Category: Sports News

Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series, where we revisit every player who suited up during the 2025–26 campaign through the lens of expectation, reality, and what it ultimately meant.

Player Snapshot

• Position: C
• Age: 24
• 2026-27 Contract Status: RFA ($9.6 million qualifying offer)
• SunsRank (Preseason): 5
• SunsRank (Postseason): 6

*SunsRank is based on Bright Side writers’ ranking.

Season in One Sentence

While Mark Williams provides the rim deterrence and verticality this roster craves, his inability to stay on the floor makes him a luxury that a shifting contender has to think twice about overpaying for.

By the Numbers

The Expectation

Many folks knew what to expect in Mark Williams. A lob threat who could rebound and alter shots defensively. He has an insane wingspan and standing reach, and provides size that this Suns team hadn’t had a ton of in recent years.

The hope was straightforward: Mark Williams would serve as the definitive interior anchor for the future. A physical, high-motor bridge center who could lock down the paint while rookie Khaman Maluach learned the ropes. Phoenix needed a consistent, 60-70 game defensive presence capable of solving the team’s interior rebounding woes and anchoring the backline.

Phoenix handpicked Williams as a trade target moments before drafting Khaman Maluach. The vision was clear. Add more youth, size, and athleticism, and figure the rest out later.

The Reality

When he was active, the physical impact was obvious. Williams is an elite lob threat with a massive wingspan and a legitimate motor. He gave the Suns true verticality, averaging 11.7 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting an incredibly efficient 64.4% from the field.

The problem is, we spent the second half of the year holding our breath every time he contested a shot. The same foot and back issues that disrupted his early career caught up with him during the stretch run. Playing in 60 games was technically a personal career high, but the injuries piled up exactly when the stakes were raised. He missed the entire postseason, including the Play-In games. Watching the Suns get physically overwhelmed inside by longer, twitchier teams made his absence in street clothes feel like a recurring structural flaw.

Do we really want to do that to ourselves again?

What It Means

This comes down to resource allocation in a tightening financial landscape. Williams enters restricted free agency with a $9.6 million qualifying offer, giving Phoenix matching rights. If an outside suitor offers a deal in the $16 million to $20 million annual range, matching that sheet means anchoring significant cap space to a big man with major medical red flags. A sign-and-trade makes sense for anything above $18 million per season.

If the Suns move on from Williams, it likely means the following factors were considered:

1. Khaman Maluach may need to be ahead of schedule. At just 20 years old next season, Maluach flashed immense defensive upside in his limited minutes, proving he possesses the raw length and perimeter-switching fluidity that this frontcourt needs. He’s still very raw and may need another year of seasoning, but if thrown into the fire, I think he could survive.
2. Oso Ighodaro’s reliability. Ighodaro played all 82 games, offering an athletic, playmaking counterweight that keeps the offensive flow from stagnating.
3. The cost of replacement-level talent. Functional backup bigs are consistently the easiest assets to secure via low-cost free agency or the draft. Tying up premium money in a non-shooting center who carries availability risks is how a roster stays inflexible and lacking in lateral quickness.

If he returns next season, it’s pretty clear that the Suns need to hold him off from playing in ALL back-to-backs. Not just occasionally. All of them. It’s easy to get lost in the emotion of a season where things seem to be going well.

Defining Moment

January 27th vs. Brooklyn: Williams absolutely dominated the interior, bruising his way to an ultra-efficient 27 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 block on 13 of 16 shooting from the field in a gritty, physical 106-102 win. The 81% clip for a season-high 27 points was a glimpse at just how dominant he could be when involved in the flow of the offense.

It was a showcase of exactly how imposing he can be when his body cooperates.

Grade: B

It’s difficult to go any higher or lower than a solid B. He did his job and made strides with his durability by appearing in 60 games. That should not be glossed over, even if the timing of his injuries could not be worse. By all accounts, he had himself a strong season.

If Phoenix can land him on a team-friendly deal or one that is heavily incentivized with games played or team options in the back-end of the deal, then I’m all for bringing him back. If he prices himself out by commanding a good chunk of the salary cap, then that’s another story.

