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 theMLBThe 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.
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.