How many NBA teams have won a playoff series after losing first two games at home?
The Denver Nuggets dropped their first two games of the Western Conference Semifinals, but tied the series at 2-2 before heading into Game 5 at Ball Arena.
Things have stabilized for the Denver Nuggets after a shaky start to the Western Conference Semifinals. They dug themselves into a 2-0 hole after dropping their opening two games of the series at home, and now they have to do something that has only been done a handful of times in the history of the league.
Still an uphill battle for Denver
The defending champions were left against the ropes after getting dominated by the up-and-coming Minnesota Timberwolves in Games 1 and 2. The Nuggets showed they aren’t giving up their title without a fight, winning the next two games on the road to even up the series at 2-2 coming into tonight’s Game 5.
Level at two games a piece, the toughest test may seem like it’s in the rearview as the Nuggets have two of the next three games at home, but history would suggest otherwise. There have only been five teams to ever comeback from an 0-2 hole having lost the opening two games at home.
The first team to do it was the Los Angeles Lakers in 1969. They went down 0-2 to the Golden State Warriors in the Conference Semis, and won the next three games to close out the five games series. It didn’t happen again until 1994 when the Houston Rockets came back on the Phoenix Suns after losing their first two games of the Conference Semis at home. It took seven games to take down the Suns and that would propel them to an NBA Title over the New York Knicks.
The Dallas Mavericks completed the 0-2 comeback in 2004 when they beat the Houston Rockets 4-3 in the first round of the playoffs. Boston joined the list in 2017 when the Bulls beat them at the Garden in the first two games, but would go on take down Chicago by winning the next four games. The LA Clippers were the last team to advance after going down 0-2 at home in 2021. In one of the strangest series we have ever seen, each of the road teams won the first six games, but the Clippers would close out the Mavericks in Game 7 from Dallas to advance to the Conference Semis.
Don’t write us off, says Malone
The Nuggets slow start opened up a flurry of criticism and sudden doubt about the defending champions back to back title run. While people like Charles Barkley were ready to write off Denver, Mike Malone used it channel that doubt into motivation before eventually evening up the series.
“They were quick to write us off, but these guys won a championship a year ago,” he said. “We went into Miami and won two games in a row. This team has been tested time and time again and we’ve found a way to solve whatever’s been thrown at us.”
The Nuggets are back at home for Game 5 on Tuesday night, and have a chance to take back control of the series. The Nuggets have only lost three games at home in their last two playoff appearances. Their only loss in last years title season came in Game 2 of the the NBA Finals, and their other two came at the hands of Minnesota in the first two games of this series.