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Worst Game 7 Performances in NBA History

In 2016, LeBron James had the defining moment of his career, slaying the 73-9 Golden State Warriors in game seven on their home floor. James had a triple-double that game and added perhaps the most iconic blocked shot in league history. However, that game was an offensive struggle for both teams, with James shooting 9 for 24 from the field.

NBA history is littered with uneven shooting performances when the stakes are highest, even among the game’s greatest players. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson combined to shoot 11 for 32 in Game 7 of the 1984 NBA Finals. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen combined to shoot 15 for 43 in Game 7 of the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals against Indiana. Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan shot 6 for 24 and 10 for 27, respectively, in Game 7 of the 2010 and 2005 NBA Finals, and still brought home MVP honors for those series (as did Bird in 1984 and James in 2016).

There are some Game 7 performances that particularly stand out for the wrong reasons. What happened to the players during these games? Was the moment too big, or did the defense figure them out after a six-game sample? Did they simply have a bad shooting day at an inopportune time? Every circumstance is different, as you’ll see below.

This post highlights 10 of the worst Game 7 performances in NBA history. This list is skewed toward offensive performances, since defensive tracking is difficult for games, especially in the pre-merger era. I’m also focusing on the very highest stakes games – only semifinals and finals games are included.

Dishonorable Mention: The first three quarters of Kobe’s performance in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals were shockingly awful, but he had a spirited fourth quarter and wound up with 23 points and 15 rebounds in spite of his 6 for 24 shooting performance. In the same game, Ray Allen shot 3 for 14, capping a series where he shot just 36.7% overall…In Game 7 of the 1979 Eastern Conference Finals, Tom Henderson put up 0 points on 0 for 9 shooting in 30 minutes. Despite his effort, tbe Bullets beat the Spurs and went to their second straight NBA Finals…Bob Love shot 6 for 26 from the field in a four-point Chicago loss to Golden State in the 1975 Western Conference Finals. Chicago only scored 79 points that game, and Love shot 10 more times than any other teammate…The Boston Celtics shot 32.7% from the field as a team in Game 7 of the 1962 NBA Finals and still found a way to beat the Lakers by the three…In the previous round, the Celtics won another Game 7, this time against the Philadelphia Warriors, and won on a last second Sam Jones shot. Paul Arizin shot 4 for 22 for Philadelphia. Curiously, Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged 50.4 PPG in the regular season, took only 15 shots. He scored 22 points and grabbed 22 rebounds, and was clutch down the stretch, but this was the rare example of the Warriors version of Wilt being too unselfish.

10. Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart, and Jaylen Brown, 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, Game 7 (combined 8 for 42 from the field, 21 total points): In 2018, an overachieving Celtics team without Kyrie Irving (and Gordon Hayward, who missed virtually the entire season after a gruesome opening-night injury) advanced to the brink of the NBA Finals in a weak Eastern Conference. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers stood in their way, but they were not the juggernaut of year’s past. Kevin Love, Cleveland’s second leading scorer, did not play in this game due to a concussion. Boston also had homecourt, since Cleveland only won 50 games that season. However, the moment seemed too big for a young Celtics team. Brown, who played like a future star throughout their unlikely playoff run, shot 5 for 18 from the field, and 3 for 12 from 3. Marcus Smart, a notoriously inconsistent shooter, made only one of his 10 shots. Finally, the clock struck midnight on Terry Rozier, who impressively filled Irving’s shoes throughout the playoffs. Rozier shot 2 for 14 from the field, and 0 for 10 from three, part of an embarrassing 7 for 39 team performance from long distance. While Boston would have had no chance against the Golden State Warriors in the Finals, this game may have represented their best shot at the Finals in this era, considering the rise of the Toronto Raptors the next season and the dominance of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the following years.

