List of teams to overcome 3–1 series deficits
The following is the list of teams to overcome 3–1 series deficits by winning three straight games to win a best-of-seven playoff series. In the history of major North American pro sports, teams that were down 3–1 in the series came back and won the series 53 times, more than half of them were accomplished by National Hockey League teams. Teams overcame 3–1 deficit in the final championship round eight times, six were accomplished by Major League Baseball teams in the World Series. Teams overcoming 3-0 deficit by winning four straight games were accomplished five times, four times in the NHL and once in MLB.
The Boston Red Sox of MLB and the Vancouver Canucks of NHL each overcame 3–1 deficits the most at three times, while the Washington Capitals of NHL blew 3–1 leads the most at five times, followed by the St. Louis Cardinals of MLB at four times. Two teams have overcome 3–1 deficits multiple times in the single playoffs: the Kansas City Royals of MLB in 1985 and the Minnesota Wild of the NHL in 2003. Two teams have also overcome 3-1 deficits in a single playoffs only to have the favor returned to them: the Golden State Warriors of the NBA in 2016, and the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL in 2003.
MLB went to a best-of-seven format for the League Championship Series in 1985, the NHL followed suit for the first round in 1987 and the NBA did the same for the first round in 2003. In each of those years, a team rallied from down 3-1 in that specific round of the series to win.
Major League Baseball
MLB teams have overcome 3–1 deficits 13 times, six of which occurred in the World Series. This does not count the 1903 World Series, in which the Boston Americans came back from down 3 games to 1 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, as that series was a best-of-nine series.| Year and series | Team that overcame deficit | Team that blew lead | Note |
| 1925 World Series | Pittsburgh Pirates | Washington Senators | First major North American pro sports team to overcome 3–1 deficit |
| 1958 World Series | New York Yankees | Milwaukee Braves | |
| 1968 World Series | Detroit Tigers | St. Louis Cardinals | |
| 1979 World Series | Pittsburgh Pirates | Baltimore Orioles | |
| 1985 ALCS | Kansas City Royals | Toronto Blue Jays | First year the LCS became a seven-game series. Overcame 3–1 deficit in the World Series |
| 1985 World Series | Kansas City Royals | St. Louis Cardinals | Also overcame 3–1 deficit in the ALCS |
| 1986 ALCS | Boston Red Sox | California Angels | Were one strike away from elimination in Game 5 |
| 1996 NLCS | Atlanta Braves | St. Louis Cardinals | |
| 2003 NLCS | Florida Marlins | Chicago Cubs | Steve Bartman incident in Game 6; went on to win the World Series |
| 2004 ALCS | Boston Red Sox | New York Yankees | Overcame 3–0 deficit; went on to win the World Series for first time since 1918 |
| 2007 ALCS | Boston Red Sox | Cleveland Indians | Went on to win the World Series |
| 2012 NLCS | San Francisco Giants | St. Louis Cardinals | Also overcame 2–0 deficit in the NLDS; went on to win the World Series |
| Chicago Cubs | Cleveland Indians | First World Series championship since 1908 |
National Basketball Association
NBA teams have overcome 3–1 deficits 11 times, only one of which occurred in the NBA Finals. The NBA is the only major North American sport with a seven game playoffs series where no team has overcome a 3–0 deficit.| Year and series | Winner that overcame deficit | Loser that blew lead | Note |
| 1968 Eastern Division Finals | Boston Celtics | Philadelphia 76ers | Won the NBA Finals |
| 1970 Western Division Finals | Los Angeles Lakers | Phoenix Suns | |
| 1979 Eastern Conference Finals | Washington Bullets | San Antonio Spurs | |
