Both NBA conference series now have teams facing the dreaded 3-1 deficit.
It’s not impossible to come back from, but it can be very difficult to do with a lot of work ahead.
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How rare is a 3-1 comeback in the NBA playoffs?
Since 1968, we have seen 13 teams overcome 3-1 series deficits.
Of course, many fans know the iconic 3-1 comeback led by LeBron James and the Cavs back in 2016, which is the only time a team has done it in the NBA Finals.
Among the 13 times the feat was pulled off, four teams were able to go on to win the NBA Finals.
With this being such a rare feat, it was even more rare to see it happen twice in the same postseason over the last two postseasons that it occurred.
The Nuggets in the 2020 playoffs had pulled off an even more improbable feat, coming back from 3-1 in back-to-back series in the same run, beating the Jazz and Clippers.
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In the last seven times it had happened, coach Doc Rivers had been on the bench for three of the occasions.
If one of the two NBA teams down 3-1 at the moment were to pull the feat off, it would likely be the Knicks.
They’ve had what’s felt like a closer series, despite being down 3-1, than the Timberwolves have had.
The Knicks also have the advantage of having potentially two of of the next three home games in the series if it went seven games, while the Timberwolves would have to win two road games in Game 5 & 7.
Both series could very well be 2-2 if it weren’t for poor execution down the stretch, but they both face a large task ahead that they are going to try and embrace.
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