EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- In trying to explain just how in the world the New Jersey Nets can make NBA history and overcome their 0-3 series deficit to the Los Angeles Lakers, Jason Collins brought up the fact that the Nets won four consecutive games during the regular season.

"Granted," Collins said, "it wasn't against the Lakers."

The Nets haven't won four straight since winning six in a row in February (against the Bulls, Nuggets, Warriors and the Wizards). These Lakers haven't lost four straight all season long.

So what exactly could be motivating the Nets while they sit and wait for Game 4 of the NBA Finals to roll around Wednesday? Fear -- fear of having a party in their own house and not being invited.

"You don't want them celebrating on your own court," Lucious Harris said. "You don't want them carrying that trophy out on your home court. If they're going to win, let them win it back in L.A. That's why we need to come out here with a mindset to take it one game at a time."

Ah yes, one game at a time. If someone had trademarked that phrase like Pat Riley's "three-peat" slogan, he or she would've been bling-blinging throughout the Nets' interview session the day after Sunday's 106-103 Game 3 loss to the Lakers.

	“	We can't think about what the series is right now. We can't think about going on vacation. You can't think about (Game 5) Friday. You just got to think about one game and you got to go out and play like it's Game 7. ”
		— Byron Scott

"Our whole thinking is one game," Keith Van Horn said. "We can't deviate from that. That's the only thing that we're going to get through this and climb out of this hole."

"We still have two games at home and anything can happen," Jason Kidd said. "We've just got to take it one game at a time and come out with the same energy that we did in Game 3. Hopefully, things will be a little different."

The Nets still cling to the idea that they can play better. They're still aspiring to pitch that ever-elusive "perfect" game.

Sunday's effort wasn't flawless, but it was by far the Nets' best effort of the Finals. The Nets shot their highest percentage of the playoffs from the field (51.8), scored their most points of the series (103) and finally held the lead in the fourth quarter -- by as much as seven points with just over six minutes to play.

"Obviously, we're frustrated," Kerry Kittles said. "We came out with a very good effort and competed against these guys and challenged these guys and we came up short. It's tough to swallow. But the series isn't over yet. We'll continue to fight and try to get a win."

"We still haven't played a great game," Aaron Williams added. "The three that we've lost we haven't played a great game yet. Hopefully, we can put a balanced game together in Game 4."

Hope is all the Nets have to keep working. That and the fear of seeing Mark Madsen dance on their home court.

"We can't think about what the series is right now," coach Byron Scott said. "We can't think about going on vacation. You can't think about (Game 5) Friday. You just got to think about one game and you got to go out and play like it's Game 7."

Joe Lago is the NBA editor for ESPN.com.