Losing Games One and Two at Home

The New York Knicks and Miami Heat both dropped the opening game of their Eastern Conference Semifinals set against the Pacers and Bulls, respectively. Over the next two nights, the East's top two seeds must win to avoid being the 27th and 28th NBA teams to lose the first two games of a playoff series at home.

How have the other 26 fared? Only four teams came back to win the series:

Year	Round	Road	Home	Result
2011	West Semis	Dallas Mavericks	Los Angeles Lakers	Dallas Mavericks 4-0
2010	East Finals	Boston Celtics	Orlando Magic	Boston Celtics 4-2
2008	West First	Utah Jazz	Houston Rockets	Utah Jazz 4-2
2005	West First	Houston Rockets	Dallas Mavericks	Dallas Mavericks 4-3
2003	East Finals	New Jersey Nets	Detroit Pistons	New Jersey Nets 4-0
2001	West Finals	Los Angeles Lakers	San Antonio Spurs	Los Angeles Lakers 4-0
2001	East First	Charlotte Hornets	Miami Heat	Charlotte Hornets 3-0
1999	East Semis	New York Knicks	Atlanta Hawks	New York Knicks 4-0
1996	East First	New York Knicks	Cleveland Cavaliers	New York Knicks 3-0
1995	Finals	Houston Rockets	Orlando Magic	Houston Rockets 4-0
1995	West Finals	Houston Rockets	San Antonio Spurs	Houston Rockets 4-2
1994	West Semis	Phoenix Suns	Houston Rockets	Houston Rockets 4-3
1994	East First	Indiana Pacers	Orlando Magic	Indiana Pacers 3-0
1993	Finals	Chicago Bulls	Phoenix Suns	Chicago Bulls 4-2
1993	West First	Los Angeles Lakers	Phoenix Suns	Phoenix Suns 3-2
1991	East First	Philadelphia 76ers	Milwaukee Bucks	Philadelphia 76ers 3-0
1989	West First	Golden State Warriors	Utah Jazz	Golden State Warriors 3-0
1987	West Semis	Seattle Supersonics	Houston Rockets	Seattle Supersonics 4-2
1985	East Semis	Philadelphia 76ers	Milwaukee Bucks	Philadelphia 76ers 4-0
1984	East First	New Jersey Nets	Philadelphia 76ers	New Jersey Nets 3-2
1983	East Semis	Milwaukee Bucks	Boston Celtics	Milwaukee Bucks 4-0
1977	West Finals	Portland Trail Blazers	Los Angeles Lakers	Portland Trail Blazers 4-0
1970	West Finals	Los Angeles Lakers	Atlanta Hawks	Los Angeles Lakers 4-0
1969	West Semis	San Francisco Warriors	Los Angeles Lakers	Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
1966	West Semis	St. Louis Hawks	Baltimore Bullets	St. Louis Hawks 3-0
1947	Semis	Chicago Stags	Washington Capitols	Chicago Stags 4-2

I've included the eight series that were best-of-five, of which six ended in sweeps. The 1984 Nets/Sixers series featured five road wins as New Jersey avoided a collapse. The 1993 Suns lost the first two at home in their first-round series, only to win two in L.A. plus the decisive fifth game in Phoenix for the comeback.

Of the remaining 18 series that were best-of-seven, exactly half resulted in a four-game sweep. All of the other nine teams that managed to win a game on the road were able to extend the series to a sixth game, but six of them lost there.

The 1969 Lakers, 1994 Rockets and 2005 Mavericks are the only three teams to lose the first two games of a best-of-seven series at home and bounce back to advance. I think both Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James will lead their teams to home victories in Game Two, but if they don't, they will be facing a tall task moving forward. 

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After losing a pair in L.A., Jerry West led the '69 Lakers to four straight victories over the Warriors by an average of 17 points. They made it to the Finals before losing at home in Game Seven to the Celtics*.

* The famous story surrounding that seventh game is that Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke ordered championship balloons to be dropped from the rafters upon winning the game. Boston player/coach Bill Russell told West before the game, "those f*cking balloons are staying up there." West put up a 42-13-12 line for a triple double, but it wasn't enough as Russell and the Celtics won 108-106 for their 11th title in 13 years. The 1969 Celtics and 1978 Bullets are the only teams to win Game Seven of the Finals on the road. With a 38 ppg average, West took home MVP honors, the only player from the losing team to do so.

