Though in a 3-1 Hole, Mavs Aren't Dead Yet

Altogether now, no team in NBA history has rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.

Good, because the Mavs no longer have to try that trick. They’ve merely got to rally from a 3-1 deficit. And history suggests that’s doable.

Before we bury the Mavs and cringe at the looming summer where Rajon Rondo leaves, Chandler Parsons undergoes knee surgery, Monta Ellis becomes a free agent and 37-year-old Dirk Nowitzki again assesses his career in the face of yet another roster reconstruction, let’s give them a counter-puncher’s chance in Tuesday night’s Game 5 in Houston.

If, as was the case in Sunday night’s Game 4 in Dallas, the Mavs play harder than the Rockets, they totally have the ability to play better than the Rockets and force a Game 6. Strange things happen in the playoffs. The Blazers and Bucks both staved off elimination Monday night and the 8th-seeded Nets tied their series with the top-seeded Hawks in the East.

In 2003 the Mavs allowed a 3-0 series lead over Portland to get tied before winning Game 7 at home. Like a 16 seed beating a No. 1 in March Madness, a team winning an NBA series after trailing 3-0 will happen someday.

“It’s inevitable it’s going to be done some day in an 0-3 situation,” Mavs’ coach Rick Carlisle said at his Monday press conference. “We’re just going to stay the course and stay aggressive and do the things that we did in Game 4 and give ourselves a shot. I’ve coached a team that’s come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a series, so I know it can be done.”

It felt like the Rockets took their foot off the pedal in Game 4. J.J. Barea played with more desire. Tyson Chandler stood up to Dwight Howard. And Monta Ellis again was the best player on the court.

Without Rondo and Parsons in Mavs’ uniforms, the Rockets are clearly the better team. If they are more aggressive and efficient tonight they’ll close out the series and the Mavs will sulk into a long summer wondering what happened to their lofty expectations from back in December.

But eight NBA teams have rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win a series. Improbable? Sure. Impossible? We’ll see.

A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He currently lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.

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