The odds are very much against the Cleveland Cavaliers in their NBA Finals series against the Golden State Warriors.
The Cavs fell to 0-3 in the series after losing Game 3 on their home court Wednesday, and they’ll look to avoid the sweep Friday for Game 4 at Quicken Loans Arena. But while it’s totally possible LeBron James and Co. still could win a game or two, just three teams in NBA history have ever forced a Game 7 after losing the first three games of a series.
The last time it happened in the Finals was in 1951, when the New York Knicks took the Rochester Royals — yes, it was that long ago — to the brink after losing the first three games, only to lose Game 7. The Denver Nuggets were next, taking the Utah Jazz to Game 7 as a No. 8 seed in the 1994Â Western Conference semifinals, and the Portland Trail Blazers gave the Dallas Mavericks a run for their money in the first round of the 2003Â playoffs. However, the Nuggets and Blazers both lost their Game 7s, too.
Of course, the Cavs did become the first team to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win the 2016 NBA Finals, but it seems unlikely they can stretch their luck into Cavs-Warriors Part 3. Draymond Green’s one-game suspension during last season’s Finals helped set up Cleveland’s run to their first championship, and the Warriors didn’t have Kevin Durant.
So as close as the Cavs may get to another historic comeback, it seems unlikely they’ll be able to win four straight against this Warriors team.
Thumbnail photo via Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports Images
