It’s not all that often that folks are fortunate enough to witness a Game 7 of an NBA Finals series. Since the start of the 21st century, only four Game 7s have been played in the championship series, and they were all decided by single digits.
The 20th Game 7 in NBA Finals history and the first one since 2016 is looming, however. The Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder will soon do battle at Paycom Center, and the winner of that contest will take home the league’s crown this season.
Ahead of the deciding game of the 2025 NBA Finals, Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen flexed on folks and issued a reminder that he never had to play a Game 7 in the championship series.
NBA Finals… Game 7? Never heard of it. 🏆😏
— Scottie Pippen (@ScottiePippen) June 22, 2025
During his playing days starring alongside legendary guard Michael Jordan on the Bulls, Pippen played in six NBA Finals and won as many titles. He never played in a Game 7 at that stage because his Bulls teams always won their title matchups in six games or fewer.
Chicago’s first three-peat with Jordan and Pippen in the fold was from 1991 through 1993. The Bulls beat the Los Angeles Lakers in a gentleman’s sweep in the 1991 NBA Finals before beating the Portland Trail Blazers in six games and Phoenix Suns in six games in the 1992 and 1993 NBA Finals.
Then, the Bulls’ second three-peat was in the late 1990s from 1996 through 1998. Chicago beat the Seattle SuperSonics in 1996 and took care of business against the Utah Jazz in 1997 and 1998, with all three of those series lasting six games each.
Pippen did have to play in some Game 7s in other stages of the postseason throughout his career, but never in the championship series. After Chicago won the 1998 title, Pippen spent time with the Houston Rockets and Trail Blazers before eventually returning to the Bulls. He never got back to the NBA Finals after 1998.
Even though Pippen never played in a Game 7 with a title on the line, chances are he will still enjoy the Game 7 matchup between the Thunder and Pacers on Sunday. The Pacers can capture their first NBA title in franchise history with a win, while the Thunder can win their first championship since they were known as the SuperSonics.
