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The numbers suggest Utah now has every reason to be overconfident in its first-round playoff series against Houston.
No chance, the Jazz insist.
"We definitely feel confident that we can win, but we're not overconfident - we're not cocky," point guard Deron Williams said. "They are still a good team that's very capable of going on a streak. . . . It's the playoffs and anything can happen."
Heading into Game 3 tonight, the Jazz own the series with a 2-0 lead over the Rockets, and only 12 teams in NBA history have rallied from such a deficit to win a best-of-seven series.
History aside, the Jazz also have the Rockets' number.
Utah is 6-1 in its last seven playoff games against Houston, going back to last year. In that first-round series, the Rockets averaged only 78 points in three games at EnergySolutions Arena and lost by 12, 13 and 14 points.
Still, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said, "I think our players are intelligent enough to know that we have to come ready to play. Nobody is going to give us anything. We have to come and prove we're better than they are. That's if we want to win. If we just show up and don't want to win, that's something we'd have to live with."
Utah's lead in the series gives them a chance to close out the Rockets at home, where the Jazz were an NBA-best 37-4 during the regular season.
"I don't think we're overconfident," said Carlos Boozer. "I think we're ready. . . . There are things we're doing well and we'll try to continue doing them. There are things we can do better and we'll work on that. Game 3 should be a dandy."
All-time, the Jazz are 7-0 after taking a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven playoff series. But this is the first time they have ever opened with two road wins. Theoretically, that means Utah has never been in a better position to advance.
"We've never been here so I don't know what will happen," said veteran assistant coach Phil Johnson. "I think [overconfidence] is something we are concerned with because we are a young team and haven't experienced a lot of this.
"But the thing our players have to remember is, in the playoffs, one win - or one loss - changes the mentality of the whole thing. That's what the players have to keep in mind and why these guys have to stay after it."
Obviously, the Jazz know Game 3 is pivotal.
Utah can open a virtually insurmountable 3-0 lead, or the Rockets can fight their way back into the series and shift all the pressure in Game 4 onto the Jazz.
"We know we have to take care of business," Ronnie Brewer said. "We can't be overconfident because that's when you slip up and all of a sudden it's 2-1. Then they've got momentum and we go back to Houston tied up. . . . We have to stay focused and try to close them out."
The Rockets must improve offensively to have a chance in Utah.
In Games 1 and 2, Houston shot 39.1 percent, including 10-for-41 from the three-point line. Tracy McGrady has made 16 of 43 shots - that's 37.2 percent. He is 1-for-9 from the three-point line.
"We're giving him a lot of different looks," Brewer said. "But we know he's going to be aggressive and we know he's capable of scoring a lot of points - 40 or 50 points."
McGrady had 47 points in Utah on Nov. 1, when the Rockets defeated the Jazz, 106-95.
"I am never been overconfident," Andrei Kirilenko said. "I know the next two games are not going to be easy games. We need to be focused and concentrated.
"To be honest, I think our team is a little deeper. We have a little bit better bench, probably. But it doesn't work out that way. You can be better on paper but still lose. So we need to play with the same intensity as the other two games."
Utah at Houston
Tuesday, 5 p.m. or
7:30 p.m. (if necessary)
Houston at Utah
Today, 8:30 p.m.
TNT, KJZZ
Houston at Utah
Saturday 8:30 p.m.
ESPN, KJZZ