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Best Game 7 Performances in NBA History

In part two of this series, I’m highlighting the best game 7 performances in NBA history. As a reminder, I’m only looking at the highest stakes games – the NBA Finals or the Conference Finals. On to the list…

Honorable Mention: Tom Meschery, 1962 conference finals, game 7 (32 points, 11 rebounds, 10 for 19 from the field) – Meschery, the Warriors’ rookie forward, almost led them to a shocking upset over the favored Celtics, ultimately losing by two points…Oscar Robertson, 1963 conference finals, game 7 (43 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 11 for 24 from the field, 21 for 22 from the line) – Oscar led a mediocre Royals team to the brink of the Finals, but the deeper, better Celtics stopped them in Game 7 (more on this game shortly)…George Gervin and Bob Dandridge, 1979 conference finals, game 7 (Iceman – 42 points, 16 for 31 from the field; Dandridge – 37 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 16 for 31 from the field) – this may have been Gervin’s best chance for a ring, but he was stopped by the defending champion Bullets and their clutch swingman, Bob Dandridge…Jack Sikma, 1979 conference finals game 7 (33 points, 11 rebounds, 10 for 18 from the field, 13 for 15 from the line) – Sikma helped lead Seattle to victory over a game Suns team to advance to their second straight NBA Finals…Eddie Johnson, 1993 conference finals, game 7 (34 points, 12 for 17 from the field, 9 for 9 from the line in 26 minutes off the bench) – considering the context, this was one of the more remarkable bench performances we’ve ever seen, but Johnson’s effort falls under the radar due to the result of the game…Patrick Ewing, 1994 conference finals game 7 (24 points, 22 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 blocks, 10 for 23 from the field) – A virtuoso all-around performance that included a key put-back dunk to put the Knicks up by one point with 27 seconds left. The Knicks earned their first Finals birth in 21 years due to this effort…Stephen Curry, 2016 conference finals game 7 (36 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 13 for 24 from the field, 7 for 12 from 3) – Curry helped Golden State overcome a 3-1 deficit to a hungry Oklahoma City team. In a low-scoring game (96-88), he was a game-high +18…LeBron James, 2018 conference finals game 7 (35 points, 15 rebounds, 9 assists, 12 for 24 from the field) – James played all 48 minutes in this game, carrying an undermanned Cavs team to their fourth straight Finals appearance.

10. Tom Heinsohn, 1957 NBA Finals game 7 (37 points, 23 rebounds, 17 for 33 from the field, 3 for 10 from the line): Before he fouled out, Heinsohn and fellow rookie Bill Russell held the team together while their starting backcourt fell apart. Heinsohn’s effort was particularly impressive considering the rest of the team shot a combined 31.6% from the field. While his free-throw shooting left something to be desired, the 1957 Rookie of the Year (over Russell!) had the greatest moment of his career leading the team to their first championship.

9. Draymond Green, 2016 NBA Finals game 7 (32 points, 15 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, 11 for 15 from the field, 4 for 4 from the line, 6 for 8 from 3): This is one of the great under-the-radar performances of all time. Golden State only scored 89 points in their disappointing Game 7 effort, with Curry and Klay Thompson combining to go 12 for 36 from the field, and the team as a whole shooting 31% outside of Green. Draymond filled the box score while playing his typical stout defense. The one drawback is that Green could not stem the ugliness of the team’s offensive meltdown down the stretch, as they scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, and failed to score in the final 4:40 of this game. While that prevents this game from being placed higher on this list, his performance deserves recognition.

8. Allen Iverson, 2001 Eastern Conference Finals game 7 (44 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 17 for 33 from the field, 6 for 7 from the line, 4 for 6 from three): The indefatigable Iverson never had a problem getting his shot off. This skill proved extremely valuable in the 2000-01 season, with a scrappy roster of defenders and supporting players around him who all had limited offensive skillsets. Iverson dominated in the biggest game of his career to date, and carried the Sixers to their first championship series in 18 years with his performance.

Iverson led the Sixers to the Finals in his MVP season
Copyright © Lipofsky Basketballphoto.com

7. Sam Jones, 1963 Eastern Division Finals, game 7 (47 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 18 for 27 from the field, 11 for 12 from the line): This series seemed like a mismatch, with the 58-win, four-time defending champions taking on a team that was barely over .500 during the season (the 42-38 Royals). Cincinnati proved resilient, however, behind Oscar Robertson’s brilliance, and forced an unexpected Game 7. As usual, Boston rose to the occasion, this time behind their clutch shooting guard. Boston as a team shredded the Royals defense, scoring 142 points and shooting .520 from the field in the win.

6. Charles Barkley, 1993 Western Conference Finals, game 7 (44 points, 24 rebounds, 12 for 20 from the field, 19 for 22 from the line): In the biggest game of his career (up to that point), Barkley played up to his MVP credentials, dominating the Sonics and sending the Suns to their second Finals appearance. His rebounding prowess was staggering: Barkley collected 24 rebounds while the Sonics as a team collected 31, with their starting frontcourt grabbing only 14. He repeatedly went to the free throw line and carried the Suns when they needed him most. Unfortunately, he ran into the ultimate MVP in the Finals, but his performance here should be lauded.

