Only eight teams in NBA history have overcome 3-1 deficits. If Dallas can’t become the ninth, the Mavs will be the third No. 1 seed knocked out by a No. 8 and the first since the opening round became a best-of-seven series.

“We have a great deal of respect for the Dallas Mavericks,” said Warriors coach Don Nelson, who was a big part of building Dallas into a championship team over the last 10 years. “If any team can come back from this, it’s them.”

Phoenix pulled off the comeback from 3-1 down last year in the opening round against the Los Angeles Lakers. Detroit did it as a top seed in 2003.

“Dallas won’t give up,” Golden State’s Jason Richardson said. “We still have work to do.”

The Warriors aren’t likely to roll over, either. They’ve been the aggressors in every game, with Baron Davis providing the skill and Stephen Jackson the toughness. The Mavericks’ only win came in the game Davis and Jackson were ejected from.

Nowitzki was plenty passive in Game 4 Sunday night. He seemed reluctant to shoot at times, like when he gave up an open look from about 8 feet to pass to a covered teammate closer to the rim. Then in the closing minutes he shot an airball on a 3-point try.

Slideshow   The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos

“They really go smaller and really sit down on my legs, don’t let me put the ball down on the floor the way I want to and get to my spots,” Nowitzki said.

Teammate Jerry Stackhouse accused reporters of putting too much emphasis on Nowitzki.

“It’s not on Dirk,” he said. “You guys have made Dirk the save-all for us. We haven’t. He’s a part, a big part, of what we do. When teams do something to take away a big part of you, the onus is on everyone else to step up.”

Despite a reputation for playing little defense, the Warriors have yet to allow anyone to score 30 points, while getting at least that many from one of their players every game.

“As long as we believe in ourselves,” Davis said, “we will be all right.”