The San Antonio Spurs are staring up at a 2-0 deficit in the 2026 NBA Finals heading into Monday’s Game 3 at Madison Square Garden.

Not only are star Victor Wembanyama and his young teammates facing a ravenous New York Knicks team and fan base, they enter the game knowing no team has ever come back from a 3-0 hole in an NBA playoffs series.

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In fact, only five teams have done what the Spurs are attempting to accomplish by overcoming a 2-0 deficit in NBA Finals and climbing all the way back to win the title.

And, not to dash all hope in south Texas, no team has ever rebounded after losing the first two games at home like the Spurs did.

Below is a ranking, from No. 5 to No. 1, of the five teams to bounce back from a 2-0 hole, looking at the degree of difficulty, context, star power and legacy impact.

2016 Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2016 title is often remembered for the 3-1 deficit, but the Cavs first had to dig out of a 2-0 deficit after getting blitzed at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors won the first two games by a combined 48 points. Meanwhile, the Warriors had just finished a 73-win regular season that rewrote the record book.

LeBron James responded with one of the most complete Finals runs the league has seen, averaging 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game while leading Cleveland back into the series. Kyrie Irving’s big shot in Game 7 and James’ chase-down block on Andre Iguodala turned into permanent fixtures of June highlight reels.

This comeback ranks fifth because the Cavaliers did most of their damage after falling to 3-1 rather than immediately after 2-0. Golden State’s depth and shooting defined the early portion of the series. Cleveland needed Draymond Green’s Game 5 suspension plus a wholesale defensive reset to swing momentum. The full arc is historic, but the specific 2-0 climb was just the first step in a larger, more famous rally.

1969 Boston Celtics

The 1969 NBA Finals delivered the final championship of Boston’s Bill Russell-era dynasty, and for once the Celtics had to play from behind. The Los Angeles Lakers, led by Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, jumped to a 2-0 series lead and looked ready to knock Boston off the throne.

Russell and an aging Celtics core slogged through a long season, and most observers assumed their run was over. Instead, Boston tightened the rotation, leaned into its defensive identity and slowed the series. They clawed back to even the series and forced a Game 7 in Los Angeles, where the famous purple-and-gold balloons in the Forum rafters waited for a celebration that never came.

This comeback lands fourth because, while it was a significant reversal against a loaded Lakers roster, it fit the broader pattern of that era’s Celtics teams outexecuting opponents in close games. West still took Finals MVP by averaging 37.9 points per game in a losing effort. But Boston’s ability to erase a 2-0 deficit on the road cemented a final chapter for the dynasty. The overall talent gap and style of play kept this series from having the same shock factor as some of the modern comebacks.

1977 Portland Trail Blazers

The 1977 Portland Trail Blazers were underdogs in name, market size and playoff experience. Still, they climbed out of an 0-2 hole against a star-studded Philadelphia 76ers team to win the franchise’s only title to date.

Philadelphia, featuring Julius Erving, Doug Collins and a deep roster, took control early with two home wins. Portland responded with Finals MVP Bill Walton anchoring both ends of the floor, controlling the glass, orchestrating from the high post and protecting the rim. The Blazers ripped off four straight wins to take the series. They turned the Finals into a showcase for how a balanced, motion-heavy offense and rugged team defense could topple a more talented opponent.

This comeback earns the third spot because Portland did not just erase the deficit; they completely flipped the series’ identity. The Blazers’ run accelerated Walton’s brief peak as a centerpiece big man and gave the franchise a defining moment that still stands nearly half a century later. For a young team in its first Finals appearance, shifting from overwhelmed to fully in control against a veteran group made the 0-2 rally especially striking.

2021 Milwaukee Bucks

The 2021 Milwaukee Bucks opened the NBA Finals down 2-0 to a Phoenix Suns team that had just rolled through the Western Conference behind Chris Paul and Devin Booker. Phoenix protected home court in Games 1 and 2, winning both by double digits. That put Milwaukee under pressure as questions swirled about young star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s health after he suffered a hyperextended knee in the previous round.

Back in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo delivered a 41-point performance in Game 3 and anchored the defense. The Bucks adjusted by switching more pick-and-rolls, tightening their rotation and giving Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton more on-ball responsibility. Those tweaks, combined with Antetokounmpo’s rim pressure, turned the series.

Milwaukee won four straight games to close out the series, punctuated by Antetokounmpo’s 50-point, 14-rebound masterpiece in Game 6 and the now-iconic “Valley-Oop” finish in Game 5. This comeback ranks second because the Bucks not only erased a 2-0 deficit, they did it while their best player was playing through a recent injury and while facing a team that had controlled the early pace of the series.

2006 Miami Heat

The 2006 Miami Heat sit at the top of the list because their turnaround from 0-2 to champions felt like a movie that unfolded in real time. The Dallas Mavericks broke Miami in the first two games, winning by a combined 24 points and pushing the Heat’s veteran core to the verge of collapse.

Dwyane Wade then authored one of the most dominant stretches any guard has ever had on the Finals stage. Over the final four games, the Finals MVP averaged 39.3 points per contest and lived at the free-throw line, constantly attacking and forcing Dallas to react. Miami ripped off four straight wins, with Wade’s shot-making and an experienced supporting cast flipping the series’ tone overnight.

This comeback tops the rankings because of the volatility and consequence tied to it. The Heat were chasing the first title in franchise history, Wade was establishing himself as a true leading star, and the Mavericks were trying to validate years of regular-season success. The shift from 0-2 to a 4-2 finish cemented Wade’s legacy, reshaped how people viewed the Heat’s roster construction and left Dallas with questions that lingered until the franchise finally broke through later.