Monday, June 8, 2015

Multiple Overtime Games in a Championship Series

The NBA Finals is off to a fantastic start as the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers split the first two games, with both contests going to overtime. It's the first time in NBA Finals history that the first two games required an extra five minutes, and only seven other championship series had more than one overtime game at any point in the series.


Year Team Team OT Games Series
1952 Lakers Knicks Game 1 at MIN: Lakers 83-79 Lakers 4-3
Game 4 at NYK: Knicks 90-89
1957 Celtics Hawks Game 1 at BOS: Hawks 125-123 (2 OT) Celtics 4-3
* Game 7 at BOS: Celtics 125-123 (2 OT)
1969 ABA Oaks Pacers Game 3 at IND: Oaks 134-126 Oaks 4-1
* Game 5 at OAK: Oaks 135-131
1970 Knicks Lakers Game 3 at LAL: Knicks 111-108 Knicks 4-3
Game 4 at LAL: Lakers 121-115
1974 Bucks Celtics Game 2 at MIL: Bucks 105-96 Celtics 4-3
Game 6 at BOS: Bucks 102-101 (2 OT)
1984 Celtics Lakers Game 2 at BOS: Celtics 124-121 Celtics 4-3
Game 4 at LAL: Celtics 129-125
2009 Lakers Magic Game 2 at LAL: Lakers 101-96 Lakers 4-1
Game 4 at ORL: Lakers 99-91
2015 Warriors Cavaliers Game 1 at GS: Warriors 108-100 Tied 1-1
Game 2 at GS: Cavaliers 95-93
* Clincher



This is much more common in hockey, as 22 Stanley Cup Finals have had multiple overtime games. Seven series have had at least three overtime games, including the 1951 Final in which all five games went to OT.

Year Team Team OT Games Series
1927 Bruins Senators Game 1 at BOS: Tied 0-0 Senators 2-0
Game 3 at OTT: Tied 1-1
1931 Black Hawks Canadiens Game 2 at CHI: Black Hawks 2-1 (2 OT) Canadiens 3-2
Game 3 at MON: Black Hawks 3-2 (3 OT)
1934 Red Wings Black Hawks Game 1 at DET: Black Hawks 2-1 (2 OT) Black Hawks 3-1
* Game 4: at CHI: Black Hawks 1-0 (2 OT)
1940 Rangers Maple Leafs Game 1 at NYR: Rangers 2-1 Rangers 4-2
Game 5 at TOR: Rangers 2-1 (2 OT)
* Game 6 at TOR: Rangers 3-2
1946 Canadiens Bruins Game 1 at MON: Canadiens 4-3 Canadiens 4-1
Game 2 at MON: Canadiens 3-2
Game 4 at BOS: Bruins 3-2
1950 Red Wings Rangers Game 4 at DET: Rangers 4-3 Red Wings 4-3
Game 5 at DET: Rangers 2-1
* Game 7 at DET: Red Wings 4-3 (2 OT)
1951 Maple Leafs Canadiens Game 1 at TOR: Maple Leafs 3-2 Maple Leafs 4-1
Game 2 at TOR: Canadiens 3-2
Game 3 at MON: Maple Leafs 2-1
Game 4 at MON: Maple Leafs 3-2
* Game 5 at TOR: Maple Leafs 3-2
1954 Red Wings Canadiens Game 5 at DET: Canadiens 1-0 Red Wings 4-3
* Game 7 at DET: Red Wings 2-1
1964 Maple Leafs Red Wings Game 2 at TOR: Red Wings 4-3 Maple Leafs 4-3
Game 6 at DET: Maple Leafs 4-3
1968 Blues Canadiens Game 1 at STL: Canadiens 3-2 Canadiens 4-0
Game 3 at MON: Canadiens 3-2
1978 Canadiens Bruins Game 2 at MON: Canadiens 3-2 Canadiens 4-2
Game 4 at BOS: Bruins 4-3
1980 Flyers Islanders Game 1 at PHI: Islanders 4-3 Islanders 4-2
* Game 6 at NYI: Islanders 5-4
1993 Canadiens Kings Game 2 at MON: Canadiens 3-2 Canadiens 4-1
Game 3 at LAK: Canadiens 4-3
Game 4 at LAK: Canadiens 3-2
1999 Stars Sabres Game 1 at DAL: Sabres 3-2 Stars 4-2
* Game 6 at BUF: Stars 2-1 (3 OT)
2000 Devils Stars Game 5 at NJ: Stars 1-0 (3 OT) Devils 4-2
* Game 6 at DAL: Devils 2-1 (2 OT)
2002 Red Wings Hurricanes Game 1 at DET: Hurricanes 3-2 Red Wings 4-1
Game 3 at CAR: Red Wings 3-2 (3 OT)
2003 Devils Mighty Ducks Game 3 at MDA: Mighty Ducks 3-2 Devils 4-3
Game 4 at MDA: Mighty Ducks 1-0
2004 Lightning Flames Game 5 at TB: Flames 3-2 Lightning 4-3
Game 6 at CGY: Lightning 3-2 (2 OT)
2010 Blackhawks Flyers Game 3 at PHI: Flyers 4-3 Blackhawks 4-2
* Game 6 at PHI: Blackhawks 4-3
2012 Devils Kings Game 1 at NJ: Kings 2-1 Kings 4-2
Game 2 at NJ: Kings 2-1
2013 Blackhawks Bruins Game 1 at CHI: Blackhawks 4-3 (3 OT) Blackhawks 4-2
Game 2 at CHI: Bruins 2-1
Game 4 at BOS: Blackhawks 6-5
2014 Kings Rangers Game 1 at LAK: Kings 3-2 Kings 4-1
Game 2 at LAK: Kings 5-4 (2 OT)
* Game 5 at LAK: Kings 3-2 (2 OT)
* Clincher



