The Houston Rockets have done something only 15 NBA teams before them have accomplished: force a Game 6 after falling into an 0-3 series hole. After dropping the first three games to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Rockets have clawed back with consecutive wins, including a gritty 99-93 defensive battle on Wednesday in Los Angeles. Now, with momentum firmly on their side, they head back to Houston for Game 6 on Friday, where they can even the series and send it back to L.A. for a winner-take-all Game 7.

History, however, is not on their side. Of the 161 teams that have faced a 0-3 deficit in NBA playoff history, only 16 have forced a sixth game. And of those 15 previous teams, just four have gone on to force a Game 7. No team has ever completed the full comeback to win a series from 0-3 down. That would require the Rockets to win another game in Los Angeles—against LeBron James, no less, who had lost only one potential close-out game at home since 2008 before Wednesday night.

But here's the twist: that lone close-out loss for James in 18 years happened in Game 5. The Lakers, who once seemed unbeatable with a 3-0 lead, now find themselves in unfamiliar territory. The Rockets have cracked the code, at least temporarily, and have the Lakers on their heels. A complete comeback remains a long shot, given the weight of NBA history. But if Houston can protect home court in Game 6, anything—including an unprecedented series victory—becomes possible.

For now, the Rockets are living in the moment, riding the energy of a fanbase that believes in the impossible. Whether they can make history or not, this series has already delivered drama worthy of the playoffs. And for fans watching at home, it's a reminder that in the NBA, no lead is truly safe until the final buzzer sounds.