Sports deep dive

The Greatest NBA Games

The best NBA games, ranked by Game Score, with a clip where one exists.

Top 50 games by Game Score · MetroAreas workbook

Ranked by Game Score

Postseason classics, ranked by Game Score with overtime flagged. Filter to a decade.

How this is measured
Every postseason game earns a Game Score that blends how much was at stake (round and seeding), how good the two teams were (rating), and how close and consequential the game itself turned out to be. The result is a single number that lets a first-round upset and a Game 7 classic sit on the same ladder. Methodology.
Featured games
2016 NBA Finals, Game 7#1
NBA
Cavaliers 93-89 Warriors
The Block and The Shot; Cleveland's first title.
Official highlightsFull game ↗
1998 NBA Finals, Game 6#3
NBA
Bulls 87-86 Jazz
Jordan's last shot as a Bull.
Official highlights
1988 NBA Finals, Game 7#4
NBA
Lakers 108-105 Pistons
The Lakers complete the repeat at the Forum.
Game video

Top games of all-time

Ranked by Game Score: a composite of game stakes, quality, and matchup strength weighted by round and ELO. Switch the filter for the top 10 of any decade. Methodology.

1
Cleveland Cavaliers93
Golden State Warriors89
Oracle Arena· San Francisco-San Jose, CA
Full game ↗
2016-06-19 · Finals G7
2.538
Game Score
2
Los Angeles Lakers112
Sacramento Kings106
Arco Arena II· Sacramento, CA
Full game ↗
2002-06-02 · Conf. Finals G7 · OT
2.408
Game Score
3
Chicago Bulls87
Utah Jazz86
Delta Center· Salt Lake City-Provo, UT
1998-06-14 · Finals G6
2.351
Game Score
4
Los Angeles Lakers108
Detroit Pistons105
The Forum· Los Angeles, CA
1988-06-21 · Finals G7
2.321
Game Score
5
New York Knicks94
San Antonio Spurs90
Frost Bank Center· San Antonio, TX
2026-06-13 · Finals G5
2.282
Game Score
6
Toronto Raptors114
Golden State Warriors110
Oracle Arena· San Francisco-San Jose, CA
2019-06-13 · Finals G6
2.281
Game Score
7
Boston Celtics108
Los Angeles Lakers106
The Forum· Los Angeles, CA
1969-05-05 · Finals G7
2.275
Game Score
8
Chicago Bulls99
Phoenix Suns98
America West Arena· Phoenix, AZ
1993-06-20 · Finals G6
2.274
Game Score
9
Miami Heat95
Dallas Mavericks92
American Airlines Center· Dallas, TX
2006-06-20 · Finals G6
2.273
Game Score
10
Miami Heat103
San Antonio Spurs100
American Airlines Arena· Miami, FL
2013-06-18 · Finals G6 · OT
2.250
Game Score
11
Utah Jazz83
Chicago Bulls81
United Center· Chicago, IL
1998-06-12 · Finals G5
2.242
Game Score
12
Milwaukee Bucks102
Boston Celtics101
Boston Garden· Boston, MA
1974-05-10 · Finals G6 · 2OT
2.240
Game Score
Show all 50 games
13
Dallas Mavericks119
San Antonio Spurs111
AT&T Center· San Antonio, TX
2006-05-22 · Semifinals G7 · OT
2.222
Game Score
14
Chicago Bulls90
Utah Jazz86
United Center· Chicago, IL
1997-06-13 · Finals G6
2.222
Game Score
15
Philadelphia 76ers125
San Francisco Warriors122
Cow Palace· San Francisco-San Jose, CA
1967-04-24 · Finals G6
2.222
Game Score
16
Chicago Bulls97
Portland Trail Blazers93
Chicago Stadium· Chicago, IL
1992-06-14 · Finals G6
2.211
Game Score
17
Los Angeles Lakers104
Milwaukee Bucks100
Milwaukee Arena· Milwaukee, WI
1972-04-22 · Conf. Finals G6
2.207
Game Score
18
Golden State Warriors106
Toronto Raptors105
Scotiabank Arena· Toronto, Ontario
2019-06-10 · Finals G5
2.206
Game Score
19
Portland Trail Blazers115
Chicago Bulls104
Chicago Stadium· Chicago, IL
1992-06-05 · Finals G2 · OT
2.195
Game Score
20
Miami Heat95
San Antonio Spurs88
American Airlines Arena· Miami, FL
2013-06-20 · Finals G7
2.183
Game Score
21
San Antonio Spurs112
Oklahoma City Thunder107
Chesapeake Energy Arena· Oklahoma City, OK
2014-05-31 · Conf. Finals G6 · OT
2.166
Game Score
22
San Antonio Spurs111
Oklahoma City Thunder103
