Whether it’s with one of their two first-round picks, via trade or in free agency, the Mavs have to add someone who can lighten Cooper Flagg’s offensive workload. He spent way more time on-ball than expected, and while his self-creation around the basket is impressive, he’ll be best served on a roster that can tap into more of his play-finishing.

Counting on Kyrie Irving isn’t good enough. He is 34 and working his way back from an ACL injury. Dallas needs a short- and long-term alternative.

Addressing the issue in the draft would be ideal, if only because an inbound rookie fits the Flagg window. But that route depends on where the Mavs land in the lottery. They could jump up to AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson territory, end up in range of Darius Acuff Jr. or Kingston Flemings or miss out on all four. 

Free agency probably doesn’t hold the answer. Dallas will most likely wind up operating over the cap and have the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception ($15 million). That doesn’t get you in the door for Austin Reaves, while contingencies like Collin Sexton and Ayo Dosunmu aren’t Plan A material. 

Coby White could be interesting if he leaves Charlotte. Otherwise, trade targets who won’t fetch the moon should be the Mavs’ jam: Cam Spencer, Tre Jones, T.J. McConnell, Ty Jerome, Dejounte Murray, etc. If the new front office wants to swing higher, but not too high, Ryan Rollins and Tyler Herro are worth keeping on the radar.

The NBA playoff matchups in the Eastern Conference are set.

After coming into Sunday as the likely No. 5 seed, the Orlando Magic’s stunning loss to the Boston Celtics paired with the Hawks losing and Raptors winning, means that the Hawks are going to be the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the New York Knicks in the first round.

These two teams met just last Monday, a thrilling win for the Knicks in the final minute. Here are my first three thoughts about this matchup.

1. The Hawks have to have an answer for Mitchell Robinson

With no new update on Jock Landale, the Hawks are going to have a big question at the backup center position. Assuming Landale is not able to go at least at the start of this series, Mo Gueye is going to have a big role in this series and he will be going against one of the top backup centers and rebounders in the league, Mitchell Robinson.

In nearly 20 minutes in last week’s matchup, Robinson scored eight points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Having Gueye go against him is going to be a big mismatch, as good as Gueye is defensively. Figuring out how to deal with Robinson is going to be key if the Hawks hope to spring the upset.

2. Can this group handle the playoff pressure?

Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Jonathan Kuminga, and Onyeka Okongwu have varying degrees of playoff experience, but not as starters. CJ McCollum has years of playoff experience, Nickeil Alexander-Walker helped Minnesota make back-to-back Western Conference Finals Appearances, and Gabe Vincent was a key role player for Miami during their runs recently. However, this group has only been playing together for a few months and have not been under the microscope of the posteason.

This Knicks team however was two wins away from the NBA Finals and has a lot of confidence that they can get back there and finish the job. They are a cohesive unit that plays well together and they are going to have a rowdy crowd at Madison Square Garden behind them. Can the Hawks handle the pressure they are about to face?

3. Hawks are capable of an upset

While the Knicks are certainly going to be favorites (deservedly so), I believe this Hawks team is for real and they are not going to be intimidated.

They have Jalen Johnson, who is set to make his first ever All-NBA team, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is the NBA’s front runner for most improved player, and Dyson Daniels is as good of a perimeter defender as there is.

These two teams as they are currently constructed have only played once, so there is not much to go on, but if this series is like that game that was played last Monday in Atlanta, It should be one of, if not the best series in the first round.

Nobody is going to pick the Hawks and the Knicks are an elite team, but don’t discount the Hawks chances.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Justin Rose said the support he received from patrons at Augusta National this week would stay with him after the 45-year-old Englishman again fell short in his bid to win a first Masters title.

Rose briefly held the lead during Sunday’s final round before slipping back and finishing two shots behind winner Rory McIlroy in a four-way tie for third, a year after losing to McIlroy in a playoff.

The former U.S. Open champion said the ovation he received as he walked up the 18th fairway was especially meaningful after another near miss at Augusta, where he has finished runner-up three times.

“I felt like the crowd was amazing to me all week long … I felt their encouragement and support,” he said.

“At the end it kind of goes a little flat. It’s more of a sympathy than anything. But it was still nonetheless very beautiful.

“But, yeah, another little stinger.”

Rose, who poured in five front-nine birdies, said he felt confident he had put himself in position to challenge before momentum turned around Amen Corner.

“I was really in control. First 10 holes, I felt like I was,” he said.

“And the mentality was to run through the finish line not just try and get it done.”

But costly bogeys on the 11th and 12th halted his momentum and he looked dejected when he missed a short par putt on the 17th to close the door on his dream of winning the Masters title this year.

“Today, I felt like there was an opportunity to do better, so obviously that is frustrating,” Rose said.

Even so, Rose said recent seasons had strengthened his belief that he can keep contending in the game’s biggest events and eventually challenge again for a Green Jacket.

“In the last two years I’ve really kind of re-kicked on and re-energized my career and I have a lot of belief in myself that there is a lot of runway ahead,” he said.

“These are the tournaments I focus on. These tournaments are why I practice. These are the tournaments that get me going that extra mile.”

Rose also said Augusta’s unique demands could continue to suit him as he gets older, pointing to veterans who have remained competitive at the Masters deep into their careers including Fred Couples and Bernhard Langer.

“Those guys get around this golf course,” he said.

Asked why he thought the galleries had embraced him so strongly, Rose offered a simple explanation.

“I think people just know I play hard. I try hard. I’ve been close,” he said. “I think they just appreciate the effort.”