Avoiding a Sweep, Forcing a Game Six and Forcing a Game Seven

The Chicago Bulls were cruising to a first-round sweep of the Milwaukee Bucks until Jerryd Bayless hit a buzzer-beating lay-up on Saturday to force a fifth game. The Bucks then pulled out a surprising road victory thanks in part to Michael Carter-Williams' 22 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and three blocks. Milwaukee is now halfway to the first 0-3 comeback in NBA history.

How often do NBA teams avoid the sweep? How many win again to force a sixth game as the Bucks have done? How many won three straight to push it to a Game Seven? Below is a chart showing all 116 best-of-seven series in NBA history in which a team won the first three games.

Teams up 3-0 finished out the sweep 59.5% of the time (69-47). Of the 47 extended series, the leading team (mostly back at home) closed it out in Game Five 72.3% of the time (34-13). The 2015 Bucks are the 13th team to force a Game Six, but only three of the first 12 won again to force a seventh game. The 1951 Knicks, 1994 Nuggets and 2003 Trail Blazers could not complete their comebacks as they all fell on the road in Game Seven.

Year	Round	Up 3-0	Down 3-0	Game 4	Game 5	Game 6	Game 7
2015	First	Cavaliers	Celtics	Win
2015	First	Wizards	Raptors	Win
2015	First	Bulls	Bucks	Loss	Loss	???
2015	First	Warriors	Pelicans	Win
2015	First	Rockets	Mavericks	Loss	Win
2015	First	Grizzlies	Trail Blazers	Loss	Win
2014	First	Heat	Bobcats	Win
2014	West Semis	Spurs	Trail Blazers	Loss	Win
2013	First	Heat	Bucks	Win
2013	First	Knicks	Celtics	Loss	Loss	Win
2013	First	Spurs	Lakers	Win
2013	First	Thunder	Rockets	Loss	Loss	Win
2013	West Finals	Spurs	Grizzlies	Win
2012	First	Heat	Knicks	Loss	Win
2012	First	Thunder	Mavericks	Win
2012	First	Spurs	Jazz	Win
2012	West Semis	Spurs	Clippers	Win
2011	First	Celtics	Knicks	Win
2011	First	Bulls	Pacers	Loss	Win
2011	First	Heat	76ers	Loss	Win
2011	First	Thunder	Nuggets	Loss	Win
2011	West Semis	Mavericks	Lakers	Win
2010	First	Magic	Bobcats	Win
2010	First	Celtics	Heat	Loss	Win
2010	East Semis	Magic	Hawks	Win
2010	West Semis	Lakers	Jazz	Win
2010	West Semis	Suns	Spurs	Win
2010	East Finals	Celtics	Magic	Loss	Loss	Win
2009	First	Cavaliers	Pistons	Win
2009	East Semis	Cavaliers	Hawks	Win
2009	West Semis	Nuggets	Mavericks	Loss	Win
2008	First	Lakers	Nuggets	Win
2008	First	Spurs	Suns	Loss	Win
2007	First	Bulls	Heat	Win
2007	First	Cavaliers	Wizards	Win
2007	First	Pistons	Magic	Win
2007	East Semis	Pistons	Bulls	Loss	Loss	Win
2007	NBA Finals	Spurs	Cavaliers	Win
2006	First	Mavericks	Grizzlies	Win
2005	First	Heat	Nets	Win
2005	First	Suns	Grizzlies	Win
2005	East Semis	Heat	Wizards	Win
2005	West Finals	Spurs	Suns	Loss	Win
2004	First	Pacers	Celtics	Win
2004	First	Nets	Knicks	Win
2004	First	Spurs	Grizzlies	Win
2003	First	Mavericks	Trail Blazers	Loss	Loss	Loss	Win
2003	East Semis	Nets	Celtics	Win
2003	East Finals	Nets	Pistons	Win
2002	NBA Finals	Lakers	Nets	Win
2001	West Semis	Lakers	Kings	Win
2001	West Semis	Spurs	Mavericks	Loss	Win
2001	West Finals	Lakers	Spurs	Win
2000	East Semis	Pacers	76ers	Loss	Loss	Win
2000	West Semis	Lakers	Suns	Loss	Win
2000	West Semis	Trail Blazers	Jazz	Loss	Win
1999	East Semis	Pacers	76ers	Win
1999	East Semis	Knicks	Hawks	Win
1999	West Semis	Spurs	Lakers	Win