9. Chris Bosh, 2013 NBA Finals, Game 7 (0 for 5 from the field, 0 points): The Heat won the 2013 Finals, and Bosh’s rebound in Game 6, and subsequent pass to Ray Allen, will live in history. However, it’s odd for a future Hall-of-Famer who averaged 16.6 points per game in the regular season to score zero points and shoot only five times in the season’s biggest game. Bosh was an all-around player, and wound up +1 for the game, but this performance would have been (rightfully) vilified if Miami lost. It should be noted that Ray Allen also had 0 points in this game, but he was more of a role player than Bosh in the Heat’s scheme, and was fresh off of perhaps the greatest shot in NBA history in Game 6.

8. Oscar Robertson, 1974 NBA Finals Game 7 (2 for 13 from the field, 6 points, 11 assists): The storybook ending to one of the greatest careers ever did not come to fruition. Game 6 was one of the best games in NBA history, with the Bucks staving off elimination with a double-overtime victory in Boston. However, the Bucks could not muster the same spirit back home in Game 7, and the Celtics won by 15. Did playing 58 minutes in the previous game affect the aging Robertson? He was well past his prime at this point, only averaging 12.7 points per game during the regular season, and 14.0 PPG in the postseason. He could not get on track during this game, and the greatest era in Bucks history ended with a whimper. This was Robertson’s last game in the NBA, and after a disappointing 38-44 record the next year, Milwaukee shipped off Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers and have not been back to the Finals since.

7. Stephen Curry, 2016 NBA Finals Game 7 (6 for 19 from the field, 4 of 14 from 3): Chalk this one up to the burden of high expectations. Curry’s 17-point performance wasn’t the seventh worst in history, but it certainly was one of the most disappointing. The unanimous MVP had one of the greatest seasons ever, and his team’s 73 regular season wins may never be surpassed. It’s still hard to pinpoint what happened in the last three games of this series. Certainly, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving deserve credit, but Golden State’s performance, and especially Curry’s, will live in infamy.

6. The Jordannaires, 1990 Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 (Horace Grant, Scottie Pippen, B.J. Armstrong, Craig Hodges, and Bill Cartwright – combined 11 for 57 from the field, 28 points): A back-and-forth series ended with a blowout as the Bulls failed to step up to the challenge. Scottie Pippen had a migraine, which helps explain his 1 for 10 performance, but what about the others? Horace Grant was 3 for 17, though he did contribute 14 rebounds. Craig Hodges was 3 for 13, and 2 for 12 from three, which was a shockingly high number at the time. Armstrong was 1 for 8, and Cartwright was 3 for 9. The team scored 74 points total, with Michael Jordan contributing 31 of those. It was fair to wonder whether Jordan’s supporting cast would ever step up in crunch time after this game, but luckily for Chicago fans, they answered all questions the following year in a dominant 15-2 postseason run.

Worst Game 7 Performances in NBA History - Chicago Bulls, 1990 Eastern Conference Finals

5. Trevor Ariza, 2018 Western Conference Finals, Game 7 (0 for 12 from the field, 0 for 9 from three, 0 points): Ariza, a tested veteran and NBA champion, simply could not hit a shot during this deciding game. The Rockets shooting performance is infamous, as the team missed 27 three pointers in a row at one point, and shot 7 for 44 from three for the game. Yes, they were missing their point guard (Chris Paul), and no, Ariza wasn’t alone in his futility. However, 0 points and -15 in 41:50 of playing time represents a historic meltdown on the league’s second biggest stage.

4. Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman, 1957 NBA Finals Game 7 (combined 5 for 40 from the field, 21 total points): This is a candidate for the single greatest game in NBA history. A double-overtime classic in Game 7 of the Finals. Bill Russell, in his first year in the league, facing third-year stud Bob Pettit. The NBA regular season and all-star game MVP Bob Cousy looking for his first ring. Cousy capped his historic season with a shockingly poor game 7, finishing 2 for 20 from the field in 58 minutes. His backcourt mate, Hall-of-Famer Bill Sharman, was 3 for 20 in 48 minutes. Boston’s two leading scorers in the regular season came up empty, but their rookie frontcourt mates carried the load, as Tom Heinsohn and Bill Russell led them to victory. The Hawks would get their revenge the following year, but Boston would defeat St. Louis two more times in the finals on their way to eight championships in a row between 1959 and 1966, a record that’s likely never going to be broken.

