In the high-stakes world of NBA playoff basketball, a 3-1 series deficit often feels like a death sentence. But for a select few teams, it's merely the setup for an unforgettable comeback story.

While no team has ever erased a 3-0 hole, overcoming a 3-1 deficit—though rare—has been done. In fact, it's happened 13 times in NBA playoff history, with the most dramatic examples coming in recent years.

The Denver Nuggets hold a unique place in this history. During the 2020 NBA Playoffs, they became the first—and still only—team to pull off back-to-back 3-1 comebacks, rallying past the Utah Jazz in the first round and then the LA Clippers in the conference semifinals. It was a gritty, historic run that cemented their reputation as a team that never quits.

The Boston Celtics were the pioneers, overcoming a 3-1 deficit against the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1968 Eastern Division Finals. They rode that momentum all the way to an NBA championship, defeating the Lakers in the Finals.

Since the year 2000, six different teams have joined this exclusive club. But the odds remain daunting: as of April 2026, teams facing a 3-1 deficit have won the series just 13 times out of 299 opportunities—a winning percentage of just 4.3 percent. Even when a Game 7 is forced, the team that originally held the 3-1 lead still wins nearly two-thirds of the time (23-13).

For the fans and players who live for these moments, the message is clear: it's not impossible. And for the teams that have done it, their comebacks are etched into NBA lore—proof that in basketball, the game isn't over until the final buzzer sounds.