The Los Angeles Lakers were +10000 in the NBA championship odds market on January 1. Today, they’re one win away from the Western Conference Finals.
That quick evolution from pretender to contender has a lot of basketball fans asking the same question: When was the last time a No. 7 seed went on a run like this in the NBA playoffs?
Last Time a No. 7 Seed was in the Conference Finals
While a handful of No. 7 seeds have made it out of the first round over the last 30 years, only one has ever made it to the conference finals. That was the 1987 Seattle Supersonics.
The ‘87 Sonics finished the season 39-43, only to suddenly catch fire and take out both Dallas and Houston. The latter Rockets, who were led by Hakeem Olajuwon, were the preseason favorites to win the West.
Ultimately, the ‘87 Sonics were swept by none other than the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. That means a single ‘23 Lakers win in the conference finals would mark the farthest a No. 7 seed has ever gone in the modern playoff structure.
Last Time a No. 7 Seed was in the NBA Finals
A No. 7 seed has never won its conference championship round and advanced to the NBA Finals. That means that the 2023 Lakers have the opportunity to write a whole new chapter of NBA Finals history, in addition to competing for a championship.
Read More: Last Time a No. 8 Seed Was In the Conference & NBA Finals
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