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In their 1994 second-round series against the Suns, the Rockets lost the first two games in Houston. Hakeem Olajuwon averaged 25 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Rockets to three straight wins, but the Suns took Game Six. In the seventh game, Olajuwon poured in 37 points, grabbed 17 boards, dished out five assists and blocked three shots to finish the comeback. They reached the Finals, where they outlasted the Knicks in seven games to clinch the first of back-to-back championships.

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In 2005, the Mavericks fell to the Rockets in Dallas twice before taking two in Houston to even the series. They won again in Game Five, but missed a chance to clinch on the road as Tracy McGrady and the Rockets forced a seventh game. Jason Terry scored 31 points to lead the Mavs to a 116-76 thrashing that was the biggest Game Seven blowout in NBA history. Dallas lost in the next round to the Suns 4-2.




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Here's the same list for the baseball postseason:

Year	Round	Road	Home	Result
2012	ALCS	Detroit Tigers	New York Yankees	Detroit Tigers 4-0
2012	NLDS	Cincinnati Reds	San Francisco Giants	San Francisco Giants 3-2
2010	ALDS	New York Yankees	Minnesota Twins	New York Yankees 3-0
2010	ALDS	Texas Rangers	Tampa Bay Rays	Texas Rangers 3-2
2008	NLDS	Los Angeles Dodgers	Chicago Cubs	Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0
2008	ALDS	Boston Red Sox	Los Angeles Angels	Boston Red Sox 3-0
2007	NLCS	Colorado Rockies	Arizona Diamondbacks	Colorado Rockies 4-0
2007	NLDS	Colorado Rockies	Philadelphia Phillies	Colorado Rockies 3-0
2006	ALCS	Detroit Tigers	Oakland Athletics	Detroit Tigers 4-0
2006	ALDS	Oakland Athletics	Minnesota Twins	Oakland Athletics 3-0
2006	NLDS	St. Louis Cardinals	San Diego Padres	St. Louis Cardinals 3-1
2004	ALDS	Boston Red Sox	Los Angeles Angels	Boston Red Sox 3-0
2002	NLCS	San Francisco Giants	St. Louis Cardinals	San Francisco Giants 4-1
2002	NLDS	St. Louis Cardinals	Arizona Diamondbacks	St. Louis Cardinals 3-0
2001	ALCS	New York Yankees	Seattle Mariners	New York Yankees 4-1
2001	ALDS	Oakland Athletics	New York Yankees	New York Yankees 3-2
2001	NLDS	Atlanta Braves	Houston Astros	Atlanta Braves 3-0
2000	NLCS	New York Mets	St. Louis Cardinals	New York Mets 4-1
2000	ALDS	Seattle Mariners	Chicago White Sox	Seattle Mariners 3-0
1999	World Series	New York Yankees	Atlanta Braves	New York Yankees 4-0
1998	NLCS	San Diego Padres	Atlanta Braves	San Diego Padres 4-2
1997	ALDS	Baltimore Orioles	Seattle Mariners	Baltimore Orioles 3-1
1996	World Series	Atlanta Braves	New York Yankees	New York Yankees 4-2
1996	NLDS	Atlanta Braves	Los Angeles Dodgers	Atlanta Braves 3-0
1995	NLCS	Atlanta Braves	Cincinnati Reds	Atlanta Braves 4-0
1995	NLDS	Atlanta Braves	Colorado Rockies	Atlanta Braves 3-1
1993	ALCS	Toronto Blue Jays	Chicago White Sox	Toronto Blue Jays 4-2
1990	ALCS	Oakland Athletics	Boston Red Sox	Oakland Athletics 4-0
1988	ALCS	Oakland Athletics	Boston Red Sox	Oakland Athletics 4-0
1986	World Series	Boston Red Sox	New York Mets	New York Mets 4-3
1985	World Series	St. Louis Cardinals	Kansas City Royals	Kansas City Royals 4-3
1984	ALCS	Detroit Tigers	Kansas City Royals	Detroit Tigers 3-0
1981	ALDS	New York Yankees	Milwaukee Brewers	New York Yankees 3-2
1981	ALDS	Oakland Athletics	Kansas City Royals	Oakland Athletics 3-0
1979	NLCS	Pittsburgh Pirates	Cincinnati Reds	Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0
1978	NLCS	Los Angeles Dodgers	Philadelphia Phillies	Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1
1976	NLCS	Cincinnati Reds	Philadelphia Phillies	Cincinnati Reds 3-0
1974	NLCS	Los Angeles Dodgers	Pittsburgh Pirates	Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1
1972	World Series	Oakland Athletics	Cincinnati Reds	Oakland Athletics 4-3
1970	World Series	Baltimore Orioles	Cincinnati Reds	Baltimore Orioles 4-1
1970	ALCS	Baltimore Orioles	Minnesota Twins	Baltimore Orioles 3-0
1970	NLCS	Cincinnati Reds	Pittsburgh Pirates	Cincinnati Reds 3-0
1969	NLCS	New York Mets	Atlanta Braves	New York Mets 3-0
1966	World Series	Baltimore Orioles	Los Angeles Dodgers	Baltimore Orioles 4-0
1963	World Series	Los Angeles Dodgers	New York Yankees	Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0
1950	World Series	New York Yankees	Philadelphia Phillies	New York Yankees 4-0
1938	World Series	New York Yankees	Chicago Cubs	New York Yankees 4-0
1929	World Series	Philadelphia Athletics	Chicago Cubs	Philadelphia Athletics 4-1
1927	World Series	New York Yankees	Pittsburgh Pirates	New York Yankees 4-0
1914	World Series	Boston Braves	Philadelphia Athletics	Boston Braves 4-0
1913	World Series	Philadelphia Athletics	New York Giants	Philadelphia Athletics 4-1

