The Celtics discover themselves in a deep gap after dropping consecutive video games at residence to the New York Knicks to start the second spherical – however has Boston ever recovered from a 2-0 sequence deficit?
Issues have gone from unhealthy to worse for the defending champions who discover themselves in an almighty pickle following Wednesday’s Recreation 2 loss by the hands of their Atlantic division rivals.
New York grew to become the primary group in NBA historical past to erase 20-point deficits in back-to-back playoff video games and in a shocking flip of occasions, the Knicks are within the driving seat heading again to Madison Sq. Backyard.
It could be a shock to some that the Celtics are nonetheless odds-on with sportsbooks to win the sequence, however by way of league historical past the chances are actually stacked towards them.
Of the entire 463 playoff sequence which have featured a 2-0 lead, 92.7% (429) went on to win whereas simply 7.3% (34) mounted a profitable comeback.
Have the Celtics ever recovered from a 2-0 sequence deficit?
Sure, the Celtics have – in reality they’re two of the 34 groups to have efficiently recovered from a 2-0 sequence deficit in historical past.
The newest comeback got here in 2017 when Boston went 2-0 all the way down to the Chicago Bulls within the first spherical.
Boston completed as the highest seed within the Japanese Convention that yr for the primary time since 2008 and commenced the sequence on the again foot to the eight seed Bulls.
That marked simply the second event in NBA historical past when a No 1 seed dropped their first two video games towards a No 8 seed.
Jimmy Butler, Dwayne Wade and former Celtic legend Rajon Rondo have been inflicting Boston all kinds of issues because the sequence shifted to the United Middle.
From there, the revival started. Then-head coach Brad Stevens made quite a lot of changes within the beginning lineups and rotations, resulting in an emphatic win on the street in Recreation 3.
5 Celtics completed with double-digit factors as Boston cruised to a 17-point win in Illinois, holding a golden alternative in Recreation 4 to reclaim homecourt benefit.
Led by Isaiah Thomas’ 33 factors and 7 assists, the Celtics levelled up the sequence and took a lead for the primary time in Recreation 5 due to 24 from Thomas and the identical output by Avery Bradley.
Going again to Chicago with an opportunity to place the ultimate nail within the coffin, Boston received by an unbelievable 22 factors and the group superior to the second spherical.
WATCH: Celtics topple Bulls in Recreation 6 to erase 2-0 sequence deficit in 2017
The primary event Boston recovered from a 2-0 sequence gap was in 1969 – on the largest stage of all because the Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers within the NBA Finals.
That sequence is considered one of many best upsets in league historical past as an ageing Celtics overcame the massive three of Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West.
The Celtics solely managed to complete because the No 4 seed within the East that season and their possibilities of even making the finals have been thought-about slim at finest.
Los Angeles received the primary two video games – each of which have been shut encounters at The Discussion board in Inglewood, California. West tallied 53 factors in Recreation 1 and 41 in Recreation 2.
Invoice Russell and John Havlicek led the way in which for Boston because the sequence went again to Massachusetts and the Celtics received proper again in it with two straight wins.
The Lakers took Recreation 5 earlier than the Celtics dominated Recreation 6 as Russell stored Chamberlain quiet all through, scoring simply eight factors and organising a mouthwatering Recreation 7 conflict.
In Recreation 7 on the street the Celtics grew to become the primary group in NBA Finals historical past to beat a 2-0 sequence deficit to win the championship – a feat later achieved by the Portland Path Blazers (1977), Miami Warmth (2006), Cleveland Cavaliers (2016) and Milwaukee Bucks (2021).
Boston additionally grew to become the primary to win a Recreation 7 within the NBA Finals on the street and it marked the ultimate championship of the Russell dynasty.
WATCH: Lakers-Celtics Recreation 7 highlights from the 1969 NBA Finals
For any Celtics followers looking for a little bit of hope because the group appears to be like to bounce again on Saturday night time within the Large Apple, the comeback is much from not possible and has been finished earlier than.
Boston is 1-3 all-time in sequence after dropping the primary two video games at residence, although – so there are nonetheless loads of causes to counsel the outlet they’ve dug themselves could also be too deep to get out of.
The one successful sequence in that state of affairs was towards the Bulls in 2017. The Celtics have been swept by the Bucks in 1983, misplaced in 5 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017 and misplaced in seven to the Miami Warmth in 2023.
Of the 43 street groups who’ve taken a 2-0 sequence lead in NBA historical past, 38 received and 5 misplaced. It’s not over till it’s over, but it surely’s actually an uphill battle.
