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The Charlotte Hornets will try to run their road trip winning streak to three games as they visit the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.

Indiana hasn’t come close to covering in any of its last four games, so I’m taking a surging Charlotte squad to win big in my Hornets vs. Pacers predictions for tonight.

Let’s take a deeper look at this Eastern Conference matchup in my free NBA picks for Thursday, February 26.

Hornets vs Pacers prediction

Hornets vs Pacers best bet: Hornets -13 (-110)

The Indiana Pacers have lost four straight games and have failed to cover in any of them, losing by 21 as an 11.5-point underdog to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. Indiana is allowing 119.2 ppg on the year and has allowed more than 130 points to each of its last three opponents.

The Charlotte Hornets have covered in nine of their last 10 games, including its last five games as a favorite. The Hornets are averaging 130.0 ppg on their current road trip and have too many weapons for the Pacers to handle. I’m taking Charlotte to cover as a big favorite tonight.

Hornets vs Pacers same-game parlay

Both teams have played to totals of 230+ points in each of their last three games, and they’re averaging a total of 235.5 in their first two meetings this year, so I’m confident in including the Over in my SGP.

I’ll also take Hornets rookie Kon Kuneppel to score Over 17.5 points, something he’s done in each of his last three games.

Hornets vs Pacers SGP

• Hornets -13
• Over 229.5
• Knueppel Over 17.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: A deep sting

Charlotte has no shortage of players who can fire away from deep, and I’m going to bet on three of them to hit their targets for my longshot parlay tonight. LaMelo Ball, Knueppel, and Brandon Miller have all hit this target in at least two of their last three games, and they’ve had plenty of nights where all three have done so at the same time, making this a realistic scenario in a high-scoring Hornets win.

Hornets vs Pacers SGP

• Hornets -13
• Ball Over 3.5 threes
• Knueppel Over 3.5 threes
• Miller Over 2.5 threes

Hornets vs Pacers odds

• Spread: Hornets -13 | Pacers -13
• Moneyline: Hornets -850 | Pacers +575
• Over/Under: Over 229.5 | Under 229.5

Hornets vs Pacers betting trend to know

The Hornets are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Hornets vs. Pacers.

How to watch Hornets vs Pacers

Hornets vs Pacers latest injuries

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The Utah Jazz are openly trying to lose as many games as possible, while the New Orleans Pelicans are trying to finish the season on a high note.

New Orleans is trending in the right direction, with wins in four of its last six games, and my Pelicans vs. Jazz predictions call for the visiting team to cover the spread as road favorites.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this Western Conference matchup on Thursday, February 26.

Pelicans vs Jazz prediction

Pelicans vs Jazz best bet: Pelicans -4.5 (-115)

The Utah Jazz’s open tanking has gotten so brazen that the NBA is reportedly sending its own doctors to verify the results of Lauri Markkanen’s recent MRI.

Utah has already shut down Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic, and the missed-game counter for Markkanen and Keyonte George continues to climb.

Conversely, the New Orleans Pelicans traded their first-round pick to the Hawks for Derik Queen and have no incentive to tank. Dejounte Murray is back, and DeAndre Jordan still has some gas left in the tank. I’ll take the more motivated and healthier visitors to cover the spread.

Pelicans vs Jazz same-game parlay

The Jazz sport the NBA's worst defensive rating, and the Pelicans aren't much better with the fourth-worst mark. The Jazz have hit the Over in three straight, and the Pels have done so in three of four. Don't expect much defense in this one.

Murray made his season debut on Tuesday and posted a 13/2/3 line in just 25 minutes against the Warriors. His availability for a second straight game is encouraging for his health, and he could see additional playing time. Murray is in a favorable spot against a generous Jazz defense.

Pelicans vs Jazz SGP

• Pelicans -4.5
• Over 242.5
• Dejounte Murray Over 24.5 points + rebounds + assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: Queen, the King

Queen is averaging 7.3 rebounds per game this season, and he's grabbed 7+ in 36 of 58 appearances. He's reached that mark in three straight, despite the return of Jordan and Murray. 