| 1981 Eastern Conference Finals | Boston Celtics | Philadelphia 76ers | Won the NBA Finals |
| 1995 Western Conference Semifinals | Houston Rockets | Phoenix Suns | Won the NBA Finals |
| 1997 Eastern Conference Semifinals | Miami Heat | New York Knicks | |
| 2003 Eastern Conference First Round | Detroit Pistons | Orlando Magic | First season the first round went to a seven-game series |
| Phoenix Suns | Los Angeles Lakers | ||
| 2015 Western Conference Semifinals | Houston Rockets | Los Angeles Clippers | |
| Lost in the NBA Finals after leading the series 3–1 | |||
| 2016 NBA Finals | Cleveland Cavaliers | Golden State Warriors | The first time a 3–1 deficit has been overcome in the NBA Finals. The Warriors also had the NBA's best-ever regular season record of 73–9 and were considered heavy favorites to win the title. |
National Hockey League
NHL teams have overcome 3–1 deficits 29 times, only one of which occurred in the Stanley Cup Finals. 6 times the faith was accomplished by the team who eventually won the Stanley Cup the same year.| Year and series | Winner that overcame deficit | Loser that blew lead | Notes |
| 1942 Stanley Cup Finals | Toronto Maple Leafs | Detroit Red Wings | Only time in the Stanley Cup Finals; overcame 3–0 deficit |
| 1975 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals | New York Islanders | Pittsburgh Penguins | Overcame 3–0 deficit. Won 8 games while facing elimination this playoff year. |
| 1987 Division Semifinals | New York Islanders | Washington Capitals | First year the opening round was a seven-game series. Game 7 was the Easter Epic |
| 1987 Division Finals | Detroit Red Wings | Toronto Maple Leafs | Overcame 2–0 deficit |
| 1988 Division Semifinals | Washington Capitals | Philadelphia Flyers | |
| 1989 Division Semifinals | Los Angeles Kings | Edmonton Oilers | |
| 1990 Division Semifinals | Edmonton Oilers | Winnipeg Jets | Went on to win the Stanley Cup Finals |
| 1991 Division Semifinals | St. Louis Blues | Detroit Red Wings | |
| 1992 Division Semifinals | Pittsburgh Penguins | Washington Capitals | Overcame 2–0 deficit, and eventually win the Stanley Cup Finals |
| 1992 Division Semifinals | Detroit Red Wings | Overcame 2–0 deficit | |
| 1992 Division Semifinals | Vancouver Canucks | Winnipeg Jets | |
| 1994 First Round | Vancouver Canucks | Calgary Flames | The final three games all required overtime |
| 1995 First Round | Pittsburgh Penguins | Washington Capitals | |
| 1998 First Round | Edmonton Oilers | Colorado Avalanche | |
| 1999 First Round | St. Louis Blues | Phoenix Coyotes | Third blown 3-1 lead in franchise history; team relocated from Winnipeg in 1996 |
| 2000 Conference Finals | New Jersey Devils | Philadelphia Flyers | Won the Stanley Cup Finals |
| 2003 First Round | Minnesota Wild | Colorado Avalanche | Overcame 3–1 deficit in the Conference Semifinals |
| 2003 First Round | Vancouver Canucks | St. Louis Blues | |
| 2003 Conference Semifinals | Minnesota Wild | Vancouver Canucks | Both teams overcame 3–1 deficits in the Conference Quarterfinals |
| 2004 First Round | Montreal Canadiens | Boston Bruins | Overcame 2–0 deficit |
| 2009 First Round | Washington Capitals | New York Rangers | Overcame 2–0 deficit |
| 2010 First Round | Montreal Canadiens | Washington Capitals | |
| 2010 Conference Semifinals | Philadelphia Flyers | Boston Bruins | Overcame 3–0 deficit |
| 2011 First Round | Tampa Bay Lightning | Pittsburgh Penguins | |
| 2013 Conference Semifinals | Chicago Blackhawks | Detroit Red Wings | Won the Stanley Cup Finals |
| 2014 First Round | Los Angeles Kings | San Jose Sharks | Overcame 3–0 deficit; went on to win the Stanley Cup Finals |
| 2014 Second Round | New York Rangers | Pittsburgh Penguins | |
| 2015 Second Round | New York Rangers | Washington Capitals | |
| 2019 First Round | San Jose Sharks | Vegas Golden Knights |