Taking a 2-0 lead on the road is much more prevalent in baseball because most postseason series did not have home-field advantage determined by best record. For the World Series and much of the League Championship Series, HFA simply rotated by league or division. The top teams often opened a series on the road. Still, the 0-2 road comeback is awfully difficult, with two pulling it off in a best-of-five LDS and three in the best-of-seven World Series.

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The defending champion Braves beat down the Yankees in the Bronx to take a 2-0 lead back to Atlanta. Joe Torre tried to calm George Steinbrenner by assuring that they would win three straight there and come back home to clinch in Game Six. That's exactly what happened as New York won four in a row as the 1969 Lakers did.

Joe Girardi's RBI triple (59:55 mark of video):



Charlie Hayes records the final out (2:36:11 mark of video):

 


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In 1986, the powerhouse 108-win Mets were surprised by two Red Sox victories in New York. They pulled out two wins in Boston to set up Game Six at Shea Stadium. Well, we all know what happened then (3:29:05 mark of video):

And Mookie Wilson's grounder (3:30:44 mark of video):



The Sox actually led 3-0 in the sixth inning of Game Seven, but the Mets inevitably stormed back to win the championship.

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The 1985 Royals came back from 3-1 deficits in both the ALCS and the World Series. In the Fall Classic, after losing two in KC to the Cardinals, Bret Saberhagen saved the season with a shutout victory in Game Three. They lost Game Four, but were able to take the next game to send everyone back to Kansas City for Game Six.

The Cardinals held a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the ninth and were three outs away from clinching the title, but then this happened: (1:33:13 mark of video)




It was a badly missed call that put the tying run aboard instead of being the first out of the inning. However, St. Louis responded by completely falling apart. A missed foul pop, a single and a passed ball helped load the bases for Dane Iorg: (2:25:10 mark of video)




The Royals blasted the Cards the next night in Game Seven, 11-0 to complete the comeback. (2:18:25 mark of video)

 


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Finally, the same list for the hockey postseason:

