Know All About Some of The Greatest Comebacks in NBA History

In the NBA, comebacks are revered as one of the most hyped outcomes of any David vs. Goliath matchup. Often at times, teams pull upsets so colossal, it leaves the favorites too stunned to even face the underdog in the next-matchup. The league is filled with stories of such incredible comebacks, some so epic, it would only sound mythical until it's broken in today's day.

In this article, we will talk about games which count as some of the biggest comeback in NBA history. We will discuss some of the games from the heydays of the league, as well as some from the modern era of basketball, which still continues to thrill fans today.

Biggest Comeback in NBA History

There have been only a few times in the NBA that a team has been able to come back from a lead larger than 20 points. However, some of the rarest feats have been when teams are able to overcome a 30-point deficit, counting as some of the largest comebacks in NBA history. Let's deep dive into some of those rare feats achieved by the NBA teams over the years.

#5. Golden State Warriors vs Milwaukee Bucks [31-point comeback on November 27, 1975]

Back in the 1970s, the Golden State Warriors wasn't the force that it is today. On November 27, 1975, the Warriors faced off against the Milwaukee Bucks at the MECCA Arena. In the first quarter, the Dubs put up only 19 points, trailing by as much as 31 points in the stretch. However, things took a turn in the next three quarters.

The Warriors would then go on to score 31, 30, and 32 points in the next three quarters, holding the Bucks to just 14 points in the final quarter. The Dubs were able to squeeze out a narrow comeback, winning by 106-105 margin against the Bucks.

#4. Boston Celtics vs. San Antonio Spurs [32-point comeback on April 30, 2021]

The night of April 30, 2021 was about to turn fateful for the Boston Celtics. Facing against the San Antonio Spurs, the Celtics were down 32 in the second quarter after the Spurs put on a show. But thanks to Jayson Tatum, a comeback was on the books for the Boston Celtics and for Tatum to prove his game.

Tatum scored a career-high 60-points, rallying back the game to tie at 128. In overtime, the Celtics gave a neck-to-neck competition to the Spurs, outscoring them 15-12. This was indeed one of the most thrilling comebacks of recent times in the NBA.

#3. Sacramento Kings vs. Chicago Bulls [35-point comeback on December 21, 2009]

This game was one of the most thrilling ones in the Sacramento Kings' franchise history. On December 21, 2009, the Kings faced the Chicago Bulls but got off to a sluggish start. By the end of the first quarter, Sacramento was 19 points down and by the third quarter, the difference was as much as 35 points.

However, the most interesting part about this matchup was that the Kings had still not overcome the deficit. With just eight minutes to go in the third quarter, the Kings outscored the Bulls 52-19, beating them by a score line of 102-98. Tyreke Evans and future Houston Rockets head-coach Ime Udoka led the scoring with 17 and 23 points each.

#2. Los Angeles Clippers vs. Washington Wizards [35-point comeback on January 25, 2022]

Another one of Los Angeles Clippers' greatest games was against the Washington Wizards on January 25, 2022. By the end of the first half, the Clippers were 66-31 down, one of their largest deficits. However, with efforts from Amir Coffey and Luke Kennard off the bench, LA quickly shoved past the deficit within the next two quarters.

The Clippers obliterated the Wizards defense, scoring 40 points in both third and fourth quarters to seal the deal. Still, the game was still a narrow win, with Kennard completing a four-point play to finish the job. Both Amir Coffey and Luke Kennard put 29 and 25 points each to earn Clippers one of their most exciting wins of all time.

#1. Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets [36-point comeback on November 27, 1996]

On November 27, 1996, the Utah Jazz faced the Denver Nuggets in a game that is still regarded the biggest comeback in NBA history. Though we might be close to seeing this record being broken soon, this game still stands at the top of the perch in the list of best comeback games.

The Denver Nuggets were 5-12 in the league at that time and were facing the 10-2 Utah Jazz. There was a reason why the Jazz were 10-2 in the league at that time. With a slow start for the Jazz, Denver was able to build the lead up to 36 points by the end of the first half. However, with Karl Malone and Jeff Hornacek's efforts, Utah would embark on the greatest comeback in NBA history.

In the third and fourth quarters, the Jazz held the Nuggets to 15 and 18 points, outscoring them 71-33. Malone and Hornacek put up 31 and 29 points respectively, winning by an improbable 107-103 score line. This still remains the largest comeback in league history.