Returning to work yesterday for the Sonics was like an artist revisiting the canvas after the paint dried.
Two days removed from beating the Utah Jazz in Game 3 Saturday, the Sonics were inspired by what had been accomplished. But there was not a sense of complete satisfaction . . .So the Sonics concentrated on areas of their game that needed a touch-up.
None of the sideshow issues that dogged the team between Games 2 and 3 surfaced.
No complaining about lineups and rotations.
No emphasis on unfavorable media coverage.
No diatribes or distractions.
By all accounts, their first victory in this series helped the Sonics brush over mitigating factors. There is now only talk about the big picture: Game 4 here tomorrow. Another victory could lead to the ultimate masterpiece: forcing Game 5 at Utah on Friday and becoming the sixth team in NBA history to win a five-game playoff series after trailing 0-2.
Part of Sonics coach Paul Westphal's focus now is to remember the series can end as quickly as it was extended. For as much as yesterday was about accentuating the positives, it's time to forget Game 3.
"Every game always gets overemphasized in the playoffs," Westphal said. "Every game is hugely important, but no game is critical until one team is eliminated. We can be eliminated (in Game 4), so it's a critical game. It's just as critical as the last game. We're here to try and win the series."
The Sonics did not practice on Sunday. Instead, the day was earmarked for conditioning and relaxation. Monday, Westphal conducted scrimmages geared toward smoothing out rough edges in the team's offense.
There were licensed referees on hand to simulate game conditions.