Pelicans vs Jazz SGP

• Pelicans -4.5
• Over 242.5
• Dejounte Murray Over 24.5 points + rebounds + assists
• Derik Queen Over 6.5 rebounds

Pelicans vs Jazz odds

• Spread: Pelicans -4.5 (-115) | Jazz +4.5 (-105)
• Moneyline: Pelicans -190 | Jazz +160
• Over/Under: Over 242.5 (-110) | Under 242.5 (-110)

Pelicans vs Jazz betting trend to know

The Utah Jazz have hit the Game Total Over in 28 of their last 40 games at home (+14.80 Units / 34% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Jazz.

How to watch Pelicans vs Jazz

Pelicans vs Jazz latest injuries

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The Utah Jazz are openly trying to lose as many games as possible, while the New Orleans Pelicans are trying to finish the season on a high note.

New Orleans is trending in the right direction, with wins in four of its last six games, and my Pelicans vs. Jazz predictions call for the visiting team to cover the spread as road favorites.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this Western Conference matchup on Thursday, February 26.

Pelicans vs Jazz prediction

Pelicans vs Jazz best bet: Pelicans -4.5 (-115)

The Utah Jazz’s open tanking has gotten so brazen that the NBA is reportedly sending its own doctors to verify the results of Lauri Markkanen’s recent MRI.

Utah has already shut down Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic, and the missed-game counter for Markkanen and Keyonte George continues to climb.

Conversely, the New Orleans Pelicans traded their first-round pick to the Hawks for Derik Queen and have no incentive to tank. Dejounte Murray is back, and DeAndre Jordan still has some gas left in the tank. I’ll take the more motivated and healthier visitors to cover the spread.

Pelicans vs Jazz same-game parlay

The Jazz sport the NBA's worst defensive rating, and the Pelicans aren't much better with the fourth-worst mark. The Jazz have hit the Over in three straight, and the Pels have done so in three of four. Don't expect much defense in this one.

Murray made his season debut on Tuesday and posted a 13/2/3 line in just 25 minutes against the Warriors. His availability for a second straight game is encouraging for his health, and he could see additional playing time. Murray is in a favorable spot against a generous Jazz defense.

Pelicans vs Jazz SGP

• Pelicans -4.5
• Over 242.5
• Dejounte Murray Over 24.5 points + rebounds + assists

Our "from downtown" SGP: Queen, the King

Queen is averaging 7.3 rebounds per game this season, and he's grabbed 7+ in 36 of 58 appearances. He's reached that mark in three straight, despite the return of Jordan and Murray. 

Pelicans vs Jazz SGP

• Pelicans -4.5
• Over 242.5
• Dejounte Murray Over 24.5 points + rebounds + assists
• Derik Queen Over 6.5 rebounds

Pelicans vs Jazz odds

• Spread: Pelicans -4.5 (-115) | Jazz +4.5 (-105)
• Moneyline: Pelicans -190 | Jazz +160
• Over/Under: Over 242.5 (-110) | Under 242.5 (-110)

Pelicans vs Jazz betting trend to know

The Utah Jazz have hit the Game Total Over in 28 of their last 40 games at home (+14.80 Units / 34% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. Jazz.

How to watch Pelicans vs Jazz

Pelicans vs Jazz latest injuries

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The Eastern Conference battle to avoid the play-in looks set to go right to the wire, and that ups the stakes for tonight’s clash between the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat, with both teams at the heart of that race.

Philly is just 5-5 in its last 10 games and still without the suspended Paul George, but Joel Embiid is expected to play here and my Heat vs. 76ers predictions side with the hosts against a Miami squad that’s struggled on the road.

Check out my NBA picks for this February 26 matchup.

Heat vs 76ers prediction

Heat vs 76ers best bet: 76ers -2 (-110)

He’s not moving like peak Joel Embiid, but the former MVP can still get the job done.

