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The Cleveland Cavaliers stole Game 5 from the Detroit Pistons, rallying back behind some timely shots from Evan Mobley.

Let’s go over today’s winners and losers.

WINNER – Evan Mobley

This game wasn’t pretty in the beginning for Evan Mobley. In fact, he was working his way towards a LOSER tonight when he failed to post up both Cade Cunningham and Caris LeVert. Those are matchups he needs to win.

But as the game went on, it became impossible to deny Mobley’s impact.

He was making strong reads as a playmaker all night. Mobley has found a niche for creating in the short-roll, diming Jarrett Allen multiple times in this game and bending the help defense to kick out to the perimeter. He ended the night with a playoff career-high 8 assists.

That’s impressive, but not that impressive. Let’s get to the good stuff.

Mobley sprang to life by yamming a driving dunk in the second half. He then showed off his range by banging home a three-pointer on the next play. All of a sudden, the Cavs had momentum.

This continued into the fourth quarter, when Mobley’s clutch shot-making helped the Cavs recover from a nine-point deficit and force overtime. It’s worth noting that Mobley has converted on a number of timely three-pointers this postseason, including the first round against Toronto.

Mobley finished with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 blocks, and a steal. The second game in a row that he’s dipped his hand into multiple cookie jars and walked away as a winner.

LOSER – First Half Turnovers

Can I be honest? I’m kinda tired of typing this. It’s almost insulting to the wonderful readers of Fear the Sword that I keep reminding everyone why taking care of the ball is important. We’re all aware.

Yet, it’s important enough to keep hammering home.

The Cavs conceded 27 points off turnovers. 20 of those came in the first half. Coughing it up and allowing the Pistons to score in transition is the primary thing the Cavs should worry about in this series. They lost games 1-2 because of it, and they nearly repeated history tonight.

WINNER – James Harden

James Harden netted his first 30+ point playoff game as a Cavalier. It was his 50th career game of 30+ points in the postseason.

Couldn’t have come at a better time.

Harden, even when he’s turning it over and walking back on defense, has somehow managed to keep the Cavs alive throughout these playoffs. Other than games 1-2, where he actively cost them from winning, Harden has been a lifeline for Cleveland.

Tonight was more of that. Harden took a sputtering Cavalier offense and towed them to the finish line. His isolation scoring ensured that Detroit could never pull too far away, immediately bringing the Cavs back into range after the Pistons went up by 16 points.

There’s a sense of calm that Harden brings to the roster. Again, even when everything is burning down, Harden keeps the same demeanor. That can frustrate you when the team loses. It might seem like he doesn’t have any sense of urgency. But when the Cavs rally back? Harden’s composure is a bright spot. He didn’t allow them to panic, and that resilience won out in the end.

WINNER – Max Strus

In a just world, Max Strus will be remembered as a Cleveland legend. The only thing that’s left is a deep playoff run under his belt. Maybe he gets it this year.

Strus does everything a blue-collar city should love. Grit, tenacity, and nonstop hustle. He’s a streaky shooter, but that motor never shuts off. That’s allowed him to be impactful in games where he doesn’t have his shot rolling. And when his shot is falling like tonight? It’s a cherry on top.

The Cavs fell behind early in this game due to turnovers. It was Strus, alongside Harden, who connected on timely buckets to keep things under control. He continued to nail momentous shots in the second half — on top of hustling for loose balls and second-chance opportunities.

Strus, who came up with a clutch steal in Game 3, did it again tonight when he stole the ball and passed to Mitchell for a layup in overtime.

If that wasn’t enough, he also won over Charles Barkley tonight.

It wasn’t perfect for Max. He had a difficult time keeping Cade Cunningham away from his spots defensively. That resulted in the best game Cade has had all series. But Strus eventually started to win that battle, wearing Cunningham down as the game went on. And, he fueled the Cavaliers with his 20 points, making up for anything he conceded to the opposing team’s All-NBA star.

LOSER [and partial WINNER] – Donovan Mitchell

The highs… and the lows.

Mitchell scored a historic 39 points in the second half of Game 4. It feels like he maybe should have saved some of that for tonight. If Mitchell could have replicated even sixty seconds of that performance, the Cavs would have won comfortably.

The Pistons’ defense had Mitchell totally in a box for most of this game. He began 3-11 from the floor and 0-7 from downtown.

This game was begging for Mitchell to take over. But it wasn’t happening. At one point in the fourth quarter, Mitchell missed a wide-open three-point attempt from the corner that led to a transition three from Detroit. A devastating six-point swing with the game hanging in the balance.

On the final possession, Mitchell had the world in his hands with a chance to win the game. He was absolutely smothered by Ausar Thompson and turned it over without getting a shot up. Rough.

It wasn’t all bad, thankfully. Mitchell sparked just enough fire to help the Cavs get over the hump in overtime. He scored half of Cleveland’s 14 points in the extra frame, drilling his first three-pointer of the night and bursting to the hoop for a pair of buckets.

