How many 3-1 comebacks are there in the NBA? Finding out more
The NBA playoffs are one of the most intense tournaments in sports considering how teams battle it out for a chance to compete in the Finals. While the regular season is just as competitive as the postseason, many consider the playoffs to be the true beginning of the season as the stakes are much higher and teams get more serious.
Since 2003, from the first round of the playoffs up until the Finals have always followed a best-of-seven series format. This means that the first team to reach four wins will win the series. Given how a series could potentially reach seven games, many memorable and thrilling moments have happened throughout the league's history.
One of the most exciting moments in the playoffs is when a team comes back from a 3-1 deficit. It's undoubtedly a daunting task to overcome a 3-1 lead when you're the team that's trailing.
Having that in mind, only 13 NBA teams have successfully lived up to the task, which makes this feat extra special considering how low the success rate is for completing the comeback.
Here's a full list of teams who came back from a 3-1 deficit:
- Boston Celtics (1968)
- LA Lakers (1970)
- Washington Bullets (1979)
- Boston Celtics (1981)
- Houston Rockets (1995)
- Miami Heat (1997)
- Detroit Pistons (2003)
- Phoenix Suns (2006)
- Houston Rockets (2015)
- Golden State Warriors (2016)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (2016)
- Denver Nuggets 2x (2020)
LeBron James is the King of 3-1 leads in NBA history
The Golden State Warriors are in a tight spot considering how they are currently down 3-1 against the LA Lakers in their Western Conference semi-finals series. To make matters worse, they're up against LeBron James who currently holds the NBA record for most wins when leading a playoff series 3-1. According to multiple sources, "King James" is currently undefeated and has the most wins with a record of 17-0.
While the Warriors have a chance to extend the series until Game 6, LeBron James and the Lakers might just win it at home and deny a potential Game 7. Golden State has been in this situation back in 2016 when they were up against the OKC Thunder.
It's not impossible that they could pull it off again, however, they're currently facing the man who's undefeated when holding a 3-1 lead.