The NBA coach who has blown the most 3-1 leads is Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs. Popovich has a notorious history of letting his teams squander 3-1 series leads, having done it three times in his career, with the most recent occurrence being in the 2020 Western Conference Semifinals against the Denver Nuggets.
Though the Spurs were seemingly in control of the series and well on their way to advancing, the Nuggets managed to turn things around and eventually emerged victorious in a thrilling seven-game series.
Popovich’s other two losses were both in the Conference Finals. In 2014, the Spurs were up 3-1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, only to suffer a heartbreaking 7-game defeat. Four years earlier, the Spurs held a 3-1 lead over their rivals and eventual champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, only to lose again in 7 games.
Despite this unfortunate record, Popovich remains one of the most successful coaches in NBA history. He has led the Spurs to five NBA championships and has guided them to the playoffs in all of his 21 seasons with the organization.
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Has any NBA team blew a 3-1 lead?
Yes, several NBA teams have blown a 3-1 series lead in the past. In 2018, the Cleveland Cavaliers became the eighth team to do so, when they lost a 3-1 lead to the Golden State Warriors in the 2018 NBA Finals.
Other teams to blow a 3-1 lead include the 2016 Oklahoma City Thunder, the 2015 Los Angeles Clippers, the 2014 Indiana Pacers and the 2009 Orlando Magic. In 2003, the Sacramento Kings famously lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers, after holding a 3-2 series advantage and a 24-point fourth-quarter lead in Game 6.
The Lakers would go on to win the NBA Championship that year.
Have the Lakers blown a 3-1 lead?
Yes, the Lakers have blown a 3-1 lead. In the 2020 NBA Finals, they had a 3-1 lead against the Miami Heat but ultimately lost the series 4-2. It was an incredible series that saw many ups and downs for both teams throughout.
The Lakers had a strong run during the regular season and the playoffs that led to their 3-1 lead in the Finals, but the Heat made adjustments and surged in the last few games to emerge victorious. It was a heartbreaking loss for the Lakers, but it is a testament to their talent and heart as a team that they were even able to get to a 3-1 lead in the first place.
This was a valuable experience for the Lakers, no doubt, and one that will fuel the team going forward.
What is the biggest blown lead in NBA history?
The biggest blown lead in NBA history occurred during a November 27, 1996 game between the Utah Jazz and the Denver Nuggets in Denver. The Nuggets held a 36-point lead at halftime, having outscored the Jazz by a remarkable 73-37 margin.
However, the Jazz were resilient and put up an astonishing 41 points in the third quarter and 43 points in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Nuggets 84-45 over the second half. Ultimately, Utah mounted a miraculous comeback to win 107-103, for a total defeat of the then-record biggest margin of victory in NBA history.
The Nuggets’ extraordinary collapse would be discussed for years to come, and remains the biggest blown lead in NBA history even today.
What teams have came back from a 3-0 deficit in MLB?
Four teams in Major League Baseball (MLB) have come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series – the 2004 Boston Red Sox, the 2005 San Francisco Giants, the 2020 Tampa Bay Rays, and the 2021 Atlanta Braves.
The 2004 Boston Red Sox came back from a 3-0 deficit against their heated rivals, the New York Yankees, in the American League Championship Series that they eventually went on to win. It is famously known as the “Reversal of the Curse” as the Red Sox had not won a World Series since 1918.
The 2005 San Francisco Giants came back from a 3-0 deficit against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series (NLDS). After losing the first three games, the Giants won the last four games and took the series, 4-3.
The 2020 Tampa Bay Rays faced off against the Houston Astros in the ALDS and found themselves down 3-0 in the series. However, with dominant pitching and enough offense, the Rays managed to overcome the deficit and win the ALDS series, 4-3.
The 2021 Atlanta Braves overcame a 3-0 deficit against the defending World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the NLDS. The Braves were able to win the final four games and advanced to the NLCS to face the San Diego Padres.
Who blew a 3-1 lead in the Finals?
The Golden State Warriors famously blew a 3-1 lead in the 2016 NBA Finals. After winning a record 73 games during the regular-season, the Warriors entered the Finals with a 3-1 lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Building on MVP Stephen Curry’s career year, the Warriors looked like they were well on their way to their second title in three years.
The tables were turned in the final three games, as the Cavs made a historic comeback. Led by star LeBron James, Cleveland put together a historic performance that is still talked about today. The Cavs won games 5 and 6 in Golden State, before emerging victorious at home in Game 7.
It was Cleveland’s first-ever title and is the only time a team has come back from a 3-1 deficit in NBA Finals history. The historic comeback remains one of the most talked-about moments in NBA history.
Which was the only team to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals?
The only team to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals was the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals. They faced off against the 73-win Golden State Warriors, who had the NBA MVP, Stephen Curry, and two other All-Stars in the starting line-up.
Despite the odds being heavily stacked in favor of the Warriors, the Cavaliers went on to win the series 4-3 in seven games. This was the first NBA Championship in the team’s history, and was made all the more remarkable by their remarkable comeback from a seemingly insurmountable 3-1 deficit.
The Cavaliers were led by LeBron James, who averaged a triple-double throughout the entire series and put up a series-high of 27.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game. The other main contributors for the Cavaliers included Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, who provided a huge spark in the backcourt and frontcourt, respectively.
This combination was too difficult for the Warriors to contain, and the Cavaliers eventually won the series in dramatic fashion to capture their first ever NBA Championship.
Who has the biggest comeback win?
Similar to the answer for the biggest come from behind win, the biggest comeback win can vary depending on what sport you are considering. Generally, the biggest comebacks would likely come from any one of the major professional American sports leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL).
In 2018, the Philadelphia Eagles had one of the biggest NFL comebacks after rallying from a 15-point halftime deficit to beat the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII. It was the largest full-game comeback ever in the Super Bowl, and the largest deficit overcome in a championship game in NFL history.
In baseball, the Texas Rangers overcame a five-run deficit in the ninth inning to score seven runs in an extra-innings win over the Toronto Blue Jays in August 2017- the first time in MLB history a team had overcome a five-run ninth-inning deficit to win.
In basketball, the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 deficit in the 2016 NBA Finals to become the first team in league history to win the championship after trailing 3-1 in the series.
In hockey, the largest comeback win in NHL history occurred in 2010 when the Philadelphia Flyers overcame a five-goal deficit in the third period to defeat the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
This was the first playoff game in NHL history in which a team had overcome a five-goal difference.
For other sports with shorter games, such as cricket and rugby, the comebacks tend to be smaller, but still significant.
What is the largest 4th quarter deficit overcome in the NBA?
The largest 4th quarter deficit overcome in the NBA is 28 points. This happened in a 2015 game between the Sacramento Kings and the Utah Jazz. The Kings, who were down by 28 points in the 4th quarter, managed to stage an improbable comeback and win the game 105–99.
Much of the credit for the win went to guard Darren Collison, who scored 20 of his 36 points in the 4th quarter, including the go-ahead three-point shot with 28 seconds left. It was the second-largest comeback in NBA history.
