Historic Trend Could Favor OKC Thunder in Game 7 of NBA Finals

Oklahoma City could benefit if an interesting trend continues on Sunday.

Throughout NBA history, there have been 19 Game 7s in the NBA Finals, and the Thunder and Indiana Pacers are set for the 20th edition on Sunday. Those previous games have produced some of the most iconic moments in league history and left a lasting impact on the sports world.

Along with the recent memorable moments, such as LeBron James’ block against the Warriors or Ron Artest’s clinching three against Boston, these games have often been characterized as ugly. Desperation will be at an all-time high for two teams that have been defined by their incredible effort throughout this postseason.

Of course, that type of effort on both ends for 48 minutes could easily result in a low-scoring affair. NBA history also agrees with that.

The past five NBA Finals Game 7s have featured zero teams reaching the 100-point threshold. That span, which dates back to the 1994 Finals, features a high score of 95 points from the Miami Heat in their 2013 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

With all that being said, that trend could be another saving grace for the Thunder. While Oklahoma City’s offense has sputtered at times in the playoffs, its defense has almost always been on point.

Considering the Thunder’s love for forcing turnovers and using their defense to create offense, they could use this trend to their advantage in more than one way. As Thunder coach Mark Daigneault prepares for Game 7, he knows where Oklahoma City’s strengths lie.

“I'm not pointing out anything that's not obvious,” Daigneault said. “Our defense has been more consistent in these playoffs especially than our offense has.

“I think generally, offense is harder in the playoffs for everybody. The same is true for Indiana in this series. Their offense is not where it was in the regular season or even earlier in the playoffs. I think it's just harder to score when you play a team over and over and over again.”

In Game 6, the Pacers scored 108 points, marking their fewest in a win this postseason. Meanwhile, the Thunder have scored at least 111 points in every playoff win outside of a bizarre 92-point outing in Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets.

However, the teams have some separation defensively, with Indiana’s Game 6 performance marking only the second time in the playoffs it held an opponent under 100 points. The Thunder have held opponents under 100 points in six games, accounting for over a third of their wins.

The Thunder have been the league’s best defense all season, and if Sunday’s game is a defensive battle, Oklahoma City’s biggest strength could result in an NBA title.