Ending with baseball, there have been nine World Series that have had multiple extra-inning games, including the 1991 Fall Classic, which had three such games.

Year Team Team Extra-Inning Games Series
1911 Giants Athletics Game 3 at NYG: Athletics 3-2 (11) Athletics 4-2
Game 5 at NYG: Giants 4-3 (10)
1912 Red Sox Giants Game 2 at BOS: Tied 6-6 (11) Red Sox 4-3
* Game 8 at BOS: Red Sox 3-2 (10)
1924 Senators Giants Game 1 at WAS: Giants 4-3 (12) Senators 4-3
* Game 7 at WAS: Senators 4-3 (12)
1933 Giants Senators Game 4 at WAS: Giants 2-1 (11) Giants 4-1
* Game 5 at WAS: Giants 4-3 (10)
1958 Braves Yankees Game 1 at MIL: Braves 4-3 (10) Yankees 4-3
Game 6 at MIL: Yankees 4-3 (10)
1973 Athletics Mets Game 2 at OAK: Mets 10-7 (12) Athletics 4-3
Game 3 at NYM: Athletics 3-2 (11)
1975 Red Sox Reds Game 3 at CIN: Reds 6-5 (10) Reds 4-3
Game 6 at BOS: Red Sox 7-6 (12)
1991 Twins Braves Game 3 at ATL: Braves 5-4 (12) Twins 4-3
Game 6 at MIN: Twins 4-3 (11)
* Game 7 at MIN: Twins 1-0 (10)
2001 Diamondbacks Yankees Game 4 at NYY: Yankees 4-3 (10) Diamondbacks 4-3
Game 5 at NYY: Yankees 3-2 (12)
* Clincher


Of the 39 series listed above, this NBA Finals is the sixth to have both of the first two games go beyond regulation, joining the Stanley Cup Finals from 1946, 1951, 2012, 2013 and 2014. It's odd that it happened only twice until 2012, but has now occurred in each of the last four Junes.

Looking ahead to Tuesday's Game Three in Cleveland, only two series have had three consecutive overtime games at any point: the aforementioned 1951 Cup Final and the 1993 Cup Final in which Montreal won Games Two, Three and Four.



Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bogut, Shaun Livingston, Festus Ezeli, Leandro Barbosa, Marreese Speights, LeBron James, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Timofey Mozgov, Matthew Dellavedova, Kyrie Irving, James Jones, Mike Miller

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