clinching game
Championship-securing final contest
A clinching game is a contest that, if won, secures a championship, playoff berth, or series victory.
The term appears almost exclusively in sports: Game 5 was the clinching game for the Dodgers.
The phrase emphasizes the decisive nature of the contest—everything rides on this one.
- decisiveQuick to conclude
- do or dieRequiring total commitment
- championshipCompetition for top rank
- victoryDefeating an opponent
- knockoutIncapacitating final blow
series · playoff · winner · shutout · elimination · triumph · seal · final · nail-biter · sweep · title · closer · celebration · trophy · momentum · overtime · clutch · showdown
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