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The Cleveland Cavaliers will have a chance to close out the Toronto Raptors in Game 6. For them to do that, they’ll likely need a superstar performance from at least one of their best players.

1. Donovan Mitchell needs to be a more efficient scorer

Stars often decide closeout games. That will likely be the case here.

The Cavs were able to win Game 5 due to strong performances from their role players. Dennis Schroder and Sam Merrill all had good showings off the bench, in addition to Evan Mobley reasserting the dominance he showed offensively in the first two games of the series. Those outings allowed Cleveland to scrape by with another lackluster performance — by his standards — from Mitchell. They likely won’t have that luxury on Friday.

One of the ways to tell if Mitchell is playing up to his capabilities is by tracking how efficiently he’s getting into the paint. In the regular season, Mitchell converted 66% of his shots at the rim (60th percentile) and 55% between the restricted area and free-throw line (95th percentile). In the postseason, he’s completing just 52% at the rim (18th percentile) and 50% in the short midrange (88th percentile).

Mitchell’s outside shot is predicated on how he’s attacking the basket. When he’s getting downhill like he’s capable, the defense can’t play as aggressively, which opens up the outside shot and his entire offensive arsenal.

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2. Closing in the fourth quarter

The Cavs had chances to win both games in Toronto in the final frame, but fell apart. In Game 3, the defense collapsed, allowing the Raptors to hang 43 points in the final frame. In Game 4, the offense sputtered out late as they surrendered an eight-point advantage in the final five minutes.

The last four games of the series were tight in the fourth quarter. The team that won that frame went on to take the victory.

This game will likely not be any different.

3. Slowing down Scottie Barnes

Barnes has been the best player in this series on both sides of the ball. He’s been asked to do more than ideal, given the fact that they’ve been without their starting point guard, Immanuel Quickley, all series. More responsibility could be added to his plate if Brandon Ingram isn’t available for Game 6.

Even though Ingram has struggled to find a rhythm, he has occupied a lot of Cleveland’s defensive game plan. They’ve used their best wing defender, Dean Wade, to cover him in addition to sending double teams his way. That allocation of resources would be thrown at Barnes if Ingram is unavailable.

We saw how Ingram’s absence affected Barnes in Game 5. He was unstoppable in the first half, as he put up 14 points on 6-10 shooting. The second half was a different story. He registered just three points in the final two quarters, with none coming in the fourth.

The Raptors need Barnes more than ever, and Cleveland’s defense will be keying in on him more than they have at any point in the series. We’ll see if he can continue to be the best player in the series in Game 6.

4. Winning the possession battle

James Harden was asked after Game 5 what his team needed to do better to close the Raptors out in Game 6. His answer was direct. They need to limit the live-ball turnovers.

The Cavs tied the Raptors in turnovers in Game 5, but Toronto outscored them 28-20 in points off turnovers.

Likewise, the Raptors won the rebounding battle. They grabbed 15 offensive rebounds while Cleveland had just four. Toronto didn’t do much with those extra possessions as they had just 13 second-chance points compared to Cleveland’s 11. But they did have 14 more shots in a game that came down to the last few minutes.

The easiest way to overcome a stagnant offense is to get more attempts than the other team. The Raptors aren’t known for their efficient offense and will likely have a tough time generating clean looks without the services of Barnes.

If their offense is going to put up enough points, it’ll likely be because they’re getting out in transition off of steals and attempting more shots due to their offensive rebounding. Cleveland controlling this area would likely win them the game.

The trade the Brooklyn Nets made to acquire the #22 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which they used to select Drake Powell, was a smart move. In addition to Powell, the Nets received Terance Mann in the deal, or more accurately, they relieved the Atlanta Hawks of his contract.

