NBA playoff fun facts
84 teams have jumped out to 3-0 leads in a best-of-seven. Of those teams, none have ever lost the series, and:
51 have gone on to complete the sweep.
1959 Boston Celtics over Minneapolis Lakers, NBA Finals
1968 Los Angeles Lakers over San Francisco Warriors, West Finals
1969 New York Knicks over Baltimore Bullets, East Semis
1970 Los Angeles Lakers over Atlanta Hawks, West Finals
1971 Milwaukee Bucks over Baltimore Bullets, NBA Finals
1972 Los Angeles Lakers over Chicago Bulls, West Semis
1974 Milwaukee Bucks over Chicago Bulls, West Finals
1975 Golden State Warriors over Washington Bullets, NBA Finals
1977 Portland Trail Blazers over Los Angeles Lakers, West Finals
1978 Philadelphia 76ers over New York Knicks, East Semis
1980 Boston Celtics over Houston Rockets, East Semis
1981 Boston Celtics over Chicago Bulls, East Semis
1982 Los Angeles Lakers over Phoenix Suns, West Semis
1982 Los Angeles Lakers over San Antonio Spurs, West Finals
1983 Philadelphia 76ers over New York Knicks, East Semis
1983 Milwaukee Bucks over Boston Celtics, East Semis
1983 Philadelphia 76ers over Los Angeles Lakers, NBA Finals
1985 Philadelphia 76ers over Milwaukee Bucks, East Semis
1986 Boston Celtics over Milwaukee Bucks, East Finals
1987 Los Angeles Lakers over Seattle SuperSonics, West Finals
1989 Detroit Pistons over Milwaukee Bucks, East Semis
1989 Los Angeles Lakers over Seattle SuperSonics, West Semis
1989 Los Angeles Lakers over Phoenix Suns, West Finals
1989 Detroit Pistons over Los Angeles Lakers, NBA Finals
1991 Chicago Bulls over Detroit Pistons, East Finals
1993 Chicago Bulls over Cleveland Cavaliers, East Semis
1995 Houston Rockets over Orlando Magic, NBA Finals
1996 Seattle SuperSonics over Houston Rockets, West Semis
1996 Chicago Bulls over Orlando Magic, East Finals
1998 Utah Jazz over Los Angeles Lakers, West Finals
1999 San Antonio Spurs over Los Angeles Lakers, West Semis
1999 Indiana Pacers over Philadelphia 76ers, East Semis
1999 New York Knicks over Atlanta Hawks, East Semis
1999 San Antonio Spurs over Portland Trail Blazers, West Finals
2001 Los Angeles Lakers over Sacramento Kings, West Semis
2001 Los Angeles Lakers over San Antonio Spurs, West Finals
2002 Los Angeles Lakers over New Jersey Nets, NBA Finals
2003 New Jersey Nets over Boston Celtics, East Semis
2003 New Jersey Nets over Detroit Pistons, East Finals
2004 Indiana Pacers over Boston Celtics, East 1st Round
2004 New Jersey Nets over New York Knicks, East 1st Round
2004 San Antonio Spurs over Memphis Grizzlies, West 1st Round
2005 Miami Heat over New Jersey Nets, East 1st Round
2005 Phoenix Suns over Memphis Grizzlies, West 1st Round
2005 Miami Heat over Washington Wizards, East Semis
2006 Dallas Mavericks over Memphis Grizzlies, West 1st Round
2007 Detroit Pistons over Orlando Magic, East 1st Round
2007 Chicago Bulls over Miami Heat, East 1st Round
2007 Cleveland Cavaliers over Washington Wizards, East 1st Round
2007 San Antonio Spurs over Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA Finals
2008 Los Angeles Lakers over Denver Nuggets, West 1st Round
24 teams were able to pull off one win before being finished off.
1947 Philadelphia Warriors over Chicago Stags, NBA Finals
1958 Boston Celtics over Philadelphia Warriors, East Finals
1964 Boston Celtics over Cincinnati Royals, East Finals
1967 Philadelphia 76ers over Boston Celtics, East Finals
1969 Boston Celtics over Philadelphia 76ers, East Semis
1970 Atlanta Hawks over Chicago Bulls, West Semis
1971 Milwaukee Bucks over San Francisco Warriors, West Semis
1973 New York Knicks over Baltimore Bullets, East Finals
1973 Los Angeles Lakers over Golden State Warriors, West Finals
1980 Los Angeles Lakers over Phoenix Suns, West Semis
1983 Los Angeles Lakers over Portland Trail Blazers, West Semis
1983 San Antonio Spurs over Denver Nuggets, West Semis
1984 Boston Celtics over Milwaukee Bucks, East Finals
1985 Los Angeles Lakers over Portland Trail Blazers, West Semis
1985 Boston Celtics over Philadelphia 76ers, East Finals
1986 Boston Celtics over Atlanta Hawks, East Semis
1987 Los Angeles Lakers over Golden State Warriors, West Semis
1996 Orlando Magic over Atlanta Hawks, East Semis
1997 Chicago Bulls over Miami Heat, East Finals
2000 Los Angeles Lakers over Phoenix Suns, West Semis
2000 Portland Trail Blazers over Utah Jazz, West Semis
2001 San Antonio Spurs over Dallas Mavericks, West Semis
2005 San Antonio Spurs over Phoenix Suns, West Finals
2008 San Antonio Spurs over Phoenix Suns, West 1st Round
6 teams won twice before getting eliminated.
1947 Chicago Stags over Washington Capitols, Semifinals
1949 Minneapolis Lakers over Washington Capitols, NBA Finals
1962 Los Angeles Lakers over Detroit Pistons, West Finals
1996 Chicago Bulls over Seattle SuperSonics, NBA Finals
2000 Indiana Pacers over Philadelphia 76ers, East Semis
2007 Detroit Pistons over Chicago Bulls, East Semis
3 teams were able to come back and force a Game 7, but couldn't get that last one.
1951 Rochester Royals over New York Knicks, NBA Finals
1994 Utah Jazz over Denver Nuggets, West Semis
2003 Dallas Mavericks over Portland Trail Blazers, West 1st Round
I'll try to post some more tommorrow. It's getting late.
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