If a team like Brooklyn or Toronto wants to step up and offer a massive multi-year bag, the Suns should look to leverage their matching rights into a sign-and-trade rather than locking themselves in long-term. With Maluach and Ighodaro on cheap rookie deals, executing a pivot now maximizes Williams’ trade value before his health history complicates the books.

Editor’s note: this is the first piece from new staff writer Jeremy Riggs. He’ll be contributing to our NBA draft coverage and beyond. Please give him a warm welcome as we’re excited for him to join our team at Peachtree Hoops.

As the 2026 NBA Draft approaches and the Hawks look to inject youth and creativity into a backcourt that is still adjusting after the Trae Young era, Ebuka Okorie has been rising up draft boards.

The Stanford freshman did not just announce himself this season. He announced himself with authority, leading the ACC in scoring while turning heads as one of the most productive one and done guards in recent memory. At six foot two and 185 pounds, the 19-year-old from Nashua, New Hampshire (via Brewster Academy) is not the tallest or most explosive athlete on the board. Yet his feel for the game, craftiness as a scorer, and ability to create offense in tight spaces make him a prospect worth serious consideration in the late first round. Here is our full breakdown on Okorie, pulled from film study, the recent combine workouts, and conversations around the league.

Background and College Production

Okorie arrived at Stanford as a three-star recruit who flew somewhat under the national radar. That changed fast. In 31 games as a true freshman, he averaged 23.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals while shooting 46.5 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from three, and an impressive 83.2 percent from the free throw line. He led the ACC in scoring, set Stanford freshman records for points in a season (719), and dropped eight 30-point games, including a 40-point explosion against Georgia Tech. Those numbers placed him among an elite group of freshmen since 2000 who hit the 20, 3.5, 3.5 threshold.

What stands out beyond the box score is how he carried a heavy load. Okorie operated with a usage rate above 31 percent while posting one of the lowest turnover rates among high usage freshmen in the modern era. He was the engine for a Stanford team that leaned on him night after night.

Physical Profile and Athleticism Measurements

His combine measurements: 6 feet, 1.25 inches barefoot height, 185 pounds, 6 feet, 7.75 inch-wingspan.

Okorie is not a freak athlete in the traditional sense. There is no elite vertical pop or above the rim explosiveness. Yet he is a jitterbug with elite change of pace and burst in short spaces. His wingspan gives him functional length for a guard his size, helping him navigate screens and finish through contact. He is listed at 185 pounds but plays stronger than that thanks to a compact, sturdy frame that holds up in traffic.

Offensive Game: The Real Strength

This is where Okorie shines. He is a shifty, creative ball handler who manipulates defenses with ball fakes, hesitation moves, and misdirection. Watch him in the pick and roll or isolation. He reads angles, uses his body to shield defenders, and finds seams others miss. His driving ability is elite for the class. He attacks with purpose, changes speeds, and finishes with soft touch on floaters, reverse layups, and off-balance runners.

He drew fouls at a high rate and converted at the rim with craft rather than raw power. The pull up game is smooth, especially from the elbows and mid range. He is comfortable stepping into threes off the dribble, and while his 35.4 percent mark from deep was not lights out, it improved dramatically late in the season (46.9 percent in his final 12 games). He is a true point guard at heart, comfortable distributing and running sets, but he can also play off the ball as a secondary creator.

Playmaking and Vision: Real potential

Okorie is not a flashy passer, but he is a smart one. He makes the simple read ahead of the defense and flashes real vision in live dribble situations. His assist numbers (3.6 per game) do not scream floor general, but the tape shows a player who keeps the offense flowing and rarely forces the issue. Low turnover rate for his usage is a big plus.

Defense: Functional but With Limits

On ball, Okorie is pesky. Quick hands, active feet, and that wingspan help him poke away steals (1.6 per game) and stay in front of most guards. He is disruptive in passing lanes and brings energy. Off ball, he is engaged and rotates well for his size.

The concern? He can get overpowered by bigger, stronger guards and some tape suggests that he lacks elite lateral quickness against elite athletes. Versatility on the defensive end will be an area to watch in the NBA.

Areas for Improvement

A quick list:

• Three point consistency and shot selection: He can hunt tough pull ups early in the shot clock. Refining his decision making will boost efficiency. 
• Defensive physicality: Adding strength and learning to navigate bigger matchups without fouling. 
• Lead guard polish: More consistent command of tempo when the game slows down.

