After losing the first two games of their first-round series with the Dallas Mavericks at home, the LA Clippers became the first team to come back from a 2-0 series deficit since the Toronto Raptors did it in the 2019 Eastern Conference finals. Now, can they become the first team in NBA history to come back twice in the same postseason after falling behind 2-0 to the Utah Jazz in the semifinals?
Although the task might seem less daunting because the Clippers are headed home for Games 3 and 4 with a chance to tie up the series on their home court, it's actually a more challenging proposition historically. Since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1983-84, teams that lose the first two games at home have gone 4-19 in best-of-seven series (.174). Teams that lose the first two on the road are 14-200 (.065).
How can the Clippers beat the odds again? Let's take a look at possible factors that could help the Clippers gain the upper hand in the series ahead of Game 3 on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET on ABC).