Top 10 Most Amazing Comebacks in Sports (North America)

The 2009-10 regular NHL season ended on a dramatic note for the Philadelphia Flyers, as Brian Boucher and company clinched a last-day playoff berth. But after upsetting the New Jersey Devils in Round 1, Philly dropped three consecutive games to the Boston Bruins and an early exit seemed inevitable. However, back-to-back wins sparked the proverbial fire and the Flyers barely edged out the Bruins in a nail-biting Game 6. And so, the team of destiny traveled to Boston for the final showdown but found themselves in a 3-0 hole. With a little bit of teamwork and a little bit of luck, Philly inched their way back and sealed the deal with a historic goal from Simon Gagne.

#9: Boston Celtics 1969 NBA Finals

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It was a magical time during the early spring days of 1969, as a group of aging veterans shut down the hotshot Los Angeles Lakers. Bill Russell and his Celtic teammates were almost sent home after losing the two first two games, however John Havlicek took over in Game 3 and Sam Jones hit a buzzer beater to solidify a Game 4 win. Despite a Lakers victory in the fifth matchup, Boston composed themselves and took the next meeting, which set the stage for Don Nelson to knock down a late Game 7 jumper and effectively clinch an unbelievable comeback. The Lakers’ Jerry West took home the series MVP by notching 38 points a contest, but it simply wasn’t enough.

Thirteen years after having their collegiate dreams shattered by Michael Jordan, Clyde “The Glide” Drexler and Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon capitalized on his temporary departure from the NBA while completely shocking the second-seeded Phoenix Suns in the NBA Playoffs. After being throttled in the first two matchups and eventually finding themselves down 3 games to 1, the Rockets strung together a couple victories to force the deciding Game 7. On Phoenix’s own home court, Houston played it close until the final seconds whenMario Elie drilled a game-winning three. It was a jaw-dropping comeback and Houston ultimately took home the championship trophy.

#7: San Francisco Giants 2012 National League Division Series

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Imagine the buzz in San Fran when their beloved Giants won the National League West in 2012 and prepared to host the Division Series against Cincinnati. The excitement was swiftly calmed when their team scored only 2 runs in the first couple of matchups at AT&T Park, which all but ended their run towards another championship. But after an extra-inning victory in Game 3 and the pitching prowess of Tim Lincecum the following night, San Francisco unleashed a six-run 6th inning and quieted the shocked Cincinnati crowd. The Giants won the series, went back to San Fran and later swept Detroit to win the World Series.

#6: New York Islanders 1975 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

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Led by goalie Chico Resch, this hockey unit from The Big Apple barely managed to post a .500 record during the ‘74-‘75 season, but the Islanders ultimately secured a playoff spot and won their first series against their New York rivals. Despite all the excitement, the Islanders nearly ended their season in shame by losing the first three playoff matchups against an aggressive Pittsburgh Penguins team, but somehow they channeled the force of the all-powerful hockey Gods and rattled off four consecutive wins to end the series. They didn’t go all the way, but hey, it wasn’t a bad run.

#5: Los Angeles Kings 2014 Western Conference Quarterfinals

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In a definitive American sports city with Kobe Bryant, Blake Griffin and Clayton Kershaw providing excitement, the local NHL squad has to be pretty good to stay in the spotlight. Unfortunately for the 2014 L.A. Kings, they failed miserably during the first three games of their opening playoff series against San Jose, but a Game 4 win at home offered hope and a 3-0 shutout on the road brought them back to life. After shutting down the Sharks again at LA’s Staples Center, the Kings traveled upnorth and put the finishing touches on their historic comeback, which paved the way for a NHL Stanley Cup championship.

Brace yourself, Cubs fans, and take a deep breath. After losing three out of the first four games to Chicago’s north-side squad in the NLCS, Florida gave the ball to pitcher Josh Beckett, who thoroughly shut down the Cubbies in Game 5. And so, it was back to Chi-town, and the hometown team took a commanding 3-0 lead into the 8th inning. With Mark Prior on the mound, Florida’s season appeared to be over, but then it happened…BARTMAN. The headphones-wearing fan interfered with a foul ball, and well, the series took a drastic turn, as the Marlins capitalized and won the NLCS the following night.

Before the 1942 season, never before had a Stanley Cup series gone the distance. And after the Maple Leafs of Toronto failed to win any of the first three games against the Detroit Red Wings, it didn’t seem like anything historic was in the works. Remarkably, the crew from the great north won Game 4 on the road and dominated the following two matches. With a record-breaking Canadian crowd at Maple Leaf Gardens for Game 7, the hometown heroes capped off their comeback, and their legacy endures for the hockey underdogs of today.

#2: Boston Celtics 1981 Eastern Conference Finals

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Three words: Larry the Legend. During his first two seasons in the NBA, Larry Bird barely missed a game while stunning the league with his undeniable skill set. Even so, Julius Erving was still the TopDog, and the two legends clashed in perhaps the greatest NBA Playoff series of all-time. Philly took three of the first four games; however Boston sweated out a Game 5 victory at home and Bird lit up the Sixers for yet another win in the pivotal Game 6. With the series tied up at three and the Celtics headed back to their home court, Bill Fitch’s squad came ready to play. Led by one Larry Bird - the hick from French Lick – the Celtics finished the job. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. - Seattle Mariners 1995 American League Division Series - Pittsburgh Pirates 1979 World Series - Miami Heat 1997 Eastern Conference Semifinals

#1: Boston Red Sox 2004 American League Championship Series

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The Boston Red Sox finished three games behind the New York Yankees in the 2004 regular season and were completely outmatched during the first three games of their ALCS meeting. While Red Sox Nation wiped their tears away as Game 4 also slipped away, the Boston squad known as “The Idiots” not only managed to pull out a victory but kicked off a miraculous comeback the likes of which had never been seen before in Major League Baseball, and it all ended with a Game 7 clincher on the Yankees own turf. Of course, the Red Sox later won the World Series – also a historic event – but it was the ALCS that remains one of the most talked-about sporting events of all-time. Do you agree with our list? What is your favorite North American sports series comeback in history? For more mind-blowing Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.