None of these feel like deal breakers for a 19 year old who just dominated the ACC as a freshman.

NBA Projection and Fit with Atlanta

There are likely some wary fans when it comes to Okorie due to him not getting as much buzz as some of the prospects. But there seems to be a clear floor and ceiling for a guy who possesses the kind of skill and film that he has.

Ceiling? A starting caliber lead guard on a good team. Floor? A high level bench spark who can create his own shot and defend.

For the Hawks specifically, he offers intriguing fit as the team builds its backcourt long term with young pieces like Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander Walker and not to mention a mentor in CJ McCollum if he is back with the team next season. With the No. 8 pick from the Pelicans already secured and the No. 23 pick via Cleveland in hand, Okorie could be a strong option if Atlanta goes another direction with the higher selection or decides to double down on guards. He can provide rest for the current starters, play alongside them in certain lineups, or grow into a secondary creator who adds scoring punch off the bench.

His ability to score in bunches and draw fouls gives Atlanta another weapon in half court sets, and his youth aligns perfectly with the timeline of injecting fresh talent into a roster that has shown real promise since the midseason reset.

Bottom line: Ebuka Okorie is the kind of player who can surprise people who only look at the measurables. He plays bigger than his size, processes the game at a high level, and scores with real creativity.

If he lands in Atlanta, do not be shocked if he is contributing meaningful minutes sooner than expected. We will be watching closely on draft night.

In Friday Night’s Brotherhood Playoff Action, Tyrese Proctor and the Cleveland Cavaliers lost Game 6 to the Detroit Pistons, 115-94, while Mason Plumlee and the San Antonio Spurs moved on, knocking off Minnesota, 139-109.

The Detroit win was no surprise after reports that a wave of illness hit Cleveland. Apparently it was some sort of stomach bug.

The NBA operates at a level of peak athletic performance, and while you might get past one guy getting sick, this sounds worse than that. Just a tough break.

Proctor did not get off the bench.

Plumlee did play for the Spurs for the first time in a while, getting 2 points and 2 rebounds.

So the Western Conference Finals are set with San Antonio facing Oklahoma City.

And that means that whoever emerges from the West has a chance to join former Blue Devils who have won rings: either Plumlee or Jared McCain will play for it all soon.

Here’s the list of Blue Devils who have already done it:

• Jeff Mullins — Golden State (1975)
• Danny Ferry — San Antonio (2003)
• Shane Battier — Miami (2012, 2013)
• Kyrie Irving — Cleveland (2016)
• Dahntay Jones — Cleveland (2016)
• Quinn Cook — Golden State (2018) and Los Angeles Lakers (2020)
• Jack White — Denver (2023)
• Jayson Tatum — Boston (2024)

It’s interesting, isn’t it, that the only two guys who have won twice are Battier and Cook.

As we noted Friday about the late Hack Tison, he opted not to play pro ball when Boston took him in the 1965 draft. Had he played, he would have surely won rings in 1967, ‘68, and ‘69.

• Minnesota Timberwolves suffer total collapse against San Antonio Spurs
• Spurs reach Western finals as Pistons stay alive in NBA playoffs
• Spurs oust Wolves in Game 6 blowout, get OKC in conference finals
• Stephon Castle gives the Spurs 32 points in a 139-109 blowout to eliminate Timberwolves in Game 6
• Spurs oust Wolves in rout, set up clash with OKC‘
• Jared McCain trade looks even more lopsided following latest 76ers bombshell
• Bob Myers breaks silence on 76ers’ decision to trade Jared McCain

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Since joining the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs have played in the Conference Finals fourteen times. For six of those, they advanced to the NBA Finals and have won five NBA championships.

Only four Conference Finals appearances took place before Gregg Popovich became head coach. Ten trips with Pop occurred between 1999 and 2017.

2017 was the last time the Spurs made the Western Conference Finals, and it was a pivotal turning point for the organization. In Game 1, Zaza Pachulia slid his foot under Kawhi Leonard, injuring him in a way that altered his career and sent the Spurs into a tailspin for a few years.

