List of teams to overcome 3–1 series deficits

The following is the list of teams to overcome 3–1 series deficits. The listed teams won three consecutive games after being down three games to one in a best-of-seven playoff series.

The Chicago Cubs celebrating their victory in the 2016 World Series, which they won in seven games after trailing three games to one

Background

Three major North American professional sports leagues have playoff series that can reach a seventh game: Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the National Hockey League (NHL). In the history of these leagues, teams that were down 3–1 in a series have come back to win the series 56 times; 14 times in MLB, 13 times in the NBA, and 29 times in the NHL. The most recent instance was accomplished by the Los Angeles Dodgers of the MLB in the 2020 National League Championship Series.[1] There have been three instances of a team coming back from a 3–1 deficit in the same postseason; occurring once in the MLB, NBA, and NHL. The most recent instance was by the Denver Nuggets in 2020.

Key

~	Indicates series in the championship round
Eventual champion*	Indicates the winner went on to win the championship

Major League Baseball

Successful comebacks

MLB teams have overcome 3–1 deficits 14 times (including one 3–0 deficit), six of which occurred in the World Series.[2] This does not count the 1903 World Series, during which the Boston Americans (or Puritans, or Pilgrims, depending on your source, and later known as the Red Sox) came back from a 3–1 deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates, five games to three, as that was a best-of-nine series.[3]

Year and series	Won after trailing 1–3	Lost after leading 3–1	Note(s)
1925 World Series~	Pittsburgh Pirates*	Washington Senators	First major North American pro sports team to overcome 3–1 deficit
1958 World Series~	New York Yankees*	Milwaukee Braves	Yankees win games six and seven in Milwaukee.
1968 World Series~	Detroit Tigers*	St. Louis Cardinals	Tigers won games six and seven in St. Louis. Outscored Cardinals 17–2 during those games.
1979 World Series~	Pittsburgh Pirates*	Baltimore Orioles	Pirates won games six and seven in Baltimore.
1985 ALCS	Kansas City Royals*	Toronto Blue Jays	The Royals became the first MLB team to overcome two 3–1 deficits in the same postseason year. First year the LCS became a seven-game series.
1985 World Series~	Kansas City Royals*	St. Louis Cardinals
1986 ALCS	Boston Red Sox	California Angels	Were one strike away from elimination in Game 5. As for the Angels, they were one strike away from clinching the pennant.
1996 NLCS	Atlanta Braves	St. Louis Cardinals	Braves outscored the Cardinals 32–1 over last three games.
2003 NLCS	Florida Marlins*	Chicago Cubs	The Steve Bartman incident in Game 6; went on to win the World Series
2004 ALCS	Boston Red Sox*	New York Yankees	Also overcame 3–0 deficit; went on to win the World Series for first time since 1918
2007 ALCS	Boston Red Sox*	Cleveland Indians	Went on to win the World Series
2012 NLCS	San Francisco Giants*	St. Louis Cardinals	Also overcame 2–0 deficit in the NLDS; went on to win the World Series. St. Louis' fourth blown 3–1 lead in franchise history.
2016 World Series~	Chicago Cubs*	Cleveland Indians	First World Series championship since 1908. Cubs won games six and seven in Cleveland.
2020 NLCS	Los Angeles Dodgers*	Atlanta Braves	Also trailed 2–0 in the series before rallying to win; went on to win the World Series for the first time since 1988. Series was played at a neutral site due to the COVID-19 pandemic with no off-days.

Unsuccessful comebacks

Six other MLB teams have evened the series after being down 3–1 (including one down 3–0), only to lose Game 7.

Year and series	Lost after trailing 1–3	Won after leading 3–1	Note(s)
1912 World Series~	New York Giants	Boston Red Sox*	This was Game 8 was played in Boston following a tie in Game 2 due to darkness. The Giants were leading 2–1 heading to the bottom of tenth inning before Boston rallied to win 3–2, which began with Giants' Fred Snodgrass committing an error in center field on an easy fly ball.
1967 World Series~	Boston Red Sox	St. Louis Cardinals*	Cardinals won game seven in Boston in Bob Gibson's third complete game victory of the Series. Of the five times the Cardinals have been forced into a Game 7 after leading a best-of-seven series 3–1, this is the only time have been victorious in Game 7.
1972 World Series~	Cincinnati Reds	Oakland Athletics*	Athletics won game seven in Cincinnati, becoming the first team ever to win two winner-take-all games in the same year in MLB postseason history.
1992 NLCS	Pittsburgh Pirates	Atlanta Braves	Game seven took place in Atlanta. The Pirates entered the bottom of the ninth leading 2–0, and were still ahead 2–1 and one out away from advancing to the World Series, but lost in the ninth inning courtesy of Francisco Cabrera's two-run single with the bases loaded as the Braves defeated the Pirates in the NLCS in seven games for the second straight year.
2008 ALCS	Boston Red Sox	Tampa Bay Rays	Rays won the first League Championship Series after blowing 3–1 lead since the 1992 Braves, and dethroned the defending champions.
2020 ALCS	Houston Astros	Tampa Bay Rays	Rays also won the League Championship Series after blowing 3–0 lead. Series was played at a neutral site due to the COVID-19 pandemic with no off-days.

