Category: Basketball

It was a first half to remember for the Celtics, as they exceeded expectations en route to a 35-19 record and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

While it was certainly a strong start, what happens the rest of the way will ultimately dictate how this season is remembered.

With that in mind, here are 10 storylines to follow moving forward.

1) Will Jayson Tatum return?

Yes, it’s obvious, but it still counts. Will he or won’t he? My hunch is that Jayson Tatum will, in fact, play for the Celtics this season. It could be in a few days, a few weeks or a few months, but I don’t think he’s doing all this just for the heck of it.

Prediction: Yes, sometime in March or April.

2) Will Jaylen Brown make the All-NBA first team?

Jaylen Brown made the All-NBA second team in 2022-23 but has never made the first team. This is easily his best chance. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic are essentially locks as long as they stay healthy. After that, it feels like Brown, Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards and Jalen Brunson, among others, will be battling it out for two spots.

Prediction: No. He makes the second team (finishing sixth or seventh overall), but not the first.

I’m proud of this group and staff/ office looking forward to 2nd half go Cs ☘️ pic.twitter.com/I0cqxQTPYg

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) February 13, 2026

3) Can Derrick White find consistency with his shot?

Derrick White has adjusted to increased responsibility seamlessly in just about every area. His shooting percentages, however, have decreased significantly – 44.2 percent from the field last year to 38.9 this year, along with 38.4 percent from 3 last year to 32.5 this year. I have a hunch White will figure it out. He may not be able to elevate those numbers to where they were last year, but I think he’ll start trending in the right direction.

Prediction: Yes. He ends up around 34 percent from 3 and 40 percent from the field.

4) Will Nikola Vucevic be a perfect fit?

The more I watch Nikola Vucevic play with the Celtics, the more I like the trade. Yes, they’ll miss Anfernee Simons, but Vucevic really fits in perfectly and gives them something an element didn’t have. He’s honestly one of the best low-post scorers and rebounders they’ve had in recent years (if not the best) and has already made strides defensively. I think this will end up working out great for both sides.

Prediction: Yes. He continues to get more and more comfortable and helps most in the playoffs.

Nikola Vučević in his Celtics debut:

11 PTS
12 REB
4 AST
2 STL pic.twitter.com/g2sF1G5tDN

— NBA (@NBA) February 7, 2026

5) Will Joe Mazzulla win Coach of the Year?

Joe Mazzulla is in the mix for Coach of the Year, but he has some stiff competition with JB Bickerstaff, Jordan Ott, Mitch Johnson and more. I believe the Celtics will continue to rack up wins and continue to help his cause, but I don’t think anyone’s catching the Pistons in the East, so it’s hard to argue against Bickerstaff.

Prediction: No. He comes close, but finishes second behind Bickerstaff.

6) Which role players earn opportunities in the playoffs?

Mazzulla has mixed and matched with his bench most of the season, tinkering his lineups based on the opponent. Which of these guys who have contributed in spurts will stay in the rotation in the playoffs? It will likely continue to be matchup dependent, but I think he trusts Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez and Luka Garza most, with a sprinkle of Jordan Walsh and Amari Williams as needed.

Prediction: Scheierman, Gonzalez and Walsh see occasional minutes, depending on the opponent.

7) Will all the road games early be a problem?

Eight of the Celtics’ first 12 games are on the road, starting with a tough four-game trip against the Warriors, Lakers, Suns and Nuggets. This is a tricky stretch, and they need to make sure it doesn’t veer the wrong direction. Going 2-2 is fine, but 1-3 or 0-4 wouldn’t be ideal. It doesn’t get any easier in early March, with road games against the Cavaliers, Spurs and Thunder in a span of five days.

Prediction: They struggle somewhat, but not enough where they plummet in the standings. They go 2-2 on the first road trip and 1-2 on the second, but they take care of business against worse teams at home to start 7-5 overall.

8) Does Neemias Queta make an All-Defensive team?

