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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.

NBA UCLA Bruins vs. NBA Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Sometimes, you have to find beauty in a matchup even when the final result is inevitable. The NBA UCLA Bruins vs. NBA Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets is a mismatch, due to the brilliance of UCLA’s roster. However, Georgia Tech has some unique lineup combinations they can throw out to confound the more talented Bruins. Can they use their quickness and shooting to steal a game or two in this series? Or will UCLA brush them aside on their quest toward the championship? Here’s how the series will play out.

NBA UCLA Bruins vs. NBA Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Key Matchup

UCLA’s two-center lineup versus Georgia’s Tech’s frontcourt – UCLA has a massive Twin Towers lineup, featuring 7’2” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the 7’0” plus Bill Walton, whose listed height of 6’11” was known to be a gross underestimation. Georgia Tech will start each game off with a traditional power forward, Derrick Favors, and an undersized center, Chris Bosh. They also have a solid defender in John Salley coming off the bench, along with their biggest player, 7’0” Matt Geiger. However, none of these players realistically has a chance to stop either Jabbar or Walton. What can Georgia Tech do to make it interesting? They can play Thaddeus Young together with Bosh, and just try to outquick the UCLA duo on the offensive end of the court. Or they can play four perimeter players around Bosh and force one of UCLA’s centers to defend out to the three-point line. Georgia Tech will have to be creative, since playing UCLA straight up is a losing proposition.

Biggest Mismatches

UCLA’s size – The reason Georgia Tech will have to be creative is because they don’t have the personnel to even bother UCLA’s centers. Walton will be able to see over the top of his defenders in the high post, while Jabbar will face little resistance scoring inside and out. The big men will be staggered so each is paired with Kevin Love, who will provide a unique combination of spacing and rebounding on the offensive end, and Sidney Wicks, whose quickness and athleticism will help him on the defensive end of the court against Georgia Tech’s perimeter-oriented options. Outside of Bosh, Georgia Tech’s big men are more pedestrian than spectacular, and they don’t have the size or skill to compete.

Georgia Tech’s small ball – Since UCLA’s two best players are traditional centers, expect Georgia Tech to do everything possible to get them off of the court. Play Mark Price, Stephon Marbury, Jon Barry, and Dennis Scott alongside Chris Bosh, to have a three-point threat at every position? Sure! Try to utilize a breakneck pace to take advantage of the ball-handling skills of Marbury, Kenny Anderson, and Jarrett Jack? Absolutely! There’s no reason why this team can’t be entertaining, even if they’re getting blown out in the process.

UCLA’s star power – Despite these theatrics, UCLA has a Hall-of-Fame-caliber player at every position in their starting lineup, and all-star level talent from one through 12. If Georgia Tech wants to get into a three-point shooting contest, UCLA’s Reggie Miller, Gail Goodrich, Kiki Vandeweghe, and Kevin Love would likely make that a losing proposition. Get in an up tempo battle, and the irrepressible Russell Westbrook will attack with Marques Johnson, Jamaal Wilkes, and those wonderful shooters at his disposal. Jabbar and Walton will doom them in the halfcourt game. There are no good options for Georgia Tech.

X-Factor

Jabbar and Walton – Two of the greatest centers ever facing a team with only one seven footer on its roster (the replacement-level Matt Geiger)? Goodnight.

Results

Georgia Tech has some funky lineup configurations, and the underappreciated Price and Bosh, but this one was over before it started.

UCLA wins, four games to none.

Next Round

UCLA faces the winner of the Syracuse Orange vs. Arizona Wildcats in the second round of our tournament.

NBA UCLA Bruins

(Note: 2020 updated roster listed below) Our first profile details the top seed in our tournament, the NBA UCLA Bruins. Overall, 88 players from UCLA have played in the NBA, six of whom have been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. They also feature arguably the two greatest players in college basketball history, who both went on to become an NBA Most Valuable Player and the best player on a championship team. With a mix of dynamic playmakers, long-range shooters, and unstoppable low-post forces, they field one of the best and deepest rosters in our field.

Russell Westbrook, the starting point guard, may be the most dynamic player in the current NBA. In addition to his triple-double exploits, Westbrook’s best attribute is his ability to get to the rim, and draw the defense with him. He’ll create many opportunities for his backcourt mate, Reggie Miller, who was one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. At 6’7”, Miller had the ideal height for a shooting guard, and both he and Westbrook will have to use their length and athleticism on both ends of the floor, instead of solely concentrating on offense. They’re backed up by Baron Davis, an erratic point guard whose talent was often overshadowed by his poor decision-making, and Gail Goodrich, a Hall-of-Famer who played both guard positions. Expect Goodrich to serve as the primary backup for both starting guards, and Davis to be used sparingly due to the depth on the roster.

