The NBA Playoffs Are Off To A Fantastic Start, But We Desperately Need Someone To Find A Way To Force A Game 7

For the most part, I think we can all agree that the 2025 NBA Playoffs have been tremendous so far. The physicality, the wild endings, the momentum swings from game to game, it's all been fantastic. Granted, you may not feel that way if your favorite team got bounced in the first round, but overall, I'd say we're off to a great start.

If there's one thing that could make this opening round even better, it's that we as fans get to experience at least one Game 7. The playoffs wouldn't quite feel like the playoffs without one if we're being honest. But with only 3 series left to be sorted out

1. NYK/DET (NYK up 3-2)

2. DEN/LAC (DEN up 3-2)

3. HOU/GS (GS up 3-2)

we're quickly running out of options. If you go back and look at NBA history, every single playoff but two since 2003 has had a Game 7 in the first round (2011, 2022). For those not great at math, it's 2025. A solid 20 in the last 22 years tells you there's a strong chance that one of those 3 remaining series will go the distance, so the question then becomes

Which one?

The last time we saw the Pistons, they went on the road and spoiled the Knicks' first chance to close out that series

Last night, the Rockets punched back in a BIG way and blew out the Warriors in their first attempt to close things out

Tonight, we'll see what the Nuggets are able to do after they did their job at home and now look to end the Clippers' season out in LA.

Logic would tell you that whatever team is at home with the chance to extend their series should be considered the likely matchup to get us a Game 7, but I'm not so sure that's true. All of these teams have won on each other's floor. It's not crazy to think the Knicks go on the road and take care of business tonight. Nor is it crazy to think that the Nuggets can't go into LA and win, especially since it looks like maybe the Clippers' spirit is broken after that Game 4 home loss. 

It's obvious the NBA would prefer some of these series go the distance and seeing as how all of them are fairly close, it's no surprise which refs they just so happened to assign to work tonight's games

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Arguably two of their worst in Tony Brothers/David Guthrie, both of whom have had some pretty brutal moments so far in these playoffs, especially when it comes to questionable calls/extending series. Shit, the fact that the Knicks even have a chance to close things out tonight is David Guthrie, so it's no surprise at all that the league sent Tony Brothers to that matchup tonight. 

Now you may be thinking to yourself

"I thought Scott Foster was the extender?"

and you'd be right. I'll remind you that his not being listed today pretty much guarantees he's going to be working HOU/GS tomorrow night for their Game 6. If you're curious, GS is 1-2 this year in Foster games (Rockets 1-0). 

So when you add it all up:

1. How even these series are

2. NBA history tells us we're probably getting at least one Game 7

3. The ref assignments

I can't imagine we're going to end up 0-3 and get zero Game 7s in the first round. Not with how good these series are, you just know Adam Silver wants in on that drama/TV ratings/etc. That's a tough place to be if you're a fan of one of those teams that has a 3-2 lead, but this is why you have to take care of your business and capitalize on your closeout opportunities. If you don't, all you're doing is inviting the NBA to get involved and push these things are far as they can go. Once you get into a Game 7, anything can happen. It's why you need to avoid those things like the plague, because one bad shooting night and boom, your season is over. 

For my own rooting interests, I am hoping we see DET/NYK go the distance, but at the end of the day, I don't really care who it is. I just need one of them to give us a Game 7. These playoffs have been so good, it just wouldn't feel right if we didn't get to add some Game 7 drama to the mix. There's truly nothing like it. First round, second round, conference Finals, NBA Finals, it doesn't matter, there's nothing better than a Game 7. As good as this opening round has been, that would be the cherry on top.