Mann is owed roughly $32 million over the next two seasons, positioned as a salary-matching trade chip for whatever deal Sean Marks elects to make in the intermediate future to improve the roster. As it stands, Nic Claxton is the only other player on the roster owed between $8-$35 million moving forward. Combine Mann and Claxton and that’s around $38 million in tradable salary for two players whose contracts expire in two seasons. If Marks isn’t keen on making a big splash in this summer’s trade market, there’s always 2027, when Mann/Claxton will be on expiring deals. Also, people seem to really like T-Mann.

Among the many complaints about Brooklyn’s 2025 draft class, redundancy was frequently mentioned. By puttingso many ball-handlers on the same timeline, in the same development context, their individual opportunities for growth will be limited, the thinking went.

I would argue not only that this complaint was slightly overblown, but that Powell doesn’t fit into this conundrum. If regular-season lineups with, say, Nolan Traore, Egor Dëmin, and Drake Powell don’t work, it won’t be because of harmful overlap.

All told, I liked Brooklyn buying the #22 pick for the price of Mann’s contract, which should come in handy soon enough. Separately, Drake Powell had a disappointing rookie season. He played 63 games with Brooklyn and a handful more for the G League’s Long Island Nets — on the NBA side, he averaged 7/2/1 on a commendable 53% shooting from two, a worrisome 28% from deep, and 89.6% from the line.

He took just 77 total free-throws, but the percentage really exemplifies the sell for Powell: a plus-athlete with real touch, skills that make him playable will he expands the rest of his game. Nets fans can attest that it felt like every single middy or floater Powell took before the calendar flipped to 2026 was cash. Alas, he finished this season shooting 39% on non-rim twos.

This kind of exemplifies the Powell experience so far. You’ve probably heard about the historically low usage rate for Powell at UNC, but the 20-year-old posted some serious scoring highlights as a rookie…

Some assists too, though as I note in the tweet, they mostly come in rigid pick-and-roll structure. Still, Powell navigates drop coverage and sees the low-man tagging the roller, then sees the wing defender sinking to the corner, and fires it back toward the top of the key in this play…

That’s not nothing!! If you’re highlight-scouting and nothing else, Powell had a pretty impressive offensive season.

Alas, there was no consistent production to speak of. Whatever touch he displayed from the free-throw line did not translate to his three-ball, which you might call “unorthodox” when it goes in and “wonky” when it doesn’t; beyond spot-up shooting there was no avenue for Powell to explore consistently, particularly because the Nets rarely got out in transition.

Take a look at this turnover…

He doesn’t always have a clear (or calm) plan-of-attack on offense, exacerbated by a loose handle, a scary combination responsible for that turnover. Whatever the case was at UNC Powell’s lack of usage as a rookie was not a function of coaching, but rather his own shortcomings. Different players, of course, but late-season tank-tests where Malachi Smith and E.J. Liddell were getting their games off while Powell faded into the background are particularly worrisome.

“ I don’t really pay much attention into the stretches. You guys are saying, well, his month has been better, it’s been worse. At the end of the day for me it’s the bigger sample size. I’m not going to get caught in you made a couple shots, you missed a couple shots. I buy into how good they are in the day to day, and then in the long run they’re going to be very good for us. That’s why we, in this case, drafted them. High-character people, very good teammates, and that’s what matters right now. Finish the season, finish strong, see obviously how all his tendencies, numbers, everything has worked out and see how we plan the summer for him.

Given his profile, Powell’s offense was expected to lag behind his defense. It did. His best defensive game of the year was likely an early road contest vs. the Orlando Magic, where he bugged the hell out of Desmond Bane as a pesky point-of-attack defender…

That activity, though, infrequently translated to other areas. Like many rookies, Powell was not a hyper-aware off-ball defender, which sapped his impact but also his defensive counting stats…

With steal, block, and deflection rates well below league-average, the early returns on Powell’s defense are a bit worrisome too. Those numbers are certainly not the be-all, end-all measure of defense, and given his athletic traits plus some of the flashes he showed guarding the ball, it’s too early to discount the possibility he becomes a positive defender.

