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Has an NBA game ever ended 97-81?

Yes. NBA has seen a final score of 97-81 30 times. It first happened on January 28, 1950, when Tri-Cities Blackhawks beat Indianapolis Olympians, and most recently on February 24, 2026, when Boston Celtics beat Phoenix Suns.

Where 97-81 sits among nearby NBA scores. Deeper blue means a score has happened more often; the outlined cell is the new one.

That makes 97-81 the 768th most common final score out of 3,190 that have ever occurred in NBA. One point away, 98-81 has happened 35 times and 97-82 has happened 34 times.

Every 97-81 in NBA history

DateResultSeason
2026-02-24Boston Celtics over Phoenix Suns2025
2017-11-25Dallas Mavericks over Oklahoma City Thunder2017
2017-03-26Portland Trail Blazers over Los Angeles Lakers2016
2016-11-02Utah Jazz over Dallas Mavericks2016
2016-03-02San Antonio Spurs over Detroit Pistons2015
2015-03-20Philadelphia 76ers over New York Knicks2014
2015-01-02Detroit Pistons over New York Knicks2014
2013-11-16Miami Heat over Charlotte Bobcats2013
2013-03-04Miami Heat over Minnesota Timberwolves2012
2013-01-12Phoenix Suns over Chicago Bulls2012
2012-12-28Brooklyn Nets over Charlotte Bobcats2012
2011-05-07Boston Celtics over Miami Heat2010Playoff
2011-04-07Chicago Bulls over Boston Celtics2010
2010-02-01Milwaukee Bucks over Miami Heat2009
2008-01-19Chicago Bulls over Detroit Pistons2007
2007-03-30Charlotte Bobcats over Milwaukee Bucks2006
2005-04-08Memphis Grizzlies over Miami Heat2004
2004-02-21Miami Heat over Denver Nuggets2003
2004-01-09Philadelphia 76ers over New Jersey Nets2003
2003-04-06Sacramento Kings over Philadelphia 76ers2002
1999-11-12Houston Rockets over Los Angeles Lakers1999
1999-02-12Utah Jazz over Golden State Warriors1998
1998-01-17New Jersey Nets over Atlanta Hawks1997
1997-12-09Miami Heat over Atlanta Hawks1997
1992-03-31Los Angeles Clippers over Detroit Pistons1991
1981-12-16Kansas City Kings over Phoenix Suns1981
1977-02-08Houston Rockets over Cleveland Cavaliers1976
1954-11-27Ft. Wayne Zollner Pistons over Minneapolis Lakers1954
1950-12-10Ft. Wayne Zollner Pistons over Washington Capitols1950
1950-01-28Tri-Cities Blackhawks over Indianapolis Olympians1949
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