JustSON the Numbers: NBA Playoffs Game 7

Since this Sunday will feature two separate game 7's in the NBA Playoffs I thought I would focus this edition of JustSON the Numbers on the history of game 7 in the NBA.

When the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers tip off at 3:30 pm eastern time on Sunday May, 17th in Los Angeles on ABC it will mark the 103rd game 7 in NBA Playoff history.

The Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic follow up that game at 8:00 pm eastern time on TNT in Boston marking the 104th game 7 in history. In this seasons playoffs there have been two game 7's that both took place in the first round and both ended with the road team losing. Boston defeated the Chicago Bulls and the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Miami Heat.

Unfortunately for both Houston and Orlando history is not on there side. In the previous 102 games the home team holds a big advantage with 82 wins and only 20 losses. The lone bright spot for Houston is that the last 3 road teams to win a game 7 have been from the Western Conference and 2 of the last 3 have taken place in the Conference Semifinals, which happens to be this round of the playoffs.

Houston has won 2 road game 7's in the past, once in 1981 against the San Antonio Spurs (who were the last team to win a road game 7) and then again in 1995 against the Phoenix Suns. Houston is also playing the Lakers who have just once been on the losing end of a game 7 that they hosted and that was back in 1969 against Boston. Los Angeles does carry a 13-8 record in game 7's all-time, while Houston has a 5-3 record in the deciding game.

The Magic will be facing the Celtics who have a 20-5 all-time record in game 7's. A ray of hope for Orlando is the fact that Boston has lost 3 times at home in a game 7, in 1973 against the New York Knicks, again in 1982 versus the Philadelphia 76ers and most recently in 2005 while hosting the Indiana Pacers. Since the Magic have only been in the league since the start of the 1989 season they haven't had much experience in game 7's going only 1-1 in the deciding games.

The numbers don't lie, it will be a big task for either the Rockets or the Magic to pull off road victories on Sunday. It seems like we will be one step closer to seeing a repeat of last years NBA Finals when the Celtics beat the Lakers, but that is why they play the games. Maybe the Rockets will beat Kobe Bryant and the Lakers (Kobe has disappeared in game 7's before, Phoenix anyone?) and perhaps Dwight Howard and the Magic can pull off the upset in Boston.

I guess myself and everyone else will have to tune in on Sunday to see if the two road teams can do the unlikely.

If anyone has any requests for this column let us know. I don't discriminate, no matter the sport or the stat.

The good and bad of yesterday's sporting events

THE GOOD - The Red Sox showed some fight against the Tampa Bay Rays who drubbed them on Saturday, 14-5, and has pretty much owned them so far in this regular season. On Sunday, Jason Bay (surprise surprise!) doubled off the Green Monster in the bottom of the eighth to drive home Big Papi to take the 4-3 lead and then Papelbon shut to door on the Rays in the top of the ninth for his eighth save.

THE BAD - The Lakers, even with Yao Ming out, blew their game against the Houston Rockets, 99-87 in a game that Los Angeles came out looking flat and uninspired. WHERE WAS THE BLACK MAMBA? 15 points? Seriously Kobe? Thanks for ending my streak on ESPN's Streak for the Cash.

THE GOOD - Seattle beat the Twins 5-3 to get back to .500. And look at this, we have a Ken Griffey Jr. sighting as he hits his third (WOW!!!) homer of the season. I can just hear the FSN call now

"Griffey Homers on Mother's Day! My oh My! Have you seen anything so spectacular! This is amazing folks! Wow! A home run! By a Mariner! We haven't seen this in weeks! We actually have a highlight we can use! Maybe Angie Mentink will stop using low cut shirts to get ratings now that we have actual highlights!"

THE BAD - The Sounders FC tied the LA Galaxy. While it certainly isn't a loss, LA hasn't been fantastic this year and it would have been nice to get a win over this run-of-the-mill club. Next up FC Dallas - the worst team in the league. They better score enough goals to get fans a Chalupa.

THE GOOD - Glen Davis' game-winning shot over the Orlando Magic to tie up the playoff series 2-2 was fantastic and equally up there on the unintentional comedy scale.

Ask Celtic fans who they'd draw up a game-winning shot play for and I would guarantee you that only Davis' mother would have penciled in Big Baby into the equation. This led to him almost running into a 13-year old who had court side seats during the post-game celebration and the weirdest post game interview where he just didn't use sports cliches, he murder them, bagged them and spit them back up in what I would like to call the Mona Lisa of sports cliched interviews. It was like he was reading from a cue card held by Kevin Garnett.

Oh and Doc Rivers' celebration after Davis' shot pushed the unintentional comedy scale through the roof. I've never seen an NBA Coach immitate Mark Madsen until last night.

Reasons why you're still single... Yao Ming

You bet the entire house on the Houston Rockets to beat the LA Lakers and now you're staring at Yao Ming being out for the rest of the playoffs with a broken foot. This means that The Black Mamba will be ready to strike and put an end to this troublesome playoff series for the NBA Finals favorite.