But this gets us to the main question with Powell on both ends of the floor: Where is the athleticism going to shine? I’m not taking about the rare play where he gets a runway the size of Manhattan…

He’ll add more muscle over the next couple years, enabling him to play with a bit more force. But the hype around Powell, post-draft, was around his athleticism, a kind the Brooklyn Nets have not rostered in a long while. Outside of the occasional hang-in-the-air finish or dunk, we just didn’t feel it much this season. Why? In my opinion:

• Some ball-handling deficiencies prevented him from turning corners or attacking driving lanes and exploding through contract.
• As the season went on, defenses outright refused to close out on Powell and his 28% mark from deep.
• Defensively, Powell was just a step slow on many rotations and didn’t have a great feel for taking risks in the passing lanes.
• That combined with a lack of muscle/lower body strength really suppressed his rebounding numbers on both ends of the court.

Though Powell may have had a subpar rookie season, he will be just 21 years old in his sophomore campaign, and it’s not likely that the Nets will be contending for a championship. He won’t be an outright positive player next season, but the former Tar Heel should still get plenty of run. Shooting in the low-to-mid 30s from deep while maintaining positive finishing numbers is a reasonable offensive goal, especially if his usage ticks up juuuust a tad. Defensively, marginal improvements to the rebounding and steal rates seem feasible, especially if there’s just a bit more awareness on that end.

Is Drake Powell making all these improvements at once likely? No, but it’s not impossible either. There’s still a chance he becomes a useful rotation player given his athletic tools and moments of offensive dynamism, but the early returns aren’t too inspiring.

“This summer is the most important. If you think about it, [the rookies] had a part of the summer or a very small part of the summer, some of them. Or no summer like Drake, because he was dealing with the patellar tendon, whatever the case was. But right now I’m excited because he’s got the whole summer to work, and work with us. And he knows us and we know him. So it’s very exciting.” — Jordi Fernández

PHILADELPHIA — Jaylen Brown gripped the basketball and tapped it against his forehead in frustration.

Hugo Gonzalez, who typically springs off the Celtics bench at the beginning of every timeout, tried to high-five Brown with his usual, 20-year-old jubilance.

But, as Gonzalez’s hand slapped Brown’s, the Celtics star looked stunned, seemingly still processing a performance that was far below the high standard he set in his All-NBA-caliber season.

In Brown’s 28 minutes on the floor in Game 6, the Celtics were outscored by 24 points. He made just 7 of 17 field goal attempts and turned the ball over five times (two of which came off of offensive fouls).

The result was a 106-93 Celtics loss.

Brown, alongside the rest of the Celtics starters, checked out of the game with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

He then watched a Celtics bench unit — headlined by Payton Pritchard, Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr., and Luka Garza — play at a pace, and with a fervor the Celtics couldn’t muster throughout the first three quarters.

“They just played harder,” Brown said afterwards. “That group came out — they were able to cut into the league because they played harder. The group before that, we didn’t play hard enough.”

The bench mob shed 9 points off the deficit, but it wasn’t enough.

The Celtics’ season will depend on a win-or-go-home Game 7 at TD Garden.

How the Celtics reacted to a Game 6 defeat

When I entered the Celtics’ locker room on Thursday night, I was expecting to see a grieving locker room, one cognizant that they had squandered a 3-1 lead, one that knew that the tides had completely turned.

But, while the visiting locker room was not a jovial place, it also wasn’t defeated.

Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, and Payton Pritchard stood in the corner in towels, discussing what went wrong and how they could fix it in the next 48 hours.

That conversation went on to include Baylor Scheierman.

“Game 7,” Brown said to the trio. “We need every rebound.”

Then, about 20 minutes later, at the podium, Brown was calm.

Multiple times, he acknowledged he hadn’t played well enough. That he’d have to adjust ahead of Game 7.

“There’s definitely some stuff I see that I can improve,” Brown said.

And, he was far more optimistic than I expected him to be after such a squandered opportunity.

“All things considered, we’re in a great spot going home for a Game 7,” Brown said. “I’m expecting a great atmosphere, and expecting a great fight from our group. The last two games wasn’t the best, but you move on. So I’m looking forward to it — and I’m excited for Game 7.”

