When the undermanned Sixers held on for a win over a Dallas Mavericks team even more short-handed on Sunday afternoon, the overwhelming response was aggravation. The Sixers have a top-six protected first-round pick to look out for, after all, and losses are productive for a team that is desperate to hold onto that selection.

But to many of the remaining bodies on this Sixers team, the fate of a draft pick is completely out of mind. At this point, a significant portion of the team's active roster is comprised of players either battling for future roles or fighting for their NBA livelihoods altogether.

As we kick off the week with 5 Sixers thoughts, here are players who have a whole lot to gain between now and the Sixers' regular season finale on April 13:

Ricky Council IV

After a Sixers practice earlier this month, Council met with the media to talk about experiencing another one-day cameo in the G League and a long season that has not gone as planned for the second-year wing who sets the bar high for himself. Council's frustration with the situation was apparent.

"I've just got to continue to prove myself so coaches can trust me on the floor," Council said. "For me personally, I like to win first and foremost, playing [or] not playing, but I also like to play. So one of my goals at the beginning of the season was to play consistent minutes. Obviously, hasn't happened, but like I said, first and foremost, I want to win."

Moments later, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse gave a blunt assessment of where he was at with Council.

"Ricky's just... we just want Ricky to play a little better," Nurse said. "He's just got to play a little bit more physical defense, rebounding -- he's a great athlete. I know he's only 6-foot-4, but we need help on the glass. He's got to provide some of that. Got to provide some help at the defensive end as well."

For what it's worth, Council followed that formula on Sunday, and in the process helped the Sixers win. Council only took eight shot attempts in 28 minutes, a surprisingly low number given the number of his teammates sidelined, but for the second game in a row, he stayed away from taking the sorts of ill-advised shots which have made it tougher for him to earn any trust all season long.

None of his teammates had more than six rebounds against the Mavericks, but for just the second time all season, Council pulled 10 boards in Dallas. He also played a steady defensive game which included this terrific steal from Klay Thompson, which Council used to kickstart a transition possession that led to a wide open triple for Guerschon Yabusele:

Council, who has no guaranteed money left across the two remaining seasons on his contract, needs a strong last month of the season to rebuild his stock entering a pivotal third season in which nothing is promised.

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Jared Butler

Even in a game in which Butler failed to score the ball effectively against Dallas, he was a calming presence as the Sixers' starting point guard, notching seven assists and playing a strong point guard game. This play was particularly representative of the best of Butler. Watch as he fakes a shot to create a passing window, which he fits with a dime to Yabusele for a dunk:

Butler has a team option for next season. The Sixers could pick it up, but even if they want to bring the 24-year-old floor general back, declining the option will be most practical. It allows them to trim Butler's salary cap hit by just a bit by re-signing him on a veteran's minimum deal, rather than at a small raise from the minimum, while also affording them the opportunity to ink him to a long-term deal that offers some upside for the team. But first he has to continue a recent good stretch of play and prove he has a chance to contribute next year in a guard rotation which will already be crowded. 

Something to monitor with Butler moving forward is three-point volume. He has never been able to make defenses pay for going under screens, but the Sixers have encouraged him to try. There have been clear signs of progress:

"These teams are going under on these ball screens," Nurse said on Friday. "If they go under, you’ve got to pull, you’ve got to keep them honest. So I would expect his volume to continue to go up. He is a good shooter, though. He's got great mechanics, shoots a really high percentage during the day and training, before and after [team activities], like, really high-percentage shooter. Got to translate that to the games."

MORE: Justin Edwards, guarding the NBA's best players, is 'he's not backing down at all'

Jeff Dowtin Jr.

Dowtin and the Sixers are nearing a crossroads in multiple respects. The 27-year-old can only be active for six more NBA games due to the conditions of his two-way contract; the Sixers would have to find a way to convert his contract to a standard deal for him to suit up more than that. If Dowtin plays in the remainder of the team's road trip, he would return to Philadelphia with only one more game on his deal.

Additionally, Dowtin will not be eligible to sign another two-way contract next season based on his years of service in the NBA. He is running out of time to prove to teams that he is more than someone who can crush G League competition, the basketball equivalent of a quad-A player. Every minute for the remainder of the season is precious for Dowtin, perhaps more than for any other member of this team.

Dowtin has made the most of those opportunities of late, posting a career-high 20 points on Wednesday, topping it with 24 points on Friday and then scoring 14 efficient points off the bench on Sunday.

"I think it's great for me just to kind of showcase my talent, showcase my ability, let the coaches see what I can do on the court and that I can translate to more minutes, more playing time, more opportunities," Dowtin said after Friday's game. "That's kind of been my goal and my focus. Just keep playing basketball the right way and let everything else take care of itself."

Dowtin's excellent stretch has coincided with a particularly palpable brand of confidence that he has not always played with. Dowtin seems to understand the gravity of these games for his own long-term outlook.

Jalen Hood-Schifino

Believe it or not, the Lakers' 2023 first-round pick who was with the team until early February, has played more than three times as many minutes with the Sixers in just two games than he did in nearly four months with the Lakers. Hood-Schifino had very few opportunities to prove himself in Los Angeles, and rightfully places a lot of value in the ability to just get on an NBA floor.

"It was a huge blessing," Hood-Schifino said after logging 20 minutes in his Sixers debut on Friday. "Haven’t been on an NBA court pretty much all year. So to just be able to play out there and get out there was definitely a blessing. Obviously, we didn't come out with a win, but just to be able to compete and be out there with the guys was definitely fun."

Hours earlier, Hood-Schifino spoke after the Sixers' morning shootaround and spoke about what it meant for him to have any chance to log actual NBA minutes after a trying pair of professional campaigns.

"Especially me being year two, obviously going through what I've been through in my journey, not playing a lot, going through injuries, [playing for the Sixers] kind of allows me to have opportunity to be on the floor to play and grow," Hood-Schifino said. "So I'm definitely looking forward to stepping on the court."

On Sunday, Hood-Schifino showed significant strides in terms of comfort, and had what was by far the best game of his young NBA career, including career-highs in points and three-pointers as he flashed excellent shooting mechanics:

Nothing is guaranteed for Hood-Schifino moving forward, and even if he is just competing to be on the radar of the Sixers or other NBA teams for a two-way contract next season, he can earn a two-way and then start competing for a standard contract. Even for a second-year player drafted in the middle of the first round, Hood-Schifino's clock is ticking.

Adem Bona

An ankle sprain held Bona out of Sunday's game, but the Sixers' rookie center has come on strong of late, and of anyone mentioned in this story has the best chance to be an important component of the 2025-26 Sixers. Bona's development should be a major priority for the remainder of this season, because the flashes of excellence are clear as day. He has the makings of a quality backup center in the NBA, and more minutes could accelerate his growth for a team with an unstable situation at the five.

Bona needs the most work controlling his movements so he stays out of foul trouble, and that is something most expect he will be able to do as he gets more reps and becomes increasingly used to facing off with NBA-caliber speed, size and physicality. Nobody will bet against someone with the motor that Bona has.

So, how much do the remaining games this season mean for Bona? He was asked that exact question on Friday.

"Every single minute is big for me," Bona said. "I [wasn't] getting much early in the year. This is my opportunity to show what I can do, so every single minute is huge for me. Unfortunately we have guys injured, but I've got to take advantage of the opportunity I'm having. So every minute is huge right now."

MORE: Breaking down recent film of Butler, Council and Bona

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