The Biggest Comeback In NBA History: Winning At All Costs

• Date: 12/05/03
• Final Score: Suns 110 - Celtics 106

In 2003 the Suns were a scrappy organization trying to get the right pieces to become a contender again. They hadn't yet signed Steve Nash, but they did have Rookie of the Year Amar'e Stoudemire. Stephon Marbury led the comeback for the Suns, finishing with 34 points and 7 assists.

• Date: 12/22/19
• Final Score: Raptors 110 - Mavericks 107

The Raptors post-Kawhi Leonard have never really been the same, but they did have one last defining moment before Kyle Lowry also departed. In the 2019-2020 season the Raptors were simultaneously celebrating a championship while dealing with the fallout of Kawhi leaving for the Clippers. Lowry propelled an insane 30 point comeback, scoring 32 points and adding 10 assists on the evening.

• Date: 4/10/19
• Final Score: Trail Blazers 136 - Kings 131

Anfernee Simons truly cemented his status as an NBA starter after filling in for an injured Damian Lillard throughout the 2019-2020 season. In this April comeback against the Kings, Simons dropped a ridiculous 37 points and 9 assists en route to a 30 point comeback.

• Date: 12/06/02
• Final Score: Lakers 105 - Mavericks 103

There are few duos in the NBA's history that were as terrifying to opponents as Kobe Bryant and Shaquielle O'Neal. Kobe and Shaq won three straight NBA championships together and had an incredible comeback at the beginning of the 2002-2003 season, overcoming a 30 point deficit. Kobe finished the game with 27 points, and Shaq chipped in 26 of his own.

• Date: 11/28/75
• Final Score: Warriors 106 - Bucks 105

The early days of the Golden State Warriors are defined by the great Ricky Barry, who led the league in scoring multiple times and helped bring the Warriors their first title.

In a 1975 contest against the Bucks, the Warriors found themselves trailing by a whopping 31 points. Phil Smith and Gus Williams would go on to drop 22 points each to help propel this Warriors stunning comeback.

• Date: 02/04/98
• Final Score: Jazz 101 - Bulls 93

The 90's Bulls may have gotten the better of the Utah Jazz when it really counted (refer to the 97' and 98' NBA Finals) but the Jazz hold the rights to the biggest comeback between the two. The Bulls found themselves with a comfortable 31 point lead during a late regular season game in 1998. Despite Michael Jordan scoring 40 points, John Stockton bested him and the Bulls with a 17 point and 18 assist performance.

• Date: 04/30/21
• Final Score: Celtics 143 - Spurs 140

Jayson Tatum has ascended to the top of the list of the NBA's current best players, showing he can lead a team to the NBA finals in 2020 and 2022. One of his shining moments in the regular season came during a matchup against the Spurs in 2021. The Celtics found themselves down 77-48 at the half with the game looking bleak. That's when Tatum went nuclear mode, scoring a whopping 60 points and pushing the Celtics to a wild victory.

• Date: 12/21/2009
• Final Score: Kings 102 - Bulls 98

The late 2000's Bulls were a transitionary period for the team. They had just drafted future MVP Derrick Rose, and DPOY Joakim Noah, while Luol Deng was still coming into his own. The Kings took advantage of the young Bulls, overcoming a 35 point deficit. Tyreke Evans led the way for the Kings scoring 23, and the second leading scorer for the Kings was former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka, putting up 17 points of his own.

• Date: 1/25/22
• Final Score: Clippers 116 - Wizards 115

The 2022 Clippers were another weird team that just somehow always found a way to win. Their two superstars, Paul Geroge and Kawhi Leonard, were sidelined for the majority of the season with injuries. Bench players like Luke Kennard, Terrance Mann, and Amir Coffey were tasked with playing starting roles and they stepped up. After being down over 25 at half and 35 at one point in the game, Luke Kennard hit an insane buzzer beater three to seal the comeback for the Clippers.

• Date: 11/27/96
• Final Score: Jazz 107 - Nuggets 103

The 90's Jazz may not have a championship, but there is no denying they are one of the most dominant teams to grace an NBA floor. They found themselves down by 36 in a November game against the Nuggets and looked abysmal. However, they dialed it up in the second half and Karl Malone led the way with 21 points, ultimately overcoming the deficit and leading the biggest comeback in NBA history.