OKLAHOMA CITY – The Mavericks wrapped up their Wednesday morning shootaround in familiar fashion.
A little dancing, a little huddle, a lot of half-court shooting.
Everyone on the team from Luka Dončić to the assistant athletic trainers has made one of the heaves this season.
It’s everybody’s chance to laugh at the misses, particularly the occasional airball, and lighten the mood.
Don’t underestimate the importance of that at this time of the year, when the Mavericks are preparing for Game 5 against Oklahoma City tonight in a 2-2 Western Conference semifinal series.
“Definitely, just being able to try to focus on positive affirmation, positive words,” center Dereck Lively II said after the walk-through. “There’s always going to be a lot of negative when we leave this place – from media, from fans, from families, from anybody at any angle.
“So (we) just try to have positive vibes, positive energy when we’re with one another. We make sure we’re shooting our half-court shots, just having fun with the game, try to just be able to bring it together. We have fun together.”
In a stressful work environment like the Mavericks are in right now, every chance to decompress a little is like gold.
“We try to make it light-hearted even though whatever’s going on in the schedule,” Lively said. “We can come here and laugh at one another and have a physical bond.”
Rest assured it will be all business Wednesday night at Paycom Center when somebody will take charge in this series.
Nobody’s going home tonight. But somebody will be on the brink of elimination after Game 5.
One of the talking points between Games 4 and 5 has been the play of superstars Dončić and Kyrie Irving, who combined for just 27 points in the 100-96 Game 4 loss but averaged nearly 60 together during the regular season.
Dwight Powell is the eldest statesman on the Mavericks, having been with the organization since his rookie season of 2014-15 when he was traded by Boston in midseason.
Asked about the team’s confidence level ahead of Game 5, he said it remained off the charts.
And as for concerns about the superstar backcourt tandem?
“None at all,” Powell said, “because of who they are as people, first and foremost, and teammates. But also, two of the best players in the world. I have 100 percent confidence they will continue to do that.”
And, if so, usually, the Mavericks have followed this season.
“We just got to stay poised,” Lively said. “Basketball’s a game of runs, a game of who’s going to get to checkmate first. There’s going to be a lot of things going on, on the court.
“But everything comes down to the last four or five minute stretch of the fourth quarter. on the court. So you got to be poised, understand the game plan and being able to exploit their weaknesses.”
X: @ESefko
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