The Philadelphia 76ers are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games with Embiid on the court, and I’ll lay the points tonight as long as the big fella (probable) is suiting up.

Philly has put together back-to-back wins after a mini skid, while the Miami Heat are 14-17 SU on their travels and had some alarming defensive lapses in a loss in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

In what could be a shootout, I’m trusting Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe to give the 76ers an edge.

Heat vs 76ers same-game parlay

Embiid and Maxey are going to get their buckets, so Edgecombe’s scoring feels like the X-factor here. He’s poured in 20+ points in three of his last four outings, and he’s averaging 16 PPG in February.

The Philly rookie has had a good week from beyond the arc, too. Edgecombe went 8-for-11 on 3-pointers in wins over the Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves, and he’s a lock for open looks as the 76ers’ third option.

Heat vs 76ers SGP

• 76ers -2
• VJ Edgecombe Over 14.5 points
• VJ Edgecombe Over 1.5 3-pointers

Our "from downtown" SGP: It's Raining 3's

The Heat lead the NBA in field goal attempts and allow the third-most 3-pointers per game, so that feels like a recipe for major action from downtown.

Andrew Wiggins has nailed this Over in five straight contests, Norman Powell is a rock-solid 40% career sniper from beyond the arc, and Maxey is jacking up almost nine 3-pointers a night this season.

Heat vs 76ers SGP

• VJ Edgecombe Over 1.5 3-pointers
• Tyrese Maxey Over 3.5 3-pointers
• Norman Powell Over 2.5 3-pointers
• Andrew Wiggins Over 1.5 3-pointers

Heat vs 76ers odds

• Spread: Miami +2 (-110) | Philadelphia -2 (-110)
• Moneyline: Miami +115 | Philadelphia -135
• Over/Under: Over 240.5 (-110) | Under 240.5 (-110)

Heat vs 76ers betting trend to know

The 76ers are 23-16 ATS against Eastern Conference opponents. Find more NBA betting trends for Heat vs. 76ers.

How to watch Heat vs 76ers

Heat vs 76ers latest injuries

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LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — One of the world's top middle-distance runners has been banned for two years in a dispute over a missed drug test which overshadowed the opening of last year's world championships.

Ethiopia's Diribe Welteji, the silver medalist in the women's 1,500 meters at the 2023 world championships, was ruled to be “negligent” in failing to comply with an attempt to collect a doping test sample last year, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said Thursday.

World Athletics wanted a four-year ban but CAS reduced the sanction, accepting Welteji's rules violation wasn't intentional. The two-year ban ends in June 2027, when Welteji will be 25, and means she could qualify for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Welteji was initially cleared by an Ethiopian tribunal in August and was due to race on the opening day of the world championships in Tokyo the following month. World Athletics objected and she was ruled ineligible to compete the day before.

CAS said in its statement that drug testers arrived at Welteji's property in February 2025 and were told by Welteji's husband that she was asleep, and that witnesses disagreed about what took place after that until the testing staff left without a sample.

CAS said its arbitrator accepted there were language barriers and that “certain technical and best practice departures occurred” but that “an athlete of (Welteji's) caliber and experience should have known that she was required to comply regardless of the timing of the visit.”

___

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Phil Jackson had a handy rule for determining the NBA’s real championship contenders well before the playoffs began. Jackson is credited as the creator ‘40-20 rule,’ which states a team has to hit 40 wins before 20 losses in the regular season to have a shot at the title. This rule has held up shockingly well throughout time, with 18 of the last 19 champions and 41 of the last 45 champions fitting into the criteria. Only the the 1995 Houston Rockets, 2004 Detroit Pistons, 2006 Miami Heat, and 2021 Milwaukee Bucks have won an NBA championship without winning 40 games before losing 20 games since the league introduced the three-point line for the 1979-1980 season.

