USC basketball report - Evan Mobley steps up for Cavs
· Yahoo Sports
The second round of the NBA playoffs is underway. Evan Mobley and his Cleveland Cavaliers are fighting uphill in their series against the Detroit Pistons. Former Trojan Jordan McLaughlin is on a San Antonio Spurs team with a chance to bring home this year's title.
Here is how each USC Trojan and their team are faring in the second round of the NBA playoffs:
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Bronny James
The Los Angeles Lakers stumbled in the second round of the playoffs. Without Luka, the Lakers clearly did not have enough to match the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were without their second-best player, Jalen Williams. Bronny James did not see much time this series, only about two minutes of garbage time in the blowout losses. It would be a challenging environment for a developing young player such as Bronny, but the Lakers had few options.
Jordan McLaughlin
Jordan McLaughlin also has not seen much time in his series, but he is a part of the best series in this round. This Western Conference series is now tied at 2-2 following an epic Game 4. It has been a dog fight and a battle between the San Antonio Spurs and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Both teams are fighting for their shot to dethrone the Oklahoma City Thunder. If Mclaughlin and the Spurs are able to escape the Timberwolves, he will still have a great shot at stepping on the court in an NBA Finals match, plus an NBA Finals title.
Evan Mobley
Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers were down 2-1 to the Detroit Pistons, in a series where it felt like the Pistons had the upper hand. It took a 35-point Game 3 performance from Donovan Mitchell to win a game at home for the Cavaliers. Evan Mobley had been one of the big disappointments in this series, but he stepped up in Game 4 with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 blocks, and 3 steals. That's the version of Mobley the Cavs need every game.
Most impactful player in Round 2
Evan Mobley remains a deciding factor in Cavs-Pistons. In Game 4, he turned the tide. If he can continue to thrive in Games 5-7, Cleveland will have its first shot since the LeBron James years to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Best chance at a title
Out of the three USC Trojans remaining, Jordan McLaughlin has the best shot at winning a ring this postseason. The Timberwolves have been battling in this series, and winning Game 4 came down to Victor Wembanyama getting ejected. The Spurs look like the better team in this series, and they are the only team that has had the Oklahoma City Thunder's number. McLaughlin might not be the most necessary piece to his squad, but he could end up being the one with a championship when it is all said and done.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Evan Mobley leads former USC Trojans remaining in 2026 NBA playoffs