It’s not exactly a Game 7, but Friday night feels pretty darn close for the Mavericks. The first-round series picks up with the first of two games at American Airlines Center with New Orleans leading 2-0.

“You never want to go down 0-3 in a series,” Dirk Nowitzki said Thursday after practice. “You don’t want to lose at home in the playoffs, so it’s a huge game. The only difference is in a Game 7, if you lose, you’re done. In Game 3, you’re not, but it’s going to be extremely difficult to come back from an 0-3 deficit, so you don’t want to even get yourself in that position.”

Not feeling any added pressure is crucial, especially considering the pressure Chris Paul alone brings to the table. The Mavs understand the gravity of the situation, as Nowitzki pointed out, but heaping more stress onto the third game isn’t healthy. At least not when it comes to performance.

“Historically, when we’ve been tight, we’re not good,” Avery Johnson said. “When we’re relaxed and focused, and I know the difference with our ballclub, we can be pretty good.

“You’re not going to win it in the first minute. Even though this is a results-driven business and game, when we focus more on details, whatever those minute details are that can turn into really huge rewards for us, we’re a pretty good team.”

The Mavs do have some history on their side. Not only did Johnson’s 2005 squad rally from a two-game deficit to beat Houston – and both of those losses were in Dallas – but Game 3 success usually follows for teams down 0-2.

Going into the 2008 playoffs, teams that were down 2-0 in a best-of-7 series went 121-83 in the third game. Nineteen teams recovered to win the series, including Utah and Cleveland last year. So the Mavs aren’t facing the impossible.

“The guys are focused,” Josh Howard said. “We know we have to take care of homecourt. We can’t go back to New Orleans down 3-1. We’ve got to get these two wins.”

Again, if the past is any guide, the Mavs have to feel confident. The Hornets haven’t won in Dallas since a 94-92 victory on Jan. 24, 1998 at Reunion Arena. They’ve never won at the American Airlines Center, going 0-11.

“We’re a good home team,” Nowitzki said. “We beat some great teams here at home, so we should be confident that we can win big games here with our home crowd. That run we had at the end [of the season], we beat some tough teams, we beat Phoenix at Phoenix in a tough setting, so we should be confident we can win this game tomorrow.

“Obviously, we’ve got to be a little sharper defensively. Everything was too easy for them. Paul was going. They had their shooters going from everywhere. We couldn’t get back in transition. They had lobs all over the place, so it starts with us getting back in transition, getting some stops and then get the ball in [Jason] Kidd’s hands and let him create.”

So there’s no time to let the disappointment of the two double-digit losses linger.

“This is the NBA,” Nowitzki said. “You’ve got to learn how to put losses behind, even though they’re disappointing and frustrating and the effort wasn’t great, but we’ve got to look forward to Game 3 and let it all hang out.

“Have some fun out there, let the crowd carry us and hopefully get on that board and make it a series. That’s all we’re looking forward to is that one game, that Game 3, and hopefully get a win there and then look forward.”

Howard looking to get started

Josh Howard hasn’t gotten off to the playoff start he imagined. Like the rest of the team, he’s trying not to press with the postseason at critical mass.

“I don’t think you should try to do anything out of the ordinary,” he said. “I learned that my first time in the playoffs, where I didn’t even play, trying to do extra stuff. You’ve got to be yourself no matter what the situation is.”

Howard’s shot hasn’t been falling (27 percent) and he’s scoring just 13.5 points through two games. His struggles mirror those of the team.

“I have to play well, not necessarily the scoring,” he said. “We have enough scoring options on the team. I just have to contribute on the other end, rebounding, guarding the best offensive player on the other team, anything, I’m going to do it.”

The Hornets have done an impressive job of limiting Dirk Nowitzki’s supporting cast. The Mavs likely won’t advance without Howard being his usual chaotic force at both ends.

“Josh has to continue to mix up his game,” Avery Johnson said. “He’ll keep getting the ball. We need for him to get double-figure attempts, but again just mixing it up, driving, in-between game.

“But more than that, historically what we’ve tried to do is when a guy’s shot is not going in the basket, focus on playing better defense. Let’s play better defense against [Peja] Stojakovic and [Chris] Paul, maybe get a steal, get some easy baskets here and there.”