Neemias Queta is the unsung hero of this whole Celtics season so far. People who watch the team regularly are aware of how valuable he is, but those who follow the NBA casually have no idea. He’s currently 10th in the NBA in defensive rating (105.6), 18th in blocks (1.3) and is the anchor of a unit that’s allowing the second-fewest points per game in the NBA (108.4) behind only the Thunder.

Prediction: Yes, he makes the second team – a well-deserved honor.

Neemias Queta mid-season block reel https://t.co/TVm4PHe4k6pic.twitter.com/uagau9x8OW

— 𝒃🏀 (@HiddenNBA) February 17, 2026

9) How many wins do the Celtics finish with and where do they end up in the standings?

This one is possibly the most fun to predict. In one sense, the Celtics are playing with house money. In other, they didn’t come this far just to come this far. I don’t think there will be a major drop-off, but I also don’t think they’ll catch the Pistons. I think the Knicks will pull ahead, but the Celtics will hold off the Cavaliers. Obviously Tatum’s status could swing it dramatically, so I’m making a safe pick in between where I think it would be if he comes back and if he doesn’t.

Prediction: 52-30, No. 3 seed.

10) Do fans start to believe this team can win it all?

The average Boston sports fan is enjoying this run, yet remains somewhat skeptical that the Celtics can legitimately contend for a championship. Are they right? Possibly, but I wouldn’t rule it out. The Thunder still factually have the best chance. The rest of the West is loaded, and the Pistons, Knicks and Cavaliers are all legit, but there’s no reason the Celtics can’t make the Finals and give the Thunder or anyone else a battle. Especially if that Tatum guy returns. It’s a tricky season, because fans are genuinely bought in but don’t want to be disappointed if it all crumbles. But that’s what being a fan is all about, right?

Prediction: Fans’ expectations stay about the same if Tatum stays sidelined. Fans’ expectations start to soar if he returns. We’ll see how it all shakes out, but it could be one heck of a story.

Agree? Disagree? Kind of agree? Let us know.

Darryn Peterson's availability has once again become a storyline this college basketball season, even as the potential No. 1 pick of the 2026 NBA Draft helped the Jayhawks to an 81-69 win over Oklahoma State.

Peterson exited No. 12 Kansas' Big 12 win over the Cowboys shortly after hitting a 3-pointer with 18 minutes left in the second half. He didn't return to the game, finishing with 23 points, two rebounds, one block and one steal in 18 minutes of play.

REQUIRED READING: Bill Self rejects narratives he's seen on Darryn Peterson's health

Speaking to reporters after the game, Kansas coach Bill Self said the reason Peterson left was due to cramping. He also said he didn't "anticipate" the issue flaring up again, adding that it was a disappointing situation considering Peterson could have had an even bigger game than he did.

Peterson has missed several games this season due to a hamstring issue and what was described as flu-like symptoms vs. top-ranked Arizona.

"Well we've had it more than a couple times," Self told reporters. "And I didn't anticipate that tonight at all. I thought that he was good to go. But obviously we only got 18 minutes out of him. And that's really disappointing, because he could have had a really big night.

"But one thing about it is it's happened often enough that our guys have learned to play without him, even though that's not the way want to play. But that's certainly not something that we're unaccustomed to right now."

Here were Bill Self's initial thoughts after the win:#kubballpic.twitter.com/BvDJzkbxrd

— Jordan Guskey (@JordanGuskey) February 19, 2026

Self also said that it's "concerning," and that Kansas would prefer him to be fully available for the 2026 NCAA Tournament:

"It's a concern. I thought we were past it, but obviously we're not. It's certainly a concern," Self said. "You get into the NCAA Tournament, you're playing a team just as good as you and you need to have all your best players available, so to speak. Yeah, all it takes is for one day like that to derail not only a game, but a season."

HAYES: Kansas State is embarrassing itself not to protect basketball, but help football

Self wasn't the only person to comment on Peterson's lack of playing time in the second half. TNT college basketball studio analysts Jalen Rose, Bruce Pearl and Jamal Mashburn spoke at length about the ongoing saga with Peterson, with Mashburn rhetorically asking, "why even be a part of it?"