1999	West Finals	Spurs	Trail Blazers	Win
1998	West Finals	Jazz	Lakers	Win
1997	East Finals	Bulls	Heat	Loss	Win
1996	East Semis	Magic	Hawks	Loss	Win
1996	West Semis	SuperSonics	Rockets	Win
1996	East Finals	Bulls	Magic	Win
1996	NBA Finals	Bulls	SuperSonics	Loss	Loss	Win
1995	NBA Finals	Rockets	Magic	Win
1994	West Semis	Jazz	Nuggets	Loss	Loss	Loss	Win
1993	East Semis	Bulls	Cavaliers	Win
1991	East Finals	Bulls	Pistons	Win
1990	East Semis	Pistons	Bucks	Win
1990	West Semis	Lakers	SuperSonics	Win
1990	West Finals	Lakers	Suns	Win
1990	NBA Finals	Pistons	Lakers	Win
1989	West Semis	Lakers	Warriors	Loss	Win
1989	West Finals	Lakers	SuperSonics	Win
1986	East Semis	Celtics	Hawks	Loss	Win
1986	East Semis	Celtics	Bucks	Win
1985	East Semis	76ers	Bucks	Win
1985	West Semis	Lakers	Trail Blazers	Loss	Win
1985	East Finals	Celtics	76ers	Loss	Win
1984	East Finals	Celtics	Bucks	Loss	Win
1983	East Semis	Bucks	Celtics	Win
1983	East Semis	76ers	Knicks	Win
1983	West Semis	Lakers	Trail Blazers	Loss	Win
1983	West Semis	Spurs	Nuggets	Loss	Win
1983	East Finals	76ers	Bucks	Loss	Win
1983	NBA Finals	76ers	Lakers	Win
1982	West Semis	Lakers	Suns	Win
1982	West Finals	Lakers	Spurs	Win
1981	East Semis	Celtics	Bulls	Win
1980	East Semis	Celtics	Rockets	Win
1980	West Semis	Lakers	Suns	Loss	Win
1978	East Semis	76ers	Knicks	Win
1977	West Finals	Trail Blazers	Lakers	Win
1975	NBA Finals	Warriors	Bullets	Win
1974	West Finals	Bucks	Bulls	Win
1973	East Semis	Knicks	Bullets	Loss	Win
1973	West Finals	Lakers	Warriors	Loss	Win
1972	West Semis	Lakers	Bulls	Win
1971	West Semis	Bucks	Warriors	Loss	Win
1971	NBA Finals	Bucks	Bullets	Win
1970	West Semis	Hawks	Bulls	Loss	Win
1970	West Finals	Lakers	Hawks	Win
1969	East Semis	Celtics	76ers	Loss	Win
1969	East Semis	Knicks	Bullets	Win
1968	West Finals	Lakers	Warriors	Win
1967	East Finals	76ers	Celtics	Loss	Win
1964	East Finals	Celtics	Royals	Loss	Win
1962	West Finals	Lakers	Pistons	Loss	Loss	Win
1959	NBA Finals	Celtics	Lakers	Win
1958	East Finals	Celtics	Warriors	Loss	Win
1951	NBA Finals	Royals	Knicks	Loss	Loss	Loss	Win
1949	BAA Finals	Lakers	Capitols	Loss	Loss	Win
1947	Semifinals	Stags	Capitols	Loss	Loss	Win
1947	BAA Finals	Warriors	Stags	Loss	Win

Teams That Won Games One and Two on the Road

After blowing a 15-point lead in the last eight minutes of regulation, the Washington Wizards rallied in overtime to take the postseason opener in Toronto. They had an easier time with the Raptors in a Game Two win on Tuesday, so now they head back home to D.C. up 2-0 in the series.

The Wizards are the 22nd NBA team to go on the road and win the opening games of a best-of-7 playoff series. Let's take a look at how the first 21 series went:

• Nine sweeps
• Two went 4-1
• Seven had the leader drop two of three before winning in six
• Three comebacks: 
• One had the trailing team roar back to win four straight (1969 West Semis Lakers vs. Warriors)
• Two others in seven games (1994 West Semis Rockets vs. Suns, 2005 First Round Mavericks vs. Rockets)

Below is a list of all NBA/NHL/MLB playoff series in which the visiting team won the first two games (including best-of-five). MLB has had five comebacks out of 54 series (3 of 26 best-of-seven) and the NHL has had 17 comebacks out of 97 series (17 of 81 best-of-seven). Comebacks are in bold.