National Basketball Association

NBA teams have overcome 3–1 deficits 13 times, only one of which occurred in the NBA Finals.[4] The NBA is the only major North American sport with a seven-game playoffs series where no team has overcome a 3–0 deficit.

Year and series	Won after trailing 1–3	Lost after leading 3–1	Note(s)
1968 Eastern Division Finals	Boston Celtics*	Philadelphia 76ers	The Celtics won two games on the road during the comeback, and also won the NBA Finals.
1970 Western Division Semifinals	Los Angeles Lakers	Phoenix Suns
1979 Eastern Conference Finals	Washington Bullets	San Antonio Spurs
1981 Eastern Conference Finals	Boston Celtics*	Philadelphia 76ers	Won the NBA Finals
1995 Western Conference Semifinals	Houston Rockets*	Phoenix Suns	Won the NBA Finals; second time a team won 2 away games from the 1–3 deficit.
1997 Eastern Conference Semifinals	Miami Heat	New York Knicks	A players' fight in Game 5 resulted in the suspension of several key Knicks players, including Ewing, Houston, and Ward for Game 6, and Starks and Larry Johnson for Game 7 in Miami
2003 Eastern Conference First Round	Detroit Pistons	Orlando Magic	First year the first round expanded to a best-of-seven series.
2006 Western Conference First Round	Phoenix Suns	Los Angeles Lakers
2015 Western Conference Semifinals	Houston Rockets	Los Angeles Clippers	Doc Rivers became first coach to blow multiple 3-1 leads after also coaching the Magic in 2003.
2016 Western Conference Finals	Golden State Warriors	Oklahoma City Thunder	Leandro Barbosa became the first player to be part of multiple 3-1 comebacks after also playing for the Suns in 2006.
2016 NBA Finals	Cleveland Cavaliers*	Golden State Warriors	The first time a 3–1 deficit has been overcome in the NBA Finals; Golden State also had the NBA's best-ever regular season record of 73–9 and were considered heavy favorites to win the title; third time a team won 2 away games from the 1–3 deficit; the Warriors became first NBA team to overcome a 3–1 deficit and then surrender a 3–1 lead in the same playoff year
2020 Western Conference First Round	Denver Nuggets	Utah Jazz	First NBA team to come back from 1–3 deficit back-to-back in a playoff run; fourth team to win two games as the designated road team during the comeback. Second blown 3–1 series lead in Clippers' franchise history and second such blown lead in five years; only the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns have blown two 3–1 series leads (albeit in a much longer time period). Third such blown lead for head coach Doc Rivers.
2020 Western Conference Semifinals	Denver Nuggets	Los Angeles Clippers

National Hockey League

NHL teams have overcome 3–1 deficits 29 times, the most recent instance being accomplished by the San Jose Sharks during the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs.[5] Only one instance has occurred during the Stanley Cup Finals, accomplished in 1942 by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who initially trailed three games to zero.[6]