3. Danny Green, 2013 NBA Finals Game 7 (1 for 12 from the field, 1 for 6 from 3, 5 points): Through five games in this series, Danny Green looked like he was heading toward the most unlikely Finals MVP campaign in league history. During that stretch, he averaged 18 PPG on 56.6% shooting from the field and an unimaginable 65.8% from 3, with five made three pointers per game. Unfortunately, he lost his hot hand at the worst possible time. In games 6 and 7, he scored 4 PPG on 10.5% shooting and 18.2% from downtown. Game 7 was particularly tough, as Green could only make 1 of his 12 field goal attempts as the series slipped from San Antonio’s hands. This series was Green’s breakout performance on a national stage, but just as his hot shooting brought the Spurs to the brink of an unlikely championship, his cold spell was a big reason they were unable to bring the championship home.

2. John Starks, 1994 NBA Finals Game 7 (2 for 18 from the field, 0 for 11 from 3, 8 points): Starks was coming off of a brilliant Game 6 (27 points, 50% from the field, 5 for 9 from 3), but had a last second shot blocked by Hakeem Olajuwon to force a game 7. Unfortunately for Knicks fans, their notoriously hot and cold shooting guard came up empty in their biggest game of that era. The Knicks as a team averaged 11.1 three-point field goal attempts per game in 1994, so it was appalling to see Starks match that output on his own in this game and fail to make a single one. Hubert Davis only played four minutes while Rolando Blackman was a DNP-CD. Knicks fans will always wonder if Pat Riley should have played either of them more instead of watching Starks melt down in 42 minutes of play.

1. Dennis Johnson, 1978 NBA Finals Game 7 (0 for 14 from the field, 4 points): The expected rematch of the 1977 Finals between the Blazers and Sixers turned into a surprising encounter between the 44-win Bullets and 47-win SuperSonics due to Bill Walton’s injuries and Washington’s upset of Philadelphia. Even though Seattle had game 7 at home, Washington eked out a victory on the road. Johnson entered the game averaging 18.7 PPG on 44.8% from the field in the series, but he came up shockingly empty in Game 7. The fact that Seattle still had a chance to win at the end makes this performance all the more painful. Luckily for Johnson, he’d have five more Finals appearances in his career, including the following year, when he captured Finals MVP in the rematch between these teams.

All-Time Chicago Bulls vs. All-Time Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks have had a pedestrian existence in the modern-day NBA. In 2015, they made their first conference finals appearance since 1970. Their rich history in St. Louis, where they made four finals appearances in five seasons (winning one), is often discounted. The Chicago Bulls, meanwhile, are one of the glamour teams of the modern NBA. In the 1990s, they won six titles in eight seasons, behind the most marketable athlete in basketball history. Their pedestrian history beyond that run is often overlooked, as they’ve never made the NBA Finals before or since. While some may assume the match between the All-Time Chicago Bulls vs. All-Time Atlanta Hawks is one-sided, a deeper look into their respective histories shows that this series could be one of the most competitive of our tournament.

All-Time Chicago Bulls vs. All-Time Atlanta Hawks

Key Matchups

Chicago’s perimeter defense vs. Atlanta’s firepower: Atlanta’s high-scoring perimeter options (namely, Lou Hudson, Dominique Wilkins, and Pete Maravich) will have to overcome the greatest collection of perimeter defensive talent in this tournament. Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, Norm Van Lier, Jerry Sloan, and Luol Deng were all plus defenders, combining for 30 appearances on all-NBA defensive teams. This group will also disrupt Atlanta’s ballhandlers (Lenny Wilkens and Mookie Blaylock), who will struggle to find open passing lanes, and who will also have to avoid turnovers when Chicago utilizes a full-court press.

