Category: Basketball

Remembering Jason Collins, a brave NBA trailblazer we all should aspire to be originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Few things hit harder than when someone dedicated to moving humanity toward the light dies too young. Someone like Jason Collins, whose personal quest for goodwill and free expression ended this week when he died at age 47.

After four years as a basketball star at Stanford, playing alongside his twin brother, Jarron, Jason was a first-round selection (18th overall) in the 2001 NBA Draft. In his second season, the 7-footer was the starting center of a New Jersey Nets squad in the NBA Finals. His assignment: 30-year-old Shaquille O’Neal, the league’s most imposing player since Wilt Chamberlain two generations earlier.

Collins neither flinched nor blinked. None of us could have known such fortitude would be a preview of his future.

By the time Collins passed away 23 years later, he had established himself as a widely respected player and, moreover, one of the bravest athletes in American history. He took a path to a sea all others, fearful of drowning, had evaded and dived in.

“I’m a 34-year-old NBA center,” Collins wrote in a first-person cover story in the May 6, 2013 issue of Sports Illustrated. “I’m black. And I’m gay.”

Collins would not allow himself to be influenced by public opinion; it was beyond his control. Any apprehension he might have had would not keep him from sharing his truth. It’s not as if he rolled out of bed one morning, grabbed his courage sweater and announced his authentic self to a basketball world that knew his game but not his life.

“I didn’t set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport,” Collins wrote. “But since I am, I’m happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn’t the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, ‘I’m different.’ If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I’m raising my hand.”

Though American society had been limping forward for nearly two generations, diminishing much of the dark-ages stigma attached to homosexuality, the topic remained a source of unease in certain pockets of our planet. Collins knew that in the hyper-masculine ethos of men’s professional sports, including the NBA, there could be some backlash.

He instead received numerous expressions of support.

Kobe Bryant, whose Los Angeles Lakers twice defeated Collins’ Nets in the Finals, turned to social media to express pride in Collins’ decision. Charles Barkley called it “a great day in the NBA.” Warriors coach Steve Kerr, then an NBA analyst at TNT, said Collins’ “courageous act will impact many lives and help to create more tolerance in sports. Proud to have him representing the NBA.”

Collins’ decision lifted equality in American sports to an unprecedented level. It was greeted with loud applause then and still is broadly celebrated today, particularly among those who knew him well.

“An amazing teammate,” Kris Weems, a Warriors assistant coach who played with Collins for two seasons at Stanford, told NBC Sports Bay Area. “One of the smartest basketball players I’ve played with and been around. Just a really good guy from a really nice family.

“I’m honored that I got to be his teammate and see him grow and mature in his second stage of life, post pro basketball, that was inspiring to so many people.”

Another former Stanford teammate, Mark Madsen, now head coach at Cal, posted on Tuesday X: “Jason was one of the strongest and kindest (people) I have ever met. He was ferocious on the court and full of love and kindness off the court. He welcomed everyone no matter your background. He was the guy who brought fun and energy to life.”

Collins’ announcement also received considerable grace the moment he made it. Kobe Bryant, whose Lakers twice defeated Collins’ Nets in The Finals, turned to social media to express pride in Collins’ decision Charles Barkley called it “a great day in the NBA.” Warriors coach Steve Kerr, then an NBA analyst at TNT, said Collins’ “courageous will impact many lives and help to create more tolerance in sports. Proud to have him representing the NBA.”

Collins’ courageous move was a triumph over fear, rinsing more than 20 years of anxiety and fitful sleep. His name suddenly was bigger than basketball. Nine months passed before the Nets, then in Brooklyn and coached by former teammate Jason Kidd, offered a contract.

Collins signed it on Feb. 23, 2014. On that night, during a Nets-Lakers game in Los Angeles, he made history by stepping onto the floor as the first active openly gay NBA player to do so.

He had evolved from being a fine basketball player to being a man with a higher calling, an ambassador for closeted gay sports figures and open-minded people all over the globe.

Thank Jason Collins for taking that intimidating walk into the unknown, standing over the sea and diving in. May he rest in peace. And may his example guide us to a better place.

CHICAGO — St. John’s Zuby Ejiofor is about to realize his dream of making the NBA.

He’s almost certain to become the Red Storm’s first draft pick in a decade — maybe even a first-rounder after a solid performance in the NBA Draft Combine.

“It’s been a great experience,” Ejiofor said. “Having this opportunity is something I dreamed of for a long time and it’s literally right in front of my face.”

