What Is the Biggest Playoff Comeback? A Legendary Look at Sports History
Understanding the meaning of a "playoff comeback"
Before we jump into stats and wild scores, let’s clear this up: a playoff comeback is when a team overcomes a major deficit during a postseason game to win — against the odds, pressure, and usually a roaring crowd. This isn't your casual regular-season comeback. Nope, in the playoffs, everything’s amplified: stakes, emotions, and, yeah, collapses.
Whether we’re talking NFL, NBA, NHL, or even MLB... some comebacks are burned into fans’ memories forever. So what’s the biggest one?
Well, depends on the sport. So let’s break it down.
The biggest NFL playoff comeback: Colts vs. Chiefs (2014)
The 28-point miracle
The Indianapolis Colts pulled off the biggest comeback in NFL playoff history on January 4, 2014. Down 38–10 to the Kansas City Chiefs in the third quarter, all hope seemed lost. I mean, fans were leaving the stadium. People switched channels. Twitter was roasting Andrew Luck.
But then… boom. The Colts went full beast mode. Led by Luck himself — who, let’s be honest, played like his hair was on fire — Indy stormed back with five touchdowns, including one where Luck literally scooped up a teammate’s fumble and ran it in himself.
Final score? Colts 45, Chiefs 44.
Comeback: 28 points. Insane.
NBA's biggest playoff comeback: Clippers vs. Warriors (2019)
31 points down. And then...
This one felt unreal. In Game 2 of the 2019 Western Conference First Round, the Los Angeles Clippers were getting absolutely wrecked by the Golden State Warriors — trailing 94–63 in the third quarter.
But the Clippers — led by Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell — didn’t roll over. They chipped away, play by play. And somehow, someway, they took the lead with under a minute left. I watched that live and couldn’t believe it.
Final score: Clippers 135, Warriors 131.
Biggest NBA playoff comeback ever: 31 points.
Against a dynasty team. Wild.
NHL’s wildest turnaround: Kings vs. Sharks (2014)
A 3–0 series comeback — in hockey? Yup.
In the NHL, games are tight. One goal can swing the mood. So a comeback in a series, not just a game, feels even more dramatic.
In 2014, the Los Angeles Kings were down 3 games to 0 in their first-round matchup against the San Jose Sharks. They looked toast. Cold. Swept.
But then... the Kings roared back with four straight wins, outscoring the Sharks 18–5 in the final three games. Not only did they win the series, they went on to win the Stanley Cup. That’s movie script stuff.
Series comeback: 0–3 to 4–3.
MLB's biggest playoff comeback: Red Sox vs. Yankees (2004)
The impossible becomes iconic
Alright, you knew this was coming. The Boston Red Sox, cursed and mocked for decades, were down 0–3 in the 2004 ALCS against the New York Yankees — their arch-rivals.
Nobody — and I mean nobody — had ever come back from 0–3 in an MLB playoff series. But Boston? They didn’t care about history.
It started with a stolen base by Dave Roberts (Red Sox fans know), followed by Big Papi heroics, clutch pitching, and a relentless “no we’re not done” attitude.
They won four in a row, stunned the Yankees, then swept the Cardinals in the World Series.
Series comeback: down 0–3, won 4–3.
Legacy comeback: unforgettable.
Honorable mentions that still give chills
Bills vs. Oilers (1993 NFL Wild Card) – Down 32 points, the Bills came back to win in OT.
Cavs vs. Warriors (2016 NBA Finals) – Cleveland came back from a 3–1 series deficit to win the title. LeBron’s block. Kyrie’s three. Iconic.
Liverpool vs. AC Milan (2005 UCL Final) – Okay, not American playoffs, but down 3–0 at halftime in a Champions League Final? That comeback was legendary.
Final thoughts: it's not over until it is
So, what is the biggest playoff comeback? Depends on how you measure it — by points in a single game or by overall impact. But what they all share is that never-say-die spirit.
Fans live for these moments. Players become legends because of them. And whether it’s 28 points, 31, or three games down in a series… sometimes, history flips in a heartbeat.
Because in sports — and life, really — anything can happen when you just don’t give up.
How much height should a boy have to look attractive?
Well, fellas, worry no more, because a new study has revealed 5ft 8in is the ideal height for a man. Dating app Badoo has revealed the most right-swiped heights based on their users aged 18 to 30.
Is 172 cm good for a man?
Yes it is. Average height of male in India is 166.3 cm (i.e. 5 ft 5.5 inches) while for female it is 152.6 cm (i.e. 5 ft) approximately. So, as far as your question is concerned, aforesaid height is above average in both cases.
Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
---|---|---|
14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?
Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.