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With a low-scoring seventh game win over the Utah Jazz, the Denver Nuggets became the twelfth team and the tenth different franchise in NBA Playoff history to return from a 3-1 series deficit. .
Teams are 12-242 all-time when facing a 3-1 series deficit. Only one of those 12 cases came in the NBA Finals.
Here’s when, where, and how all these comebacks happened.
Denver Nuggets, 2020
Opponent and round: Utah Jazz, Western Conference First Round
Headed by the high-scoring duel between Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray, Game 7 of this series was a low-scoring affair, with the final score 80-78.
This comeback is one of three to occur in the first round of the postseason and is the first time the Nuggets have accomplished the feat.
Cleveland Cavaliers, 2016
Opponent and round: Golden State Warriors, NBA Finals
The only time in NBA history that a team has come back 3-1 in the championship series.
The Cavaliers won their first championship in franchise history and brought Cleveland the first professional sports title in 52 years.
Golden State Warriors, 2016
Opponent and round: Oklahoma City Thunder, Western Conference Finals
After winning an NBA-record 73 games in the regular season, the Warriors’ season was on the line. Upon completing the comeback, the Warriors advanced to their second consecutive NBA final.
It’s one of three 3-1 comebacks to be made in the playoff conference finals.
Houston Rockets, 2015
Opponent and round: LA Clippers, Western Conference Semifinals
The Rockets are one of only two teams in NBA history to complete this unlikely comeback twice. They did so for the first time in 1995 as defending champions against the Phoenix Suns.
His return against the Clippers was highlighted by a Game 6 victory in which Houston stunned Los Angeles 40-15 in the fourth quarter, erasing a 19-point deficit to finally win, 119-107.
Phoenix Suns, 2006
Opponent and round: Los Angeles Lakers, Western Conference First Round
After losing Game 4 in heartbreaking fashion, courtesy of a game winner Kobe Bryant, the Suns came together and dominated the next three games. They won the last three games of the series by an average margin of 18.7 points.
That postseason, the Suns advanced to the Conference Finals for the second consecutive season. However, they lost again, this time to Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks.
The Suns are one of only two teams to have been on either side of a 3-1 comeback. In fact, it is the only team to have lost a 3-1 lead twice (1970, 1995).
Detroit Pistons, 2003
Opponent and round: Orlando Magic, Eastern Conference First Round
Through four games, the Pistons had no response for Trach McGrady, who averaged 36.3 points, 4.5 assists and 2.3 steals with 51.6% shooting from the field and 40.0% from beyond the arc.
The last three games, however, were a different story.
The Pistons improved their defense, holding the Hall of Famer at 25.7 points per game on 36.1% shooting from the field much less efficient.
In 2003, Detroit would make its first appearance in the Conference Finals since 1991. It would also be the first of a franchise record of six consecutive appearances in the Conference Finals (2003-08).
Miami Heat, 1997
Opponent and round: New York Knicks, Eastern Conference Semifinals
The Heat-Knicks rivalry of the late 1990s, which saw the two teams meet in four consecutive postseason games, began historically.
The first four games were close encounters, decided only by an average margin of six points. However, the Heat found their offensive touch later in the series and won the last three games by an average of 10.3 points. The Heat went from averaging 79.0 points in the first four games to scoring 97.3 in the last three games.
Houston Rockets, 1995
Opponent and round: Phoenix Suns, Western Conference Semifinals
As defending champions, the Rockets were ready to be eliminated, but as they had done all season, they fought to the end. This comeback came down to the final seconds – 7.1, to be precise – with Mario Elie’s famous “kiss of death” serving as the knockout blow.
This was the first time a team had won two road games while completing a 3-1 comeback. That happened because the Rockets were the sixth seed, the shortest to be crowned champion.
Boston Celtics, 1981
Opponent and round: Philadelphia 76ers, Eastern Conference Finals
En route to the first Larry Bird-era championship in Boston during the 1980s, the Celtics made history by becoming the second team to win a title after coming back 3-1 in a series.
After a series that was capped by a Bird bench shot, the Celtics would advance to the NBA Finals and defeat the Rockets in six games.
Here’s 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell talking about the epic series against the 76ers:
“It was the biggest series I’ve ever played in and, in my opinion, maybe the biggest series leading to a championship that two teams have played.”
1981 ECF Game 7 is underway #ClassicCeltics tonight at 7PM pic.twitter.com/PUrdBF4KiF
– Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 13, 2020
Washington Bullets, 1979
Opponent and round: San Antonio Spurs, Eastern Conference Finals
This was the first instance in NBA history that the defending champion was down 3-1, but the Bullets decided to turn it around and become the third team to come back from 3-1 down.
The Bullets won Game 7 by topping George Gervin’s 42-point night, as well as a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter, behind Bobby Dandridge’s 37 points.
Los Angeles Lakers, 1970
Opponent and round: Phoenix Suns, Western Division Semifinals
In just his second NBA season, the Suns made noise. They had the Western Conference champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, with their backs against the walls. Unfortunately, they were unable to complete the series and move on.
Boston Celtics, 1968
Opponent and round: Philadelphia 76ers, East Division Finals.
Led by the mighty Wilt Chamberlain, the defending champs held the Celtics dynasty down 3-1 in the East. Unfortunately for them, another chapter was written in one of the most famous rivalries in NBA Playoff history, as Boston became the first team to make the unlikely comeback.
The Celtics won the 1968 NBA title, their 10th title in franchise history.
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