"I think the interesting part of this with the NIL era and the transfer portal, this has become much more transactional than we've really thought about," Mashburn said. "From the standpoint that, we can't separate the conversation of them winning a championship and him going to the NBA.

"Because it's a transition year for him at the end of the day. If he can go straight from high school straight to the pros, he probably would have done it. That's how I see it. They really need him to win a championship, but if he's going to get into the NCAA Tournament, and you're gonna load manage that part of it, why even be a part of it?"

"If [Darryn Peterson's] gonna get into the NCAA Tournament, and you're gonna load manage... why even be a part of it."@jamalmashburn, @JalenRose & @coachbrucepearl weigh in on the Kansas star after he sat most of the 2H in tonight's win 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/Ni4lWClJGS

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) February 19, 2026

Added former Auburn and Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl:

"It's a business, and I think the kids in the locker room understand he's got the chance to be No. 1. They want him to be healthy. I think times have changed a little bit. Years ago, there might have been guys in the locker room that would have really taken him to task a little bit: 'Hey, we need you to win this championship.' But they all recognize it might just be bigger than that.

"So, disappointed, and this is not the last that we're going to hear of this story."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bill Self on Darryn Peterson's lack of minutes in Kansas win vs OSU

As the All-Star confetti settles, the Minnesota Timberwolves find themselves in a place that feels… familiar.

The sixth seed.

If you’re a Wolves fan, that number probably triggers two completely different emotions at once. On one hand, last year’s sixth seed turned into a Western Conference Finals run. On the other, that path was sprinkled with just enough good fortune that you’d be lying if you said you’d want to try that roulette spin again.

Let’s revisit it.

Last season, the Wolves slid into the six spot and drew the three-seeded Lakers. That Lakers team had the star wattage with LeBron James and Luka Doncic at the top, but underneath? Tissue paper. Minnesota’s depth swallowed them whole in five games. Then the basketball gods handed the Wolves another break: the seventh-seeded Warriors upset Houston, giving Minnesota home court in the second round. And just when things started getting interesting, Steph Curry’s hamstring tapped out in Game 1 and never came back.

That’s how you punch your ticket to the Western Conference Finals.

And then Oklahoma City reminded everyone what the top of the mountain actually feels like. The Thunder didn’t just beat the Wolves. They took their lunch money and asked if they wanted a receipt.

So yes, the sixth seed “worked” last year. But if you’re serious about winning the West, actually winning it, you don’t sit around waiting for dominoes to fall in your favor. Especially not if you’re the Timberwolves, a franchise that historically hasn’t exactly been the league’s lucky charm.

This team should be looking more like the 2023-24 version, the one that flirted with the one seed all season and ended up grabbing the three. That positioning mattered. It gave them the Suns in Round 1, a matchup they handled with authority. It set up that heavyweight, seven-game slugfest with Nikola Jokic and Denver. It gave them control over their path. That’s the blueprint.

And here’s the good news: the three seed isn’t some fantasy. It’s 1.5 games away.

That’s it.

The Western Conference isn’t going to open a red carpet for Minnesota no matter which seed they grab. There’s no easy road. But the remaining schedule? It’s manageable. The Wolves have already fought most of their heavy battles. They’ve got one game left against OKC. One against Denver (the same Denver that’s beaten them three times, which should be circled in Sharpie). Two more with Houston, who suddenly look less like a juggernaut and more like a team dealing with internal chaos. Then single matchups with the Lakers and Suns, who the Wolves should take seriously after dropping their two previous games to both teams. Out East? Two games against the conference-leading Pistons and one against the Celtics.

That’s nine tough games out of the final 26.

Let’s be conservative. If you penciled those nine in as losses, which, by the way, you absolutely shouldn’t, that still leaves the possibility of going 17–9 down the stretch. That might be enough for the three seed on its own. If they split those marquee matchups instead of folding, suddenly you’re talking about a team with real momentum and real positioning leverage.