In the all-important Game 5, the Cavaliers did something they hadn’t done all postseason long: they won away from Cleveland.

The Cavs outlasted the Detroit Pistons Wednesday, May 13 to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals, putting them one victory away from a date in the conference finals with the New York Knicks.

And now the series will head back to Cleveland, where the Cavaliers haven’t lost in the playoffs, winning all six games they’ve played at Rocket Arena.

James Harden led all Cavaliers with 30 points on 8-of-21 shooting (38.1%), while Donovan Mitchell added 21 and Evan Mobley chipped in 19.

The Cavaliers won, 117-113, in overtime.

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons put themselves on the brink of elimination again in the NBA playoffs, blowing a nine-point lead late in regulation of an overtime setback.

The Cleveland Cavaliers came back and beat Detroit 117-113 in overtime on Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series, winning the first road game of the postseason matchup and earning their first win as visitors this postseason.

Cade Cunningham had 39 points and nine assists and Detroit’s defense turned 17 turnovers in 27 points — and that still wasn’t enough.

Game 6 is Friday night in Cleveland, where the fourth-seeded Cavs will get the first of two chances to advance to face the Knicks in the East finals.

“You’re going to have to choke the life out of this team,” Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “They’re not going to go down without a fight. They’re not going down without fighting. They’re not going to go down without kicking, punching, grabbing, clawing. That’s just who we are.

“We’ve been in this position before.”

The first-seeded Pistons were down 3-1 against the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic and won three straight to advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

If Detroit can win in Cleveland, Game 7 will be back in the Motor City on Sunday.

“If anybody can do it, I think we can do it,” Pistons center Jalen Duren said.

The Pistons looked like they were going to take control of the series, leading by 15 points in the second quarter and 103-94 with two-plus minutes left, but they blew it.

Cleveland successfully got the ball out of Cunningham’s hands down the stretch and none of his teammates could take advantage by making shots.

Tobias Harris missed 13 of 19 shots and scored 13 points. Duren was limited to nine points and five rebounds in another lackluster performance this postseason by the All-Star.

Duren said Cunningham needs some help, especially on the offensive end.

“He’s going to do his thing every night, but as a team, as a group, we’ve got to be better,” Duren said.

The Cleveland Cavaliers clawed back for their first away victory of the playoffs, beating the Detroit Pistons 117-113 in overtime of Game 5.

There’s been a theme in this series. Win the possession battle, win the game. That’s true in most cases, but especially in this matchup — where the Pistons are forced to rely on an elite defense to narrow the gap between their limited offense and the dynamic Cavaliers.

Cleveland will win any fair fight against Detroit. Fair, in this instance, means an equal amount of possessions. But the Pistons have worked to take that away from the Cavs. Their smothering defense forced 10 turnovers in the first half, scoring 20 points off those turnovers.

Tobias Harris, Cade Cunningham, Dannis Jankins, and Isaiah Stewart all got hot in the first half to give the Pistons an eight-point lead. Truth be told, the Cavs felt lucky to have the deficit under double-digits, all things considered.

I’d say Max Strus and James Harden did most of the work keeping Cleveland in range during the first half. Harden’s shot-making kept the floor from falling out from under them while Strus nailed a pair of three-pointers in the closing minutes of the second quarter to cut into the lead.

The dam finally broke in the third quarter, when Harden and Strus did enough to regain the lead. Evan Mobley contributed, as well, delivering a huge sequence where he dunked all over the Pistons, and then hit a three-pointer on the next play.

Detroit kept fighting, however.

The Pistons’ defense became overwhelming as the game went on. They swarmed the ball, forcing turnovers and generating more opportunities to score in transition. The Cavs offense was thrown totally out of whack, as Donovan Mitchell (who began the game 0-7 from deep) couldn’t crack the code.

All of this led to a nine-point lead for the Pistons with just three minutes remaining. It looked like the Cavs would lose a third game in Detroit in almost identical fashion. An early deficit followed by a second-half rally that runs out of gas.

Then the miraculous happened.

The Cavs somehow rallied back again, led by some gigantic shots from Mobley. A clutch triple put them in reach. Then, a pair of free throws tied the game. It says something about Mobley to struggle shooting the ball all season, only to connect on the three biggest shots of his life.

Cleveland forced Detroit into difficult shots down the stretch. Holding them scoreless for most of the pivotal run to force overtime.

Then in the extra period, Mitchell broke free and found a rhythym, hitting a three-pointer and then getting an open layup off another clutch steal from Max Strus.

Strus added 21 points on 6-8 three-point shooting. Harden finished with a game-high 31 points. Mobley turned his night around for 19 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 blocks.

By the end, Cleveland had erased a 16-point deficit on the road in their most important game of the 2020s. That’s the type of resilient win this city has been begging for.

The Cavs now lead 3-2 and have a chance to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday.

