Category: Basketball

The Nets have a staggering seven rookies — a record five of them first-round picks — and must develop every one they can to spur their rebuild.

For injured Danny Wolf, the work doesn’t end just because he’s been shut down for the season. If anything it gets more intense.

“Obviously losing sucks, and every time you ask anyone, they’re going to give you the same answer that losing is no fun.” Wolf said. “Everyone in the locker room from top to bottom thinks we could’ve had a much better season. But within that, you have to find things you can learn from, that you can gain from.”

After suffering a season-ending left ankle sprain March 22, Wolf will end his debut campaign averaging 8.9 points and 4.9 rebounds.

And from the moment the tanking Nets started leaning into their rookies on Feb. 5, the big man bumped those figures up to 10.8 points, 5.6 boards and 2.7 assists.

Wolf fell to 27th in the draft due to questions about his defense and shooting. He played defense at an NBA level, but his shooting is still very much in question, at a streaky 32.2 percent from deep.

What’s beyond question is that Wolf must learn to finish better at the rim.

“Defensively, there were definitely a lot of people questioning who I’d be able to guard. I took that as a chip on my shoulder to more than prove, but be a good defender,” said Wolf.

“The shooting and the offense, it was nowhere near what I know I’m capable of doing and that upsets me. I was able to shoot well at times, and there’d be times where I felt I couldn’t make a shot. That’s a rookie season; there’s going to be ups and downs.”

Nowhere near enough ups at the rim, figuratively and literally.

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While Wolf is sizable at 6-foot-11, 255 pounds, his lack of vertical explosion has limited him. His 24-inch standing vertical was tied for third worst at the NBA Draft Combine, and has led to poor finishing against more athletic foes.

“Everyone’s bigger, faster, stronger, more athletic [at this level],” said Wolf. “What is it that you need to do to be able to match that, but also be better than that?”

Where Wolf has to be better is at the rim, where he shot just 54 percent. That’s just 12th percentile among forwards, per Cleaning The Glass. It’s an Achilles’ heel he needs to fix, offseason work that’s already begun.

“Obviously the numbers speak for themselves; I was nowhere near where I wanted to be or could have been. And finishing, I did an OK job at times getting in my spots,” Wolf said. “A lot of it is getting stronger. And the positive outlook of an injury [is] I’ve been able to really hone in on the weight room more than I would’ve been able to if I was playing.

“I have a good four or five months of weight room ahead of me and just being able to fill out my frame better. That’ll really help me, just getting stronger; and with that, more explosive. And I know my rim finishing next year, I’ll be able to look back on this year and see that it was something that really, really helped me.”

While Wolf is focused on his body, coach Jordi Fernández is counting on growth through reps and technique.

“It’s a combination of a lot of things,” said Fernández. “One is experience, right? The reps, the game slowing down. A lot of times you just rush. We tell guys, ‘Hey, just play off two feet and don’t leave your feet.’

“But he’s done a great job and he’s been able to implement a lot of stuff, power through, because you have better balance, finding a body first. This all comes with a lot of work, watching film and through the summer and then the real reps. So the process [has] already started. He’s already gotten better. We’re not concerned about his finishing. We know it has to get better, but we also know it will get better.”

DALLAS — Lakers star Luka Doncic will seek special medical treatment in Europe for his left hamstring strain with the hopes he’ll be able to return to the court quicker, his agency shared on Sunday night.

Bill Duffy of WME Basketball, who’s Doncic’s agent, first told ESPN the news after the Lakers’ 134-128 loss to the Mavericks, which was the Lakers’ first game since Doncic and fellow star guard Austin Reaves suffered their regular season-ending injuries during the team’s blowout loss to the Thunder on Thursday. 

Doncic suffered the hamstring injury during the third quarter of the loss, with an MRI on Friday revealing a Grade 2 strain,  which typically comes with a recovery timeline of 3-6 weeks. 

InStreetClothes, which is an NBA injury database run by certified athletic trainer Jeff Stotts, stated that the average time lost for the type of injury Doncic suffered is about 35 days. 

The Lakers didn’t provide a timeline for Doncic’s expected return to the court. 

Three weeks from when Doncic suffered the hamstring injury was April 23, which would be around Games 3 or 4 of the Lakers’ first-round playoff matchup.

A timeline closer to 35 days, let alone six weeks, would likely take Doncic out of the Lakers’ entire first-round playoff series, even if it lasted seven games.

“I just know that he’s gonna do everything he can to try to be back,” coach JJ Redick said. “I talked to him Friday, I talked to him again [on Saturday], I talked to him again [Sunday] morning. He’s going to go through all the necessary things to be back at some point, and it’s our job again to extend the season so both those guys can get back.”

Redick said internal medical data didn’t show any signs of overuse for Doncic or Reaves, who’s sidelined with a Grade 2 left oblique strain, before their injuries. 

Both grabbed at their respective injured areas during the first quarter of Thursday’s game but played through the third quarter before Doncic left the matchup with his hamstring injury and Reaves was subbed out. 

“As a coach, you go on the information you have,” Redick said.

“[Reaves] was medically cleared. When Austin came back, I asked directly, I thought he was hurt. [I was told], ‘No, he’s medically cleared.’ The group wanted to go for it in the second half. Talked about it at halftime. And I think for both those guys, the nature of playing heavy minutes, that’s certainly a part of any equation when you’re trying to manage workloads.

“We also rely on the tracking data, and we’re looking at that after every game. And there have been a few times this year where it’s gone away from the standard deviation of whatever their baseline is, and we make the proper adjustments. There was nothing leading into that game that would suggest either those guys were ‘running hot’ as we call it.”

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There’s nothing quite as embarrassing as getting yelled at by your parents in public. 

Try being Bronny James on Sunday night in Dallas. 

Late in the third quarter of the Lakers’ loss to the Mavericks, Bronny went to send a high chest pass to his teammate, and dad, LeBron James but had the attempt knocked out of bounds by a Dallas defender.

LeBron immediately signaled to his son that he should have given him a bounce pass, and then gave him a stern look that only a dad would give to his kid. 

“Kind of looks at his son and says, ‘give me a bounce pass,’ Mike Tirico said on the NBC broadcast. “I love that look because that look was not just LeBron the veteran. That was also LeBron the dad.” 

