This NBA playoff season has seen a remarkable trend: teams mounting dramatic comebacks from 20-point deficits to win. It’s happening so frequently, it’s almost becoming routine. Over the past few days, the NBA witnessed three back-to-back games where the trailing team clawed its way back from a 20-point deficit to steal the win.

For the first time since play-by-play tracking began in 1997, there have been three consecutive days in which a playoff team came from at least 20 points down to secure the victory. The New York Knicks did it on Monday and Wednesday against the Boston Celtics, while the Indiana Pacers pulled off a thrilling comeback on Tuesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Add to that a 29-point rally from Oklahoma City in the first round, and we’re up to five 20-point comebacks in this postseason — a new record for the digital play-by-play era.

Here’s a breakdown of how these incredible rallies unfolded:

April 24: Oklahoma City Turns a 29-Point Deficit Into a Win

• The Big Lead: Memphis 69, Oklahoma City 40 (3:07 left in the 1st half)
• Final Score: Oklahoma City 114, Memphis 108

How it happened: Memphis looked poised to dominate after taking a massive 29-point lead. But everything changed when Memphis’ star, Ja Morant, left the game after the Grizzlies hit their peak. The Thunder capitalized on the injury, outscoring Memphis 74-39 in the second half. Chet Holmgren played a pivotal role, contributing 23 points during the comeback. Memphis, meanwhile, struggled to find the basket, missing 30 of their final 41 shots.

April 29: Indiana Overcomes a 20-Point Deficit to Shock the Bucks

• The Big Lead: Milwaukee 33, Indiana 13 (11:26 left in the 1st half)
• Final Score: Indiana 119, Milwaukee 118 (Overtime)

How it happened: The Pacers cut the lead to six by halftime, setting up an exciting second half. With just 40 seconds left in overtime, the Bucks led by seven, but Indiana surged back with an 8-0 run, capped by Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winning layup with just 1.4 seconds remaining. The Pacers’ gritty performance allowed them to steal the win, giving them a 2-0 series lead.

Monday: Knicks Rally from 20 Down to Stun Boston in Overtime

• The Big Lead: Boston 75, New York 55 (5:47 left in the 3rd quarter)
• Final Score: New York 108, Boston 105 (Overtime)

How it happened: After Boston opened up a 20-point lead, they couldn’t sustain their momentum. The Celtics’ shooting faltered as they made just 23% of their shots (9 for 39) and struggled with the three-pointer (6 for 28). The Knicks, led by OG Anunoby and Jalen Brunson, kept fighting and outscored Boston 39-30 during the comeback. The game went into overtime, but neither team scored for the last 1:16 of play. Eventually, the Knicks finished strong and pulled off the victory.

Tuesday: Indiana Rallies from 20 Down Again, This Time to Defeat Cleveland

• The Big Lead: Cleveland 81, Indiana 61 (6:51 left in the 3rd quarter)
• Final Score: Indiana 120, Cleveland 119

How it happened: The Pacers’ chances seemed slim as they trailed by 20 in the third quarter. But Indiana fought back, outscoring Cleveland 59-38 in the final stretch. With just 1.1 seconds left, Tyrese Haliburton sank a clutch three-pointer to cap an 8-0 run, securing the victory. Remarkably, Indiana led for only a fraction of the game’s final moments — but it was enough to claim a pivotal 2-0 series lead.

Wednesday: Knicks Complete Another 20-Point Comeback, Lead Series 2-0

• The Big Lead: Boston 73, New York 53 (2:19 left in the 3rd quarter)
• Final Score: New York 91, Boston 90

How it happened: The Celtics, just like in Game 1, had a commanding 20-point lead but couldn’t seal the deal. The Knicks turned the tide, outscoring Boston 38-17 in the final 14 minutes. The Celtics missed 20 of their last 25 shots, including a dreadful 2 for 12 from beyond the arc. Jayson Tatum’s last-ditch attempt to win the game was blocked, allowing the Knicks to finish strong and take a 2-0 lead in the series.

These remarkable comebacks have kept fans on the edge of their seats and show that anything can happen in the NBA playoffs. Teams that seem to be out of the game are proving that it’s never over until the final buzzer. With these jaw-dropping rallies continuing to set records, this postseason is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent memory.

Stay tuned for more updates on these thrilling NBA playoff comebacks!

Source: AP News – The year of the NBA playoff comeback continues. A look at how these 20-point rallies keep happening

The post 20-Point Comebacks Are Changing the NBA Playoffs This Year appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.

In a jaw-dropping move just days before the NBA playoffs, the Denver Nuggets have fired head coach Michael Malone and announced they won’t extend general manager Calvin Booth’s contract—despite the team sitting near the top of the Western Conference standings.

The decision comes with only three games left in the regular season, a time when most playoff-bound teams are fine-tuning, not hitting the reset button. Denver, currently 47-32, is still in the hunt for home-court advantage in the first round and has already secured at least a play-in berth.

David Adelman will step in as interim head coach for the rest of the season, according to the organization.

“It is with no pleasure that we made this change,” said Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, the team’s ownership group. “But after careful evaluation, we believe this is the best move to give our group a chance at competing for the 2025 NBA championship and bringing another title to Denver.”

This marks the first time in NBA history that a team bound for the postseason has fired its coach with so few games left in the regular season. The closest comparison dates back to 1983, when the New Jersey Nets lost coach Larry Brown six games before the playoffs—though he left voluntarily for a college job.

Malone wasn’t just another coach—he was the architect of a decade-long transformation in Denver. Since arriving in 2015, he led the Nuggets to eight consecutive winning seasons and the team’s first-ever NBA Championship in 2023.

Under Malone:

• 471 regular-season wins, the most in franchise history.
• Seven consecutive playoff appearances (including this year’s projected entry).
• Two Western Conference Finals appearances (2020, 2023).
• A dominant 16-4 playoff run to the 2023 title.

Despite a strong season led by MVP candidate Nikola Jokić, who’s averaging a near triple-double (30 points, 12.8 rebounds, 10.2 assists), the Nuggets have dropped four straight games, including a 125-120 loss to Indiana on Sunday.

Malone shouldered the blame postgame:

“I’ll start with me… We haven’t lost four in a row in a long time. It’s easy to say ‘family’ when you’re winning. The real test is when you’re losing—can you stay together?”

Jokić, usually composed, was visibly at a loss when asked what’s wrong:

“I don’t know. Maybe we just… I don’t know, actually.”

It seems the front office decided that “maybe” wasn’t good enough.

GM Calvin Booth, who joined the franchise in 2017 and became general manager in 2020, will not have his contract renewed.

Kroenke praised Booth for helping “put the final pieces in place” for the 2023 championship squad, adding:

“Calvin’s knowledge and passion for scouting took our organization to new heights.”

The Nuggets aren’t the only playoff-bound team making late-season coaching changes. Memphis recently parted ways with coach Taylor Jenkins, making Denver the second team in two weeks to make a major move so close to the postseason.

The question now: Can a shake-up this big ignite a title run? Or will it unravel the chemistry that took Denver to the top just one year ago?

The Nuggets head to Sacramento to face the Kings on Wednesday—without their championship coach, and with everything still to prove.

Source: AP News – Nuggets fire coach Malone and won’t extend GM Booth in stunning move as postseason looms

The post Nuggets Shock NBA by Firing Coach Just Before Playoffs appeared first on Journos News - Breaking News, World News, Top Stories, Todays Headlines and Flash Reports.