With the Boston Celtics’ loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night, there’s now only three teams that fit Jackson’s ‘40-20 rule’ for this season’s 2026 championship race:

• Oklahoma City Thunder (45-15)
• San Antonio Spurs (42-16)
• Detroit Pistons (43-14)

The Thunder have been widely considered the championship favorites since the start of the season if not a potential dynasty, so joining this club doesn’t mean much to OKC. It should feel more legitimizing for the Pistons and Spurs, two teams attempting a ‘worst-to-first’ arc this season as they’ve made stunning leaps into contention just a few years after landing the No. 1 overall NBA draft pick. No wonder almost 30 percent of the league is tanking this year, especially with an incredible draft class on deck.

The Pistons went 14-68 two years ago. What’s changed since then? Cade Cunningham started living up to the hype as a former No. 1 overall pick, Jalen Duren developed into an All-Star center, and head coach JB Bickerstaff (who replaced Monty Williams after the 14-win season) whipped the defense into the league’s No. 2 unit behind homegrown players like Isaiah Stewart, Ausar Thompson, and Ron Holland. Detroit made a big jump to 44 wins last year then had the Knicks sweating in a tough first-round series. Right now, the Pistons are on pace to win 61.5 games this season. It’s simply an incredible turnaround.

The Spurs were always destined to be a contender eventually with Victor Wembanyama, but no one thought it would happen this quickly. Wembanyama hasn’t even played a playoff game yet, but that won’t stop the Spurs from being a popular pick to win it all this year. Wembanyama’s defensive impact is levels beyond any other player alive, and he’s a top-10 offensive player, too. San Antonio put a solid supporting cast around him this year by trading for De’Aaron Fox, signing Luke Kornet in free agency, and rejuvenating Harrison Barnes’ career. The Spurs have proven it’s better to be lucky than good by moving up in the lottery three straight years for Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper. This organization lit two lottery picks on fire in the 2020s with Josh Primo and Jeremy Sochan, but it didn’t even matter because they landed the best prospect ever and then moved up into the top-4 of the lottery the next two years.

I’m not fully convinced the ‘40-20 rule’ holds this year. The Denver Nuggets were my preseason championship pick, and while injuries have crushed them during the regular season, they should still be a serious contender if they can get healthy by the playoffs. The Celtics will also have a good chance at the title this year, especially if Jayson Tatum returns from a torn Achilles. I wrote that there are nine teams in the title race this season a couple weeks ago, and I still stand by it. This championship picture is much wider than it historically has been due to the CBA bringing parity to the league.

The NBA’s problems — tanking, load management, a typically crappy All-Star Game — get all of the attention, but the playoffs might be the best product in all of sports right now. This last Super Bowl sucked! Meanwhile, last year’s Thunder-Pacers NBA Finals was amazing, and this year’s title race will be as wide open and competitive as it has ever been. The ‘40-20 rule’ hitting 41 out of 45 years is astounding. If the Pistons, Spurs, or Thunder win it all this year, please remember that Phil Jackson was right again.

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The Portland Trail Blazers head to the Windy City tonight to face the slumping Chicago Bulls at the United Center for an 8 p.m. ET tip. 

Chicago is in the middle of a 10-game losing skid, but my Trail Blazers vs. Bulls predictions expect the hosts to snap out of it. 

Read more in my NBA picks for Thursday, February 26. 

Trail Blazers vs Bulls prediction

Trail Blazers vs Bulls best bet: Bulls moneyline (+155)

It’s been an underwhelming campaign for the Chicago Bulls, who are sitting in 12th place in the East with a 24-35 record. Chicago couldn’t be in worse shape right now, with its last victory coming on January 31. 

February has been a terrible month for this team, but this contest presents a clear opportunity to end a 10-game skid. The Bulls have won two straight against the Portland Trail Blazers, including a 122-121 victory in November. 

The Blazers have also lost two of their last three and are 12-16 on the road. Chicago has a 15-16 record at the United Center.

Trail Blazers vs Bulls same-game parlay

Matas Buzelis has been brilliant, averaging 15.3 points per game on 36% shooting from downtown. He’s averaging 2.1 makes on 5.7 attempts per game.