Because make no mistake: this isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about math. The three seed means home court in Round 1. It potentially means an inexperienced Spurs team in Round 2. It likely keeps you on the opposite side of the bracket from OKC and Denver until the Conference Finals.

There is no easy path out West. But there is a smarter path. And right now, the only thing standing between Minnesota and that path is… Minnesota.

We’ve seen the two versions of this team all year. The locked-in Wolves who swarmed OKC and looked like a championship-caliber machine. And the other Wolves, the ones who sleepwalk through first halves, play optional defense, settle for isolation hero ball, and try to flip the switch with six minutes left.

The maddening fourth-quarter meltdowns. The porous perimeter defense. The lazy closeouts. The careless turnovers that turn into transition layups the other way. The “we’ll turn it on when we have to” mentality that sometimes works and sometimes explodes in their faces.

That’s the real opponent.

The roster is more complete now. Ayo Dosunmu shores up the backcourt in a way the Wolves desperately needed. The core that’s gone to back-to-back Conference Finals is intact. Anthony Edwards is ascending into the league’s upper echelon. Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels. This is a team with legitimate depth and versatility.

There is no excuse.

Short of Nikola Jokic personally morphing into a basketball Thanos and snapping half of his opponents out of existence, there’s no reason Minnesota shouldn’t finish at least third. The schedule is favorable. The talent is there. The blueprint exists.

This is about character now.

It’s about whether they’re content being the fun team that can beat anybody on a Tuesday but can’t string together professional, focused basketball for two straight weeks. Or whether they want to be the team that squeezes every ounce of equity out of February and March so April becomes about execution, not survival.

At times this season, it’s felt like the Wolves have been waiting for the playoffs to start before taking things seriously. Like the regular season is some long pregame warmup. That’s a dangerous game in this conference. Two months from now, they’ll be lacing up for Game 1 of a playoff series. The tone for that series, and potentially the entire run, will be set by what happens over these final 26 games.

The three seed is sitting there. It’s not theoretical. It’s not some 10-game miracle streak away. It’s right in front of them. The only question is whether they want it badly enough to go grab it. Because if they don’t, and they end up fourth, fifth, or worse, they won’t be able to blame bad luck. They won’t be able to blame the bracket. They’ll only have to look in the mirror.

It’s time to lace up the work boots. Time to stop playing with their food. Time to treat every sleepy Tuesday in March like it matters.

Because it does.

The three seed isn’t going to chase Minnesota.

Minnesota has to chase it.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have had incredible success with the Donovan Mitchell and James Harden pairing through three games. The fourth game will present a new challenge with Evan Mobley returning to the lineup on Thursday against the Brooklyn Nets.

Harden has often thrived in predictable and perfectly spaced lineups. Adding a second big onto the floor will complicate that. It isn’t a configuration that Harden has had much recent experience playing in. Whether or not it works will largely come down to Mobley.

Mobley’s outside shot has regressed this season. He’s shooting just 30.4% from beyond the arc after connecting on 37% of them during the previous two seasons. This includes hitting just 21.1% of his outside looks since the beginning of December.

Unless the shooting drastically changes, Mobley will have to find other ways to take advantage of the double teams and micro advantages that Harden creates.

“I think just Evan, continuing to build up what he did last year, and obviously, earlier this season,” Mitchell said. “This year, I think he was more of a downhill [finisher] right before he got hurt. … Now, him being able to do that, but also be able to be elite in the half roll — elite in the pocket — and obviously at the rim. Those are the two biggest things.”

Mobley has been a good rim finisher this season. He’s converting 73% of his looks inside (75th percentile). That’s key to being able to attack mismatches in the short roll, but that isn’t everything.

This season, Mobley has improved as a passer. He has a career-high assist rate (17.9%, 86th percentile), which has led to four assists per game. The ability to finish as a scorer or passer inside isn’t a question. Whether or not he can do so quickly enough in the half roll still is.

