NBA Playoffs First Round Could be Historic

The NBA is often labeled as a league that lacks parity. Before the postseason even started you likely heard the self-appointed NBA expert of your office ramble on about how the playoffs are pointless, claiming the commissioner may as well hand the Larry O’Brien Trophy to the Golden State Warriors right away and save the time and effort of playing the games.

But in the midst of a wild first round, three teams are quietly on the verge of making history, and they’re far from the usual suspects.

The Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers don’t feature starry names like Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, but they are making some serious noise right now. All three clubs found themselves in an 0-2 hole to start their respective series and each one has battled back to even things up at two games apiece.

It’s incredibly rare to see this kind of effort. Including those recent victories, NBA teams are 22-254 all-time after trailing 0-2 in a best-of-seven series. Only two squads have accomplished the feat since 2008, and three teams have never done it in the same playoffs, let alone the same round.

I’m not trying to put a jinx on Celtics, Hornets and Blazers fans, but it’s certainly worth noting how impressive these comebacks are. So much for imparity.

Here’s a list of every other franchise that overcame the deficit after going down 2-0.