St. John’s hasn’t had a first-round pick since Maurice Harkless in 2012, or any draft pick since Sir’Dominic Pointer three years later. But Ejiofor has a shot — because he’s showing that he can shoot.

The defensive-minded bruiser measured 6-foot-7 ½ barefoot and 245 pounds with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, long and bulky but short enough that he’s going to have to develop a jumper.

Apparently he’s been in Las Vegas since St. John’s season ended working on just that, and it’s paying off at the combine.

“I mean, a lot [of practice shots],” Ejiofor said of his daily Las Vegas regimen. “It was like hundreds, thousands even: shots, 3-point shots, midrange, you name it, just trying to showcase a little bit more than I did in college.”

The result was clear.

Ejiofor shot 17-for-30 off the dribble and 12-for-25 in the 3-point star drill. He was 16-for-28 in a side-middle-side drill and 13-for-25 in spot-up shooting.

“I feel like it’s something I could’ve shown a little bit more in college. And then I had the opportunity to just come out here and just prove, not only to myself, but to everybody around that I could do it,” Ejiofor said. “And I had decent numbers. And I was pretty proud of it.”

The numbers will buoy his stock.

Ejiofor said he met with six teams Wednesday, including the Cavaliers, Hornets, Mavericks, Nuggets and Thunder.

He will meet with the hometown Knicks and Nets Thursday.

The St. John’s senior isn’t participating in the 5-on-5 scrimmages at the combine, with his agent feeling he’s slated to go between Nos. 25 and 35 in next month’s draft.

Ejiofor was mocked to go 43rd to the Nets by Yahoo Sports and 31st to the Knicks by Tankathon.

“New York, obviously it’s a special place. I’ve got to grow a whole lot in the city of New York. And obviously I have a lot of love over there. So, obviously it’d be pretty special to be in a familiar area,” Ejiofor said. “If the opportunity happens, I’m more than excited to be there.

“It’d be a great experience. I spent my last three years in New York. I have a lot of love there in New York City. I’ve been away for a while, but I’m going back to New York on the 17th to walk for graduation. But, yeah, it will be a great experience if it happens. I’m going to be excited and my family is as well.”

Detroit Pistons (60-22, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30, fourth in the Eastern Conference)

Cleveland; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Cavaliers -3.5; over/under is 209.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Cavaliers lead series 3-2

BOTTOM LINE: The Cleveland Cavaliers look to clinch the Eastern Conference second round over the Detroit Pistons in game six. The Cavaliers defeated the Pistons 117-113 in overtime in the last meeting on Thursday. James Harden led the Cavaliers with 30 points, and Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 39.

The Cavaliers are 11-5 against the rest of their division. Cleveland ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference in team defense, giving up only 115.4 points while holding opponents to 46.4% shooting.

The Pistons are 12-4 against the rest of their division. Detroit is fourth in the league scoring 18.0 fast break points per game led by Cunningham averaging 3.8.

The 119.5 points per game the Cavaliers average are 9.9 more points than the Pistons give up (109.6). The Pistons average 117.8 points per game, 2.4 more than the 115.4 the Cavaliers allow to opponents.

TOP PERFORMERS: Evan Mobley is scoring 18.2 points per game and averaging 9.0 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Donovan Mitchell is averaging 25.3 points and 5.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Jalen Duren is averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds for the Pistons. Cunningham is averaging 29.4 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Cavaliers: 5-5, averaging 108.5 points, 43.2 rebounds, 21.7 assists, 7.0 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.6 points per game.

Pistons: 5-5, averaging 106.1 points, 43.5 rebounds, 22.6 assists, 8.8 steals and 7.4 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.2 points.

INJURIES: Cavaliers: None listed.

Pistons: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

DETROIT — After the game, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson was asked what it took for this team to overcome a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes to complete the comeback.

James Harden, who was waiting in the back of the press-conference room for his coach to finish up, thought he would just answer it himself.

“Balls,” Harden said.

While crass, it’s the truth.

The Cavaliers have been called soft for years, and understandably so. They’ve folded in the biggest moments too often in the previous three years not to be called that.

However, this isn’t that team. At least it wasn’t in Game 5.

The Cavs were down nine against the Detroit Pistons with three minutes left in the fourth quarter. The building was on fire. The hometown fans were celebrating what they assumed would be a win. Any momentum that the Cavs had from a strong second half was completely gone.

But then they did something that they hadn’t previously done. They got off the mat.

The Cavs counterpunched with a Donovan Mitchell layup and seven-straight points from Evan Mobley. This was coupled with stifling defense on the other end, as they didn’t give Cade Cunningham anything easy going to the basket.