LeBron was mad at Bronny for not throwing a bounce pass pic.twitter.com/94SbCs1yFe

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 6, 2026

Bronny is in his second season and played nine minutes off the bench for the Lakers in the 134-128 loss to the Mavericks in the Lone Star State. 

Bronny finished the game with five points on 2-of-3 shooting and was 1-for-2 from 3-point range, and also registered an assist. 

LeBron ended the night with a team-high 30 points on 12-for-22 shooting. 

The Lakers have been reeling from injuries lately with the loss of Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart. 

Dončić will be out indefinitely with a left hamstring strain and then on Saturday, the Lakers announced that Reaves was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury and would be out the rest of the season. 

“It was a shot to the heart and the chest and the mainframe with Luka,” LeBron told reporters after the game regarding the injury news about Dončić and Reaves. “I woke up from my nap and saw that [Reaves] news and was like, ‘s–t’”

The injuries will allow Bronny to get some extended playing time and make a case for a bigger role on the Lakers.

The Dallas Mavericks (25-53) beat the Los Angeles Lakers 134-128 on Sunday in a nationally televised game that saw Cooper Flagg continue his scorched earth campaign on the NBA to close out the 2025-26 season.

The Mavericks came out with real pace in the first quarter, but more than anything, it was Cooper Flagg that set the tone early on. He was everywhere, knocking down a pull-up 3-pointer, pushing in transition and creating easy looks for others, including kickouts to shooters. Flagg dictated possessions, made the right reads and impacted the game defensively. By the end of the quarter, the Mavericks had pushed it to a 41-30 lead, and it felt like a direct result of Flagg setting the tone as the best player on the floor.

The second quarter was when the game started to shift, even though Dallas held on to a 67-61 halftime lead. The Mavericks opened the period with great flow. Cooper Flagg knocked down another pull-up 3-ball and created for teammates to push the lead as high as 58-36. But from there, the Lakers chipped away, as LeBron James got downhill and to the free throw line, while Dallas started missing shots and turning it over. A quick stretch of scoring from James cut deep into the lead, and even when Dallas had small responses, they couldn’t fully stabilize.

The second half turned into the Cooper Flagg show, as he completely took control of the game across the third and fourth quarters and led Dallas to the finish. In the third, Flagg dictated everything offensively, creating for teammates like P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford and Marvin Bagley while also scoring with floaters, pull-ups, and cuts to the rim. Every time Los Angeles made a push through LeBron James or DeAndre Ayton, Dallas had an answer, and more often than not, it came from Flagg either as a scorer or playmaker.

In the fourth, he elevated even further, opening the quarter with a three-point play and controlling possessions with patience, getting to his spots and consistently drawing fouls. The Lakers never fully went away, but Flagg kept them at arm’s length with a mix of midrange scoring and steady trips to the line, preventing any real comeback run. Down the stretch, it became about execution, and Flagg delivered, closing the game at the free-throw line and pushing his total to 45 points. Dallas never lost control in the final minutes, and what started as a competitive game ended with a composed finish and a 134-128 win.

75: Combined scoring from Flagg and James

This game gave us one of those stats that doesn’t even feel real at first. A teenager and a 40-year-old were both on pace to score 20+ points in the same game, something that has never happened in NBA history, and it was already developing in the first half. Flagg scored a game-high 45 points for the Mavs in the win, and James answered with 30 of his own for the Lakers in the loss.

That alone tells you how strange and fascinating this game was. On one side, James is still able to control stretches of the game at 41 years old, bully his way to the rim, orchestrate offense and put up numbers like it’s routine. On the other side, you have Flagg, a teenager, matching that production possession for possession, scoring in multiple ways, and dictating the flow of the game.

What makes it even more impressive is how natural it looked. This wasn’t a “young player having a hot quarter” moment. Flagg was operating like a primary option, making reads, creating shots and carrying real offensive responsibility. To see that level of control from someone that young, in the same game where LeBron is doing LeBron things, is just wild. It’s the kind of moment that sticks with you, because you just don’t see two completely different eras collide like that very often.

1: Home win since January 22nd

Lost in everything else is just how telling this win actually is about where the Mavericks are as a team right now. This was their first home win since January 22nd, which is honestly staggering when you think about it. This isn’t a team that has been fully bottoming out with a stripped roster or sitting every capable player every night. They’ve still had real rotation guys available and enough talent to compete, yet the results have been consistently this bad. That says more about the overall level of play than anything else.

A win like this feels good in the moment, especially with how it happened, but it also comes with real implications. The Mavericks are clearly in the mix for top lottery positioning, and games like this can directly impact those odds. When you’re in that tier, every win matters in the wrong way. Sliding even a few spots in the lottery standings can significantly hurt your chances at landing the number one pick, especially in a class where that top selection carries serious value.

So while this was one of the more enjoyable nights of the season, it also highlights the balancing act Dallas is dealing with. They’ve been bad enough for long enough to be in the lottery conversation without fully committing to a complete shutdown, and that leaves them in this middle ground. Wins like this are great for development and confidence, but they also introduce risk. And as the season winds down, that tension between short-term success and long-term positioning is only going to get tighter.

2: Consecutive 45-point games for Flagg

At this point, the Rookie of the Year conversation should absolutely be a debate, but Cooper Flagg still feels like the clear choice. What he’s doing right now is on another level, especially when you factor in the responsibility he’s carrying. Back-to-back 45-plus point games and 96 points across two games aren’t just impressive for a rookie; they’re rare for anyone in the league. And it’s not coming out of nowhere — it’s the continuation of a season where he’s consistently been asked to be the engine of the offense.

Kon Knueppel has been great and deserves real consideration. He’s been efficient, steady, and impactful in his role, and there’s a strong case to be made for what he’s done over the course of the season. This shouldn’t be a one-name conversation, and his production absolutely warrants being in the discussion.

But when you zoom out, Flagg’s overall impact separates him. He’s putting up around 21 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while taking on primary creator duties, defending multiple positions, and consistently facing top defensive attention. That level of usage combined with that level of production is hard to ignore. He’s not just contributing, he’s driving everything Dallas does.

That’s what ultimately gives him the edge. Knueppel has been excellent, but Flagg has been asked to do more, and he’s delivered at a higher ceiling. When you combine the volume, the role, and now stretches like this, it’s hard to argue against him. The debate is real, but the answer still points to Cooper Flagg.

