NBA

Here’s how many times a 3-1 comeback has happened in NBA Playoffs history

In Game 4 of the teams’ First-Round series, the Lakers left themselves with a mountain to climb by losing to the Timberwolves.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea

William Allen

British journalist and translator who joined Diario AS in 2013. Focuses on soccer – chiefly the Premier League, LaLiga, the Champions League, the Liga MX and MLS. On occasion, also covers American sports, general news and entertainment. Fascinated by the language of sport – particularly the under-appreciated art of translating cliché-speak.

Update: Apr 27th, 2025 19:09 EDT

After suffering a second straight defeat in their First-Round NBA Playoffs series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Los Angeles Lakers have been left with a deficit that few teams have ever managed to overturn.

J.J. Redick’s men trail 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, after Anthony Edwards’ 43-point display led Minnesota to a 116-113 victory in Game 4 in Minneapolis tonight.

Here’s how many times a 3-1 comeback has happened in NBA Playoffs history — Anthony Edwards starred in the Timberwolves' Game 4 win over the Lakers.DAVID BERDING

How many teams have come back from 3-1 in the NBA postseason?

The Lakers now need to pull off a series comeback that has only happened 13 times previously in the NBA Playoffs.

What’s more, it’s a deficit that the Lakers themselves have turned around only once in franchise history - in a Western Division Semi-Final series against the Phoenix Suns more than half a century ago.

The most recent NBA team to achieve such a feat was the Denver Nuggets, in the 2020 postseason.

The Nuggets overhauled the Los Angeles Clippers to progress from the Western Conference Semi-Finals - having also come back from 3-1 down against the Utah Jazz in that year’s First Round.

Which teams have come back from 3-1 in the NBA Playoffs? The full list:

2020 Conference Semi-Finals: Nuggets vs Clippers
2020 First Round: Nuggets vs Jazz
2016 Finals: Cavaliers vs Warriors
2016 Conference Finals: Warriors vs Thunder
2015 Conference Semi-Finals: Rockets vs Clippers
2006 First Round: Suns vs Lakers
2003 First Round: Pistons vs Magic
1997 Conference Semi-Finals: Heat vs Knicks
1995 Conference Semi-Finals: Rockets vs Suns
1981 Conference Finals: 76ers vs Celtics
1979 Conference Finals: Spurs vs Bullets
1970 Division Semi-Finals: Lakers vs Suns
1968 Division Finals: 76ers vs Celtics

Source: BetMGM

Timberwolves vs Lakers: when is Game 5 and how to watch?

In Game 5, the Los Angeles Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, April 30, with tip-off at Crypto.com Arena scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Viewers in the U.S. can watch Game 5 on TNT/TruTV, while your streaming options include the online platform fubo, which offers a free trial.

You can also follow live-text coverage of the Timberwolves vs the Lakers right here at AS USA.

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