NBA Playoffs: Couldn't Sweep, But Clinch Back at Home

The New York Knicks had a chance to sweep their first round series against the Boston Celtics, but lost in overtime on Sunday. With J.R. Smith back from suspension, the Knicks aim to wrap up the series back at The Garden tonight.

The Oklahoma City Thunder also go for a series win tonight after failing to sweep away the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

Let's look at teams that went up 3-0 before losing Game Four on the road. How did they do with home court in Game Five?

Very well. 35 teams have been in the same spot that the Knicks and Thunder are in now and they were able to clinch in Game Five 28 times (80 percent) by an average of over 13 points. They're 25-4 since 1970.

Year	Round	Team	Opp	Game 5
2012	First	MIA	NYK	Win 106-94
2011	First	OKC	DEN	Win 100-97
2011	First	MIA	PHI	Win 97-91
2011	First	CHI	IND	Win 116-89
2010	First	BOS	MIA	Win 96-86
2009	West Semis	DEN	DAL	Win 124-110
2008	First	SA	PHX	Win 92-87
2007	First	SA	DEN	Win 93-78
2007	East Semis	DET	CHI	Loss 108-92	Won Game 6 at CHI 95-85
2003	First	DAL	POR	Loss 103-99	Lost Game 6 at POR 125-103, Won Game 7 at home 107-95
2001	West Semis	SA	DAL	Win 105-87
2000	West Semis	POR	UTA	Win 81-79
2000	West Semis	LAL	PHX	Win 87-65
2000	East Semis	IND	PHI	Loss 107-86	Won Game 6 at PHI 106-90
1997	East Finals	CHI	MIA	Win 100-87
1996	East Semis	ORL	ATL	Win 96-88
1994	West Semis	UTA	DEN	Loss 109-101	Lost Game 6 at DEN 94-91, Won Game 7 at home 91-81
1987	West Semis	LAL	GS	Win 118-106
1986	East Semis	BOS	ATL	Win 132-99
1985	West Semis	LAL	POR	Win 139-120
1985	East Finals	BOS	PHI	Win 102-100
1984	East Finals	BOS	MIL	Win 115-108
1983	West Semis	SA	DEN	Win 145-105
1983	West Semis	LAL	POR	Win 116-108
1983	East Finals	PHI	MIL	Win 115-103
1980	West Semis	LAL	PHX	Win 126-101
1973	East Semis	NYK	BAL	Win 109-99
1973	West Finals	LAL	GS	Win 128-118
1970	West Semis	ATL	CHI	Win 113-107
1967	East Finals	PHI	BOS	Win 140-116	**
1964	East Finals	BOS	CIN	Win 109-95
1962	West Finals	LAL	DET	Loss 132-125	Won Game 6 at DET 123-117
1958	East Finals	BOS	PHI	Win 93-88	**
1951	NBA Finals	ROC	NYK	Loss 92-89	Lost Game 6 at NYK 80-73, Won Game 7 at home 79-75
1947	Semis	CHI	WAS	Loss 67-55	Won Game 6 at home 66-61 **

** I included the 1958 and 1967 East Finals and 1947 Semis despite the fact that they didn't have the same 2-2-1-1-1 home-court format. The Celtics, Sixers and Chicago Stags still missed a chance to sweep and played Game Five at home like all of the others.

What if Boston and/or Houston can pull out the road win to send the series back home for Game Six? The history is a mixed bag. The four teams since 1970 to avoid the sweep at home and win again on the road are 2-2 in the sixth game. The 1994 Nuggets became the first eight-seed to upset the one-seed in the first round and almost made history again in the second round. They stormed back from a 3-0 deficit to force a seventh game before falling to the Utah Jazz. In 2003 the Blazers pushed Dallas to the brink before succumbing to the Mavericks.

For a lesson in how to slam the door, the Knickerbockers only need to look to last spring's first round series against Miami Heat. New York staved off elimination in Game Four, but LeBron James and company sealed the deal in Game Five en route to the championship.