List of teams that have come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a playoff series in NBA history

#9 Boston Celtics - 1981 Eastern Conference Finals

Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers 1981 [Credits: Sports Illustrated]

In what is considered to be one of the greatest playoff series in the history of the NBA, the Boston Celtics overcame a 3-1 deficit against the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals.

🗣️"Larry Bird pulls up... and the Celtics lead!"It's Championship Week on @NBCSBoston and the #MyTeams app. Tune in tonight at 8PM to catch Celtics vs 76ers in the 1981 Eastern Conference Finals! #ClassicCeltics📝https://t.co/U1atV3hcGu pic.twitter.com/ccHUrcSu3x

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 18, 2020

Larry Bird and Nate Archibald brought the Celtics back into the series with successive wins. Game 7 was an electric contest that saw Larry Bird take on the great Julius Irving. The Celtics took the game 91-90 and later went on to win the 1981 NBA title.

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#10 Washington Bullets - 1979 Eastern Conference Finals

Bob Dandridge of the 1979 Washington Bullet [Credits: The Score]

In the 1979 Eastern Conference Finals, the Washington Bullers staged an upset by coming back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs.

George Gervin's 42-point effort in Game 7 went in vain as the Bullets led by Elvin Hayes and Bob Dandridge won the game 107-105. The Bullets eventually lost in the NBA Finals to the Seattle Supersonics.

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#11 LA Lakers - 1970 Western Division Semifinals

Jerry West of the 1970 LA Lakers [Credits: NBA]

The 1970 LA Lakers were led by two of greatest players in the history of the NBA, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain. Despite this, they were down 3-1 in the Western Division Semifinals against the Phoenix Suns.

West and Chamberlain took over in Games 5, 6 and 7 and proceeded to rout the Suns and take the series 4-3. The LA Lakers eventually ended up losing the NBA Finals to Willis Reed's New York Knicks.

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#12 Boston Celtics - 1968 Eastern Division Finals

Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers 1968 [Credits: Terra Sports]

In one of the greatest playoff series in NBA history, Bill Russell led the Boston Celtics to an emphatic win over Wilt Chamberlain's Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics were out of sorts in the first few games of the series in the aftermath of the death of Dr. King. They came back in Games 5 and 6 to draw the series level at 3-3

Game 7 saw John Havlicek take over while Russell struggled and the Celtics won the game with a final score of 100-96. The Celtics became the first team in NBA history to recover from a 3-1 deficit, and they went on to beat the LA Lakers and win the NBA title.

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