5. Bill Russell, 1962 NBA Finals, game 7 (30 points, 40 rebounds, 4 assists, 8 for 18 from the field, 14 for 17 from the line): Russell never lost a Game 7 in his career, and this ’62 Finals game may have been his signature performance. He played the entire 53 minutes (the game went into overtime), and helped hold the Lakers to 35% shooting from the field. Nobody shot particularly well in this game, as the Celtics were even worse from the field (32.7%). They withstood their poor shooting effort by defending and dominating the glass, with Russell hauling in 40 of the team’s 82 rebounds, and giving them a +17 rebound advantage for the game.

4. James Worthy, 1988 NBA Finals, game 7 (36 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, 15 for 22 from the field, 6 for 10 from the line): How is it possible for a player to get the only triple double of his career in game 7 of the NBA Finals? Worthy’s signature performance helped lead a weary Lakers team to their second title in a row. This effort was crucial because Detroit looked like the better team for much of the series, and Laker captain Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was running on fumes (he had 4 points on 2 for 7 from the field and 3 rebounds in 29 minutes). Worthy’s effort pushed L.A. to their final title of this era, though they made two more Finals appearances in the next three seasons.

3. Jerry West, 1969 NBA Finals game 7 (42 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists, 14 for 29 from the field, 14 for 18 from the line): The first ever Finals MVP remains the only one who won the award in a losing cause. From a team perspective, this was one of the worst losses in league history, with the Lakers, led by the triumvirate of Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, and West, losing on their homecourt to what was supposed to be a broken-down Celtics team (they were 48-34 during the season). West was valiant in defeat, playing the full 48 and having one of the great all-around games of his career. As usual it wasn’t enough, as Russell, Sam Jones and company won their final ring. The Celtics duo retired after this game, with West having lost to them 6 times, and Baylor having lost to them an impossible 7 times in the Finals.

2. LeBron James, 2013 NBA Finals game 7 (37 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 12 for 23 from the field, 8 for 8 from the line, 5 for 10 from three): When thinking of the greatest game 7 performers in history, two players rise to the top of the list: Bill Russell, who went 10-0 in game sevens in his career, and LeBron James, the career postseason leader in game 7 scoring average (currently 34.9). James struggled with his shot earlier in this series, with San Antonio using a similar defensive tactic that flummoxed him in the 2007 Finals. However, the 2013 version of James was unstoppable, and with the Heat backed against the wall, he devastated the Spurs from long-range, after previously struggling from 3 in the series (29% prior to game 7). He also hit a crucial jump shot with 28 seconds left to put them up by 4. In a low scoring game (95-88), against the premier perimeter defender of his generation (Kawhi Leonard), James cemented his legacy and earned his second straight championship.

1. Walt Frazier, 1970 NBA Finals game 7 (36 points, 7 rebounds, 19 assists, 12 for 17 from the field, 12 for 12 from the line): The Lakers misery continued in the first year after Bill Russell retired. L.A. had bad luck that season, only getting 12 regular season games from Wilt Chamberlain and 54 from Elgin Baylor. Even though they came together in the playoffs, they ran into another great team in the Finals. While Willis Reed often gets the shine due to his courageous effort, he only scored four points, all in the first moments of the game. With the league MVP compromised, “Clyde” was the one who carried the Knicks. He played a brilliant all-around game, and never gave L.A. any signs of hope (the halftime score was 69-42 in favor of NY). By leading a shorthanded team, outplaying the legendary West, and dominating on both ends of the court, Frazier deserves recognition for the greatest game 7 performance ever.

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 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. All-Time Milwaukee Bucks

Our first matchup features two very intriguing teams, the All-Time Oklahoma City Thunder vs. All-Time Milwaukee Bucks. It’s a shame that one of these teams will be eliminated so early, but this shows the depth of talent in our tournament. Below is a breakdown of this classic battle.

Oklahoma City’s Advantages

Perimeter Defense: Specifically, the defense of former Defensive Player of the Year Gary Payton. The Bucks starting lineup does not feature a traditional point guard, and Payton’s presence will force them to use more of Oscar Robertson and/or Sam Cassell as the primary ballhandler. When one of these two replaces Ray Allen, there’s less spacing around Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; when one of them replaces Sidney Moncrief, the Bucks perimeter defense is severely compromised. If the Bucks play lineups featuring Robertson or Cassell, Allen, Moncrief, and Marques Johnson, then they’ll suffer on the boards, despite the presence of Jabbar.

Frontcourt Length: Kevin Durant, Shawn Kemp, and Jack Sikma are all over 6’10”, which will cause problems for the Bucks on both ends of the floor. If the Bucks try to play small ball against this unit, they’ll get murdered on the boards, and Durant and Kemp’s athleticism won’t allow Milwaukee to have a large edge in quickness on the perimeter.

