The 1962 NBA Finals mark what many consider the beginning of the great rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. By the end of the fourth quarter, Game 7 was tied at 100, and the Lakers’ Frank Selvy missed the game-winning basket. This allowed the Celtics to take the game in overtime.
In 1969, the Celtics and Lakers went head-to-head again in Game 7 of the Finals, with Wilt Chamberlain leading the team from the West Coast. Still, the Celtics launched a successful fast break, leading them to a two-point victory. In 1980, however, the tide turned. The Celtics had a lead, three games to two, mostly due to the play of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who sprained his ankle in Game 5. The Lakers’ Magic Johnson, who wasn’t widely known at the time, stepped in at center. , scored an incredible 42 points in Game 6 and led the Lakers to the title with a 123-107 victory.
In 2005, the first four matches were highly successful for the home teams; however, Game 5 (a tight game) was taken by the San Antonio Spurs who, despite a Game 6 loss, came back to clinch the Championship in Game 7 over the Pistons.