Bob Pettit vs. Chicago’s forwards: Bob Pettit, who averaged over 26 PPG and 16 RPG throughout his career, will be a load for Chicago’s forwards to handle. Bob Love, Chicago’s nominal starting power forward, will initially match up with him, but will struggle to contend on the boards with the relentless legend. On the other side of the court, expect Love to use his quickness advantage to make Pettit work on defense. Chicago will also allot minutes to Horace Grant, who can better contend on the boards (especially on the offensive side, where he ranked in the top six of the league in offensive rebound percentage three years in a row), and Toni Kukoc, who has no chance of defending Pettit but will give him problems on defense with his all-court offensive game. Chicago’s best chance to contend with Pettit will be throwing these three distinct looks at him throughout the series, and making him work on the defensive end of the court.

Biggest Mismatches

The athleticism of Chicago’s starting backcourt vs. Atlanta’s guard rotation: In addition to their defensive brilliance, the Bulls feature perhaps the most athletic starting backcourt pairing in the tournament. Jordan and Pippen have a chance to overwhelm Atlanta’s smaller, less athletic defenders. Mookie Blaylock, Atlanta’s perimeter defensive ace, stood at only 6’0”, and will be more effective guarding Derrick Rose than either of these two wings. Atlanta’s ability to mitigate the damage that these two inflict may be the deciding factor in the series.

Atlanta’s three point shooting advantage: As great as Lou Hudson and Pete Maravich were, they would have been even more dominant with a three-point line, which was not in the league during their tenures with the Hawks. Expect them to take full advantage of this rule during this series. Chicago’s main weakness is their lack of three-point shooting. Because of their potential spacing issue, Coach Phil Jackson may give Toni Kukoc more minutes than anticipated, to open up space for Jordan, Pippen, Chet Walker, and Artis Gilmore inside. This may not work perfectly, however, since Kukoc was a mediocre three-point shooter in his time with the Bulls (.327 percent).

X-Factor

Can Atlanta overcome Chicago’s defensive onslaught? The Hawks have a well-balanced team, that may be deeper than Chicago’s. However, down the stretch of close games, can Atlanta find room to score? Expect Chicago to utilize a closing defensive lineup of Van Lier or Sloan, Jordan, Pippen, Horace Grant, and Joakim Noah. Atlanta will have to rely on the greatness of Pettit and their perimeter stars to overcome this unit.

Results

These two teams go back and forth in a seven game classic. Chicago’s defense is suffocating, but Atlanta proves resilient behind the great Pettit. In the closing game, Jordan and Pettit go mano a mano in a close encounter. The Bulls are able to shut down Atlanta’s other options, and pull away in the end.

All-Time Chicago Bulls vs. All-Time Atlanta Hawks — Pippen and Jordan help the Bulls pull away in game seven. Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com

Chicago wins, four games to three.

Next Round

Chicago faces the winner of the All-Time Pistons vs. All-Time Clippers.

All-Time Atlanta Hawks vs. All-Time Dallas Mavericks

Our next match features two teams who have each won one championship in their history. The Hawks experienced their greatest success behind a legendary power forward in the middle of Bill Russell’s Celtics dynasty. The Mavericks won their championship behind another legendary power forward in the bridge year between the reigns of Kobe Bryant’s Lakers and LeBron James’s Heat. Who will win the battle between the All-Time Atlanta Hawks vs. All-Time Dallas Mavericks? Each side holds key advantages.

Atlanta’s Advantages

Interior Play: The Hawks’ big men should have their way in this series. The combination of Dikembe Mutombo, Al Horford, and Zelmo Beaty is superior to that of Sam Perkins, Roy Tarpley, and James Donaldson. In addition, while Bob Pettit and Dirk Nowitzki should cancel each other out, Dan Roundfield, an excellent defender, will make things difficult for Dirk when he’s in the game.

Defense: The Hawks have a number of defenders who can slow down the Mavericks’ offensive attack, including Mutombo, Roundfield, Horford, and Mookie Blaylock. Conversely, the Mavericks do not have many plus defenders, especially up front, where the Hawks will hold a large rebounding advantage as well.

