Utah Jazz: One game at a time

LOS ANGELES — They've been saying it's the case for a couple games now, and technically speaking it really wasn't so.

But down 3-1 heading into tonight's Game 5 at the Staples Center here, it really is must-win now for the Jazz.

If, that is, the Western Conference's No. 8 seed is to extend its first-round NBA playoff meeting with the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers and bring the best-of-seven series back to Utah for a Game 6 on Thursday night — not to mention generate another $1 million or so in extra income for the franchise.

"We lose this game, it's done," Jazz shooting guard Ronnie Brewer said after the Lakers took Game 4 on Saturday night at EnergySolutions Arena. "So, we've got to put it on the floor. Leave it on the floor, and try to get a win."

"It's going to be tough," point guard Deron Williams conceded. "They're going to try to come out and blow us away early, and we've just got to show some heart and some toughness and come out and give ourselves a chance to win the basketball game."

Williams is right in suggesting that is will be no easy task.

And it's not just because the Lakers have scored at least 60 in the first half of Games 1, 2 and 4 — all Jazz losses.

Not just because Lakers star Kobe Bryant, evidenced by 38-point performance in Game 4, finally is playing in hostile takeover mode.

Not just because L.A. is 11-4 in all-time postseason games against Utah at home, either.

Instead, bigger-picture stats build the base for the most-telling tale.

A team has gone up 3-1 184 times in NBA post-season history, and only eight times —4.3 percent — has the trailing club rallied to win.

Still, the Jazz — with power forward Carlos Boozer one rebound shy of having delivered four double-doubles in the series, and Williams two assists short of the same, with one 35-point series game to his credit — hold on to hope.

"It's not over yet," center Mehmet Okur said. "We're going to watch the film, we're going to make some adjustments and go out there, play even harder, and go from there."

"The series is not over," Williams added. "We've still got a little hope. We know it's going to be tough to win three games in a row against these guys. But we should be playing free now, loose — because nobody expects us to win."