Three Point Shooting: This team, featuring one of the greatest groups of three point shooters in this tournament, will never be out of a game. Lineups with Durant at the 4 will be particularly unguardable, and the Bucks won’t be able to physically dominate him on the other end of the court unless they play Vin Baker alongside Jabbar. Baker would have no chance against Durant on defense, so the Bucks will avoid using this lineup as a counter.

Milwaukee’s Advantages

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: If Oklahoma City decides to double Kareem, then the Bucks have the perimeter firepower to make them pay. Lineups with Ray Allen and Michael Redd will be particularly difficult to defend from beyond the arc. Sikma is a crafty defender, but he doesn’t have the size or length to effectively defend Jabbar one-on-one, and if he gets in foul trouble, Oklahoma City doesn’t have another true center on the roster.

Defending Durant: Marques Johnson will make Durant, Oklahoma City’s best scorer, work very hard on the defensive end of the floor. In late game situations, expect the Bucks to put Moncrief on KD, despite the size mismatch. Smaller defenders have had some success against Durant (Jason Kidd, for example), since he doesn’t have the bulk to dominate them down low. He can shoot over anybody, but Moncrief will make him work for everything.

X-Factor

Foul trouble and Roster Depth: Both teams have plenty of backcourt depth, but don’t have a deep roster of big men. Can the Thunder’s bigs stay out of foul trouble defending Jabbar? When Sikma sits, Kemp will serve as his primary defender, so player/coach Lenny Wilkens will have to stagger their minutes and play Spencer Haywood and Detlef Schrempf alongside both big men. Vin Baker will have to step up in case Kareem gets in foul trouble, which (needless to say) is a big downgrade for Milwaukee on both ends of the court.

Results

These two teams go back and forth in a seven game battle. Oklahoma City proves to have a deeper bench, but Milwaukee has the best player in the series. Down the stretch of the deciding game, Durant hits a three to put the Thunder up by one. Seven seconds remaining. Larry Costello knows exactly what to draw up:

Bucks win four games to three.

Next Round

Milwaukee faces the number one seeded Boston Celtics.

All-Time Oklahoma City Thunder Team

It’s hard not to feel terrible for Seattle sports fans. Their basketball team was in the middle of one of the greatest draft runs in NBA history when they left town. After three straight laughable drafts featuring Robert Swift (2004), Johan Petro (2005), and Mouhamed Sene (2006), the franchise did a complete 180, and drafted Kevin Durant (2007), Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka (2008), then James Harden (2009). The one thing they can hang their hat on is the terrible luck that their former team has had in Oklahoma City, with key injuries seemingly halting every run since their 2012 NBA Finals appearance (thanks Lil B!). Small consolation I’m sure, but at least they haven’t turned into the dynasty that they seemed destined to become. Hopefully the NBA rectifies this situation soon, and awards Seattle a new team, but for now, since the history books mark this as one franchise, I’ll highlight the all-time Oklahoma City Thunder team, featuring (gulp) the great players in Seattle Sonics history.

And what a fun team it is! In the backcourt, there are a plethora of options, and I went with Gary Payton and Ray Allen as the starters. Ironically, these two were traded for one another, as the Sonics saw that GP was near the end of the line, and got five peak Ray Allen years in exchange. The depth of this backcourt is insane, with Lenny Wilkens, Russell Westbrook, Gus Williams, and Downtown Freddy Brown providing ample firepower off the bench. They’ll play plenty of three guard sets and be a nightmare for opponents to guard.

Kevin Durant and Shawn Kemp are the starting forwards, one of the more athletic pairings in the tournament. Spencer Haywood definitely has a case to start, but he’ll get plenty of minutes off the bench, along with three point bomber Dale Ellis, and the multitalented Detlef Schrempf. Jack Sikma is the man in the middle, and he’ll have to play a lot of minutes as the only true center on the team. For stretches of each game, this team will have to embrace small ball and put Durant or Schrempf at the four and Kemp or Haywood at the five, which isn’t ideal defensively, but can devastate opponents on the offensive end.

There were many tough omissions in the process of selecting this team. Dennis Johnson, Rashard Lewis, Bob Rule, Xavier McDaniel, Tom Chambers, and Serge Ibaka all have intriguing cases for inclusion. I decided to select (those who I feel are) the 12 best players in franchise history, regardless of position, but there are many different ways to build this team effectively.

Three-point shooting is an enormous strength, with Allen, Durant, Ellis, Brown, and Schrempf capable of overwhelming opponents from beyond the arc. They might struggle against opponents with strong interior play, with a lack of big-man depth off the bench. The 16th seeded team in our tournament, the Sonics/Thunder franchise has a very intriguing first round match up with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Milwaukee Bucks.

Coach – Even though George Karl had a higher winning percentage, I’ll go with Lenny Wilkens, who helped guide them to their only championship.

All-Time Franchise Winning Percentage (through 2014-15): .536

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