It was a good job and good effort from the Lakers, but they came up short in their first game since learning that Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves would be out for the rest of the regular season.

With three starters unavailable against Dallas, LA struggled early on defensively. Cooper Flagg made another strong case to be the Rookie of the Year by scoring with ease. He had the Mavs in front by as many as 22 in this game. Dallas had control from the beginning and never let it go.

Still, LeBron James gave a valiant effort and kept LA in this one. He attacked aggressively and delivered a complete performance, finishing the night with 30 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists.

Thanks to his drive, this game remained competitive throughout.

However, it wasn’t enough to win, and considering that the Mavs are one of the weaker teams in the league, it appears that winning any games for the Lakers the rest of the way will be a tough task.

So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

LeBron James

39 minutes, 30 points, 9 rebounds, 15 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, 1 foul, 12-22 FG, 1-6 3PT, 5-9 FT, +1

LeBron was not just the No. 1 option for the Lakers, but he pushed the pace and was the clear leader of this team. It’s a shame the Lakers couldn’t win because this was one of his best performances of the season.

Grade: A

Rui Hachimura

39 minutes, 21 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 foul, 9-13 FG, 3-5 3PT, +5

Hachimura is now back in the starting lineup, and he made the most of his increased minutes. He shot well from the field and was a solid rebounder.

Unfortunately, the Lakers needed even more than what Hachiura provided to win. Still, if he can produce like this, it should position the Lakers to at least remain competitive with what’s left of the season.

Grade: B+

Jake LaRavia

36 minutes, 14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, 6 fouls, 3-11 FG, 1-5 3PT, 7-8 FT, -3

The microphones near the rims at the American Airlines Center must be amplified because LaRavia’s bricks were very loud on the broadcast. The Lakers can’t afford for him to play this poorly.

Grade: D

Deandre Ayton

19 minutes, 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 2 fouls, 5-9 FG, 3-4 FT, 0

With Luka and Reaves out, this is an opportunity for Ayton to prove to everyone he deserves a bigger role. He responded by having a lackadaisical game and ended up playing less than his backup, Jaxson Hayes

Grade: F

Luke Kennard

41 minutes, 15 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, 3 fouls, 5-17 FG, 1-5 3PT, 4-4 FT, +8

Luke struggled at first, going 3-10 from the field in the opening half. He bounced back as the game progressed and ended the night with his first-ever triple-double.

Luke Kennard's first career triple-double comes midway through the 3rd Q: 10 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 6, 2026

Credit to Luke for going above and beyond and stepping up for this shorthanded team. His 16 rebounds as a guard were utterly impressive.

Grade: A+

Maxi Kleber

13 minutes, 2 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 fouls, 1-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, +4

Kleber was on the floor for just a handful of minutes and gave the Lakers some two big looks with Hayes also in the game. It was okay, I guess.

Grade: C-

Jarred Vanderbilt

12 minutes, 5 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2-2 FG, 1-1 3PT, -19

Vando’s 3-pointer was nice, but his play overall was pretty forgettable in this game.

Grade: C-

Jaxson Hayes

27 minutes, 23 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 4 fouls, 8-10 FG, 7-8 FT, -5

Hayes was easily the best Lakers big against the Mavs. He scored with authority and converted at a very high rate, despite taking more shots. This has been a good year for Hayes, and if he keeps this up, he might get some starts coming up.

Grade: A+

Kobe Bufkin, Bronny James, Nick Smith Jr.

This trio all played under 10 minutes, so they will not be given a grade.

JJ Redick

Redick is shorthanded and trying to figure out new lineups that can work. He put Bufkin and Smith Jr. out there in the first half to try and get something going. It didn’t do much, and the Lakers are now tied with the Nuggets for the third seed. It’s hard to blame Redick for this loss. The team is just in a very tough spot right now.

Grade: C+

Sunday’s DNPs: Dalton Knecht, Adou Thiero

Sunday’s inactives: Marcus Smart, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Drew Timme, Chris Mañon

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

You can’t fault Luka Dončić for not doing all he can to get back on the court.

It appears that Luka is heading to Europe in an attempt to get specialized treatment to return from his hamstring strain earlier than expected. His agent Bill Duffy relayed the message to Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN on Sunday evening after the Lakers’ loss to the Mavs.

After consultation with Lakers doctors and his own medical team, Luka Doncic will seek specialized medical treatment in Europe on his Grade 2 left hamstring in an attempt to expedite his return to play, agent Bill Duffy of WME Basketball tells me and @mcten. pic.twitter.com/qutILIxzMK

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 6, 2026

Dan Woike of The Athleticadded that Luka was already heading to Europe for “aggressive” treatment.

Luka Dončić traveled to Europe on Sunday to receive aggressive treatment on his injured hamstring in an effort to speed up his recovery, league sources told The Athletic.

That’s certainly a lot to unpack.

Right now, Luka’s timeline is just kind of rough estimates based on previous Grade 2 strains. However, the general recovery time is around 4-5 weeks, which would rule him out for the first round of the playoffs and part of the second round, and the Lakers are not making it there without him.

But also, the playoffs are going to start two weeks from Sunday, which means he’d need to cut that recovery time in half to get back on the floor for the first round.

On the one hand, as noted above, Luka is clearly exhausting every possible option to heal this as quickly as he can. If that includes heading to Europe for treatment, then that’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make.

However, on the other hand, there’s also a tinge of uncertainty that exists. Hamstring strains are tricky injuries and rushing a return from them can have long-term ramifications. Obviously, he’s consulting with people he trusts within the Lakers and his own team, but there’s always going to be some doubt over whether this is the right decision.

It’s a tough spot Luka is in because he obviously wants to get back and help his team in the playoffs, especially with Austin Reaves out, too. But, again, hamstring injuries are not the type of injury you can rush a return.

There is a history of success stories with Lakers getting leg treatments in Europe. Famously, Kobe Bryant went to Germany to have his knee worked on and came back looking as good as ever. But that happened during the offseason, was a different body part and came under totally different circumstances.

Perhaps this is a situation of Luka doing the equivalent of LeBron James going to the LeBron James of feet to get back on the floor for the playoffs in 2023.

You can’t fault Luka’s heart. But you can wonder if this is the best decision given how quick the turnaround time to get back on the court will be.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

Yikes.