The NBA draft lottery has come and gone, and now it is time to think very critically about the potential options for the Jazz at the #2 selection. However, I am going to leave that job for someone smarter than myself – instead, I will view the awe-inspiring Mr. Darryn Peterson through the lens of baseless superstition. Peterson spent his single year collegiate career at Kansas University, where he wowed with his creation abilities and best-in-class shot making. While many articles can and will be written on those talents and how they would potentially fit on the Jazz roster, I will be instead be focusing on the first detail in the preceding sentence; namely, his alma-mater.

Per my exhaustive studies, 9 Jayhawks have played for the Jazz organization since its founding as the New Orleans Jazz in 1974, and that number may increase to 10 if Peterson is the selection for Utah on draft night. In anticipation for that potentially franchise-altering decision, this article will attempt to recount the history of Kansas University alumni on the Jazz by ranking each of those 9 players. This analysis will attempt to place the players in the order of their production and ability while on the Jazz – more emphasis will be placed on peak output than longevity with the organization. Today, the question will be answered; does a Jayhawk pedigree lead to success with the Jazz, or does the trip out to Utah cause these alums to say in despair “I have a feeling we aren’t in Kansas anymore?”

*Writer’s note: I realize this analysis on Peterson lacks some academic rigor, and probably wouldn’t hold up against a peer review. If he is picked at #2, this obviously has no bearing on his future Utah Jazz success, which I hope is plentiful. We’re just having fun here.

9. Brandon Rush

Brandon had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it career with the Utah Jazz – 418 minutes played during the 25 win 2013-2014 campaign. Don’t think that if we were to just have given Rush a few more minutes that this disastrous season could’ve been averted. He averaged a measly 2.1 points per game on a horrid 43% true shooting, and his defense was nothing to write home about either. The fact that 2 years later he started 25 games for the 2015-2016 Warriors (otherwise known as the greatest regular season team of all time) is perhaps the single most impressive testament to the greatness of Stephen Curry.

8. Udoka Azubuike

It was oh-so tempting to place Doke at the bottom of this list, less because of what was and more because of what could have been. The shock of Adam Silver announcing his name as the Jazz’s #27 overall pick in 2020 still lingers inside of me, and is only surpassed by the shock of reading that Dennis Lindsey announcing that the organizations advanced metrics placed Azubuike at #2 in the draft class. The Jazz fandoms disdain for this particular pick is not purely an example of hindsight being 20/20 – even at the time, people tended to understand that (a) Desmond Bane and Jaden McDaniels were cleaner, more useful fits for what the team needed and (b) that using a first round pick on Udoka was a bit of a reach. More than any other instance in my memory, this is a case of the general public being 100% spot-on in their evaluation of late first round prospects; Bane and McDaniels are key starters on playoff teams, and Azubuike is out of the league after an uneventful 4 seasons, and is now playing in the Israeli A-league. While perhaps not the worst Jayhawk in Jazz history, his lack of success was certainly the most influential on the overall strength of the organization – a different pick in 2020, and perhaps the Jazz have a banner in the rafters, and the construction of the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert statues are in early development.

7. Ochai Agbaji

A former teammate of Azubuike both on the Jayhawks and the Jazz, Ochai provided more minutes and less disappointment, but without play that was very conducive to winning basketball games. Ochai was drafted after his All-American senior season and marketed as a high-floor, instant-impact type of player, but failed to make his mark in Utah, even with the constant carousel of new players as Will Hardy looked for anyone that could be a piece on the next iteration of a winning team (23 players took the court in Agbaji’s rookie year, 21 in his sophomore). He was an underwhelming shooter, an unreliable defender, and showcased next-to-no skills with the ball in his hands. Nowadays, he’s struggling to get minutes on the tanking Nets, and unless he turns things around, he will be brought up in draft analyses for years as an example of the perils of drafting supposedly “high-floor” players, who lack an outlier skill to hang their hat on.

6. Jeff Withey

Withey was perfectly serviceable and perfectly unremarkable third string big man. He played in the era of Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors, meaning that even on his best days we had little use for him. Was he much of a scorer? No, I wouldn’t say so. Did his feet seem painfully slow at times? Yes, certainly. Was he missed once the Jazz moved on to Tony Bradley and Epke Udoh as the backups in 2018? Not particularly. But, for about 10 minutes a game he brought reliable rim protection and rebounding, and was able to function in the offensive sets Quin had designed for Gobert while Rudy was out with injury. (P.S. – did you know that he got a triple-double with blocks in his senior season Kansas? Because I sure didn’t).

5. Bud Stallworth

Alright, sue me; I have not watched a second of Bud Stallworth’s New Orleans Jazz career, and I’m not sure that any highlights of it exist on the internet. Stallworth was a selection in the 1974 expansion draft, meaning that he played on the first ever roster put forth by the Jazz organization. He put up some points on mediocre teams, and then unfortunately had to end his career after 3 years in New Orleans due to back injuries incurred by an automobile accident. Stallworth maintains some fame for ending his Kansas career with a 50 point game against the rival Missouri Tigers, but was less spectacular during his time in New Orleans.

