Spurs join a growing list of notable collapses in sports history
NEW YORK (AP) — The
San Antonio Spurs have plenty of company in being on the losing end of a dramatic comeback.
The
New York Knicks rallied from 29 points down and beat the Spurs 107-106 on
OG Anunoby ‘s tip-in with 1.2 seconds remaining in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night.
The stunning scene left the Knicks, who have just two titles in their 80-year history and hadn’t even been to the finals since 1999, with a 3-1 lead and three chances to win the best-of-seven series — starting with Game 5 on Saturday night in San Antonio.
Jalen Brunson (36 points) and Anunoby (33 points) led the charge and sent the Spurs into sports lore. Here’s a look at other memorable meltdowns:
Matt Ryan and the Falcons provide a Supersized collapse
The Falcons led 28-3 with 8:31 remaining in the third quarter of Super Bowl 51, a seemingly insurmountable lead even with quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots on the other side of the field. But Brady & Co.
scored 25 consecutive points — the largest comeback in Super Bowl history — to send the 2017 finale to overtime. New England sealed the victory by winning the coin toss and scoring a touchdown on the opening drive.
Northern Iowa gets pressed into a stunning loss in the NCAA Tournament
Northern Iowa led Texas A&M 69-57 with 44 seconds left in the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament before the Aggies
turned up the press and sparked the largest final-minute comeback in Division I history. The 11th-seeded Panthers committed four turnovers and failed to get the ball past the half-court line. The Aggies closed with a 14-2 run that forced overtime. They prevailed in double OT.
Jordan Spieth melts down on the back nine at the Masters
Spieth, then 22, started the back nine with
a five-shot lead at Augusta National in 2016, but he bogeyed Nos. 10 and 11 and quadruple-bogeyed the par-3 12th. By the time he got to the 13th tee, he was facing a three-shot deficit.
Yankees blow a 3-0 lead against the rival Red Sox
The Red Sox, a gritty group with a “cowboy up” motto, were on the verge of getting swept in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS in Boston. They trailed 4-3 heading into their final at-bat before mounting a rally against Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. David Ortiz provided a walk-off home run in the 12th inning. The Red Sox won three more to close out the series, then swept St. Louis in the World Series to secure their first championship since 1918.
Jean van de Velde delivers late drama at the British Open
Van de Velde entered the final round of the 1999 Open at Carnoustie, Scotland, with a five-shot lead. He stepped to No. 18 with a three-stroke advantage before one of the biggest meltdowns in golf history. He hit a grandstand, found a creek and ended up with a triple-bogey to join Justin Leonard and Paul Lawrie in a four-hole playoff. Lawrie, 10 shots back entering the final round, won by three.
Greg Norman falters in the final round at the Masters
Norman took a six-shot lead into the final round at Augusta National in 1996 but stumbled spectacularly by shooting 78 in the final round. Norman lost the lead by the 12th hole and ended up finishing five strokes behind winner Nick Faldo.
Knicks get choked out by Reggie Miller and the Pacers
The New York Knicks held a 105-99 lead with 18.7 seconds remaining before Indiana star Reggie Miller caught fire and sent the Knicks to one of the more stunning end-game collapses in league lore. Miller scored eight points in nine seconds in Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference semifinals. He hit a 3-pointer, stole the ensuing inbounds pass and drained another trey to tie the game at 105. The Knicks had chances to close it out, but John Starks missed two free throws and Patrick Ewing missed a 10-footer before Miller was fouled on the rebound. Miller sank both free throws to give the Pacers a 107-105 victory. The Pacers went on to win the series in seven games.
Frank Reich and the Bills rally from a 35-3 hole to beat the Oilers
Houston led 35-3 in the fourth quarter but failed to slow down backup Reich, who was filling in for star quarterback Jim Kelly. Reich ended the day with four TD passes, including three to Andre Reed. Buffalo’s Steve Christie kicked the winning field goal in overtime as the Bills rallied to win 41-38.
Maple Leafs stun the Red Wings to make NHL history
After losing the first three games in 1942, the Toronto Maple Leafs won the next four to upset the Detroit Red Wings in seven games, winning their fourth Stanley Cup and becoming the first team in North American sports history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit to win a playoff series.
The San Antonio Spurs have plenty of company in being on the losing end of a dramatic comeback. Matt Ryan and the Falcons losing a 28-3 lead against New England in the Super Bowl.
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