Most Consecutive Seasons with a Different Opening Day Starter: Designated Hitter

The series finishes today (SP, C, 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, LF, CF, RF, DH) as we look at teams that had long stretches with a different Opening Day designated hitter:

X different Opening Day Starting Designated Hitter in X Seasons (since 1914)

Tigers	13	1992-2004
Orioles	12	2003-2014
Angels             (11?)	10	2003-12 **
Devil Rays	10	2000-09
Blue Jays	10	1984-93
Rangers	9	2003-11
Tigers	9	1983-91
Rangers	9	1977-85
White Sox	9	1973-81

Baseball-Reference takes us back until 1914 and while Retrosheet provides starting pitchers in their game logs, it doesn't have that for other positions.

The final names on the top two lists are the Young brothers, Dmitri and Delmon. Baltimore's streak is still active, hopefully someone other than Young or Steve Pearce starts at DH this week to extend it to 13.

The 10-year streak by the Angels is unusual and could still be considered active. From 2003-12, they ran out Brad Fullmer, Tim Salmon, Jeff DaVanon, Garret Anderson, Shea Hillenbrand, Gary Matthews, Vladimir Guerrero, Hideki Matsui, Bobby Abreu and Kendrys Morales. With the 2013 realignment that forced year-round interleague play, the Halos opened the season in Cincinnati and did not use a DH. Playing under A.L. rules once again in the 2014 opener, they started Raul Ibanez for an 11th straight different starter. So they had a 10-year streak interrupted by a game at a National League park, but they still picked up where they left off last year. If you want to consider the streak an active one, go right ahead. 

Here's the full list of DH's from the teams shown above. Some interesting names here include a not-your-typical-DH Bip Roberts, the delightfully-named John Wockenfuss and the post-1933 player with the highest WAR that never made an All-Star team, Tony Phillips.

Tigers	13	1992-2004	Tony Phillips, Kirk Gibson, Junior Felix, Juan Samuel, Eddie Williams, Bubba Trammell, Bip Roberts, Gregg Jefferies, Juan Gonzalez
			Billy McMillon, Robert Fick, Dean Palmer, Dmitri Young
Orioles	12	2003-2014	Marty Cordova, David Segui, Jay Gibbons, Javy Lopez, Kevin Millar, Aubrey Huff, Ty Wigginton, Luke Scott, Vladimir Guerrero
			Wilson Betemit, Steve Pearce, Delmon Young
Angels	10	2003-12 **	Brad Fullmer, Tim Salmon, Jeff DaVanon, Garret Anderson, Shea Hillenbrand, Gary Matthews, Vladimir Guerrero, Hideki Matsui, Bobby Abreu, Kendrys Morales
Devil Rays	10	2000-09	Jose Canseco, Steve Cox, Greg Vaughn, Al Martin, Aubrey Huff, Josh Phelps, Jonny Gomes, Rocco Baldelli, Cliff Floyd, Pat Burrell
Blue Jays	10	1984-93	Cliff Johnson, Jeff Burroughs, Cecil Fielder, Fred McGriff, George Bell, Nelson Liriano, John Olerud, Rance Mulliniks, Dave Winfield, Paul Molitor
Rangers	9	2003-11	Ruben Sierra, Brad Fullmer, David Dellucci, Phil Nevin, Frank Catalanotto, Milton Bradley, Hank Blalock, Vladimir Guerrero, Michael Young
Tigers	9	1983-91	John Wockenfuss, Darrell Evans, Johnny Grubb, Dave Collins, Terry Harper, Matt Nokes, Pat Sheridan, Dave Bergman, Tony Phillips
Rangers	9	1977-85	Tom Grieve, Kurt Bevacqua, Oscar Gamble, Richie Zisk, Al Oliver, Mike Richardt, Dave Hostetler, Larry Parrish, Cliff Johnson
White Sox	9	1973-81	Mike Andrews, Ron Santo, Deron Johnson, Cleon Jones, Oscar Gamble, Ron Blomberg, Jorge Orta, Bob Molinaro, Greg Luzinski