4. Jacque Vaughn

In terms of role, Vaughn functioned in a similar fashion to Jeff Withey – perfectly dependable, not too memorable third stringer behind a Jazz legend (Gobert with Withey, Stockton with Vaughn). Also, what a testament to the durability of Stockton that Vaughn, his backup, played 224 games in Utah and didn’t start a single one – that’s true iron man stuff. But, back to the Jayhawks, I give Vaughn the edge over Withey primarily because he played on the two most successful Jazz teams in history. Additionally, he could function well in the very reserved backup point guard role that Sloan preferred – run the plays, don’t turn the ball over, be pesky on defense. Not everybody could function in that scheme, but Vaughn was reliable enough to get minutes in the twilight of Stockton and Malone’s careers. Here’s hoping he enjoyed his time in Salt Lake; he was on the Kansas basketball staff this past year, and presumably had plenty of time to hype up the nightlife to Darryn.

3. Svi Mykhailiuk

Is this a bit of recency bias? Most likely, but I have been nothing but impressed by Svi’s time in Utah. While it was an interesting decision to start him over the young bucks at the beginning of the year, I do believe that Mykhailiuk contributed more to winning than any of his potential replacements in the starting lineup. A consistent shooter and high energy defender, Svi knows his job and performs it well. A little too well, in fact – in my opinion, it was the reason Svi was shut down at the end of the year while Konchar continued to receive minutes. Svi may not be around on next years roster, and may not ever taste winning basketball in Utah, but I will stand firm on the idea that despite the fact that the ‘25-’26 Jazz did not do much winning, it was not the fault of Svi Mykhailiuk – the shooting and know-how he displayed would translate to a bench role on a number of winning teams, and I hope he receives the chance to prove that in a Jazz uniform.

2. Danny Manning

Manning’s time on the Jazz was short-lived – he lasted one year, 2000-2001. However, unlike all of his predecessors on this list, Manning was a rotational contributor to a team that won basketball games. While he was long past his Wooden Award days as a Jayhawk, and his all-star days as a Clipper, Manning was still able to provide reliable bucket-getting off the bench for a Jazz team still competing in the rough-and-tumble Western Conference. And even though Utah was eliminated in the first round by an up-and-coming Mavericks team, it was not due to fault of Manning – in those 5 games, he increased his scoring, rebounding, and efficiency as Sloan trusted the playoff-savvy veteran with increased responsibilities. This was no world-beater, to be sure, and he was surely best used in a bench role, but Manning still had some gas in the tank and provided an admirable single season outing in Utah.

1. Greg Ostertag

Was Ostertag the most consistent? No, not even close. Was he ever a poster boy of physical fitness and conditioning? Far from it. But did he block 9 shots to close out the Shaq-led ‘97 Lakers in game 5, and then in the immediately following round play Hakeem Olajuwon to a stalemate in game 6 to beat the Rockets and secure the franchises first trip to the NBA finals? Yes, and no one can ever take that away from him. As a young, late first-rounder, Ostertag was immediately thrown out of the frying pan of Kansas and into the fire of starting on a team with championship aspirations, going against the best big men the league had to offer on a nightly basis, and he did about as well as anyone could’ve reasonably hoped. Heck, if Michael Jordan missed a few more shots in 1997, Ostertag very well could’ve been known to this day as the starting center on a championship team. There’s more to basketball analysis than a series of “what if…”‘s, but Ostertag’s perfectly solid defense and iconic clutch performances are found outside of the realm of the hypothetical. If The Big O is half as good as a mayor as he was as a Shaq defender, the people of Mount Vernon, Texas have chosen one dependable elected official.

Utah’s history with Kansas alumni has often been a bit underwhelming. Missed draft picks, deep bench pieces, and wasted potential define the relationship between a historically successful NBA organization and a historically successful basketball university. Luckily for the Jazz, they may have the golden opportunity on June 23rd to buck the trend and select one of the best prospects KU has ever produced.

Do you have any changes you’d make to this ranking? Any fun memories regarding these players? Comment below!

CHICAGO — The Nets, more than any team in the NBA, desperately need a star.

And that’s exactly what Brooklyn target Darius Acuff Jr. vows he’ll be.

The talent-starved Nets have lacked a face of the franchise since the Big 3 broke up, and falling out of the top three in the lottery hurt their chances of finding one.

But Acuff — who has already met with the Nets — is confident he can be that one.

After putting in one of the best freshman guard campaigns in college basketball history, Acuff has excelled at this week’s draft combine. Asked what role he envisions for himself at the next level, the self-assured 19-year-old wasn’t shy.

“Definitely a superstar point guard for sure,” Acuff said. “Bring a lot of excitement to any city I go to, and just bring a lot of excitement straight from Day 1.”

And just how does the Arkansas freshman define a superstar point guard?