Mobley has always been at his best when he’s decisive. When he reacts quickly and assertively in the short roll, good things happen. This has been talked about a lot with him as a scorer, but it extends to him as a facilitator as well.

Conversely, if his initial read gets cut off, he can run into some trouble. A lack of decisiveness is a problem whether he’s in the short roll specifically or not.

That all said, we don’t exactly know how the two-big lineups are going to look with Harden yet.

Harden brings a much different dynamic to the offense than Darius Garland did, even though Garland was incredibly good at getting the bigs involved. Both guards do a lot of the same things functionally, but how they go about doing so is vastly different.

“Until you get out there and try it [you don’t know], especially with a new player,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Donovan is kind of used to it (playing with two bigs). We’ll see with James. But James, again, his IQ is so great that I don’t anticipate the issues with it. I think he’ll find a way. But it could take a little bit.”

It’s also worth pointing out that the Cavs will continue to play most of the game with one big on the floor. On the season, Mobley and Jarrett Allen have only played an average of 15.4 minutes together per game. That will alleviate some of the bumpiness that integrating the two bigs together might cause.

“Kenny has done a great job, even last year, kind of staggering the two,” Mitchell said. “I think Evan and I get back to playing kind of how we’ve been doing. And with J.A. and [Harden], I think we really found something.”

Making this trade when the Cavs did was also a huge bet on Harden’s ability to just figure it out. The offensive talent on this roster hasn’t been an issue over the past few seasons. That’s undeniable. How that talent fits together has been at times, especially in the postseason.

So far, Harden has helped solve some of those problems, but working with the two-big lineup will be a different challenge. As of now, he doesn’t seem to be worried about making it work.

“There’s just so many opportunities man…the way the offense moves, you have rolling bigs that finish around the rim, when Ev comes back it’s gonna be even better,” Harden said last week. “Just figuring it out, when Ev comes back…we have two bigs so we got to figure out what works and what doesn’t work. But that shouldn’t take long.”

The Celtics have signed Dalano Banton to a ten-day contract, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto first reported.

Banton returns to Boston after spending most of the past two years with the Portland Trail Blazers. He was initially on the Celtics team that won the NBA title in 2024, but he was traded to Portland ahead of the trade deadline and finished out the year with the Trail Blazers. 

Dalano Banton returns to Boston after bouncing around the NBA

The 26-year-old Banton has played for six different NBA teams since being drafted 46th overall in 2021. He’s a 6’8 guard who can score in a variety of ways, but has never been particularly efficient (for his career, Banton has shot 40.3% from the field and 30.4% from three-point range). 

However, his shooting has trended upward lately, and he has had several fairly successful stints in recent years. 

Banton spent the first two years of his career with the Toronto Raptors, who drafted him, before joining the Celtics. That season, he appeared in 24 games for the Celtics, averaging 7 minutes a night as a member of the Stay Ready crew. 

He was traded to Portland at the midseason trade deadline, where he almost immediately began playing the best basketball of his professional career, averaging 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in Portland for the remainder of that season. 

Amid that hot stretch in 2024, Derrick White praised Banton’s play.

“He’s always been talented,” White said. “A guy who can score the ball in many different ways. He’s getting a chance to show that for everybody else. It’s good to see him going out there, being aggressive, and showing the world what he can do. The NBA is kind of tough, where you’re at, your role, and your opportunity. He was always working hard – and he was ready for it.”

Banton returned to the Trail Blazers last season and was once again in the rotation, albeit with a reduced role, averaging 8.3 points and 2.4 assists in 16.7 minutes per game. 

This year, he is having a standout season in the G League, averaging 23.7 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.4 rebounds for the Texas Legends, the Dallas Mavericks’ G League affiliate. He signed one ten-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers on February 8th, and appeared in two games (totalling 10 minutes) ahead of the All-Star break. 

Now, Branton returns to Boston, where he still has fans almost two years later. The former Nebraska star will reunite with Joe Mazzulla and the rest of the Celtics coaching staff – as well as several old teammates from the Celtics’ championship team: Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta, and Jordan Walsh. 

