The Most Unlikely Comebacks in Sports History

by Jeremy Block - 10/15/2025

Every once in a while, sports throw us a curveball. One second, a team’s season looks dead. The crowd’s half out the door, and the only thing left to do is pack it up and call it a night. Then out of nowhere, the impossible happens. Whether it’s a team coming back from the brink of elimination or a player showing up after everyone counted them out, these moments make you wonder if the game even has rules anymore.

When the stakes are high and everything looks lost, that’s when the real magic happens. It’s not always pretty, and it rarely follows the script, but in sports, there’s always the chance for the unbelievable. That said, let’s take a look at some of the most unlikely comebacks in sports history.

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Tracy McGrady Scores 13 Points in 33 Seconds (2004)

For all you NBA fans and basketball buffs, if you claim to know your history, you better remember Tracy McGrady’s epic 13-point comeback against the Spurs. For those who don’t, pull up a chair—this one’s as crazy as it gets

In 2004, Tracy McGrady was doing what he did best: putting up points left and right, and making defenders look like they didn’t belong on the same floor. But in one of the most absurd 33-second stretches in NBA history, T-Mac went from having a regular night to "did I just see that?" status.

Down by 10 with just 35 seconds left, T-Mac drained four consecutive shots, including a three-pointer, a steal followed by another three, and then capped it with a go-ahead layup. In less than a minute, he scored 13 points to pull the Rockets to a 81-80 victory over the Spurs.

And just like that, McGrady turned a hopeless situation into a clutch performance that left everyone, Spurs included, wondering how the hell that just happened.

Cavaliers' 3-1 Comeback in the 2016 NBA Finals

Alright, let’s talk about one of the most insane comebacks in NBA history—the 2016 Finals. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Golden State Warriors, and the Cavs were staring down a 3-1 series deficit. Now, in the NBA, a 3-1 hole is like a death sentence. No, seriously, it’s the "game over" screen in a video game. Most teams would fold, pack it up, and start planning for next season. But not LeBron James and the Cavs.

With their season on the line in Game 5, LeBron James scored 41 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists—and it only got better from there. Game 6? James doubled down, dropping another 41 points, plus 11 rebounds and 8 assists. The man was an unstoppable force.

Then came Game 7. With a bit of momentum on their side and a LeBron James who wasn’t about to take ‘no’ for an answer, the Cavs made history, coming back from 3-1 down to win it all. James led the charge in Game 7 with 27 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds.

Look, that’s the ultimate “don’t doubt us” moment, and if that’s not the definition of redemption, I don’t know what is.

Reggie Miller’s 8 Points in 9 Seconds (1995)

It was Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals, and the Knicks thought they had it locked up. With 18 seconds left, they held a 6-point lead at home in Madison Square Garden. The crowd was already celebrating. But then, Reggie Miller happened. In just 9 seconds, he scored 8 points and flipped the script completely.

Miller hit a three to trim the lead, then stole the inbound pass on the next possession, hit another three-pointer, and was fouled on the following offensive possession, sinking two free throws to seal the deal for Indiana. Game over.

The Pacers skated away with the win thanks to Miller’s clutch shooting, and the Knicks? They were left speechless, wondering if what just happened was even real. That moment still stands as one of the most outrageous comebacks in playoff history, cementing Miller’s reputation as one of the most dangerous players in crunch time.

Minnesota Vikings' 33-0 Comeback vs. Indianapolis Colts (2022)

Let’s be real: when the Vikings were down 33-0 at halftime against the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, most people thought it was over. Matt Ryan and the Colts’ offense were absolutely unstoppable, moving the chains like they practiced walkthroughs.

They scored 17 unanswered points in the first quarter, then tacked on another 16 in the second. It looked like the Vikings had forgotten they were supposed to play football.

But football, like life, has a funny way of proving us wrong. Coming out of halftime, the Vikings decided to wake up, scoring 14 points in the third quarter, then cranking things up with 22 points in the fourth. After a game-winning field goal, Minnesota completed one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history, finishing off the Colts 39-36 to clinch the NFC North.

To this day, that game is remembered as one of the wildest comebacks ever, proving that as long as there's time on the clock, you should never count a team out.

Cubs’ Historic World Series Comeback (2016)

If there’s one comeback that’ll go down in baseball history forever, it’s the Chicago Cubs’ 2016 World Series win. The Cubs hadn’t won a championship in 108 years, so making it that far alone was practically a win for them. But the ride was anything but smooth.

After kicking off the series with a brutal 6-0 loss in Game 1 to the Cleveland Indians (not "Guardians," oops), things didn’t get much better. Chicago managed to grab a 5-1 win in Game 2, but by the end of Game 4, they were right back in familiar territory, down 3-1.

Heading into Game 5, with their backs against the wall, the Cubs pulled off a close 3-2 win, thanks to Aroldis Chapman who came up clutch in the 9th with four strikeouts, and surrendering zero hits.

Fast forward to Game 7: The Cubs’ offense finally came alive, with Kyle Schwarber and Dexter Fowler both going 3-for-5, leading the charge in a 8-7 win. And unlike other World Series wins, this wasn’t just about coming back from a 3-1 deficit—they broke the curse, erased generations of disappointment, and delivered one of the most dramatic finishes in baseball history.

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Start:	October 16, 2025 @ 11:00 PM
Expert:	Griffin Murphy
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The Most Unlikely Comebacks in Sports History

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