“A lot of accolades, just being on a winning team, it starts with the point guard,” said Acuff. “So any city I go to, I just want to win.”

The Nets could use any wins — and swagger — Acuff could bring. And there’s a very real chance he’s on the board for them at No. 6.

In 11 mock drafts surveyed, Acuff was the most linked to Brooklyn in six of them, including ESPN, Bleacher Report, The Ringer and The Athletic.

“Whatever team takes me, I’m good,” said Acuff. “Getting to know [Brooklyn], it was a good experience for sure, just talking to them.”

Acuff joins a group projected to go between fifth and tenth that includes Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings, Brayden Burries and Nate Ament.

Sacramento picks seventh and likes Acuff, with GM Scott Perry having coached Acuff’s father, Darius Sr., at Eastern Kentucky.

Acuff averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 assists, the first man to lead the SEC in both since Pete Maravich in 1970. It was the most prolific freshman guard campaign ever under John Calipari, who coached Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Derrick Rose, John Wall, Jamal Murray and Devin Booker.

Both a playmaker and three-level scorer (elite 60 percent finishing at the rim and 44 percent shooting from deep), Acuff is the most polished guard in the class offensively. It’s on the other end that concerns teams.

There have been questions about his smallish size and porous defense. He has helped his stock at the draft combine, finishing first in the three-quarter sprint and measuring 6-2 barefoot with a solid 6-7 wingspan. The measurements matched Damian Lillard, who Acuff emulates and has drawn comparisons to from scouts.

Asked by The Post if his solid measurements changed opinions, he shrugged.

“To be honest with you, I don’t really care,” said Acuff. “People are going to always have an opinion no matter what. So I just stay how I feel about the game. If people got an opinion, I don’t really got no

But some scouts have suggested Acuff could be the worst defender in the league as a rookie. Even if that’s hyperbole, lineups will need to be crafted to protect him, and he’ll have to get better at navigating off-ball screens.

Of course having to log 35.1 minutes at a 29.5 Usage Rate hurt Acuff’s defense. While he wouldn’t waste energy arguing with critics, he knows he has to put it toward improving.

“I don’t really got nothing to say to it. I just play every game. I know I want to play defense, so I don’t really respond to it,” Acuff replied to a question from The Post. “I’m just trying to do whatever I need for my team. I do feel like I need to pick up my defense; so I’m gonna do it.”

Acuff said as much in a courtside TV interview.

“Definitely [I need work] on the defensive end for sure. I think everybody knows that,” said Acuff. “I think I just gotta just take more pride in it, put more effort into it, and just be more focused on that side of the ball so I not only play but stay on the court.”

This was a few weeks ago, after the Knicks had dropped two straight games to the Hawks and were looking at what would’ve been a disastrous early playoff exit.

Mike Brown went to the players with an idea. He wanted to switch things up on the offensive end, to put the ball in Karl-Anthony Towns’ hands more. It meant Jalen Brunson playing off the ball at times and getting his shots in different ways.

Some stars may have pushed back, feeling they were being blamed for the team’s struggles. Brunson didn’t think twice.

“Was there any concern? No. What was the dialogue? The dialogue was, ‘OK, let’s do it,’” he recalled Wednesday after the Knicks’ first practice since sweeping the 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. “It was that simple. There’s not really much you can talk about at that point when you’re down 2-1.”

When it was suggested to Brunson that other stars may not have taken the change in stride, he responded: “1) I’m not a star. 2) I want to win.”

As he walked out of the press conference room, he added: “I’m not self-centered, that’s why.”

This, of course, isn’t the first time Brunson has shown his selfless side. Two years ago, he agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension in which he left money on the table. The deal went into effect this season. It helped the Knicks stay out of the second apron and build out their bench.

And this change, while taking the ball out of Brunson’s hands somewhat, has worked out better than anyone could’ve anticipated.

The Knicks haven’t lost since, reeling off seven consecutive victories by an average of 26.4 points. Towns has thrived in a playmaking role, totaling 66 assists this postseason, 44 more than a year ago.

The Knicks have produced a through-the-roof 130.5 offensive rating per 100 possessions over these seven games.

Brunson has taken off, too, averaging 27.3 points while shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from 3-point range in this current run. And he’s been more efficient.

According to NBA.com, Brunson averaged .285 points per touch during the regular season and is at .324 points per touch in this winning streak. His touches are also down, from 91.3 per game to 84.1.

“It’s my job as a head coach, as well as [our] assistants, to try to put guys in position to help them out,” Brown said. “Being able to do stuff off-ball is another way to attack a defense. When you have guys that pass the ball like Draymond Green, like Sabonis, like KAT, you try to utilize their strengths to help others out and make others better. Putting KAT in that position knowing we have great screeners and great cutters, and like I said a great facilitator, it was easier to say, ‘Let’s try it and do it more.’”

It obviously wouldn’t have worked without Brunson being on board.

When the Knicks moved on from Tom Thibodeau and replaced him with Brown, there was some uncertainty about how the new coach and Brunson would mesh.