In the locker room, Pritchard echoed that sentiment. I asked him if there was a way to fight the reality that they were up 3-1 and lost two straight, that Philadelphia had all the momentum.

“It means nothing,” Pritchard said. “It’s one game. It’s like the NCAA Tournament — gotta win one or go home. So, it’s the only thing on our mind.”

The Celtics are going to need to fight the current, the natural flow of momentum Philadelphia is carrying, fight the reality that they were just a good third quarter away from securing the series in five games.

“Whatever happened has happened, and nothing you can do about it,” Mazzulla said. “At the end of the day, we got another game. And, we got to be ready to play. And we got an opportunity to win.”

It may help that they’ve been there before; Jaylen Brown is 6-2 in Game 7s throughout his career, and Jayson Tatum is 5-2.

“A lot of us have been in this situation before, Game 7,” Tatum said. “So, it should be a fun one.”

Celtics-76ers tips off at 7:30pm ET at TD Garden. It’ll serve as one final chance to right the ship.

“We got to respond,” Brown said. “[It] might take a deep breath, look at what we got, watch the film, take accountability, and come out and play with a great fight.”

The Minnesota Timberwolves will face the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semi-finals of the NBA play-offs after eliminating the Denver Nuggets.

The Timberwolves won game six 110-98 to win the best-of-seven series 4-2

In a tight contest, the Timberwolves led 57-50 before Denver's Nikola Jokic scored 14 points in the third quarter to set up a close finish.

Jokic, voted the NBA's Most Valuable Player on three occasions, ended the game with 28 points and 10 assists, but his performance was overshadowed by his involvement in an altercation with Timberwolves' Jaylen Clark.

The pair pushed one another with just under 10 minutes to play, which resulted in a technical foul for both players alongside Timberwolves' Naz Reid, who also became involved in the incident.

This comes after Jokic was ejected for instigating a scuffle at the end of game four. After the defeat, the Serbian said: "I needed to play better. I must play better."

Jaden McDaniels starred for the Timberwolves with a career-high 32 points, and they could be boosted by the return of Anthony Edwards from injury for Monday's opener against the Spurs.

In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks set new records as they thrashedthe Atlanta Hawks 140-89 to win their series 4-2.

The 51-point margin of victory was a franchise record in the play-offs, while their 47-point half-time lead was the biggest in NBA post-season history.

Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists while OG Anunoby top-scored with 29 points.

It is the Knicks' fourth consecutive year of reaching the semi-finals and they will face either the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers.

Tyrese Maxey scored 30 points and Paul George added 23 as the 76ers won game six 106-93 to set up a decisive game seven in Boston on Saturday.

Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Toronto Raptors (46-36, fifth in the Eastern Conference)

Toronto; Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Cavaliers -4.5; over/under is 219.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Cavaliers lead series 3-2

BOTTOM LINE: The Cleveland Cavaliers look to clinch the series over the Toronto Raptors in game six of the Eastern Conference first round. The Cavaliers defeated the Raptors 125-120 in the last matchup on Wednesday. James Harden led the Cavaliers with 23 points, and RJ Barrett led the Raptors with 25.

The Raptors are 33-19 in conference games. Toronto ranks ninth in the league allowing just 111.8 points per game while holding opponents to 46.7% shooting.

The Cavaliers are 33-19 against Eastern Conference opponents. Cleveland is fourth in the NBA scoring 119.5 points per game while shooting 48.2%.

The Raptors score 114.6 points per game, 0.8 fewer points than the 115.4 the Cavaliers allow. The Cavaliers are shooting 48.2% from the field, 1.5% higher than the 46.7% the Raptors' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Scottie Barnes is shooting 50.7% and averaging 18.1 points for the Raptors. Ja'Kobe Walter is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Donovan Mitchell is averaging 27.9 points, 5.7 assists and 1.5 steals for the Cavaliers. Harden is averaging 17.9 points, 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Raptors: 5-5, averaging 113.8 points, 41.3 rebounds, 28.1 assists, 8.1 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.6 points per game.