The youngster has cashed the Over in treys in back-to-back contests, even going 6-for-11 from long range in Tuesday's loss to the Hornets. 

Isaac Okoro is averaging only 9.2 PPG, but he’s hit the Over in four of his last six appearances.

In Chicago’s last meeting with Portland, Okoro played well, scoring 13 points. He’ll do his part in helping the Bulls grab a victory this evening.

Trail Blazers vs Bulls SGP

• Bulls moneyline
• Matas Buzelis Over 2.5 made threes
• Isaac Okoro Over 10.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Gettin' Giddey with it

Josh Giddey is averaging 7.9 dimes at home, and he had 13 assists against the Blazers in November.

Trail Blazers vs Bulls SGP

• Bulls moneyline
• Matas Buzelis Over 2.5 made threes
• Isaac Okoro Over 10.5 points
• Josh Giddey Over 5.5 assists

Trail Blazers vs Bulls odds

• Spread: Trail Blazers -4.5 (-110) | Bulls +4.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Trail Blazers -185 | Bulls +155
• Over/Under: Over 235.5 (-110) | Under 235.5 (-110)

Trail Blazers vs Bulls betting trend to know

The Chicago Bulls have hit the Game Total Under in 24 of their last 40 games at home (+8.60 Units / 20% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Bulls.

How to watch Trail Blazers vs Bulls

Trail Blazers vs Bulls latest injuries

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There are never too many unbelievable quotes to share, are they?

Not when it comes to your 2026 New York Knicks.

Here’s a bunch more content to worry about while the Bockers gear up to face the Bucks on Friday.

Mike Brown

On adjusting the Knicks’ style of play and still evolving the system with 20 games left:

“We have a brand of basketball or style of play that we’re focused on, we’re trying to get better at. We’re playing different offensively, not a lot different, but we’re playing different offensively to a certain degree from the preseason up until this point we’ve made some changes. And we made some changes defensively. That evolution will continue to happen throughout the course of the rest of the year.”

On failing to help the offense from the sidelines in the loss against the Cavs:

“No matter what we did, we either turned the ball over or we had a tough shot. And so we made some play calls tonight, but we didn’t generate anything from the calls that we made.”

Josh Hart

On the difficulty of maintaining Brown’s demanded pace late in the season:

“It’s what? Game 55 [actually it was the 59th game]? Sometimes it’s tough. Guys are banged up. So sometimes playing with that pace is difficult at times.

“I think that’s when we really have to focus on the execution, calling plays, calling sets, and executing those, getting guys in position to be successful… Obviously, you want to play fast, play with pace. Sometimes it’s difficult, and we’ve got to adjust to it.”

Jalen Brunson

On the team not being a finished product yet:

“We’re still becoming a better team every single day. We’re not trying to be a final product by Game 60… I know how good we can be.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On tuning out the noise before the playoffs:

“I’ve seen teams come together pretty late and win a chip. I think for us, we just gotta continue to have our head down, block out the noise and just continue to find ways to improve every single day. Because at the end of the day, when playoff time comes, and the ball goes up, there ain’t no more time.

“We gotta have it figured out. Not hearing all the noise and having it distract us, and we lose games trying to impress people or whatever the case may be, or trying to please the noise. We just gotta keep our heads down and focus on everyone in this locker room, this organization, and how we can help each other win.

“And be the best version of ourselves so that when it comes to playoff time, we have no regrets where we stand.”

On whether the plan was for him to shoot less after attempting five shots vs. Cleveland:

“Nah, we had a game plan that we wanted to try to execute. You’ve seen this all year: we wanted to move the ball, hunt mismatches, do what we do. We just didn’t execute today to get the job done.”

On taking only those five shots:

“We’re trying to run our offensive game plan that we had coming into today. We wanted to execute it at the highest level possible. We just didn’t do a good job of making the plays needed to win the game.

