Largest comeback by any current NBA franchise:
The Utah Jazz erased a 36-point deficit against the Denver Nuggets
on November 27, 1996 and won 107-103.
Largest blown lead by any current NBA franchise:
The Denver Nuggets' 36-point advantage against Utah on November 27,
1996 is the largest lead lost by any current NBA franchise.
A comeback is measured from the largest deficit a team faced
at any point during a game, not simply the halftime deficit
or the margin entering the fourth quarter.
Franchise history follows the continuous franchise. For example,
Seattle SuperSonics records are included with the Oklahoma City
Thunder franchise, while New Jersey Nets records are included with
Brooklyn.
Some teams have matched the same franchise record more than once.
Those entries are marked as tied records, and notable additional
ties are listed below the main table.
Biggest Comeback and Biggest Blown Lead by NBA Franchise
| Team |
Biggest
Comeback |
Opponent |
Date |
Notes |
Biggest
Blown Lead |
Opponent |
Date |
Notes |
| Atlanta Hawks |
30 |
vs. Boston Celtics |
03/25/2024 |
|
29 |
at Milwaukee Bucks |
11/25/1977 |
|
| Boston Celtics |
32 |
vs. San Antonio Spurs |
04/30/2021 |
|
30 |
at Atlanta Hawks |
03/25/2024 |
T |
| Brooklyn Nets |
28 |
at Boston Celtics |
03/03/2023 |
T |
26 |
at Boston Celtics |
05/25/2002 |
P |
| Charlotte Hornets |
24 |
vs. Milwaukee Bucks |
10/29/2014 |
|
25 |
vs. Chicago Bulls |
11/02/2005 |
|
| Chicago Bulls |
24 |
vs. Detroit Pistons |
10/30/2010 |
|
35 |
vs. Sacramento Kings |
12/21/2009 |
|
| Cleveland Cavaliers |
26 |
at Indiana Pacers |
04/20/2017 |
P |
27 |
vs. Miami Heat |
03/20/2013 |
|
| Dallas Mavericks |
29 |
vs. Minnesota Timberwolves |
12/30/2008 |
|
30 |
at Los Angeles Lakers |
12/06/2002 |
|
| Denver Nuggets |
25 |
at Memphis Grizzlies |
01/28/2019 |
T |
36 |
at Utah Jazz |
11/27/1996 |
|
| Detroit Pistons |
24 |
at Orlando Magic |
05/01/2026 |
P |
25 |
vs. Los Angeles Clippers |
02/02/2019 |
|
| Golden State Warriors |
31 |
at Milwaukee Bucks |
11/27/1975 |
|
31 |
vs. Los Angeles Clippers |
04/15/2019 |
P |
| Houston Rockets |
25 |
vs. San Antonio Spurs |
12/16/2019 |
|
26 |
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder |
02/09/2019 |
T |
| Indiana Pacers |
27 |
at Cleveland Cavaliers |
04/13/2025 |
|
26 |
vs. Cleveland Cavaliers |
04/20/2017 |
P |
| Los Angeles Clippers |
35 |
vs. Washington Wizards |
01/25/2022 |
|
28 |
vs. Brooklyn Nets |
03/19/2019 |
|
| Los Angeles Lakers |
30 |
vs. Dallas Mavericks |
12/06/2002 |
|
27 |
vs. New York Knicks |
01/08/1967 |
|
| Memphis Grizzlies |
26 |
vs. Minnesota Timberwolves |
04/21/2022 |
P |
29 |
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder |
04/24/2025 |
P |
| Miami Heat |
27 |
at Cleveland Cavaliers |
03/20/2013 |
|
26 |
vs. Boston Celtics |
04/13/2016 |
|
| Milwaukee Bucks |