Cavaliers: 7-3, averaging 117.2 points, 43.5 rebounds, 24.4 assists, 8.4 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 49.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.8 points.

INJURIES: Raptors: Brandon Ingram: day to day (heel), Immanuel Quickley: out (hamstring).

Cavaliers: None listed.

___

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

Detroit Pistons (60-22, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (45-37, eighth in the Eastern Conference)

Orlando, Florida; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT

LINE: Pistons -3.5; over/under is 210.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Magic lead series 3-2

BOTTOM LINE: The Orlando Magic look to clinch the Eastern Conference first round over the Detroit Pistons in game six. The Pistons defeated the Magic 116-109 in the last meeting on Wednesday. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 45 points, and Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 45.

The Magic are 26-26 against conference opponents. Orlando is 19-19 in games decided by 10 points or more.

The Pistons are 39-13 against Eastern Conference opponents. Detroit averages 117.8 points while outscoring opponents by 8.2 points per game.

The Magic average 11.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 fewer make per game than the Pistons give up (12.7). The Pistons average 11.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 fewer made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Magic give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Desmond Bane is shooting 48.4% and averaging 20.1 points for the Magic. Banchero is averaging 24.0 points over the last 10 games.

Jalen Duren is averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds for the Pistons. Cunningham is averaging 19.7 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 7-3, averaging 111.3 points, 45.7 rebounds, 24.4 assists, 10.0 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.9 points per game.

Pistons: 6-4, averaging 111.9 points, 45.9 rebounds, 27.0 assists, 9.5 steals and 8.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.9 points.

INJURIES: Magic: Franz Wagner: day to day (calf), Jonathan Isaac: day to day (knee).

Pistons: Kevin Huerter: day to day (adductor).

___

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

Los Angeles Lakers (53-29, fourth in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (52-30, fifth in the Western Conference)

Houston; Friday, 9:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Rockets -3.5; over/under is 206.5

WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Lakers lead series 3-2

BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Lakers look to clinch the series over the Houston Rockets in game six of the Western Conference first round. The Rockets defeated the Lakers 99-93 in the last matchup on Thursday. Jabari Smith Jr. led the Rockets with 22 points, and LeBron James led the Lakers with 25.

The Rockets are 29-23 in Western Conference games. Houston is the Western Conference leader with 48.1 rebounds per game led by Alperen Sengun averaging 8.9.

The Lakers have gone 33-19 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles is 8-3 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Rockets are shooting 47.9% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points lower than the 48.3% the Lakers allow to opponents. The Lakers are shooting 50.2% from the field, 4.2% higher than the 46.0% the Rockets' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Sengun is averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists for the Rockets. Amen Thompson is averaging 19.7 points over the last 10 games.

James is scoring 20.9 points per game and averaging 6.1 rebounds for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura is averaging 2.3 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 6-4, averaging 112.7 points, 45.3 rebounds, 24.1 assists, 10.1 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.9 points per game.

Lakers: 6-4, averaging 107.5 points, 39.9 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 9.7 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 51.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.4 points.

INJURIES: Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle), Kevin Durant: out (ankle).

Lakers: Luka Doncic: out (hamstring).

___

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

ATLANTA - For five months or so, there was an open debate over Karl-Anthony Towns’ role on this Knicks team. 

Towns’ shot attempts, his post-ups, his pick-and-roll opportunities and his body language were scrutinized nightly. 

Some felt he wasn’t getting enough shots. Others thought the Knicks didn’t know how to use him. Many ex-players in the media felt Towns needed to be more aggressive. Others saw Towns and Jalen Brunson as a bad fit. 

But after Thursday night – after Towns dominated long stretches of this Hawks series – it may be time to mute the conversation. 

“He’s played phenomenal,” Brunson said of his running mate. “The way we’ve been able to trust each other, all of us obviously including him, it’s been great.”