Year and series	Won after trailing 1–3	Lost after leading 3–1	Note(s)
1942 Stanley Cup Finals~	Toronto Maple Leafs*	Detroit Red Wings	Only time in the Stanley Cup Finals; overcame 3–0 deficit.
1975 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals	New York Islanders	Pittsburgh Penguins	Overcame 3–0 deficit; won 8 games while facing elimination.
1987 Patrick Division Semifinals	New York Islanders	Washington Capitals	First year the opening round was a seven-game series; game 7 was the Easter Epic.
1987 Norris Division Finals	Detroit Red Wings	Toronto Maple Leafs	Trailed 2–0 in the series before coming back to win the series.
1988 Patrick Division Semifinals	Washington Capitals	Philadelphia Flyers	Capitals trailed 3–0 before completing the comeback in OT.
1989 Smythe Division Semifinals	Los Angeles Kings	Edmonton Oilers	Los Angeles dethroned the two-time defending champion Oilers in Wayne Gretzky's first season with LA following the trade between the two teams.
1990 Smythe Division Semifinals	Edmonton Oilers*	Winnipeg Jets	Went on to win the Stanley Cup Finals
1991 Norris Division Semifinals	St. Louis Blues	Detroit Red Wings
1992 Norris Division Semifinals	Detroit Red Wings	Minnesota North Stars	Trailed 2–0 in the series before rallying to win the series.
1992 Smythe Division Semifinals	Vancouver Canucks	Winnipeg Jets
1992 Patrick Division Semifinals	Pittsburgh Penguins*	Washington Capitals	Trailed 2–0 in the series before rallying to win the series and eventually the Stanley Cup.
1994 Western Conference Quarterfinals	Vancouver Canucks	Calgary Flames	The final three games all required overtime (Game 7 needed 2OT)
1995 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals	Pittsburgh Penguins	Washington Capitals	Second time Washington has blown a 3–1 series lead to Pittsburgh.
1998 Western Conference Quarterfinals	Edmonton Oilers	Colorado Avalanche
1999 Western Conference Quarterfinals	St. Louis Blues	Phoenix Coyotes	Third blown 3–1 lead in franchise history; team relocated from Winnipeg in 1996.
2000 Eastern Conference Finals	New Jersey Devils*	Philadelphia Flyers	Won the Stanley Cup Finals
2003 Western Conference Quarterfinals	Minnesota Wild	Colorado Avalanche	First playoff series in Minnesota Wild franchise history.
2003 Western Conference Quarterfinals	Vancouver Canucks	St. Louis Blues
2003 Western Conference Semifinals	Minnesota Wild	Vancouver Canucks	The Wild became first NHL team to overcome two 3–1 deficits in a single playoff year; both teams overcame 3–1 deficits in the Conference Quarterfinals; the Canucks became the first NHL team to comeback from 3–1 deficit and then surrender a 3–1 lead in the same playoff year.
2004 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals	Montreal Canadiens	Boston Bruins	Trailed 2–0 in the series before rallying to win the series.
2009 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals	Washington Capitals	New York Rangers
2010 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals	Montreal Canadiens	Washington Capitals	Capitals' fourth blown 3–1 lead after winning the Presidents' Trophy.
2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals	Philadelphia Flyers	Boston Bruins	Overcame both a 3–0 deficit in the series, and a 3–0 deficit in Game 7.
2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals	Tampa Bay Lightning	Pittsburgh Penguins
2013 Western Conference Semifinals	Chicago Blackhawks*	Detroit Red Wings	Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup Finals. Red Wings' third blown 3–1 series lead.
2014 Western Conference First Round	Los Angeles Kings*	San Jose Sharks	Overcame 3–0 deficit; went on to win the Stanley Cup Finals
2014 Eastern Conference Second Round	New York Rangers	Pittsburgh Penguins	Penguins' third blown 3–1 series lead.
2015 Eastern Conference Second Round	New York Rangers	Washington Capitals	Capitals' fifth blown 3–1 lead in franchise history. Rangers become first team to a overcome 3–1 series deficit to win a series in consecutive years.
2019 Western Conference First Round	San Jose Sharks	Vegas Golden Knights	Overcame 3–0 deficit in third period of game seven

References

Grott, Connor (October 18, 2020). "NLCS: Dodgers beat Braves in Game 7, advance to World Series". UPI.com. UPI. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
Simon, Andrew (October 29, 2016). "From down 3-1, Cubs working on more history". MLB.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
"1903 World Series". MLB.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
"NBA Playoff 3-1 Comebacks". Sports Illustrated. May 18, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
"NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Comebacks". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
Prewitt, Alex (June 9, 2016). "Flying fish, fists and fines: Toronto's epic 0-3 Stanley Cup comeback". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 19, 2020.

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[1] Grott, Connor (October 18, 2020). "NLCS: Dodgers beat Braves in Game 7, advance to World Series". UPI.com. UPI. Retrieved October 19, 2020.

[2] Simon, Andrew (October 29, 2016). "From down 3-1, Cubs working on more history". MLB.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.

[3] "1903 World Series". MLB.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.

[4] "NBA Playoff 3-1 Comebacks". Sports Illustrated. May 18, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2020.

[5] "NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Comebacks". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved October 19, 2020.

[6] Prewitt, Alex (June 9, 2016). "Flying fish, fists and fines: Toronto's epic 0-3 Stanley Cup comeback". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 19, 2020.