Paycom Center· Oklahoma City, OK
2026-05-30 · Conf. Finals G7
2.161
Game Score
23
Los Angeles Lakers103
Detroit Pistons102
The Forum· Detroit, MI
1988-06-19 · Finals G6
2.161
Game Score
24
Milwaukee Bucks123
Phoenix Suns119
Footprint Center· Phoenix, AZ
2021-07-17 · Finals G5
2.160
Game Score
25
Boston Celtics125
St. Louis Hawks123
Boston Garden· Boston, MA
1957-04-13 · Finals G7 · 2OT
2.160
Game Score
26
Boston Celtics112
Los Angeles Lakers109
Los Angeles Sports Arena· Los Angeles, CA
1963-04-24 · Finals G6
2.152
Game Score
27
Boston Celtics100
Miami Heat96
FTX Arena· Miami, FL
2022-05-29 · Conf. Finals G7
2.139
Game Score
28
Boston Celtics110
Los Angeles Lakers107
Boston Garden· Boston, MA
1962-04-18 · Finals G7 · OT
2.131
Game Score
29
Los Angeles Lakers121
Boston Celtics117
Boston Garden· Boston, MA
1966-04-24 · Finals G5
2.130
Game Score
30
Los Angeles Lakers116
Indiana Pacers111
Staples Center· Los Angeles, CA
2000-06-19 · Finals G6
2.125
Game Score
31
St. Louis Hawks105
Boston Celtics102
Kiel Auditorium· St. Louis, MO
1960-04-07 · Finals G6
2.115
Game Score
32
Miami Heat111
Los Angeles Lakers108
AdventHealth Arena· Orlando, FL
2020-10-09 · Finals G5
2.108
Game Score
33
Golden State Warriors105
Cleveland Cavaliers97
Quicken Loans Arena· Cleveland, OH
2015-06-16 · Finals G6
2.105
Game Score
34
San Antonio Spurs115
New York Knicks111
Madison Square Garden IV· New York, NY
2026-06-08 · Finals G3
2.098
Game Score
35
Boston Celtics117
Detroit Pistons114
Boston Garden· Boston, MA
1987-05-30 · Conf. Finals G7
2.085
Game Score
36
Houston Rockets90
New York Knicks84
The Summit· Houston, TX
1994-06-22 · Finals G7
2.082
Game Score
37
Boston Celtics129
Los Angeles Lakers125
The Forum· Los Angeles, CA
1984-06-06 · Finals G4 · OT
2.078
Game Score
38
Indiana Pacers111
Oklahoma City Thunder110
Paycom Center· Oklahoma City, OK
2025-06-05 · Finals G1
2.078
Game Score
39
Boston Celtics119
Philadelphia Warriors117
Convention Hall· Philadelphia, PA
1960-03-24 · Conf. Finals G6
2.077
Game Score
40
New York Knicks105
San Antonio Spurs104
Frost Bank Center· San Antonio, TX
2026-06-05 · Finals G2
2.076
Game Score
41
Boston Celtics100
Philadelphia 76ers98
The Spectrum· Philadelphia, PA
1981-05-01 · Conf. Finals G6
2.074
Game Score
42
Portland Trail Blazers109
Philadelphia 76ers107
Memorial Coliseum· Portland, OR
1977-06-05 · Finals G6
2.070
Game Score
43
Boston Celtics107
Los Angeles Lakers105
The Forum· Los Angeles, CA
1985-06-05 · Finals G4
2.069
Game Score
44
Boston Celtics100
Philadelphia 76ers96
The Spectrum· Philadelphia, PA
1968-04-19 · Conf. Finals G7
2.067
Game Score
45
Phoenix Suns130
Dallas Mavericks126
American Airlines Center· Dallas, TX
2005-05-20 · Semifinals G6 · OT
2.067
Game Score
46
Los Angeles Lakers83
Boston Celtics79
Staples Center· Los Angeles, CA
2010-06-17 · Finals G7
2.063
Game Score
47
Los Angeles Lakers103
Boston Celtics98
Staples Center· Los Angeles, CA
2008-06-15 · Finals G5
2.062
Game Score
48
Cleveland Cavaliers95
Golden State Warriors93
Oracle Arena· San Francisco-San Jose, CA
2015-06-07 · Finals G2 · OT
2.061
Game Score
49
Milwaukee Bucks105
Phoenix Suns98
Fiserv Forum· Milwaukee, WI
2021-07-20 · Finals G6
2.055
Game Score
50
Washington Bullets105
Seattle Supersonics99
Seattle Center Coliseum· Seattle, WA
1978-06-07 · Finals G7
2.052
Game Score

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Where these numbers come from

Game Score and game data are maintained per league in the MetroAreas workbook and emitted to the sport's data files at build time. Scores are calibrated per sport, so a 3.6 in baseball is not a 3.6 in basketball. A cross-sport scale is a future build, not a claim this page makes.