On Sunday night in downtown Minneapolis, the Minnesota Timberwolves got boat-raced yet again, this time against the Charlotte Hornets 122-108. It is the Wolves’ third straight loss, bringing their season record to 46-32.

The Wolves were again without Anthony Edwards, who scored just eight points on 3-15 shooting on Friday against the Philadelphia 76ers. Edwards has now missed eight of the past ten Timberwolves outings as he deals with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome in his right knee.

Minnesota played well for large portions of the game. The Wolves were on fire from beyond the arc in the first half, as they shot 10-21 from deep, including four from Bones Hyland, who put one in at the halftime buzzer to give his team a five-point lead.

🚨 BIZZY BEATS HE BUZZER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/TiCMQJpN62

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 6, 2026

The game remained close until late in the third quarter when the wheels completely fell off the wagon for the Timberwolves. Down by one, Ayo Dosunmu fouled Coby White on a 3-pointer. White knocked down the first two free throws, but missed the third. The Wolves were unable to secure the rebound as the Hornets found White for another 3-pointer, which he knocked down for a five-point possession.

That five-point possession ended up being a microcosm of the entire night. The Wolves gave up a total of 16 offensive rebounds in the game and got double-upped 24-12 by the Hornets in second-chance points. The rebounding problem has been a trend of late for Minnesota, as they now rank 22nd in defensive rebound percentage since the All-Star Break.

That five-point possession ended up being the turning point in the game as Charlotte used it to propel them to a 15-0 run that put the game out of reach. The second half as a whole was a disaster for Minnesota, as after scoring the first two points with two Dosunmu free throws, they got outscored 47-21 to turn a modest seven-point lead into a 19-point deficit.

Each loss during this three-game losing streak for the Wolves has come, in part, because of a giant second-half run by their opponent. On Thursday, the Detroit Pistons outscored the Wolves 18-3 during the fourth quarter, on Friday, the 76ers had a 40-18 run in the third quarter, and now tonight the Hornets blitzed the Wolves down the stretch of the third quarter and into the fourth.

The Wolves are now 6-9 in their last 15 games, sporting the third-worst offense in the NBA during that stretch. While the Wolves have certainly dealt with injuries during that stretch, including Edwards, Dosunmu, and Jaden McDaniels missing multiple games, it is not a good sign that Minnesota has been so deficient on offense when a starter or two has been out of the lineup.

One major reason for the Wolves’ offensive struggles has been the play of Naz Reid. Tonight’s game was possibly Reid’s worst of the season as he scored just six points while missing 11 of his 14 shots. At the start of February, Reid was averaging 17.7 points per game, but has only scored 11.5 a game since. During that time, he is shooting a paltry 27.2 percent on 3-pointers.

“I’m not 100% sure about the shoulder, I think that’s a question you’re going to have to ask him.” Chris Finch said about Reid’s nagging shoulder injury that he’s dealt with most of the season. “Tonight, it was finishing at the rim to start. His first six shots were in and around the paint, tough shots he usually makes. He finally saw one go in and then the 3-point shot, I think he’s just rushing it a little bit, just trying to steer it in.”

Finch elaborated on the team’s struggles overall, saying, “It feels like we’re a million miles away from the team that we can be and that we are. We gotta get that back with our connectiveness and our spirit, and we gotta have some guys just play better.”

This weekend’s game has also brought a lot of clarity about what the Wolves’ seed and playoff opponent will be. The Timberwolves are now overwhelmingly likely to be the sixth seed for the second straight season, as three games separate them in the loss column from both the teams above and below them in the standings.

The Denver Nuggets have also caught up to tie the Los Angeles Lakers for the third seed. While the Lakers do have the tiebreaker, it seems unlikely they can keep pace with the Nuggets as both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves will miss the rest of the regular season, and possibly longer.

It appears it may be time to start mentally preparing for another playoff series between the Nuggets and Timberwolves.

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Up Next

The Timberwolves head back out on the road for another three-game road trip. It starts with a matchup against the Indiana Pacers, who have had an injury-riddled season with a record of 18-60 since losing in Game 7 of the NBA Finals a year ago. The game begins at 6:00 PM CT and airs on FanDuel Sports Network.

Highlights

CLEVELAND — It wasn’t pretty, but the Cleveland Cavaliers did enough to escape with a 117-108 win over the Indiana Pacers.

Thomas Bryant said something in the locker room before Sunday’s game that presumably got the team fired up. Although neither he, James Harden, nor Donovan Mitchell would reveal what that was.

“I’m not saying that.”

Whatever it was, it worked, at least for Bryant.

Bryant didn’t disappoint in his first start with the Cavs. He provided infectious energy on a night the team desperately needed it.

“That’s just how he plays,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “If we’re playing a pickup game tomorrow at our practice facility, he’s going to play the same. He’s going to talk, he’s going to yell and scream. … But it’s good to have a good game against your former team.”

Bryant agreed. He said it “felt good” to get the start and pour in 14 points on 6-9 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds and two assists, with both Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen missing the front end of a back-to-back due to rest.

“He gets us going every night,” Mitchell said. “There’s a level of consistency with him.”

The Cavs desperately needed that level of consistency, considering all the players they were missing. They rested Mobley (calf), Allen (knee), and Sam Merrill (hamstring) in addition to being without Dean Wade (ankle) and Jaylon Tyson (toe). That’s five guys right there that are a part of your playoff rotations, which includes your starting front court and their depth.

It’s irresponsible to draw declarative conclusions from how this team looks when none of the five-man lineups — even this starting lineup — should be sharing the court in the postseason. And if the Cavs are forced to run out groups featuring Larry Nance Jr. and Nae’Qwan Tomlin because of injuries, they likely aren’t going to be reaching their postseason goals.

That said, it’s concerning that the Cavs are running into the same issues no matter who is on the court.

Indiana has one of the worst records in the league and has an incentive to make that record even worse, considering the convoluted protections on their first-round pick. That’s why they only dressed nine players for this game, and started two guys on two-way contracts.

Still, Indiana’s hustle and commitment to trying to play the right way defensively stood out. The Cavs were once again a step slow on that end, and the communication wasn’t crisp. This led to easy shots and defenders with their palms up in frustration after the ball went through the net.