Brunson was close with Thibodeau going back to his childhood. In the biggest moment so far of Brown’s tenure with the Knicks, Brunson was in lockstep with him.

“He’s always one to have open dialogue since Day 1,” Brunson said. “Obviously, he’s the coach and makes decisions and everything. Whether they’re good or bad opinions, they’re talked about and they’re decided on later. I’m pretty comfortable with it. I think a lot of us are comfortable with it.”

OG Anunoby is making progress. 

For the first time since he suffered a mild right hamstring strain late in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the 76ers, the standout two-way wing took part in practice Wednesday. 

Anunoby practiced on a limited basis, and coach Mike Brown stopped short of saying he would be available for Game 1 of the conference finals, although there is optimism within the organization that he will be ready once that series begins, sources told The Post’s Stefan Bondy. 

“Anytime anybody’s able to do stuff, you’re encouraged,” Brown said. “That’s what [the medical team] told me he can do today, and I’ll wait until Friday to see what he can do [then]. … The stuff that he went through, he looked fine.”

Asked if Anunoby is able to sprint, Brown declined to answer, and a media relations staffer said that Anunoby is doing individual work. 

“At least for me, I’m taking it one [day] at a time,” Brown said. “I don’t want to know from medical or anybody else anything but beyond that, because when I do that stuff, I get my hopes up. I don’t like doing that at all.”

Anunoby missed the last two games of the sweep over the 76ers. He was listed as questionable for both of those contests.

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The 6-foot-7 wing was having a sensational postseason before the injury, averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks. He was also shooting an absurd 53.8 percent from 3-point range on 4.9 attempts per game. 

The Knicks did some live work in practice on Wednesday, meaning full contact.

The team will be off on Thursday and practice Friday and Saturday. It remains uncertain if the Eastern Conference finals will begin on Sunday or Tuesday. It depends on how long the Cavaliers-Pacers series goes. 

“You don’t want to have too many days of live [work],” Brown said. “The last thing you want this time of year is an injury so we mixed in some live today. Not sure if we’ll do it again. Maybe we’ll do it one more day. That would be on feel and based off of whether we play sooner or later.”

Brown shared condolences regarding Jason Collins, who died Monday at 47 of brain cancer. Brown got to know Collins and his twin brother, Jarron, while working with the Warriors.

“[Jason] was a great man. I knew him personally through Jarron, and it’s gotta be tough times to go through what they’re going through when you’re dealing with the passing of somebody so young,” Brown said. “So my best condolences go out to him, his family and all their friends.”

While the Lakers could justify getting swept by the Thunder as them losing because they didn’t have Luka Dončić available, that would be a foolish take.

Sure, Luka would’ve helped, and perhaps the Lakers would have won a game or two with him, but the gap is still considerable between them and OKC.

When push came to shove against the Thunder, the Lakers’ depth chart shrank and they didn’t have enough players who could perform at a high level consistently.

Now that the offseason has arrived, they can focus on addressing their roster’s weaknesses.

Based on an article by Dan Woike of The Athletic published Tuesday morning, it is clear that the Lakers will be looking for bigs and wing players this summer.

Those priorities remain, according to league sources. There is a desire for better center play, true lob threats who mimic the skills of Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II (with cleaner injury histories). There is a desire for true two-way defensive players, wings with athleticism and energy on the defensive end and a sweet shooting stroke on the offensive side of the ball. And there’s a desire to lock in a long-term secondary playmaker next to Dončić.

While Deandre Ayton was a solid starter for LA, he was unable to consistently elevate his game. He averaged 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, but was unsatisfied with his role at times in the season. Also, he was often benched late in games as Jaxson Hayes was outplaying him. This happened regularly, including in Game 4 against OKC.

While Hayes was able to step up he also isn’t a consistent center the Lakers can rely on. So, upgrading that position to someone who can always be a great option at the five would be ideal.

The wing depth is even more dire for the Lakers than the center one is. Jarred Vanderbilt is a very limited offensive player, and Jake LaRavia was abysmal in the playoffs. After playing all 82 regular-season games, he didn’t play in the final two playoff contests, as his production plummeted to essentially nothing.

No one understands these weaknesses more than the Lakers’ front office. During Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka’s exit interview, he outlined how the franchise must improve this offseason.

“The archetype of the roster we want is going to be retrofitted around Luka and the things he needs,” Pelinka said. “Clearly, he’s that leader and player for the future that we want to build the right way around.”

What Luka needs is a great pick-and-roll big that can also provide vertical spacing and wings that can knock down option shots when Dončić gets doubled.

Right now, center play is inconsistent, and the wings they need are not on the roster. The weaknesses are clear, the Lakers understand them and this is the time of year to address them.

Hopefully, they can get it done.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

John Amaechi’s favorite memory of Jason Collins is one for which Collins wasn’t physically present.