This year, the Spurs have been considered “ahead of schedule” by pundits, but as Stephon Castle pointed out last night after the Spurs dominant Game 6 close out in Minnesota, they knew they were ready.

If 2017 was the beginning of the pendulum swing for the storied franchise, this Western Conference Finals represents the Spurs on their upswing, considered to be a contender for years to come.

Their next challenge facing the Spurs is one of the most anticipated matchups of the year. Oklahoma City are the reigning NBA champs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP and Finals MVP and was recently named this year’s Clutch Player of the Year. They just went through the Phoenix Suns in round one and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals without a loss.

As Udonis Haslem stated in the postgame show, what happened in the regular season doesn’t matter now, the teams are 0-0, starting from scratch.

The Spurs will have to make adjustments. After being pushed around by the Timberwolves, Victor Wembanyama will face Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren in the paint, forcing him to alter his shot selection.

SGA is NBA royalty and gets to the line quite often. By comparison, Stephon Castle’s aggressive defense has gotten him into foul trouble throughout the playoffs.

When asked about the Spurs inexperience with postseason, Victor Wembanyama simply stated “heart matters more than anything.”

Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals takes place in Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night.

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It’s sad and stony-hearted that the Lakers should unload LeBron James, recoup resources, unload his albatross-like salary, and build a championship contender bolstered by Luka Doncic. Yes, James is still a top-15 player, but unable to lead an ill-balanced team to the NBA Finals.

The Lakers allowed sentimentality toward Kobe Bryant to distort their vision, signing Bryant to a two-year, $48.5-million extension. Bryant missed 39% of the games while the Lakers won 38 times in the two seasons. Abysmal.

The Lakers should use James' $52.6-million salary to sign long, athletic players who can drain threes with regularity.

James might make a great addition to a championship contending team like the Cleveland Cavaliers. Otherwise, thank him for his greatness as a Laker.

Marc D. Greenwood
Opelika, Ala.

Some legendary athletes, like Jim Brown and Sandy Koufax, retired at the peak of their careers. Other greats, like Muhammad Ali, Johnny Unitas and Willie Mays, waited too long. Memo to LeBron James: Which camp will you choose?

Denny Freidenrich
Laguna Beach

After reading Bill Plaschke's article about LeBron James — which closes with the line "Anywhere but here" — I have a better idea. Keep LeBron, get rid of Bill. Let him write anywhere but here.

Tom Irish
Rancho Palos Verdes

Father Time is as undefeated just as Bill Plaschke is winless with predictions. Many before Bill have buried LeBron James, only to see him rise to the occasion once again and prove them wrong.

If this is in fact LeBron’s last go-round, it’s been epic! Thanks for the memories. If not, let’s see him alongside an injury-free Luka Doncic for a full run to next year’s championship!

Marty Zweben
Palos Verdes Estates

Thunderous ending

With apologies to the Coen brothers, the Lakers' season can be titled "No Titles For Old Men." Save for the 2020 asterisk bubble title, the Lakers have not won a championship for nearly two decades. LeBron James is now a fancy hood ornament on a broken-down jalopy. The Lakers need a total rebuild, not just a tuneup.

Mark Roth
Playa Vista

Game 4 was the best game Jaxson Hayes has ever played in a Lakers uniform. If he put forth that effort in every game he could be an NBA starter, and maybe an All-Star, despite the fact his offensive game is limited to lobs and put-backs. Luke Kennard and Rui Hachimura also had outstanding games.

LeBron James and Austin Reaves gave great efforts and had good games, but James missed a few too many shots and Reaves had a disastrous eight turnovers. The Lakers gave a heroic effort and with just a bit more luck they could have forced a Game 5.

Ray McKown
Torrance

Sometimes a team like the Thunder just has your number, to the tune of 4-0 in the regular season and 4-0 in the postseason, and there is nothing you can do about it.

Vaughn Hardenberg
Westwood

The Clippers traded for Paul George in a blockbuster deal with Oklahoma City, sending a massive haul including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, to finally build a championship roster, which it did — for the Thunder.

Steve Ross
Carmel

True blue questions

I have questions regarding the Dodgers season so far: (1) How long can we continue to say, "It's still early?" (2) Are the Dodgers digging a hole too deep to get out of? (3) Is their slump real or manufactured behind a hidden agenda? (4) What happened in Philly after they fired their manager? They stopped losing and started winning.