It’d be easy to explain this away as the Cavs being down so many key players. However, this is something we’ve seen with this group for the last several weeks, no matter who’s in the lineup.

Cleveland locked in late defensively. They surrendered just 17 points in the fourth quarter, paving the way for what ended up being a mostly stress-free victory.

Atkinson attributed the turnaround to getting energy from a group captained by Nance, Tomlin, and Craig Porter Jr. “That was the group that shifted the momentum,” Atkinson said. “Larry and those young guys changed the complexion of the game.”

It also helped to get superstar performances from both Mitchell and Harden.

Mitchell was able to get into the lane at will in his 38-point outing. He went 14-18 (77.7%) on shots in the paint, which included going 10-12 (83.3%) at the rim.

The only thing that could stop him was turning his ankle late. Afterward, he insisted that he was fine. Hopefully for the Cavs sake, he is. They need him at this level if they want to meet their postseason goals.

Harden, conversely, made sure to keep the offense on track. This included quarterbacking the offense late to ensure it ran smoothly.

“He’ll take what [the defense] gives him,” Atkinson said about how Harden runs the offense in the clutch. “He’ll make the right play. That’s why our clutch rating is so good.”

This was only a clutch game briefly (games within five points in the final five minutes), but the Cavs’ offense was superb down the stretch. They scored 11 points in three minutes late that took things from a four-point game to a 1-point advantage, effectively ending the game.

This has been nothing new; the Cavs have the third-best offensive rating in the clutch (131.9) since Harden’s debut. That bodes well for a team that has previously struggled to close playoff games offensively.

Despite scoring 28 points and having seven assists, Atkinson was most impressed with Harden’s defense to the point that he remarked to his staff during the game that “he’s our best defender” this evening.

“I was thrilled with his defense tonight,” Atkinson said of Harden. “He’s sitting down, he’s guarding. … He’s so solid. He’s always in the right place. Got great hands, smart as heck. I’ll take that any day of the week. … He really knows his personnel, right? He knows who he’s got to close out too hard. He knows who he can back off of. He just manages the game defensively.”

As mentioned at the top, it’s difficult to take too much from this game. Despite injury scares to Mitchell (ankle) and Max Strus (wrist), the Cavs seemed to have escaped this game mostly unscathed. That’s what matters on a night like this when one more win ensures them home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, and there’s little to play for.

“The most important thing for us is getting healthy,” Harden said. “When we do that, we can figure everything else out.”

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg recorded his second consecutive impressive game and made history in the process.

Flagg scored 45 points in a 134-128 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center on Sunday, April 5, becoming the first rookie to score 40 points in a game against LeBron James.

Flagg got off to a fast start, going 7-of-10 from the field for 19 points in the first quarter. He then finished the first half with 26 points.

James finished with a team-high 30 points as the Lakers continue to march toward the postseason without the services of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. While Doncic suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that will sideline him for the rest of the regular season, Reaves suffered an oblique injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for four to six weeks. Doncic's status for the postseason is not yet known.

In Sunday's game, Flagg and James made some history together. They are the first players in NBA history to score 20 or more points in the same game, with one player aged 40-plus and another a teenager, according to the NBA.

Coming off a career-high 51 points on April 3, Flagg is also the first rookie since Allen Iverson during the 1996-97 season to score 40 or more points in back-to-back games, according to the NBA. Flagg has four 40-plus point games this season and is averaging 20.8 points per game.

Here’s a breakdown of Flagg's performance against the Lakers on Sunday:

Cooper Flagg stats vs. Lakers

• Minutes played: 39
• Points: 45
• FG: 14-for-27
• 3PT: 2-for-4
• FT: 15-for-17
• Rebounds: 8
• Assists: 9
• Steals: 2
• Blocks: 1
• Turnovers: 2
• Fouls: 2

Mavericks vs. Lakers highlights

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cooper Flagg points: How did Dallas Mavericks rookie do vs. Lakers

The Lakers are as shorthanded as they can be, their dynamic starting backcourt of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves out with injuries at a pivotal time of the season.

They're the offensive engines for a Lakers team battling for the No. 3 playoff seeding in a competitive Western Conference.

The 41-year-old LeBron James is now driving the Lakers, and despite falling just a rebound shy of a triple-double, he couldn't save the Lakers from a 134-128 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday at American Airlines Center.

Read more:Lakers' Austin Reaves out for rest of regular season with oblique strain

James had 30 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds. Luke Kennard delivered his first career triple-double with 15 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists.

Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg, coming off a 51-point performance against Orlando on Friday, finished with 45 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. He scored 19 points in the first quarter.

“Obviously, Cooper is in a zone over the last couple of games,” James said. “But [he] also has been playing consistent basketball all year so it’s great to see him from early in the season to where he is today.”

For the Lakers, finding ways to win without two of their best players will be their challenge over the final week of the season.

“We've got to have the commitment to do it on both ends and that's the reason that we've put ourselves in the position to be in the playoffs," Redick said, "because we became a really good offensive team and a really good defensive team."

Doncic was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and will be out the remainder of the regular season — maybe even longer.

Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy of WME Sports, confirmed to The Times that his client will seek specialized treatment for his injury in Europe with the hopes of speeding up his recovery.

Reaves was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique muscle injury and will be out for the rest of the regular season, and likely into the playoffs. The time frame for Reaves' return is more like four-to-six weeks, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak on the matter.

“I took my nap after practice and I woke up with that news and it was like another shot to the [head],” James said about Reaves' diagnosis. “It was a shot to the heart, obviously, and to the chest and to the mainframe with Luka, understanding that."

Even Marcus Smart, known for his competitiveness and defensive tenacity, missed his seventh straight game with right ankle soreness.

With Doncic and Reaves out, the Lakers lose a combined 56.8 points per game and 13.8 assists per game. Doncic is fourth in the NBA in assists, with 8.3 per game, and he’s second on the Lakers in rebounding, at 7.7 per game.

“We knew that Austin was likely going to be out for a little bit of time," Redick said. “Obviously, disappointed and devastated for him to have his regular season finish this way. ... Both those guys are going to try to come back and it's our job to extend the season so that they can come back.”

The Lakers have four regular-season games left, starting with Oklahoma City on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena. They play at Golden State on Thursday before facing the Phoenix Suns in L.A. on Friday.

