Terry Rozier and Al Horford each scored a team-high 26 factors whereas Jayson Tatum scored 20 factors in his first Recreation 7, serving to the Celtics win 112-96.
2018 Japanese Convention finals vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The younger Celtics group had an opportunity to avenge Celtics’ groups of the previous as they’d LeBron James on the ropes in Recreation 7. They led by as many as 12, however James scored 35 factors to assist elevate the Cavaliers previous the Celtics and Tatum, who scored 24 and had an thrilling four-quarter poster dunk on James, within the 87-79 win.
2020 Japanese Convention semifinals vs. Toronto Raptors
Taking part in within the NBA’s bubble at Disney World, the Celtics had been in a position to knock off the defending champs within the second spherical, however not with out some drama. After Grant Williams missed two free throws with 35 seconds left, Tatum charged in to get the offensive rebound and made one in every of two ensuing free throws to present the Celtics a three-point lead. Fred VanVleet missed a possible game-tying shot with 12 seconds left, giving Boston a 92-87 win.
2022 Japanese Convention semifinals vs. Milwaukee Bucks
In what’s been termed by Celtics followers as “The Grant Williams Recreation,” the Celtics ahead was left large open from 3-point territory for a lot of Recreation 7. He made the Bucks pay for it, making seven of them to attain a game-high 27 factors in a Celtics blowout 109-81 win.
2022 Japanese Convention semifinals vs. Miami Warmth
The Celtics had a wire-to-wire win over the Warmth in Recreation 7, however it definitely didn’t really feel that approach. After Boston went up 98-85 with 3:35 left, Miami scored 11 straight factors and practically took the lead when Jimmy Butler pulled up from 3 with 16 seconds left. However his shot didn’t fall, permitting the Celtics to win 100-96 and advance to the NBA Finals.
Join Celtics updates🏀
Get breaking information and evaluation delivered to your inbox throughout basketball season.
Originally posted 2023-05-13 18:34:12.