With Anfernee Simons no longer on the roster, Banton could serve as an emergency ball-handler for the Celtics in the wake of injury. He’s also someone the Celtics know and trust won’t be a negative in the locker room, something that Brad Stevens has routinely stressed is critical. 

The Celtics are required to carry 14 players on their roster as of February 19th, and will need to add another player on Thursday in order to adhere to that requirement. Utilizing ten-day contracts will allow them to stay below the luxury tax, if they so choose.

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The Atlanta Hawks head north to face the Philadelphia 76ers for the third time this season as Eastern Conference foes go head-to-head at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Atlanta has been letting it fly this season, and in a high-scoring matchup, my Hawks vs. 76ers predictions expect Onyeka Okongwu to bury multiple triples.

Here are my free NBA picks for Thursday, February 19.

Hawks vs 76ers prediction

Hawks vs 76ers best bet: Onyeka Okongwu Over 1.5 threes (-165)

Onyeka Okongwu's ability to stretch the floor should be front and center tonight against a lackluster Philadelphia 76ers perimeter defense.

Across its last 10 games, Philadelphia has surrendered the fourth-highest 3-point percentage to opponents at 38.7%. With Joel Embiid out, Okongwu will get favorable matchups against Andre Drummond and Adem Bona.

The Atlanta Hawks have let it fly this season, averaging the 10th-most 3-point attempts (39.2). Okongwu has hit two or more triples in seven straight games and 18 of 28 road matchups.

Hawks vs 76ers same-game parlay

Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads Atlanta with three triples made per game. He's recorded at least that many 3-pointers in 18 of 30 games on the road, and he reached the mark in four of his last five away games.

The 76ers have hit the Over in 16 of 29 home games, and the Hawks have gone Over in 18 of 31 on the road.

Hawks vs 76ers SGP

• Onyeka Okongwu Over 1.5 threes
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 2.5 threes
• Over 237.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Treys for days

Tyrese Maxey is averaging 3.3 triples this season, and he's knocked down four or more in 15 of 28 home games.

Hawks vs 76ers SGP

• Onyeka Okongwu Over 1.5 threes
• Nickeil Alexander-Walker Over 2.5 threes
• Tyrese Maxey Over 3.5 threes
• Over 237.5

Hawks vs 76ers odds

• Spread: Hawks +1 | 76ers -1
• Moneyline: Hawks -105 | 76ers -115
• Over/Under: Over 237.5 | Under 237.5

Hawks vs 76ers betting trend to know

The Atlanta Hawks have hit the game total Over in 16 of their last 25 away games (+6.10 Units / 22% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. 76ers.

How to watch Hawks vs 76ers

Hawks vs 76ers latest injuries

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The Orlando Magic begin a West Coast road trip this evening as they visit the lowly Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center.

My Magic vs Kings predictions are targeting Jalen Suggs to pick apart Sacramento’s poor defense with his playmaking. 

Read more in my NBA picks for Thursday, February 19, ahead of this 10 p.m. ET tip. 

Magic vs Kings prediction

Magic vs Kings best bet: Jalen Suggs Over 6.5 assists (-110)

Jalen Suggs leads the Orlando Magic in assists with 5.5 per night. He was dropping dimes pre-All-Star break as well, cashing the Over in three of his last four contests. 

The Gonzaga product dished out 10 assists in back-to-back games to end the first half of the campaign, and he also had 11 dimes only a few days before that against the Brooklyn Nets. 

The Sacramento Kings’ perimeter defense is horrendous, allowing 9.1 assists per game to point guards. Franz Wagner is also out indefinitely, which means Suggs will need to facilitate the rock even more. Tonight’s matchup is an opportunity to cook.

Magic vs Kings same-game parlay

Paolo Banchero wasn’t playing great to end the first half, only cashing the Over in points once in six games. However, with Wagner out and Orlando up against a poor Kings squad, it’s a chance to start the second half on the right foot. 