Year	Round	Road	Home	Result
2013 2013 2012	Conference Final Conference Quarters Stanley Cup Finals	Boston Bruins San Jose Sharks Los Angeles Kings	Pittsburgh Penguins Vancouver Canucks New Jersey Devils	??? San Jose Sharks 4-0 Los Angeles Kings 4-2
2012	Conference Final	Los Angeles Kings	Phoenix Coyotes	Los Angeles Kings 4-1
2012	Conference Semis	Los Angeles Kings	St. Louis Blues	Los Angeles Kings 4-0
2012	Conference Quarters	Los Angeles Kings	Vancouver Canucks	Los Angeles Kings 4-1
2012	Conference Quarters	Philadelphia Flyers	Pittsburgh Penguins	Philadelphia Flyers 4-2
2011	Conference Semis	Tampa Bay Lightning	Washington Capitals	Tampa Bay Lightning 4-0
2011	Conference Semis	Boston Bruins	Philadelphia Flyers	Boston Bruins 4-0
2011	Conference Quarters	Montreal Canadiens	Boston Bruins	Boston Bruins 4-3
2010	Conference Final	Chicago Blackhawks	San Jose Sharks	Chicago Blackhawks 4-0
2009	Conference Quarters	Anaheim Ducks	San Jose Sharks	Anaheim Ducks 4-2
2009	Conference Quarters	New York Rangers	Washington Capitals	Washington Capitals 4-3
2008	Conference Semis	Dallas Stars	San Jose Sharks	Dallas Stars 4-2
2008	Conference Quarters	Dallas Stars	Anaheim Ducks	Dallas Stars 4-2
2008	Conference Quarters	New York Rangers	New Jersey Devils	New York Rangers 4-1
2007	Conference Final	Ottawa Senators	Buffalo Sabres	Ottawa Senators 4-1
2007	Conference Quarters	New York Rangers	Atlanta Thrashers	New York Rangers 4-0
2006	Conference Final	Edmonton Oilers	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	Edmonton Oilers 4-1
2006	Conference Semis	Buffalo Sabres	Ottawa Senators	Buffalo Sabres 4-1
2006	Conference Quarters	Colorado Avalanche	Dallas Stars	Colorado Avalanche 4-1
2006	Conference Quarters	Montreal Canadiens	Carolina Hurricanes	Carolina Hurricanes 4-2
2004	Conference Final	Calgary Flames	San Jose Sharks	Calgary Flames 4-2
2003	Conference Final	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	Minnesota North Stars	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 4-0
2003	Conference Semis	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	Dallas Stars	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 4-2
2003	Conference Quarters	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	Detroit Red Wings	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 4-0
2003	Conference Quarters	Washington Capitals	Tampa Bay Lightning	Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2
2002	Conference Quarters	Vancouver Canucks	Detroit Red Wings	Detroit Red Wings 4-2
2001	Conference Semis	St. Louis Blues	Dallas Stars	St. Louis Blues 4-0
2001	Conference Semis	Pittsburgh Penguins	Buffalo Sabres	Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3
2001	Conference Quarters	Buffalo Sabres	Philadelphia Flyers	Buffalo Sabres 4-2
2001	Conference Quarters	Toronto Maple Leafs	Ottawa Senators	Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0
2000	Conference Semis	Pittsburgh Penguins	Philadelphia Flyers	Philadelphia Flyers 4-2
1999	Conference Semis	Detroit Red Wings	Colorado Avalanche	Colorado Avalanche 4-2
1999	Conference Quarters	Colorado Avalanche	San Jose Sharks	Colorado Avalanche 4-2
1999	Conference Quarters	Buffalo Sabres	Ottawa Senators	Buffalo Sabres 4-0
1997	Stanley Cup Finals	Detroit Red Wings	Philadelphia Flyers	Detroit Red Wings 4-0
1997	Conference Semis	Philadelphia Flyers	Buffalo Sabres	Philadelphia Flyers 4-1
1996	Conference Final	Colorado Avalanche	Detroit Red Wings	Colorado Avalanche 4-2
1996	Conference Quarters	Washington Capitals	Pittsburgh Penguins	Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2
1996	Conference Quarters	Montreal Canadiens	New York Rangers	New York Rangers 4-2
1995	Stanley Cup Finals	New Jersey Devils	Detroit Red Wings	New Jersey Devils 4-0
1995	Conference Final	New Jersey Devils	Philadelphia Flyers	New Jersey Devils 4-2
1995	Conference Quarters	Toronto Maple Leafs	Chicago Blackhawks	Chicago Blackhawks 4-3
1995	Conference Quarters	San Jose Sharks	Calgary Flames	San Jose Sharks 4-3
1995	Conference Quarters	New Jersey Devils	Boston Bruins	New Jersey Devils 4-1
1994	Conference Semis	Vancouver Canucks	Dallas Stars	Vancouver Canucks 4-1
1994	Conference Semis	Boston Bruins	New Jersey Devils	New Jersey Devils 4-2
1993	Division Semis	Buffalo Sabres	Boston Bruins	Buffalo Sabres 4-0
1993	Division Semis	St. Louis Blues	Chicago Blackhawks	St. Louis Blues 4-0
1992	Division Finals	Chicago Blackhawks	Detroit Red Wings	Chicago Blackhawks 4-0
