We just witnessed one of the craziest comebacks in NBA Finals history. In Game 4 of the Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks erased a 29-point deficit and moved to within one win of their first championship since 1973.
 The comeback was capped off by former Raptor OG Anunoby, who tipped in the go-ahead basket with just 1.2 seconds left to give New York a 107-106 lead. It reminded us of some things from long ago.
The NBA has given us plenty of memorable playoff comebacks over the years, and this latest one got me thinking about some of the biggest rallies in Raptors playoff history. Here are my top three.
3. OG Anunoby’s buzzer-beater vs. Boston Celtics (Game 3, 2020 Eastern Conference Semifinals)
As it turns out, Anunoby has a habit of coming through in big moments. The Raptors entered the 2020 playoffs as defending champions, but there were plenty of questions surrounding the team after Kawhi Leonard left for the Clippers. Could Toronto still compete without the player who had led them to their first title?
Well…it looked like maybe not as things didn’t start well against Boston. The Celtics won the first two games of the series and it looked like there was no slowing them down. However, Toronto was poised to show off their championship pedigree.
Toronto trailed by ten at halftime of Game 3 and spent most of the night trying to claw its way back. Late in the fourth quarter, the Raptors finally pulled even when Fred VanVleet scored on an acrobatic tough layup to tie the game at 101 with 21 seconds left.
Sadly, on the ensuing drive it looked like their season was probably coming to a close. After a defensive breakdown featuring Pascal Siakam, Celtics’ Daniel Theis threw down a dunk with 0.5 seconds remaining, putting Boston ahead by two. Most teams would have accepted defeat at that point…but like I said the Raptors are not like most teams.
After a timeout, Kyle Lowry delivered one of the greatest inbound passes in franchise history, lofting the ball beautifully over Tacko Fall and finding Anunoby in the corner. OG caught it, rose up and buried the three as the buzzer sounded.
The fact Toronto eventually lost the series in seven games is probably the only reason this comeback doesn’t rank higher.
2. Largest playoff comeback in franchise history vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 5, 2016 Eastern Conference First Round)
The Raptors came into the 2016 playoffs carrying plenty of baggage after back-to-back first-round exits.
Their series against Indiana was tied at two a piece heading into Game 5, and things looked ugly for Toronto early. The Pacers built a 17-point lead and still held a 13-point advantage entering the fourth quarter.
At that point, the Raptors hadn’t led once all game. However, what followed was one of the best defensive quarters the franchise has ever played.
Toronto completely shut down Indiana, contesting every one of the 15 shot attempts the Pacers took in the fourth quarter. The Raptors opened the frame on a 21-2 run and suddenly had a six-point lead.
Still, Toronto had to fight until the very end. Indiana had one final chance to force overtime when Solomon Hill knocked down a three at the buzzer, but replay showed the shot came just after time expired. A millisecond too late.
The Raptors escaped with a 102-99 win and completed what still stands as the biggest playoff comeback in franchise history.
1. Kawhi Leonard takes over vs. Milwaukee Bucks (Game 6, 2019 Eastern Conference Finals)
This one sits at the top because of what was at stake.
Toronto entered Game 6 with a 3-2 series lead after recovering from an 0-2 deficit against the Bucks. A trip to the NBA Finals was on the line and let’s just say Milwaukee wasn’t making it easy.
The Bucks led by as many as 15 points late in the third quarter and looked ready to send the series back to Wisconsin for a Game 7. The only issue for Milwaukee was that Kawhi leonard had other plans.
Leonard put the Raptors on his back and helped spark a massive 26-3 run. The run started with a tough and-one over the outstretched arm of Brook Lopez and ended midway through the fourth quarter when Leonard drove down the lane and threw down a monster dunk over Giannis Antetokounmpo, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
By the final buzzer, Leonard had 27 points and 17 rebounds (I guess board man does in fact get paid) as the Raptors secured a 100-94 win and punched their ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. A few weeks later, they were NBA champions.
Final thoughts
The Raptors have produced a lot of memorable playoff moments over the years, but these three comebacks stand out for different reasons.
Whether it was Anunoby’s miracle shot in the Bubble, the franchise-record rally against Indiana, or Leonard’s takeover against Milwaukee, each comeback felt like a defining moment for that particular Raptors team.
Hopefully there are still a few more playoff comebacks waiting to be added to the list in the years ahead, especially with Toronto looking to take the next step in the right direction.
