Few things draw so much attention in the sports world like the NBA playoffs. While millions already follow closely the action throughout the regular season, it’s in the postseason when absolutely everyone tunes in.
The 2023 playoffs have given the basketball community plenty to talk about, as so far they have delivered a number of upsets. To say the Conference Finals have been a surprise would be an understatement.
Both the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets were absolutely dominant in the first three games of their respective series, taking a 3-0 lead each. With the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers‘ hopes on the line, many wonder what’s the record of teams losing by three in a series.
Has any NBA team losing 3-0 in the playoffs come back?
Whenever an NBA team is down 3-0 in a playoff series, most fans assume it’s over. We cannot blame them, since no team in NBA history has been able to turn around a series in which they trail 3-0 so far.
The record of teams losing 3-0 in an NBA playoff series is 0-149. So, if you lost the first three games, chances are you’re not making it to the next round. Some teams managed to make it past Game 4, but only a few made it as far as Game 7.
- 91 teams were swept (0-4)
- 44 teams lost in Game 5 (1-4)
- 11 teams lost in Game 6 (2-4)
- 3 teams lost in Game 7 (3-4)
How many NBA teams down 3-0 have forced a Game 7?
The only three teams in NBA history to force a Game 7 after losing 0-3 were the 1951 New York Knicks (vs. Rochester Royals), the 1994 Denver Nuggets (vs. Utah Jazz), and the 2003 Portland Trail Blazers (vs. Dallas Mavericks). However, none of them could win the series.
