Bruised and bloodied, the Chicago Bulls have no chance of overcoming a 3-1 deficit against LeBron James and the Miami Heat, right?
Right?
Well, don’t be so sure. Some pretty good players have been on the wrong end of 3-1 comebacks in the playoffs. Guys like Kobe Bryant. Patrick Ewing. Julius Erving. Charles Barkley. George Gervin. Jerry West. And Wilt Chamberlain.
And Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant and New York’s Carmelo Anthony don’t have enough help to overcome a 3-1 deficit and win their respective series, right?
Right?
Don’t be too sure about that, either. Some pretty nondescript players have helped engineer 3-1 comebacks in the playoffs. Guys like Tim Thomas. Isaac Austin. And Mario Elie.
It hasn’t happened in seven years. But it has happened – eight times, to be exact.
Here’s a rundown of all eight, with some accompanying video.
2006 Phoenix Suns, West first round, Los Angeles Lakers: The Suns found themselves in a 3-1 hole when Steve Nash was mauled for a jump ball at the end of Game 4 and Kobe Bryant – flying solo at the time – drilled a buzzer jumper to give the Lakers an OT win. Phoenix won Game 5 at home, then withstood 50 points by Bryant in Game 6, forcing overtime on a 3-pointer by Tim Thomas and pulling away in the extra session.
Criticized for shooting too much, Bryant decided to try and get his teammates involved in Game 7 in Phoenix. The results were disastrous as the Suns bolted to a 32-15 lead after one period. Bryant scored 18 points in the second quarter, but the Lakers got no closer than nine points. He took just two shots in the third quarter, when the Suns turned it into a blowout and eventually won, 121-90. It was the first time a team coached by Phil Jackson was eliminated in the first round.