Building a 20-point lead is more common than ever in the NBA. Improved talent across the league, combined with increased 3-point volume and pace, has led to scoring explosions. While it's easier to produce a 20-point lead, it's also easier to storm back from a 20-point deficit.
With clubs shooting a historically high number of threes, there's a lot of scoring volatility throughout an NBA contest. Basketball has always been a game of runs, but those runs are building quicker than ever as squads value 3-point looks. A prime example came Saturday when the Knicks erupted for a 21-0 run in the fourth quarter of their Game 1 win over the Pistons.
A team built a 20-point lead at some point in five of this year's eight Game 1s. The Celtics barely missed out, leading the Magic by 19 in the fourth quarter. Some sportsbooks, including theScore Bet and ESPN Bet, offer a postseason promotion: You're guaranteed a win if the team you backed on the moneyline - whether straight bets or parlays - builds a 20-point lead in the contest, even if the squad ultimately collapses and loses.
Most clubs with 20-point leads go on to win, but this early victory promotion could be valuable throughout the playoffs. It also gives bettors peace of mind, letting them avoid the stress of a potential comeback.
A 20-point lead isn't as safe a margin as it used to be. While no team came back from the monumental hole during the opening weekend of the postseason, the Rockets came close. The Warriors led by 23 before Houston mounted a charge, cutting the deficit to six in the fourth quarter. Golden State's playoff experience eventually led to a 10-point win.
In the past decade, there have been 13 playoff comebacks from 20-point deficits, with five occurring in the last four years. And two of those came last year: The Timberwolves' Game 7 win over the Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals after trailing by 20, and Denver's comeback from a 20-point hole against the Lakers in Game 2 of the opening round.
The largest comeback in playoff history took place in 2019 when the Clippers erased a 31-point deficit to beat the Warriors in Game 2 of the opening round.
A 20-point advantage can become a tie game in the blink of an eye. There's a good chance a team completes a 20-point comeback at some point this postseason, but bettors at theScore Bet/ESPN Bet who wager on the moneyline of the losing squad will still earn the win.
Sam Oshtry is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X @soshtry for more betting coverage.
