You're Down 3-0, You've Automatically Lost - What Should You Do For Game 4?

Wammy Giveaway · Post #1 » by **Wammy Giveaway** » Tue May 28, 2024 3:57 am

Because no team in NBA history has ever recovered losing three games straight from the start, a 3-0 lead is considered an automatic series victory. Here comes Game 4, the technicality game as the series is a best four out of seven.

You can try and win Game 4, but all it does is imply that the leading team gave the game away as a gift, a free game as I like to call it. No matter, they'll lose in five. But what if the losing team stuns in Game 5, no worries, they'll lose in 6. And if the leading team lets six slip away, Hakuna Matata, there is always a Game 7, to which only four teams in NBA history have managed to draw, and in all four instances the attempted comeback falls flat. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, no matter who you have, once you're down 3-0 you've automatically lost. There is nothing you can do, except to accept defeat by losing the series and trying again next year.

So why bother even having a Game 4? Revise the playoff standards so that a 3-0 lead in best of seven means an automatic win like Bill Simmons once suggested. Why bother indeed? It's not as if 3-0 led Game 4s all ended horribly akin to a forfeit. Look at the 2011 Lakers who were shamed by the Mavericks, especially after Andrew Bynum's clothesline to J.J. Barea. Most of the time, the Game 4 is either a take-it-easy game like the 2017 NBA Finals where Cavaliers got a free game on their home floor, followed by a business-clinching Game 5 for the Warriors. Or it can be a see-you-next-season like last year's 1st round where Wolves stole Game 4 to prevent a Nuggets sweep, and it translated into actual success just recently.

Let's look back at all the 3-0 leads, specifically Game 4s. Since no team will ever come back from down 3-0, what should the losing team do in those situations? Do they try and extend the series, or does it become a glorified scrimmage that will hopefully translate better for them next season? Which was your favorite 3-0 led Game 4s?

In other words, what can the losing team do so that their impending elimination off a 3-0 deficit doesn't feel deflating?

duppyy · Post #2 » by **duppyy** » Tue May 28, 2024 3:59 am

Sweep the leg Johnny

Post #3 » by **Domejandro** » Tue May 28, 2024 3:59 am

Try to win one game at a time. Not sure what else the answer would be, you don't just throw games.

Attempt to make history, and if/when it doesn't happen, then you move forward from there, based on the trajectory of your team.

Personally I really dislike the "if it goes 3-0, just end the series" idea. Beyond it needlessly taking basketball away from fans, it lowers the amount of revenue that the NBA gets for no reason. I enjoy watching basketball and prefer to see teams try to make history, even if monumentally unlikely.

robillionaire · Post #4 » by **robillionaire** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:02 am

The first thing I’d do is not accept that you’ve automatically lost

everything that’s ever happened at some point happened for the first time in history, and history will continue to be made

I remember back when it was considered impossible for a 16 seed to beat a 1 seed in ncaa basketball. Now I’ve seen it happen more than once

SweaterBae · Post #5 » by **SweaterBae** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:03 am

What a horrible idea. You need to win 16 games to win the championship, no more, no less.

ChuckChilly · Post #6 » by **ChuckChilly** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:04 am

As long as there is a game to play, you have a chance to win.

xxSnEaKyPxx · Post #7 » by **xxSnEaKyPxx** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:04 am

Try.

Someone's gotta be the first to make that comeback, why not you?

Giving up is setting a losers mentality for the entire franchise.

durden_tyler · Post #8 » by **durden_tyler** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:06 am

Try for a half, make it close maybe, hope for an injury (classless but it's your only chance) but you always play it at first. If it's blowout by halftime, you just kind of give up already.

amcoolio · Post #9 » by **amcoolio** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:06 am

I think Minnesota has a good shot, actually. I think it actually gets to 6 games at least

RiRuHoops · Post #10 » by **RiRuHoops** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:06 am

What if Doncic blows his ACL in game 4 ? Huh? Huh ?

EmpireFalls · Post #11 » by **EmpireFalls** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:07 am

How defeatist do you have to be lol.

Only a matter of time until someone does come back from 3-0 down.

robillionaire · Post #12 » by **robillionaire** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:11 am

EmpireFalls wrote:How defeatist do you have to be lol.

Only a matter of time until someone does come back from 3-0 down.

And it’s happened in other major sports with best of 7 series, 1 time in MLB and 4 times in NHL.

I am almost certain I will see this happen in the nba at some point in my life

Bolivar · Post #13 » by **Bolivar** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:12 am

Some stupid drivel for sure. I'm almost certain that some team will win from 0-3 down in the next 10 years or so. Just have to remember to come back to bump this.

Wammy Giveaway · Post #14 » by **Wammy Giveaway** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:13 am

Bolivar wrote:Some stupid drivel for sure. I'm almost certain that some team will win from 0-3 down in the next 10 years or so. Just have to remember to come back to bump this.

I may not be around after the conclusion of this season, but I will bring this up to the mods when it happens as a favor.

(Yes, I will be leaving RealGM.)

durden_tyler · Post #15 » by **durden_tyler** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:15 am

Bolivar wrote:Some stupid drivel for sure. I'm almost certain that some team will win from 0-3 down in the next 10 years or so. Just have to remember to come back to bump this.

Celtics had the close one last year. So make that in "another 20 years"

It'll take a lot, like injuries and such, but it's going to be difficult.

fallguy · Post #16 » by **fallguy** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:17 am

Prepare your talking points about how it was the most competitive sweep of all time.

fallguy · Post #17 » by **fallguy** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:17 am

Prepare your talking points about how it was the most competitive sweep of all time.

Bush4Ever · Post #18 » by **Bush4Ever** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:22 am

I don't usually say things like this, but they are paid enough...they should be playing every series and every game to its natural conclusion (whatever it might be), with minor allowances for things like avoiding injuries and the like.

If it were literally impossible to win? Well...go out and sweat for 30-40 minutes to make as much money as surgeons do in a single year...do it as a straight pride and integrity play.

In terms of how the losing team focuses itself, it's the same advice you would give to anyone doing something super hard over a long time period...break it up into more manageable discrete chunks, and focus on nothing but the next chunk until its done...then move on to the next one.

Bolivar · Post #19 » by **Bolivar** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:23 am

durden_tyler wrote:
It'll take a lot, like injuries and such, but it's going to be difficult.

Injury to a superstar player is one option, but most likely one is something like that Wolves-Nuggets series. Rising and highly talented young team plays to their best potential, gets up 3-0, their stars get anointed to be next Jordan. Meanwhile the more playoff experienced team wakes up and adjusts, takes it one game at a time for a 4-3 win while the other team mentally crumbles.
Of course, in case of Nuggets it was 0-2 and they managed to lose their series turnaround, but it will be some similar situation sooner or later with turnaround from 0-3.

dk1115 · Post #20 » by **dk1115** » Tue May 28, 2024 4:27 am

I don't care how late I am to this party, but this is what you do:

Send out your worst 5 players, then just tell everyone you didn't try.