September 12 is an exciting day for NBA fans as they will be treated to yet another Game 7 action. The Boston Celtics and defending champion Toronto Raptors have engaged in an epic back-and-forth in the series’ first six games, so who knows how intense will the finale be?

It’s also a good debut for a potential rivalry since the series marks as the first postseason matchup between the two franchises.

Here’s a recap at how much the momentum has shifted – the Celtics easily go up 2-0, the Raptors tied it at 2-2, one of which was through an OG Anunoby buzzer-beater, the Celtics blew the Raptors out in Game 5, and then the Raptors won Game 6 in double overtime to force the knockout game.

Whatever happens, tomorrow will be added to the two teams’ long list of Game 7s, which are also filled with its own storylines. Let’s quickly review each game and series:

BOSTON CELTICS
Game 7 record since 2000: 6-5

2005 Eastern Conference First Round – Celtics lose to the Indiana Pacers, 97-70.

  • The Celtics shot just 37%.
  • This was Doc Rivers’s first season in Boston.
  • This was the Pacers team that got decimated by suspension from the Malice at the Palace.

2008 Eastern Conference First Round – Celtics beat the Atlanta Hawks, 99-65.

  • The Celtics held the Hawks to 29.3% shooting.
  • This was the playoff debut of the Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen Big Three. They won 66 games in the regular season but had problems against the 38-44 Atlanta Hawks.
  • This was Al Horford’s rookie season and first playoff series. He was a future Celtic.
  • No team won on the road.

2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals – Celtics beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 97-92.

  • Pierce (41 pts) and LeBron James (45 pts) went on a scoring duel for the ages.
  • No team won on the road.

2009 Eastern Conference First Round – Celtics beat the Chicago Bulls, 109-99

  • Eddie House came off the bench to score 16 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting.
  • The series featured eight total overtime periods.
  • Kevin Garnett didn’t play in the series due to an injury.
  • This was Derrick Rose rookie season and first playoff series.

2010 NBA Finals – Celtics lose to the Los Angeles Lakers, 83-79.

  • The Celtics bench only scored six points.
  • Kendrick Perkins missed the game due to an injury.
  • Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo both had a double-double.
  • The Lakers shot 21 free throws in the fourth quarter.

2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals – Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers, 87-75

  • The Celtics shot 69.2% in the fourth quarter.
  • This was the last playoff series win of the Pierce-Garnett-Allen Big Three.
  • This was the eight-seeded Sixers that beat the first-seeded Chicago Bulls following Derrick Rose’s injury.

2012 Easter Conference Finals – Celtics lose to the Miami Heat, 101-88

  • Rondo logged a triple-double of 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists.
  • The Celtics went to the break with a 53-46 lead, but they only scored 35 points on 38.9% shooting in the second half.
  • This was the last playoff game of the Pierce-Garnett-Allen Big Three.
  • The Celtics took a 3-2 series lead but proceeded to lose Games 6 and 7.

2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals – Celtics beat the Washington Wizards, 115-105

  • Kelly Olynyk came off the bench to score 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting.
  • No team won on the road.

2018 Eastern Conference First Round – Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks, 112-96

  • Al Horford and Terry Rozier each scored 26 points, combining for 23-for-33 shooting (69.6%).
  • No team won on the road.
  • Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward both missed the series due to injuries.

2018 Eastern Conference Finals – Celtics lose to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 87-79

  • The Celtics shot 7-for-38 from three and 29.3% in the second half.
  • The Celtics took 2-0 and 3-2 series leads.
  • The Celtics never won on the road.

TORONTO RAPTORS
Game 7 record since 2000: 3-2

2001 Eastern Conference Semifinals – Raptors lose to the Philadelphia 76ers, 88-87

  • The Raptors lose despite shooting 54.5% in the fourth quarter and holding the Sixers to just 39.4%.
  • The Sixers shot 18 free throws in the fourth quarter.
  • Allen Iverson scored 54 in Game 2, Vince Carter responded with 50 in Game 3, and Iverson fired back in Game 5 with 52.
  • Carter had a playoff franchise-record nine three-pointers in Game 3, which still stands today.

2014 Eastern Conference First Round – Raptors lose to the Brooklyn Nets, 104-103

  • The Raptors lose despite shooting 56.2% in the fourth quarter and holding the Nets to just 38.1%.
  • Kyle Lowry scored a game-high 28 points, but got blocked in the potential game-winning layup as time expired.
  • This was the tumultuous Nets season that featured the supposed super team of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Deron Williams, and Joe Johnson, with Jason Kidd as their head coach.

2016 Eastern Conference First Round – Raptors beat the Indiana Pacers, 89-84

  • DeMar DeRozan scoreD a game-high 30 points.
  • This is the Raptors’ first playoff series win since 2001.
  • No team won back-to-back games in the series.

2016 Eastern Conference Semifinals – Raptors beat the Miami Heat, 116-89

  • Kyle Lowry posts 35 points, nine assists, and four steals, all of which are game-highs.
  • The Raptors held the Heat to 23.1% shooting in the fourth quarter.
  • The 27-point win set a Raptors franchise-record for highest winning margin in a series-clincher.

2019 Eastern Conference Semifinals – Raptors beat the Philadelphia 76ers, 92-90

  • The Raptors shot just 38.2%.
  • Kawhi Leonard scores a game-high 41 points. He hit a jumper on the right corner as time expired to clinch the series, which bounced for times before finally falling.