HOUSTON — Desperation, and the Lakers needing to play with a sense of it, had been a talking point during Lakers coach JJ Redick ’s recent media availability.

Redick knew the Rockets would be desperate to avoid losing the first two games of the best-of-seven first-round playoff series, a deficit fewer than 10% of teams have overcome since 1984.

The Lakers’ Marcus Smart (36) and his teammates have a commanding 3-0 lead over the Rockets heading to Game 4. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

And after the Lakers beat the Rockets in Game 2 on Tuesday in Los Angeles , Redick knew the Rockets’ desperation would only heighten for Game 3, with no team in NBA history coming back after falling behind 0-3.

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