Not long after Collins became the first openly gay athlete to play in any of the major North American men’s sports leagues in 2013, Amaechi was giving a speech in a city he can’t quite recall – Chicago, maybe – when he met a young man in the audience. He vividly remembers what happened next.

The man told Amaechi, who came out as gay in 2007 after retiring from professional basketball, that he deeply related to Collins’ story.

“Not just relating. It was like he was feeding his soul,” Amaechi recalled. “To watch as somebody is lifted, literally like made more tall and substantial, from listening to what somebody else said, is remarkable. And he was. You could see, even as he recounted the things that he heard, he rose. That tells you something about a person.”

Collins, a 13-year NBA veteran, died May 12 after an eight-month battle with brain cancer. He was 47.

His death was mourned by other out queer male athletes, who remember Collins as a kind spirit and a pioneer for LGBTQ inclusion in sports.

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons ruled out Duncan Robinson with a sore lower back against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

The shooting guard was replaced in the starting lineup Wednesday night by Daniss Jenkins.

Robinson is averaging 12.2 points in the playoffs and brings efficient 3-point shooting to the lineup.

Jenkins, who was on a two-way contract just a few months ago, entered the pivotal game against the Cavs averaging 7.5 points and 3.3 assists in the series.

Robinson was limited to four points in 29 minutes on Monday night, when Cleveland evened the series. He scored at least 15 points in each of the first three games against the Cavs.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

The Cleveland Cavaliers will try to do something they haven’t done all postseason in Game 5: Win on the road.

Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!

Go Cavs!

The Minnesota Timberwolves are on the brink of elimination after a 126-97 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series at the Frost Bank Center.

The Wolves now trail 3-2 in the series and have lost their second game of the series by over 25 points. Some teams in this situation would panic, but the battle-tested Wolves are not one of them. Wolves guard Anthony Edwards spoke after Game 5 and expressed confidence in his teammates.

I don’t see nobody in the locker room that’s too worried,“ Edwards said postgame. ”At the end of the day, man, this is another basketball game. You come out, put your boots on, and get ready to go to war.“

The Wolves are hoping to make their third Western Conference Finals in as many years, but they need to win the final two games of their series against the Spurs to do that.

After coming out swinging in Game 1, the Wolves took advantage of the series early. The Spurs were able to snatch that momentum back with wins in Games 2 and 3. After Victor Wembanyama was ejected for throwing an elbow in Game 4 against Wolves center Naz Reid, Minnesota evened up the series at home going into Game 5. The Wolves had a chance to demoralize the Spurs, but San Antonio came back with a vengeance and pulled out their second blowout victory of the series.

Now, Edwards will have to lead his team to victory in Game 6 in order to go back to San Antonio for an all-important Game 7.

Canis Hoopus community, what do you make of Edwards’ postgame comments? Let your thoughts be known in the comments section below.

The Detroit Pistons are looking to avoid a third consecutive loss and the precipice of elimination tonight as they host the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of their best-of-seven series. The good news for the Pistons is that the Cavs are winless on the road in these playoffs, including dropping the first two to Detroit. The bad news for Detroit is that Game 4 was a truly awful showing for the team, and the Pistons have three players listed as questionable tonight — Duncan Robinson, Caris LeVert, and Kevin Huerter. The Pistons have shown they have what it takes to beat the Cavs, and they need to show it tonight up and down the roster. It will take contributions from everyone to retake control of this series.

Game Vitals

When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Watch: ESPN
Odds: Pistons -4.5

Projected Lineups

Detroit Pistons (2-2)

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Cleveland Cavaliers (2-2)

James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen

The San Antonio Spurs second-round matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves has been incredibly close. Not many people would argue that point. It’s funny that despite how close the series has felt, two of the Spurs’ three wins have been by 20+ points. San Antonio handled the Wolves at home in a 126-97 victory to take a 3-2 lead in the series.

They were led by a comeback effort from Victor Wembanyama, who sat most of Game Four after being ejected. He was aided by the Sixth Man of the Year, Keldon Johnson, who had his best game of the playoffs by far. Thanks to those two, the Spurs will head to Minnesota on Friday for Game Six, where they are -190 favorites to win on FanDuel.

As a quick reminder, player grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.

Victor Wembanyama

33 minutes, 27 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, 4 turnovers, 1 foul, 9-for-16 shooting, 2-for-5 threes, +24

Wembanyama exploded offensively for 16 points in the first 6 minutes of play. He came out with force and scored over every defender the Wolves could throw at him. Even when Minnesota tried to get under his skin, Wemby remained composed and torched them on the court. He had more of a subdued impact throughout the game, but was crucial in the second half. Minnesota really struggled with Wembanyama’s verticality in the game. It felt like he could just go over the top of them on lobs at the rim or for rebounds. If you want a stat that really shows his defensive impact, the Spurs outscored the Wolves 69-36 in the paint.