1992	Division Finals	Boston Bruins	Montreal Canadiens	Boston Bruins 4-0
1992	Division Semis	Minnesota North Stars	Detroit Red Wings	Detroit Red Wings 4-3
1990	Stanley Cup Finals	Edmonton Oilers	Boston Bruins	Edmonton Oilers 4-1
1988	Division Finals	Edmonton Oilers	Calgary Flames	Edmonton Oilers 3-0
1987	Division Finals	Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings	Detroit Red Wings 4-3
1987	Division Finals	Quebec Nordiques	Montreal Canadiens	Montreal Canadiens 4-3
1987	Division Semis	Winnipeg Jets	Calgary Flames	Winnipeg Jets 4-2
1986	Division Semis	Toronto Maple Leafs	Chicago Blackhawks	Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0
1986	Division Semis	Hartford Whalers	Quebec Nordiques	Hartford Whalers 3-0
1985	Division Semis	Minnesota North Stars	St. Louis Blues	Minnesota North Stars 3-0
1984	Division Semis	Quebec Nordiques	Buffalo Sabres	Quebec Nordiques 3-0
1984	Division Semis	Montreal Canadiens	Boston Bruins	Montreal Canadiens 3-0
1983	Stanley Cup Finals	New York Islanders	Edmonton Oilers	New York Islanders 4-0
1983	Division Semis	New York Rangers	Philadelphia Flyers	New York Rangers 3-0
1983	Division Semis	Buffalo Sabres	Montreal Canadiens	Buffalo Sabres 3-0
1982	Division Semis	Chicago Blackhawks	Minnesota North Stars	Chicago Blackhawks 3-1
1981	Quarterfinals	Minnesota North Stars	Buffalo Sabres	Minnesota North Stars 4-1
1981	Preliminary	Edmonton Oilers	Montreal Canadiens	Edmonton Oilers 3-0
1981	Preliminary	Minnesota North Stars	Boston Bruins	Minnesota North Stars 3-0
1980	Semifinals	New York Islanders	Buffalo Sabres	New York Islanders 4-2
1980	Quarterfinals	New York Islanders	Boston Bruins	New York Islanders 4-1
1980	Quarterfinals	Minnesota North Stars	Montreal Canadiens	Minnesota North Stars 4-3
1973	Quarterfinals	New York Rangers	Boston Bruins	New York Rangers 4-1
1977 1977	Semifinals Quarterfinals	Boston Bruins Toronto Maple Leafs	Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers	Boston Bruins 4-0 Philadelphia Flyers 4-2
1972	Semifinals	New York Rangers	Chicago Blackhawks	New York Rangers 4-0
1970	Stanley Cup Finals	Boston Bruins	St. Louis Blues	Boston Bruins 4-0
1970	Semifinals	Boston Bruins	Chicago Blackhawks	Boston Bruins 4-0
1968	Stanley Cup Finals	Montreal Canadiens	St. Louis Blues	Montreal Canadiens 4-0
1966	Stanley Cup Finals	Detroit Red Wings	Montreal Canadiens	Montreal Canadiens 4-2
1952	Stanley Cup Finals	Detroit Red Wings	Montreal Canadiens	Detroit Red Wings 4-0
1951	Semifinals	Montreal Canadiens	Detroit Red Wings	Montreal Canadiens 4-2
1949	Stanley Cup Finals	Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings	Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0
1949	Semifinals	Toronto Maple Leafs	Boston Bruins	Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1
1945	Stanley Cup Finals	Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings	Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3
1945	Semifinals	Boston Bruins	Detroit Red Wings	Detroit Red Wings 4-3
1945	Semifinals	Toronto Maple Leafs	Montreal Canadiens	Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2
1942	Stanley Cup Finals	Detroit Red Wings	Toronto Maple Leafs	Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3
1936	Semifinals	Detroit Red Wings	Montreal Maroons	Detroit Red Wings 3-0
1935	Stanley Cup Finals	Montreal Maroons	Toronto Maple Leafs	Montreal Maroons 3-0
1934	Stanley Cup Finals	Chicago Blackhawks	Detroit Red Wings	Chicago Blackhawks 3-1
1934	Semifinals	Detroit Red Wings	Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings 3-2
1932	Stanley Cup Finals	Toronto Maple Leafs	New York Rangers	Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0
1930	Semifinals	Boston Bruins	Montreal Maroons	Boston Bruins 3-1

They say that home court/field/ice matters the least in hockey, and that bears out here as 18 of the 95 teams listed (18.9 percent) were able to come back. Compare that to the 4 of 26 mark in basketball (15.3 percent) and the 5 of 51 mark (9.8 percent) for baseball.

One of these comebacks includes the 1942 Stanley Cup Finals, in which the Maple Leafs were the first team in recover from an 0-3 deficit to win a best-of-seven series.

Also among this group are the 2011 Bruins, who came back to beat the Canadiens with this Game Seven overtime goal en route to the Stanley Cup:




And there's this memorable five-overtime game from 2000 that put the Flyers back in the series and keyed their win over the Penguins: