Winning The Seventh Game

WINNING THE SEVENTH GAME in an NBA conference series often requires giving total effort for the entire 48 minutes. But in the 1998 Eastern Conference showdown, the Indiana Pacers halted their efforts two minutes short.

The Pacers needed a road victory against the Chicago Bulls to reach their first NBA title series. Despite trailing 48–45 at halftime, Indiana forged ahead 72–69 on a three-point play by Rik Smits with 8:54 remaining in the game. But Chicago, seeking its third straight NBA crown, tied the contest 77–77 almost three minutes later as Steve Kerr completed a three-point play. Scottie Pippen’s jumper following an offensive rebound put the Bulls ahead 81–79 at the 4:45 mark.

As the game approached the two-minute mark, Indiana’s Antonio Davis converted an offensive rebound into a basket, narrowing the gap to 85–83. But the Pacers never tallied another point.

With the clock winding down, Derrick McKey missed a forced three-pointer for the Pacers, who by then trailed 87–83. Chicago’s Ron Harper drew a foul with 8.9 seconds left. His free throw sealed the 88–83 victory and gave the Bulls their third consecutive Eastern Conference title.

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POINT The buzzer might as well have gone off for the Pacers with two minutes left. They didn’t do anything in clutch time to win the game. Even though Bulls’ stars Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen had off nights with Jordan going 9-for-25 with 28 points and Pippen 6-for-18 for 17 points, the Pacers couldn’t capitalize.

Occasionally we fail to capitalize too. Whether in sports, volunteer work, family relationships, or church, sometimes we stop trying. That’s not God’s plan. He wants us to work until the end and keep trying until the Lord says halt. The Christian life isn’t over until God says it is.

GOAL! Next time you watch a basketball game, note whether each team plays until the final buzzer. See if anybody gives up. Ask God to help you keep trying until life is over.