Utah Jazz 36-Point Comeback vs. Denver - November 27, 1996

On November 27, 1996, the Utah Jazz completed one of the most remarkable rallies in professional basketball history, overcoming a 36-point deficit to defeat the Denver Nuggets 107-103 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

Denver dominated the opening half. The Nuggets scored 37 points in the first quarter and led Utah 37-19. They continued to pull away during the second quarter and, with 20 seconds remaining before halftime, Bryant Stith hit a three-pointer that gave Denver a stunning 70-34 lead.

Greg Foster made two free throws with two seconds remaining, cutting Utah's halftime deficit to 70-36. What followed was a complete reversal. Utah outscored Denver 36-15 in the third quarter and 35-18 in the fourth, producing a 71-33 second half and escaping with a 107-103 victory.

The 36-point rally remains the largest deficit overcome to win a regular-season game in NBA history.

For almost the entire first half, Denver could hardly miss. The Nuggets scored 37 points in the opening quarter while Utah managed only 19.

Denver's offense remained hot in the second quarter. With 20 seconds remaining in the half, Bryant Stith connected on a three-pointer that pushed the score to 70-34. The 36-point margin became the largest deficit Utah would face.

Greg Foster drew a shooting foul with two seconds remaining and made both free throws. Utah went into halftime trailing 70-36.

The numbers from the first half were staggering: Denver had scored 70 points while Utah had managed only 36, and the Jazz appeared headed toward a blowout loss on their home floor.

The game completely reversed after halftime.

Utah scored 36 points in the third quarter while holding Denver to only 15. Denver, which had scored 70 points in the first half, made only two field goals during the third quarter.

The Jazz erased 21 points from the halftime deficit in only 12 minutes. Denver's 70-36 halftime advantage had shrunk to 85-72 entering the fourth quarter.

Suddenly, what had appeared to be a hopeless game was within reach.

Utah continued its surge in the fourth quarter, scoring another 35 points while holding Denver to 18.

After being outscored 70-36 in the first half, Utah outscored Denver 71-33 after halftime.

The Jazz eventually completed the comeback and won 107-103, turning a 36-point deficit into a four-point victory - a total swing of 40 points.

Denver's biggest lead was 36 points. Utah's biggest lead was four, which was also the final margin.

Karl Malone led the Jazz with 31 points and 17 rebounds. He made 13 of 25 shots, grabbed six offensive rebounds and added six assists and two steals.

Jeff Hornacek was nearly as important, finishing with 29 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Hornacek shot 10-for-20 from the field, made two three-pointers and converted all seven of his free throws.

Malone and Hornacek combined for 60 of Utah's 107 points.

John Stockton had an unusually difficult shooting night, making only two of his 12 field-goal attempts, but still contributed nine points, 10 assists and four steals.

Chris Morris supplied 11 points in only 15 minutes off the bench, while Bryon Russell added 10 points and seven rebounds.

Bryant Stith led Denver with 31 points and nine rebounds. He was spectacular from three-point range, making seven of nine three-pointers.

Stith's final three-pointer of the first half was the shot that gave Denver its record 36-point advantage at 70-34.

Dale Ellis added 25 points, while Antonio McDyess finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Mark Jackson scored only six points but handed out a game-high 13 assists.

The game's quarter-by-quarter scoring shows just how dramatic the reversal was.

Denver outscored Utah 37-19 in the first quarter and 33-17 in the second. At halftime, the Nuggets had scored almost twice as many points as the Jazz, leading 70-36.

Utah then won the third quarter 36-15 and the fourth quarter 35-18.

First half: Denver 70, Utah 36.
Second half: Utah 71, Denver 33.

The Jazz scored one more point in the second half alone than Denver scored during its explosive 70-point first half.

Denver's first-half shooting had helped create the enormous lead, but the Nuggets could not maintain that pace.

The Nuggets finished the entire game 35-for-67 from the field and 12-for-25 from three-point range. However, after their extraordinary first half, Utah's defense held them to just 33 points over the final 24 minutes.

Denver also committed 19 turnovers compared with only 11 by Utah. The Jazz recorded 11 steals, including four by Stockton and two each from Malone and Hornacek.

Utah's rally from 36 points behind established the benchmark for the largest deficit overcome to win an NBA regular-season game.

The comeback began from a 70-34 deficit with 20 seconds remaining in the second quarter. Although Foster's two free throws reduced the halftime margin to 34, the Jazz had officially trailed by 36 during the game.

Decades later, several NBA teams have approached the record, but the Jazz's 36-point comeback against Denver remains the regular-season standard.

The game stands as one of the most memorable regular-season victories in Utah Jazz history and one of the most dramatic turnarounds the NBA has ever seen.

The comeback occurred early in what became one of the greatest seasons in Utah Jazz history. The victory improved Utah's record to 10-2 and extended the Jazz's winning streak to eight games.

Utah eventually finished the 1996-97 regular season 64-18, won the Western Conference and reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

Denver fell to 5-10 with the loss.

The comeback therefore became an early example of the resilience that would characterize one of the most successful seasons in Jazz history.

Date: November 27, 1996

Location: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah

Attendance: 19,324

Final Score: Utah Jazz 107, Denver Nuggets 103

Largest Utah Deficit: 36 points

Score at Largest Deficit: Denver 70, Utah 34

Time of Largest Deficit: 20 seconds remaining in the second quarter

Halftime Score: Denver 70, Utah 36

Second-Half Score: Utah 71, Denver 33

Utah Record After Game: 10-2

Denver Record After Game: 5-10

Utah Leading Scorer: Karl Malone - 31 points

Denver Leading Scorer: Bryant Stith - 31 points

Leading Rebounder: Karl Malone - 17 rebounds

Most Assists: Mark Jackson - 13 assists

Officials: Woody Mayfield, Tommy Nunez Sr. and Ronnie Nunn

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