A magical NBA season in Cleveland is suddenly in danger of ending.
The No. 1 Cavaliers, who went 64-18 in the regular season, fell in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the No. 4 Indiana Pacers, with Tyrese Haliburton nailing a game-winning 3-pointer close to time expiring.
Stream NBC 5 for free, 24/7, wherever you are.
WATCH HEREIndiana stunned Cleveland 121-112 in Game 1, and matters worsened for the Cavs when Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and De'Andre Hunter were ruled out for Game 2 due to injuries. The short-handed Cavs then blew leads on multiple occasions and Haliburton, after fans chanted "overrated" at him, took advantage.
But the Cavaliers aren't the only team in trouble. The reigning champ Boston Celtics are also down 0-2 to the New York Knicks following two straight blown double-digit leads at home.
So, what does history say about Cleveland and Boston's chances with the two series headed to Indiana and New York? Here's what to know:
MORE NBA COVERAGE
How many NBA teams won a series down 2-0?
Since 1956, 463 series -- non-seven-games series included -- started with a team winning each of the first two games. In 429 of those, the team with the advantage won. Only 34 were able to overcome the 2-0 deficit, a 7.3% success rate.
How many NBA teams won a conference semifinals series down 2-0?
Narrowing down the numbers to just the conference semifinals, 117 series have seen a team trail 2-0 and just eight (6.8%) came back to win.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the news you need to know with the Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
SIGN UP How many NBA teams down 2-0 forced a Game 6 or Game 7?
Cleveland and Boston have to force either a Game 6 or Game 7 to win the series and advance. Teams down 2-0 forced a Game 6 87 times, but just 14 (16.1%) advanced to the next round.
A Game 7 transpired on 58 occasions, with 14 teams (24.1%) completing the series comeback.
When was the last time an NBA team won a series down 2-0?
Not all hope is lost for Cleveland and Boston, though, as a team has recovered from a 2-0 deficit to win in each of the last four postseasons. And the last series where it transpired has familiar faces. In the 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals, the Pacers came back to beat the Knicks in seven games.