Cleveland needed overtime to get this game over the line, but they got the job done 117-113.

It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win. And probably the best victory this group has had since LeBron James was last in town.

Now, they just need one more win to go to the Eastern Conference Finals.

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This game was why you grabbed James Harden at the deadline. President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman’s reasoning at the time was simple.

“[We’re] really excited about when it gets to a chaotic time in the playoffs and we’re on the road, and there’s a fever pitch, being able to throw the ball to him and calm this thing down,” Altman said back in February.

Those words proved to be prophetic. Time and time again, it was Harden who came through. He settled the team down and ensured that they got good offense time and time again in a game they weren’t getting much from Mitchell.

Harden continually got to his spots possession after possession, as if it were 2018 again. And even when you let an older version of Harden get to his spots, he’s going to make you pay.

All of the shanagans that drew the ire of NBA fans for a decade and a half were on full display. Harden baited fouls with the rip through, his endless pump fakes, and his ability to get to the rim and have guys bounce off him.

So much so that he had an entire arena chanting “f*** James Harden” throughout overtime when he was continually parading to the charity stripe.

Aging stars can turn back the clock. The issue is that the consistency may not be there from night to night like it was in their prime. We’ve seen that at times throughout this series, when Harden has had issues with turnovers, which partially led to their collapse in Games 1 and 2. But when the Cavs have needed him this series, he’s more than answered the bell.

In Game 3, he closed the Pistons out with clutch shots. In Game 4, he kept the offense going and took care of the ball, playing a supporting role alongside Mitchell, and in Game 5, he dropped 30 points.

“He really understands the moment,” Atkinson said. “When to get a guy the ball, when to try to get a free-throw. All of it. [This was] the big reason we got him.”

Moving to a role like this has been an adjustment for Harden, and one that he’s not fully used to yet.

“I’ve only been here two and a half months,” Harden said. “The things that we’re going through is all new. Learning how to be a second option and feed and play off Donovan.”

Nights like this show that he does still have it when the team needs something.

Before the game, Kenny Atkinson said they needed a role player to step up to help them reverse their fortunes on the road.

“I just think we need someone to step up,” Atkinson said before the game. “It’s going to be someone you don’t expect.”

That someone was Max Strus.

Strus kept a somewhat lifeless offense alive at the beginning of the game. His four triples in the first half accounted for a majority of the team’s threes (6-14).

In the second half, he was seemingly everywhere on the court, coming up with every loose ball and playing great defense on Cade Cunningham.

“The things that he’s doing don’t necessarily show up on a stat sheet,” Harden said.

What did show up on the stat sheet was a much-needed 20-point performance off the bench.

“He’s got a nasty character, and I love it,” Atkinson said. “We need that.”

Donovan Mitchell simply didn’t have it in Game 5.

The Cavs have gone as Mitchell has this entire season. When he’s getting downhill and getting into the basket, Cleveland’s offense looks good. When he isn’t, things can look stagnant as they did at times in Game 5.

Detroit made shrinking the floor a priority. They walled off the paint by shifting help defense into driving lanes whenever he got the ball on the perimeter. This resulted in Mitchell attempting just two of his 18 shots at the rim.

When he’s not getting to the rim, he isn’t getting to the free-throw line either. Mitchell took just six free throws after getting 15 in the game before.

But the Cavs were able to overcome it still. That shows in part how this group is different, and not the same one we’ve seen in years past.

Additionally, the Cavs lost the possession game. They were outscored 27-16 in points off turnovers and 15-14 in second-chance points.

This wasn’t a pretty game, but again, that doesn’t matter on days like this.

Cade Cunningham was the star the Pistons needed him to be, until he wasn’t.

Cleveland’s defenders were already trapping him throughout Game 4 due to how few of Detroit’s role players were stepping up. That ramped up in Game 5 with sharpshooter Duncan Robinson missing this game with a lower back injury.

The extra attention didn’t matter.

Cunningham did a good job of moving off-ball to create advantages, and then when he got the ball, he made his move to the basket quickly before the help defense could arrive.

And when he was the primary ball handler, he accepted the trap and trusted his teammates to find the advantage out of the odd-man situation. More often than not, they did. This led to Cunningham scoring 20 points on 7-14 shooting in the first half.

Then things changed.

The Cavs found success in the second half by just switching these ball screens. They trusted the defenders to stay with him in isolation. Cunningham sought out the mismatches, but doing so tired him out. That showed through down the stretch, particularly in overtime, where he registered just two points and a turnover.

Cleveland simply wore Cunningham down. This is where Detroit’s lack of depth — especially with Jalen Duren struggling as he has — showed through most and cost them the game.

