If you're looking for the exact moment the 2024-25 NBA season hit its peak, you're likely thinking about June 22, 2025. That was the date. A Sunday night. Honestly, it was one of those nights where the air just feels different if you're a basketball junkie. The Oklahoma City Thunder finally climbed the mountain, taking down the Indiana Pacers in a Game 7 that felt like a throwback to the 90s.
It was the first time we’d seen a Game 7 in the Finals since LeBron and the Cavs pulled off the impossible in 2016. Think about that for a second. We went nearly a decade without the ultimate "win or go home" scenario on the biggest stage. So, when people ask when is the last NBA finals game, they are usually either looking for that specific historical marker or trying to figure out when the next one is going to happen so they can clear their calendar.
The Night the Thunder Struck
The last game of the 2025 Finals went down at the Paycom Center in OKC. The final score was 103-91. It wasn't particularly close in the final three minutes, but the tension? Man, it was suffocating. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander basically cemented his status as a legend that night. He put up 32 points, and it wasn't just the scoring; it was the way he controlled the tempo. He looked like he was playing in his backyard while everyone else was sprinting like their lives depended on it.
The Pacers, led by Tyrese Haliburton, had a hell of a run. Nobody really expected them to be there. They took down the Knicks in the ECF in six games, and they pushed a 68-win Thunder team to the absolute brink. But Game 7 is a different beast.
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Why June 22 Matters
Usually, the Finals wrap up in mid-June. But because this series went the distance, it pushed all the way to the 22nd.
- Game 1: June 5 (Pacers stole this one in OKC, 111-110)
- Game 2: June 8 (Thunder bounced back)
- Game 3: June 11 (Series shifted to Indy)
- Game 4: June 13 (Thunder took back home court)
- Game 5: June 16 (OKC pushed them to the edge)
- Game 6: June 19 (Pacers dominated at home to force the finale)
- Game 7: June 22 (The crowning moment)
The scheduling of the "last game" is always a bit of a moving target. The NBA announces the potential dates, but the actual last game depends entirely on how many times teams can punch each other in the mouth before one stays down.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Schedule
A lot of fans think the Finals have a fixed end date. They don't. The NBA puts out a schedule with "if necessary" games. If a team sweeps, the "last" game happens way earlier—sometimes as early as June 13 or 14.
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When you're trying to figure out when is the last NBA finals game for the upcoming 2025-2026 season, you have to look at the window. Generally, the Finals start the first week of June. For 2026, the league is looking at a similar trajectory. If you're planning a watch party or, heaven forbid, a wedding in June, you basically have to treat the entire month as a "red zone."
The Logistics of a Game 7
There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes chaos when a series goes to a seventh game. Travel is a nightmare. Media crews have to scramble. But for the fans, it's the purest form of the sport. The 2025 finale was broadcast on ABC, and the ratings were through the roof because, let’s be real, everyone loves a winner-take-all scenario.
Looking Ahead: The 2026 Finish Line
Right now, as we sit in early 2026, the chatter is already starting. Can OKC repeat? The oddsmakers at places like FanDuel and DraftKings have them as the heavy favorites (+110). But the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks are looming.
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The projected date for the "last" possible game of the 2026 Finals is likely around June 21 or 22, 2026. This follows the standard pattern the league has established to avoid mid-week finishes for Game 7s when possible. They want that Sunday night prime-time slot. It’s better for TV, better for the fans, and way better for the league's wallet.
Nuance in the "Last Game" Search
Sometimes, when people search for this, they aren't talking about the date. They're talking about the vibes. The last game of a season often defines a player's entire legacy. Look at Jalen Brunson. The Knicks made a deep run, but they couldn't get past the Pacers in the conference finals. For Brunson, the "last game" was a heartbreak in May, not a triumph in June.
Actionable Steps for NBA Fans
If you want to make sure you don't miss the next "last game," here is what you need to do:
- Sync your calendar: Go to the official NBA app and sync the playoff schedule. It updates in real-time as series end.
- Check the "If Necessary" tags: Never assume a series is over. If you see a Game 7 listed for June 21 or 22, block that night off entirely.
- Watch the Conference Finals: The start date of the NBA Finals can actually shift slightly depending on how fast the Eastern and Western Conference Finals wrap up. If both are sweeps, the league sometimes moves the Finals start date up, though they’ve moved away from that recently to keep the Thursday start tradition.
- Monitor the MVP race: Usually, the person holding the trophy at the end of the last game is the one who dominated the regular season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did it in '25. Nikola Jokic is the name to watch for '26.
The 2024-25 season ended with a bang on June 22, 2025. Whether the 2026 season ends on a sweep or another grueling seven-game war remains to be seen, but history tells us to keep our mid-to-late June open.