Five teams have ever come back to win a series in the position Denver is now in having lost the first two at home:
1969 Lakers vs Warriors
1994 Rockets vs Suns
2005 Mavs vs Rockets
2017 Celtics vs Bulls
2021 Clippers vs Mavs
Anybody remember that Celtics series?
Yeah, it turned when Rondo went out. Celtics should've lost that series.
That was when Isaiah's sister died.
My opinion going in at the time (and that I still hold today), was Game 1 would be a toss up (with Isaiah going on pure adrenaline but the team walking on egg shells around him) but Game 2 the C's would lose for sure with Isaiah being emotionally drained.
I think the Rondo factor was overblown. He wasn't really a factor in the Bulls Game 1 win (6-15 from the floor, 5 fouls, tied for team worst -7). I think the turnaround was more Isaiah (and the team) having time to process the tragedy (along with some tweaks by Brad) more than the Bull's loss of Rondo. Healthy Rondo, I think C's still win.