Boston Celtics look to join rare company by overcoming 3-0 deficit against Miami Heat

The Boston Celtics are on the precipice of accomplishing something that has never happened in an NBA playoff series.

No team has recovered after going down three games to none to win a seven-game playoff series. History can be made Monday night at TD Garden in Boston.

With their thrilling buzzer-beater win in Game 6 against the Miami Heat, the Celtics became only the fourth NBA team to erase a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series and force a deciding game. The others in that club − the 1951 New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, the 1994 Denver Nuggets in the second round and the 2003 Portland Trail Blazers in the first round − all lost Game 7, all on the road.

The Heat are the 151st team to grab a 3-0 series lead in a best-of-seven. All 150 of the previous clubs finished the job. On Monday night, the Celtics look to join their Boston brethren, the Red Sox, in making playoff history. Aside from the 2004 Red Sox, four NHL teams rebounded from 3-0 deficits to win playoff series.

Here are the history-makers:

MLB

2004 Boston Red Sox

The New York Yankees took a commanding 3-0 lead with a 19-8 win in Game 3 of the ALCS. But the Red Sox stayed alive with extra-inning wins in the next two games, tying the game off Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera both times. Boston's Curt Schilling pitched a four-hit gem in Game 6 to tie the series. Game 7 was a blowout as Johnny Damon had six RBI in a 10-3 victory. The Red Sox swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series to end an 86-year championship drought.

NHL

1942 Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs rallied against the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final after coach Hap Day benched regular-season leading scorer Gordie Drillon. His replacement, Don Metz, had four goals and three assists as Toronto outscored Detroit 19-7 in the final four games.

1975 New York Islanders

The Islanders, making their first playoff appearance, showed the resilience under coach Al Arbour that would eventually lead to four consecutive Stanley Cup championships in the 1980s. They overcame a 3-0 deficit against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round, winning Game 7 on a shutout by Glenn "Chico" Resch. Then they nearly did the same the following round against the defending champion Philadelphia Flyers before falling in Game 7. They went 8-1 in elimination games that year.

2010 Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers stayed alive in Game 4 of the second round against the Boston Bruins when Simon Gagne scored in overtime. Philadelphia then lost starting goalie Brian Boucher to injury in the next game, and backup Michael Leighton stopped 44 of 45 Bruins shots to win Games 5 and 6. The Bruins, playing at home, took a 3-0 lead in Game 7 before the Flyers rallied to win 4-3 on Gagne's second game-winner of the series. The Flyers eventually reached the Final, losing to the Chicago Blackhawks.

2014 Los Angeles Kings

The San Jose Sharks won the first two games of the first-round series with blowouts, then won Game 3 in overtime. Then Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, who was pulled in Game 1, stopped 130 of 135 shots over the final four games to advance. The Kings won three Game 7s that year to capture the Stanley Cup for the second time in three years.

Contributing: Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Celtics can join exclusive company by overcoming 3-0 playoff deficit