“That’s fine. It happens like that. Yeah, we’re just trying to do what we talked about at shootaround, what we game-planned offensively, what we wanted to get done.”

As we breathlessly await the next trickle of information about Jayson Tatum’s eventual return to the court, it makes sense to discuss something that I’m sure the coaching staff has been thinking about for a long time. Who starts when Tatum returns? And what are the trickle down impacts of the rest of the rotation? (and yes, we are totally milking this Tatum news cycle content for all it is worth)

First of all, let’s assume this is after whatever reintegration time the team takes to ramp him up. They might bring him off the bench or give him a minutes restriction at first. But once he’s through the training camp phase, I assume he’ll be back in the starting lineup.

We can also assume that Jaylen Brown and Derrick White will join him in the starting lineup. So that leaves 2 other spots. Let’s look at some of the candidates.

Neemias Queta – He’s started all season long and has been the team’s best center. He’s earned the right ot keep starting. However,…

Nikola Vucevic – …the Celtics traded Anfernee Simons for Vuc for a reason. Thus far he’s been coming off the bench behind Queta, and that makes a great deal of sense. However, it will be interesting to see how well Vuc fits next to Tatum.

Payton Pritchard – Seems unlikely they would transition him back to a 6th man role if that wasn’t going to be his final destination once Tatum returns. But on the other hand, he might be the 3rd best performing player this season (or 2nd??).

Sam Hauser – Of the remaining players, he has the most starts this season (27) and has plenty of history playing with Tatum. He obviously stretches the floor and has evolved his game even more this year.

Jordan Walsh – He’s been up and down this season, but has established himself as a valuable role player. One that doesn’t need the ball to make an impact on the game.

Baylor Scheierman – Back in Summer League, it wasn’t exactly clear if he had a long term future in Boston. Fast forward to today and he’s firmly in the rotation and a big part of the team’s depth and identity. He’s started 12 games and gives the game good effort and surprising defense.

Hugo Gonzalez – No one is surprised by his defense and he’s been creative and poised in his role. Another player that doesn’t need the ball to add value. Of course, he’s still a rookie on a deep squad.

So make the call. Which two players would you start next to Tatum, Brown, and White?

His IQ was described as beyond his years already back in high school. Khris Middleton, one of the new additions to the Dallas Mavericks roster in the Anthony Davis trade to the Washington Wizards, is not just any NBA veteran. 

Second star at his peak in Milwaukee, once fighting for the top spot with later NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, battles with multiple serious injuries and the resulting psychological toll, reliable number two on a championship team, averaging more than 20 points in 80 playoff games through his career. Khris Middleton’s story is one of extreme ups and downs. 

It includes being one of the best players on the best team in the world for a while, but also being accused of being too fearful and soft for the NBA. The rollercoaster career of the 6’7 forward is important to know if you want to understand the player who just had his first 25 point game as a Mav earlier this week. 

Back in high school, John Pearson, Middleton’s coach at Porter-Gaud School, favored positionless basketball. He encouraged him to play all over the court, even in the post, Zach Lowe wrote in 2019 in a piece about the second star in Milwaukee.

According to Pearson, however, Middleton resisted. “But I wasn’t going to pigeonhole him,” he said later. It was a strategy that has proven beneficial to Middleton later in his career, and a gift in the NBA. 

Another gift, which we see with the new, young franchise player in Dallas, rookie Cooper Flagg, as well, is the incredible mastery of being able to finish with both hands. Almost ambidextrous with a basketball, Middleton was forced to go left as a kid by his dad so often that he sometimes prefers it now. Just like we see with the younger Flagg. 

Famously a Texas A&M alumni, Middleton was already a first-round NBA prospect after two years at the historic college, but they convinced him to stay another year. Unfortunately, he tore his meniscus that fall. He returned a month later, but wasn’t the same, his coach at the time, Billy Kennedy, remembered. “He was skittish. He played not to get hurt.”