Marques Johnson, one of the more underrated players in NBA lore, will start at small forward. Johnson was a tremendously efficient player in his prime, who also exceled on the glass for his position. While he was not a three-point threat, he was a master from the midrange and in, and his crafty game will allow him to find space despite the plethora of low-post options on this team. He’s backed up by Jamaal Wilkes, one of smoothest players of his time who exceled on the fast break, and defended his position stoutly. Kiki Vandeweghe, one of the best shooters and scorers of his era, will also see time on the wing.

The starting big men are the aforementioned college (and pro) legends, Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Both were natural centers who will have to adjust to playing off of one another in the starting lineup. Before his injuries, Walton led Portland to their only NBA championship, and then guided them to one of the great starts in NBA history the following year before his body broke down. He will man the high post on offense and utilize his world-class passing skills to direct the offense in half court sets. Abdul-Jabbar is one of the handful of greatest players in NBA history, and will serve as their primary offensive option throughout the tournament. Their minutes will be staggered to ensure that one big man is always on the court at all times, but when they play together, opponents will have no chance of scoring at the rim against them. Kevin Love will see plenty of minutes as the ideal stretch four who will create space for each big man to operate in the post. His phenomenal rebounding skills are also noteworthy, as he won’t let them slip on the glass when the Twin Towers are staggered. Sidney Wicks and Mark Eaton will play when needed as the fourth and fifth big men on the roster. Wicks was an immensely talented player who battled with teammates and played on losing teams in his time in Portland. However, his size, quickness, and passing ability were valuable assets, and he should be able to positively contribute when called upon. Eaton, the most prolific shotblocker in modern NBA history, will provide a massive defensive roadblock for opponents if Walton and Jabbar suffer from foul trouble.

The NBA UCLA Bruins have a complete and balanced roster with great high-end talent. In order to reach their peak, their point guards, particularly Westbrook, must run the offense through their big men and avoid dominating the ball. Their shooters will thrive with the looks that Jabbar, Walton, and Westbrook will create for them, and their defense should flourish, particularly on the interior, with three of the great rim protectors in the tournament.

July 2020 Update

Jrue Holiday has earned his way on to the team, replacing Mark Eaton, whose game would have a very hard time translating to the way modern-day basketball is played. Holiday is a wonderful defender who can play at either guard position. Now, UCLA has more lineup flexibility, and is better positioned to guard opponents with strong wing depth. Their most versatile defensive lineups will pair Holiday with one of their superstar guards, with Wilkes and Johnson at the forward positions.

All-Time Minnesota Timberwolves Team

Our next franchise reminds me of an old Chris Farley character from Saturday Night Live (Bennett Brauer for those who watch). They’re not “successful.” They don’t make “good decisions.” They shouldn’t be considered a “professional franchise.” They’ve only made eight playoff appearances in 26 seasons, and have the second worst winning percentage in NBA history. However, brighter days are ahead. They’ve acquired the past two number one picks in the NBA draft, both of whom are potential superstars in the making. Ten years from now, the All-Time Minnesota Timberwolves team might look pretty good. Right now, however, they’re a collection of misfit parts, held together by an iconic player who led the team to its only triumphs.

Terrell Brandon had a very short career with the Wolves, but was an effective lead guard for them during that time. He’s joined in the starting backcourt by Wally Szczerbiak, a natural small forward who’ll have to play out of position on this team. Szczerbiak was a deadly shooter in Minnesota, and is one of only five players to have made an all-star team during his time with the club. Szczerbiak will be forced to play out of position because three natural power forwards will start in the frontcourt. Tom Gugliotta was an effective and versatile offensive weapon who was an excellent passer for his size (6’10” 240lb). Kevin Love led the league in rebounds per game in 2011, the year he won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. Over time, he developed an excellent jump shot that extended past three point range, and was one of the league’s most efficient offensive players. Kevin Garnett is by far the greatest player in franchise history. He led the team to their only eight playoff appearances from 1997 to 2004. He won the only MVP award in franchise history, when he led them to 58 wins and the top seed in the conference, and led the league in total points, total rebounds, rebounds per game, PER, win shares, and win shares per 48 minutes. He’s also one of the greatest defensive players in history, and will singlehandedly make this team competitive on that end of the court.

The bench…is not very good. Part of this is due to the franchise’s youth, and part of it is due to terrible management decisions that have plagued the franchise. Ricky Rubio is one of the worst shooters in NBA history, and he was drafted two slots ahead of one of the best shooters in NBA history. The team tried to sign Joe Smith to an illegal contract, and it cost them four first round draft picks. Other characters include Christian Laettner, who everybody hates, and Nikola Pekovic, who looks exactly like one of the villains from Superman 2. And those are their best reserves! Big minutes will be needed from the starters.

This team was hurt by the four-year requirement, and could use the contributions of Al Jefferson and Stephon Marbury (who were ineligible because they did not play enough seasons with the franchise). They wouldn’t make much difference, however, because this team faces an impossible first-round match up against an historic franchise. Check back in 10 years from now, Wolves fans. Things should be better by then.

Coach: Flip Saunders

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .393

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