LOS ANGELES — They could always win.

That’s the answer to all this. The answer to LeBron James and to the critics and to everyone laughing about the Memphis Grizzlies on social media and TV.

Just beat the Los Angeles Lakers.

Just even the series at two games apiece.

What Dillon Brooks had to say after Sunday’s practice

It’s amazing how quickly the laughter will stop.

“History is written by victors,” said Winston Churchill.

NBA history, too.

Right now, the prevailing theory about the Grizzlies is that they talk more than they win.

The easy way to fix that?

Win.

Prove that they’re not just a team that talks big and plays small.

“We’re the Memphis Grizzlies, we’re a resilient bunch,” said Dillon Brooks. “We’re made for these moments.”

Oh, yeah?

Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks ejected from Game 3 versus Lakers

Then Game 4 would be the perfect occasion to submit the evidence.

Brooks spoke to the media Sunday for the first time since his public humiliation in Game 3. He was subdued, if resolute.

What did James say to him during their pregame confrontation?

“He told me his birthday,” he said.

(Which, if true, is a little weird).

Did Brooks think he would be suspended for inadvertently hitting James in the nuts?

“I knew I wasn’t going to be,” he said. “They can’t dictate the series like that.”

Calkins: After the flop, Dillon Brooks has nothing to say. And that says it all.

Did Brooks think his smack talk hurt the Grizzlies?

“I’ve been talking all year,” he said. “We just didn’t make shots at the beginning of the game.”

Is this a particularly difficult time for him?

“I’ve been dealing with this for two years now,” he said. “It is what it is.”

What is this, anyway?

“The media making me a villain, the fans making me a villain,” he said. “That just creates a whole different persona of me, so now you think I intended to hit LeBron James in the nuts.”

Didn’t Brooks used to push back against that villainous label?

“Yeah, because I knew this was going to happen,” he said. “But now it’s like, who cares now? I’m going to take all the publicity, take all that you guys say, or whatever it is and run with it.”

Herrington: Morant returns in dominant fashion after missing Game 2

There is a certain wistfulness in all this. And a certain lack of self-awareness, too. Brooks really did used to push back against the villain persona. But then it started to serve him well. The more he talked, the more attention he got, which led to more talk, which led to more attention, and the next thing you know, Brooks was calling James “old.”

At this point, Brooks can’t change any of that. But he can stop the laughter, he can even wipe that self-satisfied smirk off James’ face.

All he has to do is win.

It’s not just Brooks who has this opportunity, either. Game 4 is a big game for a lot of Grizzlies.

Ja Morant may have scored 45 points in Game 3 but the Grizzlies have lost both games in which he has played. Desmond Bane is shooting just 38% in the series, just 30% from deep. And Jenkins hasn’t exactly covered himself in glory in the playoffs, either. He’s now 1-6 in Games 3 & 4 as the Grizzlies coach. 

Last year, of course, the Grizzlies didn’t have Morant for Game 4 at Golden State. Brooks returned from his suspension to shoot a woeful 5 for 19. Monday, he’ll be returning from an ejection, not a suspension. But if he shoots 5 for 19 again, the Grizzlies are toast.

Indeed, while Brooks’ reckless talk gets most of the attention, it’s his errant shooting that might be even more damaging. The Lakers are thrilled to let the guy shoot the ball; Brooks doesn’t seem to have caught on.

Calkins: We’re here in LA for all ‘the bulls---!’ Oh, and also Game 3!

Among his keys to Game 4?

“Just keep shooting,” he said.

Nooooooooo!

Of course, this is on Jenkins as much as Brooks. The answer may be finding more minutes from Luke Kennard. Because right now, the Lakers are leaving Brooks and Xavier Tillman Sr., wide open to pack the paint. And whenever Brooks misses a jumper, they’re off and sprinting toward the other end.

So this will be a challenge, no question. But Brooks is right about one thing, at least. The Grizzlies have proven to be a resilient bunch in the past. Now they just have to do it in the playoffs, when the stakes are high and the lights are bright.

Do that, and everyone will stop chortling. Do that, and the jokes will dry up real fast.

Did you hear the one about the Memphis Grizzlies?

They beat LeBron James to win Game 4.

See, that’s not funny at all, is it?

But it’s what the moment demands.