Injury worries can wait, Alanna Smith is living in the present and on the cusp of a WNBA championship.
Right now, all her focus and energy is on winning a deciding Game 5 with Minnesota Lynx in what's been an absorbing finals series against New York Liberty.
The forward suffered a muscular back injury in Game 3 on Thursday but pushed through some serious pain in Game 4 on Saturday to give her team a crack at the title.
In 30 minutes of court time, Smith compiled 12 points, seven rebounds, two steals, two assists, two blocks, and produced some huge moments at both ends of the floor down the stretch in a contest the Lynx won 82-80.
Smith's lower back is still so tender Lynx medical officials are yet to treat it directly.
Instead, they've been working overtime with a combination of medication, applying contrasting ice and heat plus STEM pulse treatment to get her through the final two games and a flight from Minnesota to New York.
"It's not every day you're in New York for Game 5 of the finals and a crack at the championship so you just have to push through," Smith told ESPN on Sunday.
"Any disc damage has been ruled out, which is best case scenario for me. I landed really hard on the joint and then the muscles as well. It just hurts all the time unfortunately but it's feeling better than when it first happened, it's tolerable.
"My team needs me and we've gotten to this point in the season with all the pieces we've had, they've done a great job in sticking by me and making sure I'm good.
"Once you're out on the court and past the first quarter, adrenalin kicks in. This isn't my first rodeo with injuries and that's the story for a lot of pro-athletes, this is our job and injuries are the reality of this line of work, especially in moments like this you've got to push through some aches and pains.
"I'll let future me worry about my back, right now we have a chance at the championship."
It's been a big year for Smith and her 28-year-old, 191cm frame.
She began 2024 playing in Europe, shifted into a WNBA season, that had games added to the regular fixture, with her new team, represented Australia during the Olympic break and won a bronze medal with the Opals and will have played 10 of a possible 10 semifinal and finals games.
Regardless of Monday's result, Smith will enjoy just 10 days off before heading to China to play during the offseason.
Her first year with the Lynx has been one of her most enjoyable as a pro.
"We've all acknowledged that we've never been on a team quite like what we are now and it's kind of fitting we've drawn it out as long as possible, with both series' going to five games, because we don't want to leave each other," Smith laughs.
"We've all had so much fun playing together, it's been an absolute joy to be around this team, the coaches and staff. It's really rare to be a part of something like this and it's really rare to experience that and also win as well.
"It's a beautiful story. When everyone gets along, works really hard, knows and respects each other's role good things happen and that's been the case for us this season."
Two years ago, Smith found herself out of the WNBA, waived by Indianna Fever after joining from Phoenix Mercury and three seasons in the desert, and back in Australia, in north Queensland where she played for, and won an NBL1 North title with, Townsville.
In the same year, she was controversially left out of the Opals team for a once-in-a-generation home FIBA World Cup tournament on home soil.
In 2024, she is an Olympic medallist and one of the WNBA's most consistent and improved players.
Now, Smith can add a title with Minnesota to an impressive list of achievements.
"We've had self-belief all along. Preseason, we were ranked ninth and we were like 'WTF? We're actually really, really good!'
"We've had confidence and belief in our team and what we can do. We won Commissioners Cup and nobody expected that, people were surprised by our second seed, people were surprised this finals series has been competitive.
"We're worthy finalists and New York are a great team too and that's why this series has been so good.
"We know we have the chance to win the whole thing, we just need to play our style of basketball and our best game of the season."