Mobley came through in the biggest moment.

He didn’t register a single point in the fourth quarter until the final three minutes. He scored Cleveland’s last seven points, which included making two free throws to send the game to overtime. That was impactful for someone who seemingly forgot how to make foul shots in the middle of the season.

Mobley did this while being by far the best player on the floor. He shut off drives to the basket by merely rotating over. His impact on that end — maybe even more than the offense — is what allowed Cleveland to climb out of the hole late.

On top of that, he was excellent as a playmaker in the short roll with a team-best eight assists.

The series isn’t over yet.

Despite how this game ended, Detroit has proven to be an incredibly resilient group. That makes Game 6 at home so much more important.

“I’ve been in this position before, and have lost this next Game 6, then that puts a lot of pressure on you in Game 7, especially if you have to go on the road,” Atkinson said. “It’s a must-win game for us in terms of if we want to move forward.”

According to Adam Finkelstein, the intel floating around Chicago during the combine was that AJ Dybantsa was hoping to stay in Utah.

From Finkelstein:

That comment by Dybantsa was also consistent with one of the most repeated pieces of intel floating around Chicago this week: that Dybantsa was reportedly hoping to stay in Utah. 

He’s been in Utah now for two years (one season at Utah Prep and one season in Provo at BYU). His family is now with him in Utah, and they’ve grown to like the state and were hoping to stay.

The question for the Jazz is, if Dybantsa goes #1, then who do they end up picking? It sounds like the Jazz are fine with Darryn Peterson as that pick.

So what will the Jazz do at No. 2, especially considering Cameron Boozer’s dad, Carlos Boozer, currently works for the organization in a scouting role? Most expect Kansas guard Darryn Peterson to be the Jazz’s pick here. While there’s more public speculation about other options, sources around the combine speak with almost the same level of confidence that Peterson goes No. 2 as they do Washington taking Dybantsa at No. 1.

Peterson is not only a good fit for Utah’s current roster, but some people, including myself, wonder if some inside the Jazz front office might consider him to be a superior talent. The Ainges, Danny and Austin, have long been known to follow the top prospects in high school basketball, and so they are undoubtedly aware of what Peterson’s game and reputation were before this year’s availability issues.

The more information we get, the more it seems like the Jazz are going to be in great shape regardless of what the Wizards do. If Utah prefers Peterson and he falls to them at #2, they should be ecstatic. If the Wizards don’t pick Dybantsa and take Peterson, then Utah gets the local favorite in Dybantsa with the insane physical tools that has incredible upside. It’s a win-win for the Jazz either way.

It’s really hard to overstate how big this is for the Utah Jazz. They are getting a #1 caliber player, no matter what the Wizards do. What an incredible beginning to this new era of Jazz basketball.

I’m going to make this recap short. I just got back from an absolutely infuriating basketball game with thousands of my Pistons fan friends, and way too many Cavs fans. Walking through the concourse and to the parking lot around a bunch of elated Cavs fans — who knew they got away with something — not fun! In the end, the Detroit Pistons lost 117-113 in overtime and now face a 3-2 deficit heading to Cleveland in a possible elimination game.

Look, the free-throw disparity that has plagued Detroit for the three games prior did not abate tonight. Detroit shot 20 free throws on their home floor and the Cavaliers shot 38. The most egregious was thanks to a bunch of James Harden contortions and selling calls. It was maddening.

But most important was a critical no call that should have gone Detroit’s way and very well could have delivered the Pistons a victory. The Pistons had a nine-point lead with just under three minutes left but let it dwindle away and suddenly the game was tied and the Cavs had the ball on what could have been the final possession.

Ausar Thompson, who was brilliant all night, hounded Donovan Mitchell at the top of the key and blocked the ball from behind as Mitchell went up for a potential game-winning shot. As Ausar attempted to retrieve the loose ball he was clearly tripped by Jarrett Allen. A whistle sends Ausar to the free-throw line with two chances to put Detroit ahead with under 1.5 seconds left. But there was no whistle. Instead, the ball bounced across the floor and time expired.

That was one of a dozen calls that will make any Piston fan furious and will haunt the team for the rest of the offseason unless they can pull off a miracle and win the next two games.

The Pistons did not play perfect basketball, but it felt like they played well enough to win. Cleveland outlasted Detroit thanks to Max Strus hitting six threes, James Harden hitting shots and selling calls, and the Pistons inability to score in the final minutes to truly ice the game. And the refs. It’s not an excuse. The game was simply way too dictated by the referees tonight not to mention it. To pretend the refs calls didn’t dictate this entire game is to put your head in the sand. It’s simply really hard to make up the deficit caused by spotting the opposing team 13 points at the free-throw line.