The shift for Towns and the Knicks started after Game 3. With the team trailing, 2-1, Mike Brown and his staff tweaked the offense “to find more ways to put our guys in their strengths while getting to it quickly.” 

That started with getting the ball to Towns at the top of the floor. He had 10 assists in Game 4 and kept finding his teammates for the rest of the series. In the Knicks’ last three wins, Towns averaged 8.7 assists per game. He also averaged 11.6 rebounds and recorded triple-doubles in two of those three games. 

Perhaps just as impressive, the Knicks outscored Atlanta by 62 points with Towns on the floor in Games 4, 5 and 6. 

“I thought KAT was amazing,” Josh Hart said when asked about New York’s defense in Game 6. “To start the game blitzing, protecting the rim, he had some big blocks, his energy was huge for us. I just think the physicality, the attention to detail, focus on the gameplan, I think all those are at a very high level.”

Towns seems to be playing at a high level on both sides of the ball at the ideal time for New York. 

His season started with more questions than answers. In late October, Towns gave a less-than-enthusiastic answer to a question about his role in Brown’s offense. 

“Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t know,” Towns said then. “But we’re figuring it out. That’s it, but, honestly, I don’t know.”

Now, a little over six months later, Towns seems to know exactly what to do. 

“I never doubted my ability,” Towns said after Game 6. “I never doubted the work I put in. It’s just – you gotta adjust, you gotta adjust. Especially (with) a lot of new things being thrown at you, you’re being asked to do a lot more things – some things that (haven’t) consistently been asked of me in my career so. It’s one thing anyone who knows me, who's followed my career, I’m willing to sacrifice and do whatever it takes for the team to win. 

“And I think this year I’ve shown that again. Whatever the team needs me to do, the player the team needs me to be, I’ll step up to the plate, step up to the challenge.” 

TACTICAL ADVANTAGE 

Brown thanked his entire staff after the series. In his postgame press conference, Brown referenced nearly all of his staff by name to thank them for their work during the series.

“I’m the one sitting up here, but those guys were phenomenal getting us prepared for the series, and they were phenomenal throughout the course of the series,” Brown said. 

Brown noted that the Knicks made some offensive adjustments after Game 3 against the Hawks. 

Once the Knicks implemented those adjustments, they outscored the Hawks by 96 points.  

“We had to change (the offense), because every possession was a grind those first three games, especially down the stretch. And so we had to find more ways to put our guys in their strengths while getting to it quickly, while still having options,” Brown said. “I’m not a guy that likes to call every play. I want our guys to be able to read where the advantage is quickly throughout the course of the action. And Atlanta forced us to find a way to do that and feel pretty good about where we’re at right now.”

As noted above, part of the adjustment was getting the ball in Towns’ hands on specific spots on the floor. 

“You ask for the opportunities and they obliged and I’ve gotta repay that trust and that opportunity,” Towns said. “I just want to do whatever – I always talk to ya’ll about impact of winning. I got more opportunities to do that and I wanted to make sure I didn't not take advantage of the opportunities I was given.”

I don’t know if there were any offensive adjustments for OG Anunoby, but he was clearly the most valuable Knick of the series. 

Anunoby averaged 21 points on 61 percent shooting in this series. He hit 56.6 percent of his 30 three-point attempts and averaged 8.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals. The Knicks outscored the Hawks by 84 points in Anunoby's 115 minutes vs. Atlanta. In Game 6, Anunoby’s 14 first-quarter points prevented the Hawks from establishing a lead. He finished with four steals, seven rebounds and a block. 

“OG was phenomenal. He played 27 minutes, had 29 points on 14 field-goal attempts and rebounded his behind off,” Brown said. 

The Knicks’ other wing, Mikal Bridges, also played well on Thursday. After struggling earlier in the series, Bridges put up 24 points on 10-for-12 shooting and defended at a high level. 