I am a firm believer that players control or help influence their destiny.

Russell Morgan
Carson

How to fix the Dodgers: (1) Call up power-hitting outfielder James Tibbs to see if he can produce at the major league level; (2) If you get a baserunner with no outs try bunting. It will put some pressure on the pitcher and get a man in scoring position; (3) Try the Tommy Lasorda trick by pulling the batting order out of a hat. It might wake up the bats.

Russell Hosaka
Torrance

New addition

Congratulations on your recent hiring of sportswriter Maddie Lee. Her unique and enjoyable writing style is a welcome addition to the Dodgers' beat and to your sports section.

Richard Larson
Huntington Beach

Fallen Angels

It's only six weeks into the season and the Angels already have the worst record in baseball. Combine that with the worst minor league system and worst owner and that makes them the winner of the MLB Losers Triple Crown. Sell the team, Arte!!

Mike Gamboa
Buena Park

Built to last

General manager Pat Verbeek and coach Joel Quenneville have put together an exciting young Ducks team that should make deep runs in the playoffs for years to come. Compare them to the Kings, who are old, slow and quickly fading into mediocrity. Phil Anschutz needs to rebuild the entire organization, starting with firing Luc Robitaille. And if he’s not serious about putting together a championship team, he should sell it to someone like Mark Walter or Stan Kroenke, who know how to build winning organizations.

Doug Vikser
Manhattan Beach

Sparking interest

Thank you for running a first page spread and photos about Kelsey Plum and the Sparks schedule and brief previews of the WNBA teams for this season! So great to also see Caitlin Clark back and healthy. Buy your tickets, the WNBA season is here! Go Sparks!

Joan C. Fingon
Ventura

Kudos to Lisa Leslie for her statue outside the Crypt, but there is one glaring omission of those honored.
Can someone please explain to me why Darryl Sutter, who did the impossible — bringing the Stanley Cup to Los Angeles (twice yet) — has not been honored. It makes no sense!

Jack Wolf
Westwood

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Email: sports@latimes.com

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

When Julius Erving was at UMass, his game was seriously limited by the rules of the day. His number one frustration was that he could not dunk.

It took him a while to sort out who he would play for professionally, largely because of some contractual issues, which we’re not going to get into here, but consider this: he nearly ended up playing with Milwaukee, when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson were still Bucks. That would have been incredible. He also nearly joined the Atlanta Hawks, where he would have teamed up with Pete Maravich, which would have sold tickets across the league.

When the issues were hammered out, he had to play in the ABA, first with the Virginia Squires, and then with the New York Nets.

And while there was no TV contract for the ABA, Erving’s play was so off the charts that everyone around the country understood something extraordinary was happening.

Everyone knew. The highlights occasionally made it onto sports news, but there was no cable or anything like that. It was strictly word of mouth.

However, the awareness of greatness in New York was so insistent that it crept into pop culture and ultimately drove the ABA-NBA merger.

Here is some video of young Erving, just killing it.

He’s been somewhat pushed down the list of greats, which is not right, because the guy was clearly special. He built on what Connie Hawkins did, but took it further: Erving was a basketball visionary, and we see the fruits of his vision every night when a game is played. Every exultant dunk is a tribute.

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CLEVELAND — Every time you want to believe the Cleveland Cavaliers have turned over a new leaf, they show you that they haven’t.

After their most inspiring win of the Donovan Mitchell era in Game 5, they laid an egg at home, blowing the perfect opportunity to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals with a 21-point loss to the Detroit Pistons.

Now, they’ll head on the road for a do-or-die Game 7 in Detroit.

Basketball teams often take on the persona of their best player. They’re built to accent that player’s skills and cover up their weaknesses. Throw in the soft power that player typically weilds within the organization, and it’s easy to see how you get to this point.

In many ways, Mitchell’s shortcomings are a microcosm of the team’s as a whole.

When things are perfectly clicking into place, Mitchell’s individual talent — combined with the skilled pieces that by-and-large fit well around him — makes him seem like one of the best players in the world. And by extension, the Cavs can look unbeatable

The second half of Game 4 is a perfect example of this. Mitchell was scoring at will, tying the record for the most individual points in a half for a playoff game, against the best defense in the conference. The Cavs were humming and unsurprisingly also looked like a juggernaut.