After this, Middleton’s draft stock fell. Then scouts heard rumors Middleton was soft. The Detroit Pistons ended up picking him at 39 in the 2012 draft. Reportedly, that was nine picks after Middleton and his father stopped watching, because they were upset that he fell out of the first round. 

But the Piston’s GM Joe Dumars didn’t see soft, Zach Lowe describes in his piece. He saw something more in Middleton. “I saw a guy who played at his own pace.”

People saw his unhurried style and thought he had a low motor, and he was misunderstood often. But the psychological toll on players after returning from serious injury was still affecting Middleton. He kept playing tentatively in his first summer league, because he hadn’t regained full strength in his knee.

That made Dumars react. “This isn’t college,” Dumars told Middleton. “Turn it up.”

Piston’s assistant coach Steve Hetzel agreed and told Middleton: “Your physicality has to change. You’re playing soft. You’re not making contact plays.”

Middleton couldn’t seem to move beyond the fear of injury. The experiences of getting injured had affected his mental approach. This is how he described the psychological toll of coming back from serious injury later in his career, himself. As reported by Marc J. Spears on Andscape in 2024:

“People say I was scared to play mentally, or whatever the case may be. It was just I wasn’t ready to play physically, mentally. When you go through injuries, when you go through surgeries, you have to make sure physically you feel fine and mentally you’re there. All the way around, you have to be ready to play.”

Opening up about how vulnerable it can feel, Middleton described the anxiety of getting back on the hardwood:

“The toughest day [mentally] was my first day of playing. You have a lot of questions about yourself. You worry about your wind and how you feel. Those type of things. What is going to happen if you take a hard fall or a hard hit?”

It seems like if there’s one thing he has learned through his struggles with multiple injuries, it’s the importance of positive self-talk. 

“I tell myself, ‘You got to get yourself through it.’At the end of the day, you’re going to survive and you’re going to be all right.”

The Kidd of it all

In 2013, Khris Middleton was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He spent almost 12 seasons there until leaving for Washington in 2025, which means that he was there for the entirety of Jason Kidd’s tenure in Milwaukee from 2014-18. According to Zach Lowe, Kidd immediately targeted Middleton as someone who could do more. 

During a December practice in 2014, Kidd went straight at Middleton in front of the team, telling him he “sucked,” according to both Middleton and Kidd. 

“That was our first encounter,” Kidd told Lowe. “You always remember your first encounter.”

But Middleton fired back, which Kidd didn’t mind because he wanted Middleton, who he saw as an introvert, to speak up. An early example of the type of coaching Kidd seems to favor in order to try and push players out of their comfort zone. 

But Kidd reportedly sensed that Middleton could take it, and he was spot on in this case. “I loved it,” Middleton told Zach Lowe. “He fired me up.”

And then the hard and intense coaching, which Kidd was known for in Milwaukee, began, which turned out to be exactly what Middleton needed at that point in his career.

He pushed Middleton to get better at everything, they both recalled. Defense, passing, post play, get more comfortable going right again (he may have overdone the lefty thing), shoot more threes. And the experience of positionless basketball in high school had ensured that he was versatile enough to do it all. 

Middleton had a great competitive spirit, which came out in a 2015 roster battle. Against none other than the future NBA MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, for alpha status in Milwaukee. Sounds crazy now, but back then, it was a reality. It was still unclear who was the best player: Khris Middleton or Giannias Antetokounmpo.

At that point, Kidd – always aware of these things – sensed tension, as Middleton, Antetokounmpo, Monroe, and Jabari Parker were trying to find their place in the hierarchy, according to the Lowe piece. Kidd wanted the unspoken tension out in the open and interrupted a film session to ask every player on the roster, one by one, who was the best player among them. 

“It was awkward,” Middleton said about the episode. Most of the team nominated Middleton, but Antetokounmpo refused to go along. “He was stubborn,” Monroe says.

“Khris was better then,” Antetokounmpo admits.

