Is KG undefeated in Game 7s, like Bill Russell?

[stretch]

We know of course, Bill was 21-0 in games where the winner took all, including 10-0 in NBA game 7s and 1-0 in a Game 5 (best of five series).

KG, in that famous gatorade commercial last season, was the one who took the poodle (called Game 7) and threw it into the water bucket.. thus vanquishing Game 7

KG doesn't seem to have lost in a Game 7.. do you know if that's completely right? If so that's a big deal if he can close out his career that way.

Just think about some of the major Game 7's he's been in:
1. Game 7 against the Kings in 2004 (one of the greatest playoff performances ever and KG's best game ever)
2. Game 7 against Atlanta in 2008 (punctuated by the smackdown on Zaza, the best time and place to do that.. when they were up like 20+ )
3. Game 7 against Cleveland in 2008

And of course, he wasn't part of either game 7s this past postseason. Paul Pierce, uniquely, has been.. and we know that he lost at least two (against Indiana in 05 and against Orlando last postseason)

For KG though, that's a big deal. Not that many athletes are even in a handful of those Game 7 type situations. The way the Celtics ebb and flow and dominate, I wouldn't be surprised if there are one, two or even three more of those Game 7s next postseason. And history tells us, when you get the C's in that position, with KG, we don't lose!

[Dave_From_NB]

Well, they lost in the first round for the first seven times that KG's team made the playoffs, he's hardly in the same ballpark as Russell for playoff success, and never will be.

To your point, they lost 3-2 to Seattle early in that playoff stench run.

[theman]

In NBA Finals games sevens yes. Play off games sevens? No lost in 7 to Orlando 2009, He is terrible in game 6's Lost to LA in game six of the '08 championships, lost in 6 to the Lakers in 2004 and 2003. Also swept in three by Dallas 2002 and lost 3 of 4 vs. San Antonio in 2001.

[TheMartian]

In NBA Finals games sevens yes. Play off games sevens? No lost in 7 to Orlando 2009, He is terrible in game 6's Lost to LA in game six of the '08 championships, lost in 6 to the Lakers in 2004 and 2003. Also swept in three by Dallas 2002 and lost 3 of 4 vs. San Antonio in 2001.

Huh?

[Hilltop]

His long list on First Round exits make those Game 7 wins a lot less impressive in my book. As a poster said earlier, I would barely put him up there with Bill Russell in that regard.

[theman]

In NBA Finals games sevens yes. Play off games sevens? No lost in 7 to Orlando 2009, He is terrible in game 6's Lost to LA in game six of the '08 championships, lost in 6 to the Lakers in 2004 and 2003. Also swept in three by Dallas 2002 and lost 3 of 4 vs. San Antonio in 2001.

Huh?

It was not the deciding game of the series (although it could have been) but the Celtics and KG did lose game 6.

[Anklebreaker702]

It was not the deciding game of the series (although it could have been) but the Celtics and KG did lose game 6.

Actually you guys smoked us by 39 in Game 6

[theman]

It was not the deciding game of the series (although it could have been) but the Celtics and KG did lose game 6.

Actually you guys smoked us by 39 in Game 6

Your right. I assumed the series went 7 but it only went six. It was game 5 they lost.

So KG has never played in a finals game seven. What is the point of this again?

[stretch]

In NBA Finals games sevens yes. Play off games sevens? No lost in 7 to Orlando 2009, He is terrible in game 6's Lost to LA in game six of the '08 championships, lost in 6 to the Lakers in 2004 and 2003. Also swept in three by Dallas 2002 and lost 3 of 4 vs. San Antonio in 2001.

wow theman, you're like the last person I'd go to for any facts...

how do you not remember our latest Finals series. KG stunk it up (in a sense) in Game 5 at LA. We got back home and smoked them in Game 6.

This topic is about big playoff Game 7's, and it's supported by the aura KG developed after the 08 postseason, which the Gatorade commercial played with (that you can't beat KG in Game 7s), one that brought to mind Bill Russell's playoff success in Game 7s (he only had a handful of finals game 7s)

Keep in mind in this day and age, playing in just one playoff Game 7 is a big deal. And KG had just won two last summer, as well as two more series that went to 6. So he had developed the beginnings of this aura in the sports world (e.g. you had female golfers and other notable athletes talking about how they reached out to KG to learn how he approached those big games). You don't seem to recall those Cleveland and Atlanta Game 7s (2008) in your post!!

and no, KG didn't lose to Orlando in Game 7, 2009. he would have won, had he been able to suit up!

yikes..

[Dave_From_NB]

Stretch, I'm not sure where you're going on this. KG's teams pretty much stunk up the playoffs until the Celtics title run. His teams had won 2 series while losing 8 until that year. It's true that KG was on the winning team for 2 game 7's in the Celtics title run, however IMO the fact that the team even had to play those game 7's against teams which were clearly inferior, isn't the stuff that legends are made of.

I'm not sure if Sacramento was the home team in his other game 7, but since the Wolves had a better record I think it looks like KG has won 3 game 7's in which his team was the favorite, 2 of them where they were the overwhelming favorite.

Until the point that KG wins a couple of game 7's on the road, it's time to park discussions that he's clutch in the playoffs IMO.

[drza]

I think the general point of the OP is that KG steps up in big games. Obviously 3 game 7s isn't nearly enough to even approach Russell's level, way too small of a sample size. KG is hurt by the fact that he simply hasn't played in very many big games in his career as most would define them. But I will say that I have noticed that he has a "big game gear", for want of a better way to put it, and that I have seen him hit it multiple times in his last few playoff runs. You can tell early in the game when he is in that zone, and it is most often in a key game after a disappointing result.

He may have done it pre-2003, but I don't remember it standing out. The first time I really remember it was in 2003 game 2 against the Lakers, after the Lakers had won game 1, and KG came out and exploded.

I saw it a few times in the 04 playoff run, most exemplified by his huge Game 7 against the Kings after KG had caught a lot of heat in and after game 6 (Peeler elbowed him, he got in trouble for his "loading up with guns" monologue, etc.).

And I saw it several times during the 08 title run. Cavs game 5 after Cleveland had won games 3 and 4 stands out. Interestingly, I noticed him gearing into that mode in the early part of Cavs game 7 but Pierce was also in the zone and it seemed to knock KG off that edge offensively (though he maintained it on defense). Pistons Game 3 after the Cs' first home loss in Game 2, and Pistons Game 5 after the Pistons had tied it in game 4 were two more "big game gear" games. In the Finals he hit that gear in a major way in game 6 after the big game 5 let down, but the Lakers gave up so quick that it prevented KG from repeating his monster Kings game 7 (he was definitely in that zone, to my eye).

Anyway, like I said, I think it's premature to put him on Russell's level just due to sample size. But I'm hoping KG has more in the tank, and if so I'd expect him to get more opportunities to prove himself on the big scale over the next few years.