The Lakers are tied with the Denver Nuggets for third in the West at 50-28, although the Lakers own the tiebreaker. The NBA playoffs starts the weekend of April 18.

With that in mind, Redick was asked if he had an optimistic view of Doncic being back for the playoffs.

“I just know that he's gonna do everything he can to try to be back,” Redick said. “I talked to him Friday. I talked to him again yesterday. I talked to him again this morning. He's going to go through all the necessary things to be back at some point, and it's our job again to extend the season so both those guys can get back.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

DALLAS — The Lakers got their first taste at life without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves on Sunday night at American Airlines Center. 

And it was just as bitter as imagined, but not for the expected reasons. 

The Lakers, mostly, didn’t have any troubles scoring against the Mavericks despite being without their star duo who combined to average 56.8 points and 13.8 assists during the regular season. 

But it was their defense that let them down in their 134-128 road loss to the Mavericks in their first game since Doncic and Reaves were ruled out for the remainder of the season because of a Grade 2 hamstring strain and Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain, respectively. 

The Mavericks scored 41 points in the opening quarter, had 67 points at halftime and scored another 40 points in the third in their win over the Lakers. 

LeBron James led the Lakers with 30 points, 15 assists and 9 rebounds. 

Luke Kennard had 15 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists for his first career triple-double. 

Jaxson Hayes scored 23 points off the bench and Rui Hachimura recorded 21 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome another special performance from Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg.

What it means

The Lakers lost consecutive games for the first time since late February, dropping them to 50-28 on the season, the same record as the Nuggets. 

The Timberwolves’ loss to the Hornets on Sunday, giving them a 46-32 record, guarantees the Lakers won’t fall any lower than fifth in the West.

The Lakers, who are still in third place in the Western Conference, won the tiebreakers against the Nuggets, Rockets and Timberwolves for playoff seeding after winning the regular-season series against all three teams and winning the Pacific Division. 

Turning point 

When the Lakers didn’t get defensive stops on back-to-back defensive possessions against the Mavericks after they cut their deficit back down to 112-107 with 8:45 left. 

After being behind by as many as 22 points in the second quarter, the Lakers kept chipping away at their deficit, trailing by six at halftime and two midway through the third before entering the fourth down by 10.

Marvin Bagley’s putback and Brandon Williams’ free throws to put the Maveicks up 116-107 were a couple of missed opportunities by the Lakers to cut even deeper into the deficit. 

MVP: Cooper Flagg

The Mavericks rookie followed up scoring a career-high 51 points with 45 points, nine assists and eight rebounds against the Lakers.

He shot 14 of 27 from the floor, and made 15 of 17 free throws. 

Stat of the game: 21 

The Lakers’ 12 turnovers weren’t the issue.

It was their inability to get stops after turnovers, and their poor transition defense, that hurt them the most. 

The Mavericks scored 21 points off the Lakers’ giveaways, and 24 fastbreak points. 

Up next

The Lakers will return to Southern California to host the Thunder on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.

---

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It's a full go for Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg and Connecticut's Solo Ball in the Men's NCAA Tournament national championship game on Monday night.

Both Lendeborg and Ball were left off their team's respective NCAA initial player availability reports that were released at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, per the NCAA's guidelines. There will be an additional player availability report released two hours before tomorrow night's tip-off inside Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Wolverines and the Huskies are set for an 8:50 p.m. ET tip-off on Monday. It's the first meeting between both since the 2015-16 season, when they met in the Bahamas for a multi-team event tournament in November.

REQUIRED READING: Michigan vs UConn prediction, spread: Who is favored to win national championship?

Lendeborg sustained an injury with just under nine minutes left in the first half of the semifinal game when he appeared to twist his ankle after stepping on the foot of Wildcats forward Motiejus Krivas while going to the basket for a layup. It'd later be known that Lendeborg suffered a sprained MCL of his left knee and an injured ankle.

Ball told reporters on Sunday in Indianapolis that he sustained what UConn coach Dan Hurley described as a "some type of foot sprain," his injury in the first half when he got tangled up with Tarris Reed Jr. on a ball screen. He was seen in a walking boot on Sunday.

"I'm doing everything I can to prepare for tomorrow," Ball said on Sunday to reporters.

Michigan is looking for its first men's basketball national title since 1989 on Monday, while UConn is looking to add to its blue blood status with a third national title in the last four seasons.

Here's a full look at both UConn and Michigan's initial injury report for Monday's national championship game:

Men's NCAA Tournament national championship game player availability report

Michigan

• LJ Carson (OUT)
• Winter Grady (OUT)

UConn

• No one mentioned

Michigan-UConn national championship time, TV channel

• Date: Monday, April 6
• Time: 8:50 p.m. ET
• TV channel: TBS | TNT | truTV
• Streaming options: March Madness Live app | Sling TV

Michigan and UConn will tip off at 8:50 p.m. ET on Monday, April 6 inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. TBS will broadcast Monday's national championship game. There will be simulcast broadcasts on TNT and truTV as well. Streaming options for the game include the March Madness Live app (with a TV login) and Sling TV.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yaxel Lendeborg, Solo Ball off Michigan-UConn injury report

No Luka Dončić, no Austin Reaves, no problem. Cooper Flagg took center stage on Sunday in a nationally televised game as the Dallas Mavericks (25-53) outlasted the Los Angeles Lakers (50-28) at American Airlines Center, 134-128. The Mavericks had lost 14 straight home games entering the contest but finally broke through the night they faced a Lakers team whose top two scorers were on the bench injured.

Flagg killed the Lakers for 45 points and this time added nine rebounds and eight assists to lead Dallas past the hobbled Lakers. LeBron James scored 30 points and dished 15 assists for LA in the loss and came up one rebound shy of another triple-double in the loss.

Flagg started the game right where he left off after Friday’s 51-point outburst, hitting three of his first four shot attempts, including his first two over Jake LaRavia. His First 3-pointer was a make from the left corner just 3:19 into the game to give the rookie seven points as the Mavericks jumped out to an early 14-7 lead. That 6-for-9 night from distance on Friday wasn’t just an aberration, apparently.

Flagg was fouled by Luke Kennard on his second 3-point attempt of the game and hit all three free throws. When he’s not hesitant, he’s beginning to see that good things happen for the Mavs. He scored 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the first quarter, the most he’s scored in an opener this year on the most shot attempts he’s hoisted in an opener this year.

