Get ready for the week ahead

We all know who is on tap for the week ahead. It starts with the Lakers tomorrow night before Boston comes calling Thursday and San Antonio closes out the homestand Sunday.

Avery Johnson, however, is keeping with this long-standing mantra of focusing on the moment.

“I don’t see it as a week,” he said today after practice. “I know we had a decent practice today and we have a shootaround tomorrow and a game tomorrow night. That’s the only thing I see right now.”

But it’s always fun to look ahead, especially after the Mavs wiped their plates clean with a five-pack of cupcakes.

“I’m always looking forward to our next game,” Johnson continued. “If we were playing Minnesota or we were playing San Antonio, the Lakers, Houston, it doesn’t matter. I like this schedule the way it sets up for us that we can play every other day. No matter what happens tomorrow night, we’re going to play another game on Thursday.”

The last time the Mavs ran through a similar gauntlet, they lost tight battles to the Lakers, Spurs and Jazz on the road. Johnson felt good about his team then, just as he does now.

“I was pleased with them when we were losing,” Johnson said. “I don’t like to lose, but I thought our focus was good. I like how they came in the locker room after the game, I liked how their demeanor was in practice, and really and truly we’re not going to get bent out of shape on way or another.

“We’ve been pretty much even keel the whole year. The wins aren’t as great as they look and the losses aren’t as bad. We’re pretty much staying in the middle.”