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Just when you thought the Atlanta Hawks couldn't impress anymore in the NBA playoffs, Trae Young led his side past the Philadelphia 76ers in game five on Wednesday night despite being down by 26 points in the third quarter.
It was truly a comeback for the ages and proved the grit and scoring options this Hawks side have despite being written off in this series. It also reminded NBA fans how enjoyable the playoffs can be when an underdog pulls off an unbelievable turnaround.
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In this article, we will look at where this Hawks comeback falls into in the greatest lead turnarounds in playoff history and which team tops the list.
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Counting down the NBA's greatest comebacks in playoff history
#5 Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers, 2017
While playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, there wasn't a single team in the Eastern Conference that could advance past LeBron James in the playoffs. A year after their miraculous comeback while down 3-1 against the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals, the Cavs made tough work of their first-round matchup against the Pacers.
Led by superstar Paul George, the Pacers pushed the Cavaliers close in games one and two, losing by just one and six points respectively. In game three in Indiana, however, George's side rushed out to a commanding 25-point lead at half-time before extending that to 26 in the third quarter. But then the NBA's 'King' took over.
LeBron James, as he did so often while in Cleveland, put the team on his back and led them to an improbable 119-114 victory. He scored 28 second-half points, dished out seven assists and grabbed six rebounds while playing every minute.
#4 Atlanta Hawks vs Philadelphia 76ers, 2021
The Atlanta Hawks tied the fourth-best comeback in NBA playoffs history on Wednesday night when they overcame the Philadelphia 76ers. Their win, though, was arguably the most special on this list considering the stature of their opposition.
The Sixers team currently has an NBA MVP runner-up and three All-Defensive Team of the Year members. Yet they still managed to blow a 26-point second-half lead and now trail the Hawks 3-2 in the series as it returns to Atlanta for game six.
After looking so composed on home court and in complete control, the 76ers implosion was remarkable. Doc Rivers' team missed eight free-throws after building their commanding lead, turned the ball over ten times and shot at just 38% from the field. They allowed Trae Young to get hot while Lou Williams came off the bench to do what he does best - creating havoc for the opposition in the clutch and scoring 15 points on 23 minutes.
#3 LA Clippers vs Memphis Grizzlies, 2012
The LA Clippers are not averse to a dramatic comeback win, as we will later discuss. Their victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in game one of the 2011-12 postseason was crucial in their 7-game series as the Clippers later advanced.
On the road in Memphis, the Clippers found themselves down by as many as 20 points after the first quarter and fell 27 behind late in the third quarter. Anything can happen in the playoffs though, which is why it is the most exciting time of the year in the NBA.
In the fourth quarter, the LA Clippers then outscored their opponents by 35 points to 13, which included an 28-3 run. Chris Paul was instrumental in the win, scoring 14 points and dishing out 11 assists while Nick Young hit two important back-to-back threes in the fourth.
#2 LA Lakers vs Seattle Supersonics, 1989
The second-greatest comeback in NBA playoff history came in 1989 when the LA Lakers came back from a 43-14 deficit. They had won the previous two matchups in the Western Conference semi-series but started the game cold, shooting at just 4-20 from the field in the opening quarter.
After a Magic Johnson fuelled team-talk in a timeout, the Lakers turned their fortunes around, going on a 16-0 run in the second quarter to make it an 11-point game at half-time. His teammate, James Worthy, came in clutch to help draw in the lead. The former small forward and Hall of Famer shot 15-19 on the night and finished with 33 points as the Lakers continued to chip away at the lead and eventually secure the win by two points, 97-95.
#1 LA Clippers vs Golden State Warriors, 2019
The greatest comeback win in NBA playoff history and possibly one of the greatest games in postseason basketball came in 2019 in the Western Conference first-round. After winning game one by 17 points, the stacked Golden State Warriors team with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant were up by 31 points in the third quarter as they led the game 94-63. Then the Clippers took over.
Fuelled by bench stars Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, the Clippers outscored the Warriors by 72-37 in the remaining 19 and a half minutes of the game to take home an unthinkable road win.
It's no wonder the Atlanta Hawks were helped late in their game on Wednesday by not only Lou Williams on their team, but Danilo Gallinari as well - both survivors of this Clippers side. The two combined for 60 points in this historic comeback win. It's certainly worth another watch.
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