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Has an NBA game ever ended 97-96?

Yes. NBA has seen a final score of 97-96 89 times. It first happened on January 10, 1951, when Syracuse Nationals beat Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and most recently on January 7, 2026, when Toronto Raptors beat Charlotte Hornets.

Where 97-96 sits among nearby NBA scores. Deeper blue means a score has happened more often; the outlined cell is the new one.

That makes 97-96 the 234th most common final score out of 3,189 that have ever occurred in NBA. One point away, 98-96 has happened 129 times and 97-97 has happened never.

Every 97-96 in NBA history

DateResultSeason
2026-01-07Toronto Raptors over Charlotte Hornets2025
2021-01-20Orlando Magic over Minnesota Timberwolves2020
2018-02-04Boston Celtics over Portland Trail Blazers2017
2017-03-28Miami Heat over Detroit Pistons2016
2017-03-15Milwaukee Bucks over LA Clippers2016
2017-03-05Indiana Pacers over Atlanta Hawks2016
2017-02-14Sacramento Kings over Los Angeles Lakers2016
2016-12-05San Antonio Spurs over Milwaukee Bucks2016
2016-04-21Houston Rockets over Golden State Warriors2015Playoff
2015-11-15Utah Jazz over Atlanta Hawks2015
2014-11-09Utah Jazz over Detroit Pistons2014
2014-03-26Cleveland Cavaliers over Detroit Pistons2013
2014-02-01Indiana Pacers over Brooklyn Nets2013
2013-03-06Miami Heat over Orlando Magic2012
2011-02-02Houston Rockets over Utah Jazz2010
2010-03-26Denver Nuggets over Toronto Raptors2009
2010-01-14Utah Jazz over Cleveland Cavaliers2009
2009-12-09New Orleans Hornets over Minnesota Timberwolves2009
2009-04-13Toronto Raptors over Washington Wizards2008
2008-11-29Los Angeles Clippers over Miami Heat2008
2007-01-14Dallas Mavericks over Toronto Raptors2006
2007-01-02Phoenix Suns over Chicago Bulls2006
2006-12-18New York Knicks over Utah Jazz2006
2006-04-28Cleveland Cavaliers over Washington Wizards2005Playoff
2006-03-17Toronto Raptors over Milwaukee Bucks2005
2006-02-13New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets over Washington Wizards2005
2005-01-10Utah Jazz over San Antonio Spurs2004
2004-11-13Los Angeles Clippers over Chicago Bulls2004
2003-03-09New York Knicks over Washington Wizards2002
2003-02-12Toronto Raptors over Atlanta Hawks2002
2003-01-24Portland Trail Blazers over New Orleans Hornets2002
2002-04-11Utah Jazz over Phoenix Suns2001
2002-03-24Los Angeles Lakers over Sacramento Kings2001
2002-02-15Washington Wizards over Phoenix Suns2001
2002-02-05Denver Nuggets over Portland Trail Blazers2001
2002-02-02Utah Jazz over Portland Trail Blazers2001
2000-05-10Los Angeles Lakers over Phoenix Suns1999Playoff
2000-03-21Dallas Mavericks over San Antonio Spurs1999
2000-03-18Portland Trail Blazers over Seattle SuperSonics1999
1998-04-05Minnesota Timberwolves over Atlanta Hawks1997
1998-03-26Cleveland Cavaliers over Toronto Raptors1997
1998-02-13Boston Celtics over Los Angeles Clippers1997
1997-11-01Vancouver Grizzlies over Sacramento Kings1997
1997-01-13Utah Jazz over Philadelphia 76ers1996
1996-01-21Orlando Magic over Houston Rockets1995
1995-12-23Cleveland Cavaliers over Indiana Pacers1995
1995-02-04San Antonio Spurs over Sacramento Kings1994
1995-01-31San Antonio Spurs over Sacramento Kings1994
1994-11-05Milwaukee Bucks over Los Angeles Lakers1994
1993-12-17Utah Jazz over Boston Celtics1993
1992-12-28Washington Bullets over Atlanta Hawks1992
1992-04-05Los Angeles Clippers over Milwaukee Bucks1991
1992-03-08Los Angeles Clippers over Golden State Warriors1991
1991-11-05Denver Nuggets over San Antonio Spurs1991
1990-11-23Utah Jazz over Seattle SuperSonics1990
1990-04-17Dallas Mavericks over Utah Jazz1989
1989-03-13Los Angeles Lakers over Houston Rockets1988
1988-02-27Los Angeles Clippers over Cleveland Cavaliers1987
1988-02-15New York Knicks over New Jersey Nets1987
1987-12-06Phoenix Suns over Los Angeles Clippers1987
1987-04-29Detroit Pistons over Washington Bullets1986Playoff
1987-03-16Houston Rockets over Chicago Bulls1986
1986-11-22Atlanta Hawks over Boston Celtics1986
1986-01-21Los Angeles Clippers over San Antonio Spurs1985
1984-11-27New York Knicks over Atlanta Hawks1984
1983-03-25Washington Bullets over Milwaukee Bucks1982
1983-02-06Philadelphia 76ers over Seattle SuperSonics1982
1980-01-16Los Angeles Lakers over Golden State Warriors1979
1978-03-24Chicago Bulls over Boston Celtics1977
1978-02-24Golden State Warriors over Atlanta Hawks1977
1977-04-06Washington Bullets over Chicago Bulls1976
1975-12-16New York Knicks over Atlanta Hawks1975
1975-11-16Atlanta Hawks over New York Knicks1975
1975-02-09Detroit Pistons over Los Angeles Lakers1974
1974-01-12Buffalo Braves over Capital Bullets1973
1972-10-16Golden State Warriors over Baltimore Bullets1972
1972-02-23Seattle SuperSonics over Detroit Pistons1971
1969-04-13Boston Celtics over New York Knicks1968Playoff
1969-01-05Atlanta Hawks over Phoenix Suns1968
1967-11-12Los Angeles Lakers over Chicago Bulls1967
1963-11-30Los Angeles Lakers over St. Louis Hawks1963
1962-11-10St. Louis Hawks over Los Angeles Lakers1962
1957-12-27St. Louis Hawks over Cincinnati Royals1957
1957-03-09St. Louis Hawks over Ft. Wayne Zollner Pistons1956
1956-12-04Syracuse Nationals over Ft. Wayne Zollner Pistons1956
1955-03-07Minneapolis Lakers over New York Knicks1954
1954-12-05Rochester Royals over Ft. Wayne Zollner Pistons1954
1952-01-29Philadelphia Warriors over Boston Celtics1951
1951-01-10Syracuse Nationals over Tri-Cities Blackhawks1950

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