The Denver Nuggets took a 3-1 lead against the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals following their impressive 108-95 Game 4 win.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are just one win away from becoming NBA champions for the first time in their careers. But can the Miami Heat still make a comeback after trailing 3-1 in the NBA Finals? Well, if history is any indication, it’s possible but unlikely.
As of now, teams that have led 3-1 in the NBA Finals have a 35-1 record. Out of the 35 teams, 18 have won in Game 5, 15 in Game 6, and two in Game 7. Only one team has lost in Game 7, as mentioned earlier.
With that being said, here are the 18 teams who have won in Game 5 after taking a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals:
1949 NBA Finals: Philadelphia Warriors vs. Chicago Stags 4-1
1953 NBA Finals: Minneapolis Lakers vs. New York Knicks 4-1
1956 NBA Finals: Philadelphia Warriors vs. Fort Wayne Pistons 4-1
1961 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs. St. Louis Hawks 4-1
1964 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs. San Francisco Warriors 4-1
1965 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers 4-1
1972 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. New York Knicks 4-1
1973 NBA Finals: New York Knicks vs. Los Angeles Lakers 4-1
1979 NBA Finals: Seattle SuperSonics vs. Washington Bullets 4-1
1990 NBA Finals: Detroit Pistons vs. Portland Trail Blazers 4-1
1991 NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers 4-1
1999 NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs. New York Knicks 4-1
2001 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers 4-1
2004 NBA Finals: Detroit Pistons vs. Los Angeles Lakers 4-1
2009 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Orlando Magic 4-1
2012 NBA Finals: Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1
2014 NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat 4-1
2017 NBA Finals: Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1
Now, let’s take a look at the 15 teams who finished a series in Game 6 after taking a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals:
1948 NBA Finals: Baltimore Bullets vs. Philadelphia Warriors 4-2
1949 NBA Finals: Minneapolis Lakers vs. Washington Capitols 4-2
1950 NBA Finals: Minneapolis Lakers vs. Syracuse Nationals 4-2
1963 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
1967 NBA Finals: Philadelphia 76ers vs. San Francisco Warriors 4-2
1982 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers 4-2
1986 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs. Houston Rockets 4-2
1987 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics 4-2
1993 NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls vs. Phoenix Suns 4-2
1996 NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls vs. Seattle Supersonics 4-2
1998 NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz 4-2
2000 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Indiana Pacers 4-2
2008 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
2019 NBA Finals: Toronto Raptors vs. Golden State Warriors 4-2
2020 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat 4-2
After taking a 3-1 lead, winning in Game 5 is ideal, winning in Game 6 is acceptable, but getting pushed to Game 7 and then winning the series is the least lovable outcome to the NBA Finals. There are only two teams who needed seven games to win the NBA Finals after taking a 3-1 lead.
1951 NBA Finals: Rochester Royals vs. New York Knicks 4-3
1966 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers 4-3
These were the 35 teams that won in the NBA Finals after taking a 3-1 lead. But are there any teams that have lost in the NBA Finals after a 3-1 lead? Well, the answer is yes, the 2016 Golden State Warriors.
2016 NBA Finals: Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers 3-4
Ironically, the Warriors had achieved the best regular season record in NBA history during the 2015-16 season. They finished with a 73-9 record, but it still wasn’t enough to stop LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers from making a historic comeback. James averaged 29.7 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 8.9 APG, 2.6 SPG, and 2.3 BPG during the epic comeback.
To this date, it’s regarded as the biggest failure by Stephen Curry and the Warriors in the NBA. After all, prior to them, no team in NBA history had blown a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.
The Denver Nuggets Have A Chance To Win The NBA Finals In Game 5
Led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murry, the Denver Nuggets currently sit on top of a comfortable 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. They have completely outplayed the Heat in the series so far and can finish the job in Game 5.
Despite that, Jimmy Butler believes the Heat can still win the 2023 NBA Championship. The Nuggets have managed to keep him quiet in the finals so far. Butler is averaging 21.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 6.8 APG in the NBA Finals.
If the Nuggets do not allow him to explode in Game 5 of the series, they will most likely be celebrating their first NBA Championship in franchise history soon.
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