However, when things have gotten rocky for Mitchell, that has also happened for the Cavs. James Harden has helped slightly change this dynamic. His stabilizing force in Game 5, combined with Evan Mobley’s skill on both ends, pulled them out of the rut. But it isn’t their jobs to do that every night at this point in their careers.

This is Mitchell’s team. It still goes as he does.

Both the Toronto Raptors and the Pistons were seemingly engineered to keep Mitchell from doing what he does best. They’ve been able to throw multiple rangy defenders at him that can match both his speed and strength in a way that no other opponent in Mitchell’s previous eight playoff runs have. This has made it difficult for him to get to his spots and leaves his scoring too dependent on a streaky jumper.

And when he has an off-night, as he did in Game 6, the whole house of cards comes tumbling down.

The Cavs played their worst basketball with Mitchell on the court. They were outscored by 25 points in the 37 minutes he played, and it felt like more in the arena.

Mitchell put it on himself to lead the team. He took a game-high 20 shots, most of which came off driving into the teeth of the defense. Mitchell’s superpower is his ability to get to the basket and finish seemingly at will. But that skill was absent yet again. Only three of his 11 attempts from the paint fell.

“I can’t dwell on it, I missed shots tonight,” Mitchell said. “Do I think some of them were tougher shots that I could’ve gotten better? Sure, but I can say that about every game. I’m not here to look at the fact I missed shots. It’s the overall force and impact on the game.”

The overall force and impact on the game were the real issues, and have been for four years now.

Mitchell has no offensive counters outside of finding other ways to score.

He isn’t a skilled distributor. Either an inability to see the correct reads or an unwillingness to make the pass has limited Mitchell throughout his career. He’s yet to record more than five assists through 13 playoff games with a paltry assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.15. That’s unacceptable for someone operating that much on ball.

Assists aren’t the only measure of whether someone’s a well-rounded offensive player. However, it’s difficult to argue that someone is if they’re consistently coming up short in this key area.

Combine that with not being an off-ball mover and being a bad point-of-attack defender, and you have a player who’s only valuable on-ball and scoring at a high clip.

These individual issues affect the whole team. It’s difficult for teammates to buy in with off-ball movement if there’s no chance they will be rewarded for their effort. Defense then becomes more difficult if you aren’t getting the energy on the offensive side of the ball. And in the end, this leads to a group that has consistently looked lifeless in the biggest moments and can’t really put their finger on why.

After the game, head coach Kenny Atkinson said that he didn’t think his team met the challenge physically. Harden was asked why they didn’t come out with intensity, and he responded with, “That’s a great question.”

When Mitchell comes out flat, the team consistently has a well. This has happened far too often in the playoffs to conclude otherwise.

Cade Cunningham’s performance was the exact opposite of what we saw from Mitchell.

He wasn’t perfect. Cunningham still turned it over seven times, which is far too many for a player that skilled. But his ability to influence the game in other ways rubbed off on his team.

The Cavs came into this game with an “ABC approach” — anybody but Cade.

Instead of trying to beat that challenge all by himself, Cunningham trusted his teammates when Cleveland double-teamed him. This resulted in eight assists for himself, but also allowed everyone else to find a rhythm. His willingness to move the ball and allow his teammates to take advantage led to Detroit’s offense clicking on all cylinders.

“You just have to make the play that’s there,” Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.

Cunningham doesn’t let up defensively either. He’s been physical at the point of attack all series and has done a good job of making life difficult for Cleveland’s smaller guards.

Add that all up, and you have a team that’s energized on both ends and a star that is influencing the game in a wide variety of ways.

Anything can happen in Game 7.

The series isn’t yet by any stretch. Even though the Cavs blew a golden opportunity to end this series, we know that they can win in Detroit.

But that isn’t going to happen if Mitchell has another bad game like this. He simply needs to be better.

This is his chance to change the narrative.

“Everything we want is on the other side of hard,” Mitchell said. “We had an opportunity, we missed it, and we’ll have another opportunity on Sunday. That’s the mindset.”