Cade Cunningham played a great game, scoring 39 points, hitting six threes, and adding nine assists and seven rebounds. He seemed to tire late and was less assertive in the final minutes of the fourth when the Pistons squandered a nine-point lead. But he gave the team everything he could tonight.

So did Daniss Jenkins, a surprise starter in place of the injured Duncan Robinson. The young guard had 19 points and played his butt off on the defensive side of the ball. Isaiah Stewart played solid minutes in the first half, even hitting two from deep. Paul Reed played 17 second-half minutes and scored 10 points on quality shooting and added eight rebounds.

They just couldn’t do enough. On to Cleveland to try to save the season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off their gutsiest win of the 2020s. Let’s celebrate before getting nervous about Game 6 on Friday.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 turnovers

This game started as a disaster. It nearly ended as one, too.

Mitchell was stripped on the final possession. His turnover, combined with a horrific shooting night, could have cost them an inspiring comeback.

Thankfully, Mitchell has a short memory. He scored seven points in overtime, pushing the Cavs over the finish line and saving himself from a bummer night.

Frustrations aside, I did think Mitchell was taking good shots in the flow of the offense. His process was better than the results. That, and his overtime scoring, explain the grade.

Grade: C-

James Harden

30 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 6 turnovers

Harden put the first two games of this series in the past and had the Cavs offense on his back tonight. Sure, we had the occasional turnover that makes you want to pull your hair out. But Harden’s shot-making was one of the only things keeping Cleveland in the game.

The Cavs offense was prone to droughts in previous years. Winning a game that involved poor shooting from Mitchell felt impossible. That’s no longer the case, as Harden’s kept them above water even in Mitchell’s worst moments. That’s huge.

His carelessness with the ball (six turnovers) and occasional lack of effort defensively ding his grade. Still, it’s a make-or-miss league, and the Cavs wouldn’t be leading 3-2 in the series if he wasn’t making shots tonight.

Grade: A

Evan Mobley

19 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks

Mobley took a while to get going tonight. His playmaking was a bright spot, but the Cavs need him to do more than create in the short roll. Once he started scoring and re-establishing himself on defense, the game suddenly became winnable.

The Cavs leaned on Mobley heavily down the stretch. He scored seven points in the closing minutes of regulation to erase a nine-point deficit. He also shut things down defensively, turning the tide and stifling Detroit in the clutch.

Grade: A+

Jarrett Allen

16 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks

It’s easy to miss how impactful Allen has been for the Cavs this postseason. Smaller nights like tonight can fly under the radar. But an efficient double-double and elite rim protection from your fourth-best player is a luxury. Allen has thoroughly outplayed Jalen Duren in this series and deserves recognition.

Grade: A

Dean Wade

0 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal

Wade has not scored since the second quarter of Game 3. He’s only attempted three shots in his last 63 minutes of the series. That’s… not enough.

Still, Wade’s helped put the Cavs defense where it needs to be. They don’t have enough size on the wing to cut him from the rotation. And, he’s honestly been as helpful as anyone can be while being a zero on offense. That’s worth something.

Grade: C–

Max Strus

20 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block

The Cavs don’t win tonight without Strus. Point blank period.

Strus made all the winning plays. His three-point barrage in the first half was key to keeping the game competitive. He continued pouring it on in the second half while ramping up the defensive intensity to push Cade Cunningham over the edge. His physicality wore on Cade throughout the game and eventually rang victorious in the closing minutes.

Grade: A+++

Jaylon Tyson

0 everything, 3 minutes

Tyson got into a scuffle with Isaiah Stewart and Tobias Harris only moments after checking into the game. I thought that might fuel the Cavs. Instead, it actually deflated them. Tyson was on the floor as Detroit opened the second quarter, shooting 8-8 from the field, and worked towards their biggest lead.

Grade: F

Dennis Schroder

5 points, 5 assists, 2 turnovers

I don’t have anything new to say about Schroder. He’s earned his place in the rotation and is an important cog in the machine offensively. Even the tiniest bits of usage that Schroder can carry help take the load off Mitchell and Harden’s shoulders.

Grade: C+

Sam Merrill

6 points, 1 assist, 1 steal

I’m just waiting for Merrill to let loose in one of these games. He entered tonight as the second-worst ‘open’ shooter of the playoffs and went 2-5 on mostly clean looks today. That can’t be sustainable, right? Sam feels too talented to keep missing good looks.

Grade: D+

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.”