DENVER - Before practice Sunday, Lakers coach Phil Jackson was lollygagging in the Denver Nuggets' weight room, just sort of looking at the equipment.

Then something caught his attention -- something that reminded him of his team's commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven, first-round playoff series.

"They had, like, 150 'I Believe' signs on all their machines," Jackson said. "I think they are trying to get that mentality that you got to go out there and believe."

The Nuggets will have to do more than believe to avoid being eliminated tonight in Game 4 at the Pepsi Center. No NBA team has come back from that 3-0 abyss to win a series.

For that to happen, Jackson said, the Nuggets must do things better offensively and defensively -- and it starts with getting them to believe.

"As a coach, that's what you are trying to get them to do: believe in themselves, believe that it can be accomplished, because if you have doubt, then it's going to be difficult," he said. "That's our job, is to place doubt in their minds."

The Lakers may not have to do much more than show up for that to happen. Doubt already seems to have seeped into the fragile minds of the Nuggets. After Game 3, Denver's All-Star forward, Carmelo Anthony, proclaimed that "we quit. Everybody, from the coaches to the players."

The Nuggets' other star, Allen Iverson, complained about not playing much in the fourth quarter.

On Sunday, the two co-captains refused to talk to the media. It was left up to Denver coach George Karl to deal with Anthony's scathing comments and Iverson's attitude.

"I would probably prefer them to be more ... professional," Karl said. "But it's a frustrating business and it's a very difficult place to be, and I think we've got to respect their emotions."

The Lakers remain motivated. They know teams can come back in a playoff series.

It happened to the Lakers, when they built a 3-1 lead over Phoenix in the first round in 2006 and lost that series, becoming just the eighth team to blow such a lead.

"I know how important the next game is," Kobe Bryant said. "You never want to give a team any kind of momentum. And that's what a playoff series is about."

Whatever is going on with the Nuggets is of little concern to the Lakers.

"That's internal," Lamar Odom said. "From the outside looking in, we don't pay much attention to what's going on in their locker room."

And the Lakers are on the verge of something special: They can win their first playoff series since 2004.

The Lakers haven't swept a series since 2002, when they wiped out New Jersey in the Finals. That could have some meaning for the Lakers, if only giving them more time to rest before the second round.

"If it was (in) seven or a sweep, it would still feel the same," Odom said. "You won and you conquered your opponent. That's what it's all about."

Reach Broderick Turner at bturner@PE.com

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