Players can lose interest late in the season when their team is out of the playoff picture.
That isn't happening right now with the Milwaukee Bucks, who have six games remaining before heading home for an early summer.
The Bucks have stayed focused in practices and games while believing better times are ahead. Coach Jason Kidd has emphasized these are not meaningless games but chances for players to prove themselves.
Witness the Bucks' stirring comeback in the final minutes as they overcame the Orlando Magic, 113-110, on Friday night for their second straight victory.
Now the competition gets even stronger with the Chicago Bulls visiting the BMO Harris Bradley Center on Sunday evening, followed by Cleveland on Tuesday night and a visit to Boston on Friday.