Klay Thompson nailed a 3-pointer near the top of the key with .7 seconds left in the first to give Dallas a 41-30 lead at the end of one. Dallas built a lead as large as 22 points early in the second quarter, going up 58-46 on Flagg’s fourth assist of the half for a Khris Middleton 3-pointer, but the Lakers outscored the Mavs 25-9 over the last eight-plus minutes of the second quarter to close it to 67-61 at halftime.

Dallas responded in the third quarter, behind 10 more points from Flagg and a late surge from Brandon Williams off the bench, and carried a 107-97 lead into the fourth. Los Angeles promptly cut that lead to five points, down 112-107 on LaRavia’s running dunk in transition on James’ 11th assist of the game with 8:45 left in the game.

Flagg is pissed

Flagg obviously did not appreciate the results of Friday’s ESPN straw poll among likely postseason award voters that saw Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel firmly in the lead in the Rookie of the Year race. He became the youngest player to eclipse the 50-point mark in an NBA game in a 138-127 loss to the Orlando Magic on Friday and followed that up with 45 against the Lakers.

His aim with six games left in the regular season was clearly to take all choice out of the voters’ hands. We’re watching this Pokemon morph into something inevitable before our very eyes.

Flagg scored 19 points in the first quarter, giving him a combined 43 points in his last two quarters following his 24-point explosion in the fourth quarter on Friday against Orlando. After making just 2-of-6 from the field in the second, Flagg scored 10 points in the third to give him 36 points in the game.

Cooper 41pts!!! pic.twitter.com/k2dcZVldgQ

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) April 6, 2026

He drove past Jaxson Hayes on the Mavs’ first possession of the fourth for a bucket at the rim and a three-point play to put him at 39 points and give the Mavs a 112-100 advantage. He hit a turnaround jumper over Kennard with about four minutes to play to eclipse the 40-point mark for the second straight game — except on Sunday he added eight rebounds and nine assists to the stat line.

Gafford leaves with late injury

Gafford left the game and went straight to the locker room early in the fourth quarter after skying for a rebound over Rui Hachimura. He grabbed at his right shoulder as the Mavs played 4-on-5 basketball on the offensive end for one possession and was taken out of the game with 9:30 left to play.

The shoulder has bothered Gafford for the last couple of games. This season has been a rough one for Gafford, and it might be time to shelf him for the final four games of the season.

Williams and Washington show up late

Brandon Williams took off in the second half, helping the Mavs respond every time the Lakers made a run at the lead. He scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half with the Mavericks searching for offense down the stretch.

Still, the Lakers crept back within six points, down 121-115 with just over four minutes to play. Flagg was inserted back into the game and drew the defense to him, kicked it out to Washington waiting along the sideline and watched as Washington sank his third 3-pointer of the game to give the Mavs some much-needed breathing room late in the proceedings. It was Flagg’s ninth assist.

Washington finished with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting, and Williams chipped in 13 with five assists off the bench in the win.

After a whirlwind weekend, the shorthanded Lakers gave it a go in Dallas but a huge start from the Mavs paved the way for them to pick up a 134-128 win.

Behind Cooper Flagg, who finished with 45 points, the Mavericks raced out to a lead as large as 22 points at 58-36 in the first 15 minutes of the game. While the Lakers got back into the game and got with a possession multiple times, they could never get over the hump.

With both Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out for the foreseeable future, the Lakers had a lot of figuring out to do and struggled at times throughout the day. Points off turnovers also crushed the Lakers as Dallas turned 12 LA turnovers into 21 points.

It was a very slow start offensively for the Lakers with possessions alternating between awkward misses and turnovers. The lone points through the opening nearly four minutes was a Rui Hachimura corner 3-pointer as LA trailed 10-3.

Back-to-back LeBron drives and finishes ignited the Lakers’ offense a bit, but Dallas immediately scored on each successive possession, forcing an early timeout from head coach JJ Redick with LA down 14-7.

LeBron and Rui were all the Lakers had offensively, carrying the Lakers back into the game at 22-21. Dallas responded with a Cooper Flagg-led run as he scored 19 first-quarter points. A Klay Thompson three at the first quarter buzzer gave Dallas a 41-30 lead heading into the second period.

Empty possessions from the Lakers to open the period allowed the Mavericks to continue punishing the Lakers, extending their lead to 48-30 before Redick called another timeout.

Flagg’s stepback 3-pointer out of the break extended Dallas’ run to 13-0 as the deficit reached 21 points. Even when LA scored, which they did on a pair of Hayes free throws, a LeBron turnaround and a Hayes layup, they were not getting any stops defensively to allow them to cut into the deficit.

Eventually, LA got a couple of those stops, leading to consecutive dunks from LeBron to cut the deficit to 14 and force the Mavs into a timeout. LeBron continued doing all he could, knocking down a three, extending a stretch in which he scored or assisted on the Lakers’ last 17 points.

LEBRON WITH TWO SLAMS IN JUST 18 SECONDS!

📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/EYHXeqeUyu

— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) April 6, 2026

That run only ended because he checked out of the game, but Rui picked up the scoring burden with a baseline jumper. Redick was playing an extended rotation with Nick Smith Jr. coming in late in the second as the 11th player to see time for LA. The only active players who did not play in the first half were Adou Thiero and Dalton Knecht.

Late in the half, Luke Kennard knocked down a corner 3-pointer before LeBron converted on an and-one in transition, trimming the lead all the way down to six points heading into the half.

Via Mike Tirico on the NBC broadcast, this is the 1st time in NBA history that a teenager and a player over 40 have had 20 points apiece in the same NBA game. It happened in the first half.

LeBron (age 41) had 22 points on 9 of 11 FG's.
Cooper Flagg (19) had 26 on 9 of 16 FG's.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 6, 2026

Halftime: Mavs 67, Lakers 61

LA outscored DAL 25-9 over the final 8:38 of the first half. LeBron James scored or assisted on 18 of those points. He’s up to 22 points and 4 assists. Rui Hachimura has 14 pts. Luke Kennard has 7 asts. TOs and fast-break points have kept DAL ahead.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) April 6, 2026

A run featuring baskets from Kennard, Deandre Ayton, LaRavia and LeBron to open the third made it a two-point game. Flagg was not slowing down on the other end as he reached 30 points for the 10th time this season, keeping Dallas up by five.