Grade: A

De’Aaron Fox

34 minutes, 18 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 turnover, 2 fouls, 6-for-15 shooting, 1-for-4 threes, +24

San Antonio went to the Fox-Wembanyama pick-and-roll early and often in Game Five. Fox was able to get downhill, and Wembanyama’s hard cuts to the basket opened up a lot of offense for the rest of the Spurs. Rather than relying on his jump shot, Fox opted to get into the paint and make things happen from there. Fox looked strong on the other end, especially when he got switched onto Anthony Edwards, who he really gave some issues.

The Spurs will desperately need a good performance from him in a potential close-out game in Minnesota. Getting some of his floaters and mid-range jumpers to fall would help tremendously.

Grade: B

Stephon Castle

27 minutes, 17 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 3 fouls, 8-for-11 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, +4

As he has done his entire career, Castle competed on the defensive end and was super physical on his drives. It’s been incredible to see him go from guarding Julius Randle on one possession to slowing down Edwards on the next. The fact that he’s strong enough to take a bruiser like Randle out of the series is kind of unbelievable. This was a highlight-reel game for Castle, as he soared to the rim for some high-flying dunks. When the Wolves went to a zone, Castle made great reads from the high post to beat it. His turnovers continue to be an issue. Most of them come when he’s just trying to do a little too much with the ball in his hands.

Grade: B

Julian Champagnie

29 minutes, 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 5 fouls, 3-for-9 shooting, 2-for-8 threes, +15

Champagnie took some tougher threes on Tuesday. He has held his own in this series despite the Wolves targeting him a bit with switches onto Edwards. It wasn’t quite an emphatic poster, but Champagnie’s dunk in the fourth got the arena off its feet.

Grade: B–

Devin Vassell

32 minutes, 12 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, 4-for-10 shooting, 2-for-7 threes, +22

The Spurs were much better with Vassell on the floor. Just being a threat to shoot the ball from deep opens things up a lot for San Antonio’s offense. He’s got the Edwards assignment again in Game Five and did a much better job at guarding him and forcing him into double-teams.

The biggest issue in Vassell’s game is that he’s just missing open shots. Offense has been harder to come by in Minnesota. Vassell will need to find his stroke from deep fast if the Spurs don’t want this series to go to seven games.

Grade: B

Dylan Harper

25 minutes, 12 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 5-for-10 shooting, 0-for-1 threes, +13

Harper was great off the bench. It wasn’t his most dynamic offensive game, but he made up for it by being one of the most athletic and determined players on the court. He grabbed 5 offensive rebounds, most of them over the top of bigger Minnesota players. He finished through contact with athleticism at the basket, including a sick poster jam late in the game. The biggest takeaway here is that Harper has looked mature beyond his years in the playoffs. He’s destined to be a star.

Grade: A

Keldon Johnson

22 minutes, 21 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 8-for-11 shooting, 1-for-3 threes, +17

Johnson put on his best performance of the playoffs by far. He took the game to the Wolves with his physicality. KJ barreled into the paint and cleared space for himself with his shoulder before finishing over the top of taller defenders. He’s been regarded as the heart and soul of this team. It showed on Tuesday night. This was a much-needed game from him. We’ll see if that momentum carries over into Game Six.

Grade: A+

Luke Kornet

11 minutes, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 foul, 0-for-1 shooting, –2

San Antonio struggled in Kornet’s minutes for most of the game. He had a great stretch in the fourth quarter, helping the Spurs maintain and extend their big lead by protecting the basket with a block and some tip-aways on lobs.

Grade: B–

Harrison Barnes

4 minutes, 1 rebound, 1 assist, +/- 0

Barnes made one of the best passes of the game on a lob to Vassell out of a timeout. I couldn’t believe it got through and that Vassell finished it.

Grade: Incomplete

Carter Bryant

12 minutes, 3 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 1-for-1 shooting, 1-for-1 threes, +9

Bryant has been solid in his limited minutes this series. He hit a big three in his first stint. He played strong perimeter defense and maintained an excellent effort when he was in the game.

Grade: B

Jordan McLaughlin

3 minutes, 2 assists, +7

J-Mac helped the Spurs push the pace in garbage time without doing anything offensive to run up the score. Veteran move.

Grade: Incomplete

Lindy Waters III

2 minutes, 3 points, 1-for-2 shooting, 1-for-1 threes, +4

In classic fashion, Waters let it fly off the bench and splashed in a three.

Grade: Incomplete

Kelly Olynyk

2 minutes, 3 points, 1-for-1 shooting, 1-for-1 threes, +4

Olynyk got a wide-open look at a three-pointer in garbage time and knocked it down from the corner.

Grade: Incomplete

Bismack Biyombo

2 minutes, 2 points, 1 rebound, 2 fouls, 1-for-2 shooting, +4

Biyombo got a layup in the pick and roll and then got blocked by Joan Beringer later. He also committed 2 fouls in 2 minutes.

Grade: Incomplete

Inactives: Harrison Ingram, David Jones-Garcia, Emanuel Miller