And then Middleton and Antetokounmpo got more physical on defense toward each other during practice. “We were fighting for that top spot, and we were almost actually fighting,” Antetokounmpo recalls. “I would come home with bruises and scratches.”

Kidd’s firing in Milwaukee 

A lot has been said and written about Jason Kidd’s last days in Milwaukee. High expectations, disappointing results, chemistry issues. Players were tired of his confrontational style.

Kidd was apparently not oblivious to this. Two days before his firing, he asked Middleton, “Do you need another coach?” Both Middleton and Kidd recall. 

Middleton would do his job regardless, he replied, but you could tell the team was moving away from him, as Middleton put it. “I couldn’t pin it all on him. It is never all one person’s fault. Jason and I had a great relationship.”

That relationship is now getting rekindled, as Khris Middleton has returned to Texas as a Mav and to Jason Kidd as a player. At least for now. 

According to Marc Stein, the Mavs are leaving it up to Khris Middleton to decide whether he wants to stay with the team or negotiate a buyout. They have reportedly conveyed to him that he could have a place on next season’s team, if he decides to stay.

And perhaps Kidd could get something special out of Middleton once again. Peak Middleton was a complement to Antetokounmpo on a championship team: a great shooter, who can space the floor, score late in the shot clock, and defend multiple positions. Imagine veteran Middleton doing just some of that next to Cooper Flagg. 

And with Middleton, the ceiling is very high still. As his former assistant coach in Detroit, Steve Heyzel, said: “There is beauty in a player who falls, and grows from it.”

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The Atlanta Hawks will be looking for a second straight victory against the Washington Wizards tonight. The tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena. 

Dyson Daniels is dropping dimes lately, and I’m eyeing him to do so again tonight in my Wizards vs. Hawks predictions. 

Read more in my NBA picks for Thursday, February 26.

Wizards vs Hawks prediction

Wizards vs Hawks best bet: Dyson Daniels Over 6.5 assists (+100)

Dyson Daniels has been one of the Atlanta Hawks’ top playmakers this season, averaging 6.1 dimes, and with Trae Young gone, his passing has become even more important. 

Daniels has cashed the Over in two straight, and he just dished out seven assists against the Washington Wizards earlier this week. The forward also registered eight dimes on Sunday against the Nets. 

The 22-year-old is averaging 6.3 assists at homecompared to 5.9 on the road, and he already picked apart Washington. Daniels will replicate that performance.

Wizards vs Hawks same-game parlay

Onyeka Okongwu has been dominating on the boards, cashing the Over in three of his last four outings, grabbing at least 10 rebounds in each game. 

CJ McCollum is averaging 2.6 makes on 6.8 triples per game for a 38.2% clip this season. While he was 0-for-6 in Tuesday’s revenge game, CJ did cash the Over in three straight contests before that. 

He will bounce back tonight and find a rhythm from deep. With Nickeil Alexander-Walker questionable due to a foot sprain, that could also mean even more shots for McCollum.

Wizards vs Hawks SGP

• Dyson Daniels Over 6.5 assists
• Onyeka Okongwu Over 8.5 rebounds
• CJ McCollum Over 2.5 threes

Our "from downtown" SGP: Downtown train

Okongwu has cashed the Over in triples in two of his last three, and was 2-for-7 from deep on Tuesday against Washington.

Wizards vs Hawks SGP

• Dyson Daniels Over 6.5 assists
• Onyeka Okongwu Over 8.5 rebounds
• CJ McCollum Over 2.5 threes
• Onyeka Okongwu Over 1.5 made threes

Wizards vs Hawks odds

• Spread: Wizards +10 (-110) | Hawks -10 (-110)
• Moneyline: Wizards +400 | Hawks -550
• Over/Under: Over 235.5 (-110) | Under 235.5 (-110)

Wizards vs Hawks betting trend to know

The Atlanta Hawks have hit the Game Total Under in 19 of their last 30 games (+6.90 Units / 21% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Wizards vs. Hawks.

How to watch Wizards vs Hawks

Wizards vs Hawks latest injuries

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