29 |
vs. Atlanta Hawks |
11/25/1977 |
|
31 |
vs. Golden State Warriors |
11/27/1975 |
|
| Minnesota Timberwolves |
25 |
at Oklahoma City Thunder |
02/22/2025 |
|
29 |
at Dallas Mavericks |
12/30/2008 |
|
| New Orleans Pelicans |
25 |
vs. Utah Jazz |
01/20/2025 |
T |
25 |
vs. Los Angeles Lakers |
03/06/2013 |
|
| New York Knicks |
29 |
vs. San Antonio Spurs |
06/10/2026 |
P |
28 |
vs. Brooklyn Nets |
02/16/2022 |
|
| Oklahoma City Thunder |
29 |
at Memphis Grizzlies |
04/24/2025 |
P |
29 |
vs. Los Angeles Lakers |
05/15/1989 |
P |
| Orlando Magic |
25 |
vs. Miami Heat |
12/21/2024 |
|
27 |
vs. Boston Celtics |
01/26/2012 |
|
| Philadelphia 76ers |
30 |
at Boston Celtics |
03/25/1988 |
|
26 |
vs. Boston Celtics |
02/02/2025 |
T |
| Phoenix Suns |
29 |
vs. Boston Celtics |
12/05/2003 |
|
28 |
vs. Sacramento Kings |
03/07/2001 |
|
| Portland Trail Blazers |
30 |
at Sacramento Kings |
04/10/2019 |
|
25 |
vs. Utah Jazz |
02/21/2010 |
|
| Sacramento Kings |
35 |
at Chicago Bulls |
12/21/2009 |
|
30 |
vs. Portland Trail Blazers |
04/10/2019 |
|
| San Antonio Spurs |
28 |
vs. Sacramento Kings |
03/08/2017 |
|
32 |
at Boston Celtics |
04/30/2021 |
|
| Toronto Raptors |
30 |
vs. Dallas Mavericks |
12/22/2019 |
|
27 |
vs. Golden State Warriors |
12/03/2013 |
|
| Utah Jazz |
36 |
vs. Denver Nuggets |
11/27/1996 |
|
25 |
at New Orleans Pelicans |
01/20/2025 |
T / P |
| Washington Wizards |
27 |
vs. New York Knicks |
02/14/2017 |
|
35 |
at Los Angeles Clippers |
01/25/2022 |
|
Key:
T = Franchise has tied this record in more than one game.
P = The comeback or blown lead occurred during the NBA Playoffs.
Tied Franchise Records and Additional Games
Brooklyn Nets - 28-point comeback:
Brooklyn's 28-point comeback against Boston on March 3, 2023 tied
the franchise record. The Nets also erased a 28-point deficit against
the Sacramento Kings on March 19, 2019 and another 28-point deficit
against the New York Knicks on February 16, 2022.
New Orleans Pelicans - 25-point comeback:
New Orleans erased a 25-point deficit against Utah on January 20,
2025. The Pelicans matched that franchise record against the Houston
Rockets on December 18, 2025, winning 133-128 in overtime.
New York Knicks - 29-point comeback:
New York established a new franchise record in Game 4 of the 2026
NBA Finals by rallying from 29 points down to defeat the San Antonio
Spurs 107-106.
Philadelphia 76ers - 26-point blown lead:
Philadelphia's 26-point lead lost against Boston on February 2,
2025 is tied for the largest blown lead currently recorded for the
franchise.
Utah Jazz - 25-point blown lead:
Utah's January 20, 2025 loss at New Orleans is tied with another
25-point blown lead in franchise history. The New Orleans game is
also notable because it came against the team whose franchise
comeback record was established in the same game.