“That’s our guy,” Hart said. “Whenever he comes out aggressive, that adds another dimension to this team. And he’s someone that we count on, someone that we need to make a run. Great to see him be aggressive, picking his sorts and those kinds of things. Defensively, he brought it this whole series.”

Hart also brought it defensively for the whole series. He defended CJ McCollum for long stretches in the last four games. McCollum shot 40 percent and had 14 turnovers over the Hawks’ last four games. 

“After Game 1 and Game 2, (when) he kind of went off and kind of took over the game, that’s the matchup that I wanted going into Game 3 and after,” Hart said. “I had some conversations with the coaches about not taking me off him and those kinds of things.”

Now tell me something
Is there a point to this?
Or are we living for the feeling
When we look back
On what we did and reminisce?

— Maybe You’re the Reason, by The Japanese House

These lines from Amber Bain of The Japanese House feel particularly appropriate as we approach what is broadly accepted to be the dying moments of the Utah Jazz tanking era. By all appearances, Utah’s management seems to hold zero intention of posturing for draft position in the near future. An injection of veteran talent inserted into Utah’s ripening young core, plus next year’s planned installation of a brand-new draft lottery system, only solidifies the inescapable truth that the Jazz already knew: the era of the tank is over and done.

So here we sit on this refraction point. Inside the Pink Floyd-esque prism, facing a brighter future, while holding to one final moment when winning didn’t matter, and patience was a virtue valued above all else. Now, staring down the barrel of the final draft of the tanking age, we’re forced to self-reflect.

Did slamming the glowing crimson self-destruct button on the Mitchell-Gobert era deliver the reset that the Utah Jazz felt was necessary? Did the blast leave behind a fertile ground from which a new, better future could sprout? Will the reward be worth the sacrifice?

Or is Utah doomed to stumble back into obscurity, collapse into mediocrity? Was there a point to this after all?

That answer likely won’t arrive in full for a while, and I’m not talking about 3-5 business days. It’s time to take one last look back at what once was. Absorb it. Understand it. Accept it. And finally release it.

With the 2026 NBA Draft looming, the Utah Jazz will be afforded a pick somewhere in the 1-8 range. This draft pick is the team’s final opportunity to add a future star through organic means (non-trade, non-free agency); a final relic from the tanking age. We can fantasize over the heroics and golden age ushered in by demigods like AJ Dybantsa, Caleb Wilson, or Darryn Peterson — it’s perfectly healthy to smile over what could be. But it would be emotionally irresponsible to brace for the likelihood of slipping from the fourth spot down to five, six, seven, or eight.

It could happen. If Utah’s lottery history is any indication, then it probably will happen. But a disappointing lottery doesn’t have to mean a disappointing rookie, am I right, Ace Bailey?

If the Jazz stumble below their current slot in the draft order, what’s the game plan, and how can they come out of this as a winner?

The answer to that is simple: pick up Arizona’s Brayden Burries.

Brayden Burries 2026 NBA Draft Profile:

Measurables: 6’4”, 205 lbs, 20 years old
2025-26 Stats: 16.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.5 SPG
2025-26 Shooting Splits: 41.9% FG, 39.1% 3PT, 80.5% FT
Position on the SLC Dunk Big Board: 10

Look, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m higher on Burries than most.

In a recent article, I made a wishlist for the Utah Jazz, listing the five best fits in the current NBA Draft that, if available, should be stuffing their poorly-fitting hairstyle into a Utah Jazz cap as they step up to shake hands with Adam Silver (no hair, no cap) on draft night. Behind the general consensus of Dybantsa, Peterson, Wilson, and Boozer (not necessarily in that order, but these four are clearly distancing themselves from the field), I stated and believe that Brayden Burries is the best worst-case scenario for the Jazz. If the top four just isn’t in the cards, Utah can maximize its draft pick’s value by snagging the gritty guard from Arizona.

