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Also read: 10 Best NBA Finals series of all time
For the fourth consecutive year, the NBA has the same protagonists in the finals: The Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. And once again, the Dubs lead the way 2-0 and look like they will be crowned for the second straight year.
The world of basketball has seen so many rare scenarios, especially in the NBA, and one of those situations is when teams overcome an 0-2 deficit to win a championship.
In fact, only four times that has happened in the finals, but overall, teams that go up 2-0 in a seven-game series are 282-20 in the NBA postseason history.
But here we have a review of those who were able to make the impossible happen in an NBA Finals series, where the odds are against you if you have to come back from being down 0-2.
1. 1968-69 Boston Celtics
This has been one of the biggest upsets in NBA history. The Boston Celtics, the fourth place team in the Eastern Conference that season, beat the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games after losing the first two on the road.
This was the last championship of Bill Russell's career, and the Celtics managed to defeat a team that had Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West on their roster.
West had a tremendous Game 7, ending with a triple-double (42 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists), and he even was named the NBA Finals MVP. As of 2018, he is the only player named the NBA Finals MVP who was on a losing team. This was also the first year that the award was given.
The Celtics won back-to-back titles and became the first team to overcome a 0-2 deficit.
2. 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers
Bill Walton led the Portland Trail Blazers to their first and only NBA championship, surpassing the Philadelphia 76ers in six games after making a surprising comeback.
Walton held Hall of Famers Julius Erving and George McGinnis in intense battles that made Portland the second team ever to win an NBA Finals series after falling behind 0-2.
Walton took the 76ers apart on his way to bringing home the MVP honor and delivering the Trail Blazers what was their first and what is still their only NBA championship.
3. 2005-06 Miami Heat
For the first time since 1971, two teams that had never been in a NBA Finals series before faced each other in one.
This round went to the Miami Heat after they trailed 0-2 to the Dallas Mavericks. In winning the series, they became just the third team to trail 0-2 and still win an NBA Finals series.
Dwyane Wade earned the NBA Finals MVP while he averaged 34.7 points per game and established an NBA Finals record of 21 free throws made in Game 5.
Miami lifted their first trophy by winning four games in a row to win that series.
4. 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the most recent team that rallied from a 0-2 hole, and not only that, but they became the first team in an NBA Finals series to recover from a 1-3 deficit to win the title.
LeBron James commanded Cleveland to a two road triumphs to win the first championship in franchise history.
James was the MVP, and he was the first player in NBA history to lead all players in a playoff series in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He put some superb numbers in the finals with 29.7 points, 11.3 assists and 8.9 rebounds per night on average.
5. 2017-2018 Cleveland Cavaliers?
The Cleveland Cavaliers still have a chance to win this year's NBA championship even though, for third straight year, they are down 0-2 to the Golden State Warriors.
But this year is different from the 2016 NBA Finals series. LeBron James’s team seem to have their heads down after the Game 1 loss due J.R. Smith's blunder, which could be the turning point of this series.
On the other hand, the Warriors appear to be playing at their highest level with Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all at their peak. In addition, Andre Iguodala might be ready for Game 3.
Guess the Lakers players!
