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