Here’s the blurb I wrote on Burries and his value to the Jazz:

“…if the Jazz intend on building a well-rounded competitive team, they need a defensive presence in the backcourt. And after a very impressive freshman season that saw him post 1.5 steals per night (not to mention 16.0 points, 2.4 assists, and 5 rebounds). Utah needs a defensive cushion for Keyonte’s — *ahem* — shortcomings on that end, and Burries is a solid pickup if Utah drops from their 4th spot.”

The Jazz roster is practically complete, with Keyonte emerging as a scoring dynamo, Lauri remaining a Finnish force of nature with a scoring sweet tooth, and JJJ pairing up with Kessler to become perhaps the best shot-blocking front court in the NBA. Even Ace Bailey, Utah’s favorite rookie from last season (apologies to Walter Clayton Jr., you were gone too soon), is beginning to find his footing as a bendy straw with scoring pop and an unnatural affinity for punishing the rim. As star upside dwindles down the draft order, go for the player that will help you win: Brayden Burries.

My favorite part of his game? Brayden Burries is a well-versed scholar on the ancient, dying art of “giving a crap” on the defensive end. He just cares. He dives for loose balls. He pokes at errant dribbles. He trespasses in the passing lanes. His 2.8% steal percentage was 11th in the Big 12. He gives a crap, and he has the physical strength to match the best guards in any league — that includes the NBA.

As much as I promise to produce endless word vomit over Utah’s amazing interior defense this upcoming season, the backcourt could use some beef. Burries fills that need.

On the offensive end, he’s not the most athletic, speedy, or shifty player on the floor, but he’s far from lacking in any of those departments. Utilizing the ball security of a golem in his rock-solid dribble, he keeps the ball close to his body and away from the swiping fingers of his defender. He’s more than comfortable initiating offense off the dribble and will happily attack the paint when the window opens. He takes smart shots, doesn’t force the issue, and his 49.1% field goal percentage (which was top 10 in the entire Big 12 Conference. Absurd for a guard).

It’s the three-point shot, though. It’s always been the three-point shot. It’s beautiful. A repeatable and comfortable snap of the wrist, and the basketball always lands softly at its final destination — the delicate embrace of the net. He torched the season’s gauntlet for nearly 40% three-point shooting.

Take a look at his highlights in the NCAA Tournament, and you’ll find yourself agreeing that this kid is a killer.

Issues about his fit alongside George and Collier in the back court are valid, of course. At 6’4”, Burries stands like a point guard, but his off-ball nature and skill set are a bit more suited for a 2-guard. That’s an issue on offense. On defense, in George’s stead, Burries is a perfectly servicable on-ball defender for the opposition’s point guard. Off the bench, this Wildcat could provide chaotic, ferile minutes for a Jazz team desperate to plug the leaks of its perimeter defense.

Picking a backup guard with the fifth, sixth, or seventh pick could be a tough pill to swallow if that’s truly Burries’ long-term fit in Utah. But I see him as the perfect complement to Keyonte George’s weaknesses on the defensive end, and he can keep the offense flowing when he takes the driver’s seat.

Praise for Burries

• The ancient art of “giving a crap” on defense
• No-waste off-ball scoring torch
• Steady, mature demeanor
• Assets conducive to winning
• Relatively impressive rebounding chops

Pause for Burries

• Limited explosion, athleticism on the ball
• Play style leans SG, body leans PG
• Played a secondary role at Arizona
• Not much of a playmaker, though far from hopeless

Is Brayden Burries the final, grand prize that Utah hoped to collect when they began their tanking journey? No, of course not. Obviously, the goal was to snag a can’t-miss superstar like Victor Wembanyama, Cooper Flagg, or AJ Dybantsa. With or without the MVP-caliber celestial body, however, the Jazz have matured into a dangerous team ready to compete for the playoffs in a year’s time. If the Jazz climb up through the lottery for the first time ever, don’t hesitate to pick Dybantsa, Peterson, etc., but if the likelihood of sliding becomes reality, pick the player that will make your team better without demanding an oversized slice of the pie.

Was there a point to the tank? We might find out sooner than later.

Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.