PJ Washington, Naji Marshall and Daniel Gafford combined for Dallas’ next run to force another Lakers timeout.

Kennard secured his first career triple-double with a lob to Ayton, but it was the only basket amidst a Mavs’ run that extended the lead to double digits again. A LaRavia step-back 3-pointer to beat the shot clock buzzer cut it to six again, but Flagg had an and-one on the other end in response.

A lack of stops defensively made it a struggle for the Lakers once more, one that was exasperated by LeBron heading to the bench late in the period as the lead reached 11 again. LA survived as long as it could before bringing LeBron back, but LA could never mount a run as Dallas led 107-97 going into the fourth.

Third quarter: Mavs 107, Lakers 97

LA has hung around but not been able to get over the hump whenever they’ve been within a few points. LeBron has 25/5/9. Luke Kennard has his first career triple-double (11/12/10). Jaxson Hayes has provided a big boost with 15 pts off the bench.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) April 6, 2026

Hayes tipped in a basket to open the fourth, but back-to-back baskets from Dallas had the lead at 13 points. LA got to the line on consecutive trips to make it a seven-point game again and a no-look fastbreak dish from LeBron to LaRavia forced a Mavs timeout at 112-107.

Turnovers continued to be a killer for the Lakers as Dallas had turned them in 21 points, the last two coming off an errant Hayes pass that led to a Washington layup and a Lakers timeout with LA down nine points again.

A back-breaking sequence saw the Mavs get multiple second-chances before a Washington layup put them up 10. A pair of freebies from LaRavia and an and-one dunk from Hayes pulled LA back within five with just over four minutes remaining.

LA’s run was short-lived as Washington hit a corner 3-pointer and Flagg returned to the game for a turnaround jumper over Kennard to give him 41 points and put Dallas up 10 with 3:26 left, effectively icing the game. The Lakers’ offense struggled to find consistent baskets and fouls at the end of the game just delayed the inevitable as the Mavs picked up the win.

Key Player Stats

LeBron did all he could on the night, finishing with 30 points on 12-22 shooting with nine rebounds and 12 assists. Kennard notched his first career triple-double with 15 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists.

Rui’s hot start saw him finish with 21 points. Hayes had 23 points off the bench and Deandre Ayton tallied 13 points. LaRavia finished with 14 points.

The Lakers will host the Thunder on Tuesday with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. PT.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

I was very tempted to tally every Jazzman tonight to a D or lower, but I had to remind myself who we’re dealing with. No one who is sane thought there was possibly a conceivable chance that the Jazz could have the hope of maybe winning this game by a long shot. The Jazz defense crumbled under OKC’s 24 triples on 53.3% efficiency. They withstood a crushing 146-111 defeat in the Thunder’s territory.

It was a one-sided battle that the Jazz knew they needed to give up. No more funny business. It was time for the most brutal psychological battle with the Sacramento Kings. The constant looming threat of falling out of the top-3 puts both teams at a deadlock, to lose out on the rest of the season or pray for what comes after. Or at least, that’s what it is in theory, because no one on this planet has any idea what the Kings are doing.

Despite the lack of excitement for what was displayed on the court Sunday night, I shall do my due diligence to rate these players fairly, who are mentally strong enough to consider playing, despite knowing that all their hopes of victory were pointless.

Brice Sensabaugh – A

I will never stop believing in Brice Sensabaugh, and 34-point nights while attempting to maintain a respectful score against an OKC juggernaut is going to help the case. He locked onto catch-and-shoot threes, attacking the basket when it was open. We shall forgive your defensive sins on Resurrection Sunday.

Kyle Filipowski – B+

There’s no doubt that Flip’s been on a heater, scoring 22.6 points per game and 9.2 rebounds per game before tonight. This is no longer the same player who looked invisible out there on the floor. You could say he…flipped expectations. No? I’ll see myself out.

After a slow start, Filipowski stringed together his third double-double in four games. He battled against the 7-foot towers — Chet and Hartenstein — that await him inside the paint. It was some ugly efficiency, netting 8 of 20 shots and shooting 0 of 5 from beyond the arc, but I’m leaving this disaster with something.

Ace Bailey – B+

A quiet night for Ace Bailey, sporting 14 points, 2 assists and 3 stocks in 33 minutes. I am, however, going to bump him up an entire grade for this beautiful chase-down block.

Have a feeling we'll be seeing more of these chasedown blocks from Ace Bailey in the years to come… pic.twitter.com/uLyeCL72SH

— Eric Spyropoulos (@EricSpyroNBA) April 5, 2026

Cody Williams – D

I am now under the expectation that Cody Williams is a 20-point player, and I will not be convinced otherwise. When he doesn’t hit that benchmark, I won’t be so lenient. Only 8 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists on 3-11 shooting for the family member of Jalen Williams today.

When is the next time you’re going to see Cody first-option hoops? These are limited opportunities he has to take advantage of.

Oscar Tshiebwe – C+

There’s tanking. Then there’s the anomaly known as Oscar Tshiebwe. He put up a triple-single 4-4-2 in 20 minutes as a starter. I don’t blame him for what he could produce when matched up against the basketball equivalent of the Galactic Empire, but his time on the Jazz is dwindling.

SVIATOSLAV MYKHAILIUK – B+

Float like a butterfly, sting like a Svi. It was an explosive 11-point first half for him, but the basketball gods were not in Svi’s favor in the latter, shooting 2-7 from the field in the second half. Whether we see him in Utah’s final three games of the season is up in the air. But if this was it, it was an honor, Mr Mykhailuk.

Kennedy Chandler – C-

Chandler got the short end of the stick after his first single-digit performance back on Friday. His second 10-day contract tenure could not be going worse. 5 points and 5 assists in 20 minutes.

John Konchar – A

Konchar plays a simple, straightforward brand of basketball. Thus, I shall grade him based on his elite simplicity: 9 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals. He stuck to his strengths and is proving his worth for a roster spot next season.

Sacramento Kings – A+

None of what you just witnessed tonight would have been possible without the help from Sacramento, who are now tied for the fourth-best odds. Truly, thank you, Kings, for playing a 36-year-old DeMar DeRozan in an April game against the Pelicans.