Franchise Records That Happened in the Same Game
| Date |
Winning Team |
Deficit |
Losing Team |
Record Connection |
| 11/27/1996 |
Utah Jazz |
36 |
Denver Nuggets |
Utah's biggest comeback and Denver's biggest blown lead. |
| 12/21/2009 |
Sacramento Kings |
35 |
Chicago Bulls |
Sacramento's biggest comeback and Chicago's biggest blown lead. |
| 01/25/2022 |
Los Angeles Clippers |
35 |
Washington Wizards |
Clippers' biggest comeback and Washington's biggest blown lead. |
| 04/30/2021 |
Boston Celtics |
32 |
San Antonio Spurs |
Boston's biggest comeback and San Antonio's biggest blown lead. |
| 11/27/1975 |
Golden State Warriors |
31 |
Milwaukee Bucks |
Golden State's biggest comeback and Milwaukee's biggest blown lead. |
| 03/25/2024 |
Atlanta Hawks |
30 |
Boston Celtics |
Atlanta's biggest comeback and a tied Boston franchise blown-lead record. |
| 12/06/2002 |
Los Angeles Lakers |
30 |
Dallas Mavericks |
Lakers' biggest comeback and Dallas' biggest blown lead. |
| 04/10/2019 |
Portland Trail Blazers |
30 |
Sacramento Kings |
Portland's biggest comeback and Sacramento's biggest blown lead. |
| 12/30/2008 |
Dallas Mavericks |
29 |
Minnesota Timberwolves |
Dallas' biggest comeback and Minnesota's biggest blown lead. |
| 11/25/1977 |
Milwaukee Bucks |
29 |
Atlanta Hawks |
Milwaukee's biggest comeback and Atlanta's biggest blown lead. |
| 04/24/2025 |
Oklahoma City Thunder |
29 |
Memphis Grizzlies |
Oklahoma City's biggest comeback and Memphis' biggest blown lead. |
| 03/20/2013 |
Miami Heat |
27 |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
Miami's biggest comeback and Cleveland's biggest blown lead. |
Record Notes
Utah owns the overall franchise comeback record:
The Jazz trailed Denver by 36 points on November 27, 1996 before
winning 107-103. It remains the largest comeback victory in NBA
history.
Los Angeles Clippers:
The Clippers' 35-point rally against Washington on January 25,
2022 is the largest comeback in franchise history. They also own
the NBA playoff record after coming back from 31 points down
against Golden State in 2019.
Indiana:
The Pacers established a new franchise record on April 13, 2025
when they erased a 27-point deficit in Cleveland and won 126-118
in double overtime.
Detroit:
The Pistons' 24-point playoff rally at Orlando on May 1, 2026
became the largest comeback currently recorded for the franchise.
Detroit won 93-79 while facing elimination.
New York:
The Knicks' 29-point comeback against San Antonio in Game 4 of the
2026 NBA Finals established both a Knicks franchise record and the
largest comeback ever recorded in an NBA Finals game.
Oklahoma City / Seattle:
Franchise records include the Seattle SuperSonics era. The
29-point blown lead against the Lakers on May 15, 1989 therefore
remains part of the Thunder franchise's historical record.
Brooklyn / New Jersey:
Nets records include games played when the franchise was known as
the New Jersey Nets. Boston's 26-point playoff comeback on May 25,
2002 is therefore listed as the largest blown lead in Nets franchise
history.
Charlotte:
The Hornets' 24-point comeback against Milwaukee occurred on
October 29, 2014. Charlotte won 108-106 in overtime in the first
regular-season game after the Hornets name returned to the
franchise.
Golden State:
The Warriors' historic 31-point comeback at Milwaukee was played
on November 27, 1975. Golden State won 106-105.
New Orleans:
The Pelicans matched their 25-point franchise comeback record on
December 18, 2025 against Houston. New Orleans rallied to win
133-128 in overtime.
How the Records Are Calculated
The comeback number represents the largest lead held by the losing
team at any point in the game. A team does not need to trail by that
amount at halftime or at the end of a quarter.
The blown-lead record is the opposite side of the same measurement:
it is the largest advantage a franchise held in a game that it
eventually lost.
Playoff results are included because this page tracks the largest
comeback and blown lead in the full history of each franchise, not
regular-season records only.
Franchise relocations and name changes remain part of the same
historical lineage. Seattle records therefore remain with Oklahoma
City, New Jersey records remain with Brooklyn, and earlier franchise
names are included when appropriate.
Because detailed play-by-play information becomes less complete
farther back in NBA and BAA history, NBAHoopsOnline will continue
updating this archive when additional verified historical comeback
records are discovered.
