The New York Knicks made history with the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history on June 10
Credit: Al Bello/Getty; Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Teams across the world have caused major upsets and last-second comebacks throughout sports history
- From the 2017 Super Bowl to the 2026 NBA Finals, there are a few teams that have made history with their championship wins
- The New York Knicks broke the record for the largest comeback in NBA Finals history on June 10
While there are too many sports upsets to name, there are only a handful of major championship comebacks in sports history.
Each year, teams compete across the world for the chance to play in their respective championship — including the Super Bowl, World Series and NBA Finals. While some championships consist of just one game — like the FIFA World Cup Final and the Super Bowl — others are played out over a series — such as the World Series and the NHL Stanley Cup.
Although there have been hundreds of close calls and nail-biters, there have been some comebacks that feel like a movie come to life.
On June 10, the New York Knicks made history during game 4 of the NBA Finals when they came back from a 27-point deficit at halftime and won by one point to take the series 3-1.
Here are some of the biggest comeback stories in sports history.
01 of 05
The 2004 Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees American League Championship Series
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When baseball fans think of sports comebacks, the 2004 American League Champion Series (ALCS) is the first thing that comes to mind.
Longtime rivals the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox faced off to see who would compete in the World Series after the Yankees won in the same matchup the year prior, 4-3. The 2004 series initially seemed to be favoring the Yankees, who won the first three games and just needed one more to head to the World Series for the second year in a row.
For the majority of the fourth game, the Yankees appeared to keep the streak going, but that all changed in the ninth inning when the Red Sox tied and later won in extra innings. The Red Sox went on to win the following three games — including a 14th inning walk-off in game 5, Curt Schilling's famed bloody sock in game 6 and a shocking blowout in the final game.
The Red Sox clinched the series 4-3 and went on to win the 2004 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
In addition to becoming the first and only team in MLB history to come back from a 3-0 deficit and win, the Red Sox also made history by finally ending their superstitious Curse of the Bambino after 86 years.
02 of 05
The 2005 UEFA Champions League Final, a.k.a. the "Miracle of Istanbul"
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Each year, the Union of European Football Associations Champions League Final leaves European countries divided as they root for their respective teams.
After winning a dozen matches over the course of the tournament, AC Milan and Liverpool Football Club advanced to the Champions League Final on May 25, 2005.
The two clubs competed in Istanbul in hopes of taking home the title. Prior to the game, Milan were favored to win because it was their second time in the finals in three year, while Liverpool had last appeared in 1985.
Before halftime, Milan pulled ahead and had a significant 3-0 lead. Although Liverpool faced a significant deficit, they didn't let it get them down and scored three goals — from Steven Gerrard, Vladimír Šmicer and Xabi Alonso — in the second half and prevented Milan from scoring.
The match went to extra time and eventually resulted in a penalty shoot-out. Milan ended up scoring 2 goals, while Liverpool scored 3. Liverpool won the competition and took home their fifth European Cup title.
The final made history as one of the most significant soccer comebacks of all time and was even given the nickname, the "Miracle of Istanbul."
03 of 05
The Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals
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The Cleveland Cavaliers made basketball history when they defeated the Golden State Warriors in game 7 in the 2016 NBA Finals.
The series marked a significant moment in time, since it was a rematch from the year prior when the Warriors won the championship.
In addition to it being the second year in a row to feature both teams, the series was also noteworthy because the Warriors had had the greatest regular-season performance in NBA history with a 73-9 record.
After the first four games in the Finals, the Warriors were leading the series 3-1. The underdog Cavaliers — led by the "Big Three" LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love — shattered that record and won the following three games.
The 4-3 Cavaliers win marked the first time in the NBA that a team had overcome a 3-1 deficit in the Finals — as well as bringing the title to Cleveland for the first time ever.
04 of 05
The New England Patriots vs. the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI
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Unlike some of the other sports competitions, the NFL championship comes down to just one game, the annual Super Bowl.
On Feb. 5, 2017, the New England Patriots went head-to-head with the Atlanta Falcons for Super Bowl LI. Even though the Patriots were slightly favored to win, they were losing by 18 points in a 21-3 score at halftime and increased the deficit to 25 points in the third quarter.
The Patriots' luck began to turn around in the third quarter when quarterback Tom Brady threw a touchdown to make the score 28-9. Then, the Patriots soared in the fourth quarter and went on to tie the score at 28-28 with just seconds left in regulation.
The game went to overtime, and the Patriots scored a touchdown after getting the kickoff, winning the game 34-28.
Super Bowl LI broke more than two dozen records for both individual players — including Brady — and the team. The game also marked the largest deficit that a team overcame to win the Super Bowl, as well as the first Super Bowl won in overtime.
05 of 05
The New York Knicks in game 4 of the NBA Finals
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Most recently, the New York Knicks made NBA history with the largest Finals comeback of all time.
The Knicks led the series 2-1 but were coming off a home game loss when they faced off against the San Antonio Spurs for game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals. The first two quarters looked bleak for the team, as they were down by nearly 30 points at various points.
By halftime, the Spurs led the Knicks 76-49, and they continued to have a significant lead with 90-75 at the end of the third quarter.
However, the Knicks —led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns — clawed their way back in the fourth quarter when they took the lead for the first time in the game. With just a few seconds remaining, Brunson attempted a 3-point shot, and when it bounced off the rim, OG Anunoby tipped the ball into the hoop, clinching the game-winning shot.
The game marked the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history.
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