Dallas’s Advantages

Outside shooting: Expect the Mavericks to spread the floor as a counter to Atlanta’s bigger lineups. Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Jason Terry, Michael Finley and Jason Kidd can all shoot from deep, and even Perkins, their starting center, will try to draw Mutombo away the basket with his outside shot.

X-Factors

1. Who wins the battle of the high-scoring forwards? Expect both teams to run their offenses through their forwards: Pettit and Dominique Wilkins for Atlanta, and Nowitzki and Mark Aguirre for the Mavericks. Atlanta has the deeper roster, so the Mavericks need to win this match up, which is improbable.

2. 66 to 35: That’s the number of years that the Hawks and Mavericks have been in existence, respectively. While Dallas fields an explosive all-time team, they do have holes on their roster, while Atlanta has a complete team.

Results

Atlanta, with the deeper, more physical roster, proves superior over the course of the series. Down the stretch of game six, Pettit ensures that the series doesn’t go to a deciding game.

Hawks win, four games to two.

Next Round

Atlanta faces the All-Time Chicago Bulls.

All-Time Atlanta Hawks Team

The All-Time Atlanta Hawks team is…deep. So deep, in fact, that you could make a competitive team with those individuals who didn’t make the cut: Doc Rivers, Joe Johnson, Steve Smith, Bill Bridges, Kevin Willis, Josh Smith, Clyde Lovellette, and Walt Bellamy, among others. Even though they’ve had many unremarkable seasons in their 66 years of existence, their all-time team is full of Hall-of-Fame and all-star level performers, and they’ll present match up problems for all opponents in our tournament.

Lenny Wilkens and Mookie Blaylock will split time at the lead guard position. Wilkens made five all-star game appearances in his eight seasons with the franchise, and finished second in the MVP voting in 1968, when he averaged 20.0 PPG and 8.3 APG. Blaylock was a defensive menace who led the league in steals per game twice and made six all-NBA defensive teams as a Hawk. “Sweet” Lou Hudson and “Pistol” Pete Maravich will share time at the two. Hudson has a great case to make the Basketball Hall of Fame (compare his numbers with recent inductee Mitch Richmond and try to justify one being in over the other), and was one of the top scorers in the league in his prime. Maravich only spent four seasons with the franchise, but was a brilliant play maker in that time, and both will benefit from having a three-point line in their tournament matches.

The starting frontcourt consists of three Hall-of-Famers who each brings a critical component to the team. Dominique Wilkins was one of the NBA’s best players in the 1980s, and was the last player to lead the league in scoring before Michael Jordan won seven straight scoring titles through 1993. I’ve already argued that Bob Pettit is the second greatest power forward of all-time; he’s the premier player in franchise history, and is one of the best scorers and rebounders in NBA history. Recent Hall-of-Fame inductee Dikembe Mutombo provides them with a great defensive and rebounding presence, and will help to compensate for the defensive shortcomings of his offensive-minded teammates.

Off the bench, Cliff Hagan and John Drew will provide more firepower from the forward position. Hagan worked beautifully with Pettit during the team’s glory years, while Drew was a talented and efficient scorer before personal problems ended his time in the NBA. Dan Roundfield was one of the league’s best all-around players during his prime, averaging a double-double from 1978 to 1983, and making the all-NBA defensive team every year from 1980 to 1984. Al Horford is one of the best and underappreciated players in today’s game; his versatility and all-around game are ideally suited for a team with this much talent. Similar to Horford, Zelmo Beaty was an undersized center, but he was also a multiple-time all-star who provides great depth at the center position.

This team has a nice mix of explosive scorers (Pettit, Wilkins, Maravich, Hudson) and dominant defenders (Mutombo, Roundfield, Blaylock). With one championship, they are seeded 14th in our tournament, and have an opening round match against the all-time Dallas Mavericks.

Coach: Lenny Wilkens (our first coach who will be leading multiple teams)

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .498

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