They're only one victory away from advancing to the NBA Finals for the second time in six seasons. But that's the farthest thing on the minds of the Dallas Mavericks.
As they host Oklahoma Metropolis tonight at 8 at American Airways Middle, the Mavs are fascinated by shutting down Kevin Durant, crowding Russell Westbrook and conserving Serge Ibaka off the boards. They know in the event that they do these three things with a reasonable amount of success, they'll win this Western Convention championship sequence and move on to pro basketball's biggest stage.
"Any time you're taking part in a team like that they're going to return with their finest shot, they're going to be loose,'' guard JJ Barea said of the Thunder. "We've simply obtained to return with a whole lot of power, use our crowd and reap the benefits of this opportunity we've got.''
The Mavs lead this best-of-seven collection three-1. Only eight teams in NBA historical past have battled again from such a deep gap to win a seven-recreation sequence, so the Mavs feel pretty good about their possibilities of dealing with Miami or Chicago next week within the Finals.
But they don't need to make resort reservations simply yet.
"Understanding them they're going to return out so aggressive - Westbrook and Durant are going to return out real aggressive tonight,'' Barea said. "We've simply got to weather the storm and do like we did in Recreation 3.''
The Mavs also should do a better job on the boards than they did in Recreation four, when OKC hammered them to the tune of 55-33. Much less boards for the Mavs means extra alternatives on the basket for the Thunder.
"It's challenging for our massive guys (to grab rebounds) this sequence as a result of they're out helping so much on the perimeter,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. "However we've got to get them in a mode the place they're able to help, and then scramble again, after which we've acquired to finish off plays.
"Lots of the rebounds they're getting are in free throw situations. Those are situations which might be simply fundamental ones that we've bought to take care of.''
Carlisle is aware of the Mavs can unwell-afford to fall into the 15-point gap they faced with 5:06 remaining in Recreation 4 and count on to emerge with a victory. As a result of the Mavs had been in a position to win that game in additional time, 112-one hundred and five, that's one of the few positives the coach acquired from Sport 4.
"We really solely had about 10 minutes of momentum (in Sport 4),'' Carlisle said. "The remainder of it we're getting dealt with fairly well.
"The truth is we've but to throw a full forty eight-miunte recreation at these guys. Game 3 was our greatest recreation as a result of it was our best protection, but tonight's one other opportunity to play higher and if we're going to be trustworthy we need to play better.''
Except for the Mavs' 93-87 victory in Game four, the Thunder has scored over a hundred points in every game in this series. They've actually had their means with the Mavs on the offensive end, which is why there's somewhat of a nervous energy lingering across the AAC.
"It's going to be received on the defensive finish,'' center Brendan Haywood said. "They're going to come out fighting for their lives, they're going to come out with a variety of pleasure and a lot of anger about what occurred the last game, and it's going to be up to us to get it accomplished defensively.
"Offensively, we know we can rating points. But it's going to come back all the way down to how properly we do defensively.''
The Mavs are 2-0 this yr in close-out games. In the first spherical of the playoffs they led Portland three-2, then gained Recreation 6 in Portland, 103-96, to claim that collection four-2.
In the second spherical in opposition to the 2-time defending NBA champion Los Angels Lakers, the Mavs held a commanding 3-0 lead then captured Recreation 4 at house, 122-86, for a perfect four-zero sweep.
Now comes tonight's contest in opposition to a Thunder workforce that will likely be tough to eradicate because they have so many offensive weapons.
"Most teams in that scenario have quite a lot of pride on the road,'' Haywood said. "And no one desires to look bad and nobody desires to get their pride stomped on.''
Which is why the Mavs are cautiously optimistic about closing out this series tonight.
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