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For NBA fans, the Finals are an event of the utmost importance. And while you might not get off work, they’re a special occasion that only comes around once a year. You could even call them… a Holiday.

Today’s Lineup

Last Night’s Action

Jrue Holiday lifts Celtics to 105-98 win, 2-0 Finals lead over Mavs

It takes a lot bring home an NBA title, but when you have one player shooting almost perfectly from the field, another recording near-triple doubles left and right, and neither is the current favorite for Finals MVP? You know you’re off to a good start.

Last night, Boston took a commanding 2-0 lead in the Finals behind yet another full team effort that led to a nail-biting seven-point win over Dallas. Despite another huge game from Luka Doncic (32 PTS, 11 REB, 11 AST) the C’s got major contributions from up and down the roster, with Jrue Holiday catching fire (26 PTS, 76% FG), Jayson Tatum pouring in an all-around effort (18 PTS, 12 AST, 9 REB), and Jaylen Brown (21 PTS, 7 AST) notching his second straight 20-point game.

Only five teams in the history of the Finals have come back from down 2-0. But with the way Game 2 ended—the Mavs going on a 9-0 run and cutting the lead down to five in the final minute—Dallas could easily get back into the series with a slight improvement in shooting efficiency from the rest of the squad. We’ll see how Game 3 unfolds… 👀

The Comeback Kids

If the Mavs are going to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy this year, they’ll need to become just the sixth team in league history to overcome an 0-2 hole in the Finals. So in honor of a potential addition to the crew, let’s take a look at the other five comeback kids.

1969 Boston Celtics

The first team to ever overcome a 2-0 Finals deficit came in the league’s most classic Finals matchup: Celtics vs. Lakers. After Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and company took Games 1 and 2 by a combined eight points, Boston stormed back and won the series in seven thanks to a roster that featured five Hall of Famers including Bill Russell. West remains the only player to win Finals MVP in a losing effort after averaging a MONSTER 38 PPG throughout the series.

1977 Portland Trailblazers

Led by Dr. J, George McGinnis, and Doug Collins, the ‘77 76ers took a 2-0 lead in the Finals of the first season after the addition of the ABA to the NBA. But instead of what would’ve been a great storyline for the league, the Blazers pulled off an impressive comeback—the late Bill Walton, the previous season’s MVP, helped Portland storm back and recorded 20 PTS and 23 REB in the closeout game. RIP to the legend!

2006 Miami Heat

Though this series is often brought up as a… questionable officiating effort, the legendary performances outweigh any of those complaints. Dallas went up 2-0 thanks to huge performances from prime Dirk Nowitzki, but a third-year Dwyane Wade had other plans, putting up 35 PPG to lead Miami’s comeback and give the Heat their first title.

2016 Cleveland Cavaliers

Though the 2016 Cavs are much more well-known for overcoming a 3-1 deficit, it all began with a clutch Game 3 to avoid an even worse 3-0 hole. After dropping Games 1 and 2, LeBron and Kyrie combined for 62 points to give Cleveland a 30-point dub. And we all know what happened next…

2021 Milwaukee Bucks

In a fresh Finals matchup after many years of LeBron and the Warriors, the Suns-Bucks Finals hosted a plethora of players seeking their first ring. Though many fans hoped to see Chris Paul collect his first title, Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered one of the most iconic performances in Finals history, dropping 50 to close out a ferocious comeback by Milwaukee.

Three in the Key

Signing Off

And we out! Thanks for spending a portion of your day with us. This week, don’t forget to be present and enjoy the moment no matter what you’re up to. It’s easy to always look ahead to the next destination in life, but sometimes right where you are is exactly where you need to be. Talk soon!

-Walker Carnathan