He’s also played a lot better on the road in 2025-26, averaging 23 points compared to just 19.5 at home. Banchero averaged 23.5 PPG across two meetings with Sacramento last season as well. 

Desmond Bane has been the Magic’s best player this month, hitting the Over in points in four straight. That includes a 31-point eruption in his final contest before the ASG break. 

Magic vs Kings SGP

• Jalen Suggs Over 6.5 assists
• Paolo Banchero Over 22.5 points
• Desmond Bane Over 21.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Put it on Black

Anthony Black has hit the Over in triples in three of his last four, and he’s averaging 1.7 makes on the road. 

Magic vs Kings SGP

• Jalen Suggs Over 6.5 assists
• Paolo Banchero Over 22.5 points
• Desmond Bane Over 21.5 points
• Anthony Black Over 1.5 made threes

Magic vs Kings odds

• Spread: Magic -8.5 (-110) | Kings +8.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Magic -380 | Kings +300
• Over/Under: Over 223.5 (-110) | Under 223.5 (-110)

Magic vs Kings betting trend to know

The Orlando Magic have hit the 1H Game Total Under in 29 of their last 45 games (+11.00 Units / 21% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Magic vs. Kings.

How to watch Magic vs Kings

Magic vs Kings latest injuries

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The Celtics have a treat coming out of All-Star break: a four-game west coast swing that includes games at the Warriors, Lakers, Suns and Nuggets and a back-to-back.

Boston is set to face four teams that if the playoffs started today, would all be participating.

They all present different issues. The Warriors will be without Stephen Curry, but teams without their best player are always tough to play because you are not always sure what to prepare for. The Lakers have a dynamic offense that we have not seen a lot of but Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves all present a lot of issues for any defense. Phoenix is one of the toughest teams in the NBA and has found ways to win games all season. Finally, Denver has a lot of injuries but they keep winning ball games and they have the dynamic Nikola Jokic-Jamal Murray pick and roll which always gives the Celtics problems.

The Warriors and Lakers have some uncertainty around them.

As mentioned, Stephen Curry will not play in this game for Golden State due to a knee injury. Another guy who is on the injury report is former Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis, who was acquired by the Warriors at the deadline and has yet to play for the team. It is unclear whether or not he will play in the game but I am excited to see how Golden State will incorporate him into their lineup when he is back on the floor. It is his and Al Horford’s first game against their former team so there will be a lot of hugs postgame, I am sure.

For the Lakers, we just have not seen a lot of Doncic, James and Reaves this season with all three players missing time at different times. The trio has played just 152 minutes together this season. Of course, they can score but the Lakers can’t get a stop with those three guys on the floor, giving up 119.7 points per 100 possessions in the limited sample. How much will Lakers coach JJ Redick stagger them with having one or two of them on the bench?

The Phoenix Suns are one of the most unexpected storylines in the NBA this season and when push comes to shove, they just win ball games. 32-23 on the season, the Suns are currently 7th in the Western Conference. If the Suns are among the most unexpected stories in the NBA, Dillon Brooks is among the most shocking. He is still getting a lot of technical fouls but he has been the Suns 2nd best player this season. After being told he would not be brought back to the Grizzlies “under any circumstance” to see Brooks flourish with now his 3rd team is great. Phoenix is a tough team that will give Boston their best game.

Lastly, Boston heads to Denver on the 2nd leg of a back to back. This will be a tough one. In the altitude after traveling in late from playing the night before. The Celtics will face an uphill battle in this game. They won’t use that as an excuse, Joe Mazzulla teams are great on 2nd nights of back to backs, Boston is 36-13 in these instances since the 2022-23 season. Denver’s defense has been iffy to say the least. They give up a lot of shots at the rim and the Celtics don’t take many shots at the rim so it will be interesting to see if the C’s try and exploit that weakness.

West coast road trips are hard and even harder when you play four good teams in one trip. That doesn’t mean Boston is not up for the challenge. The goal, of course, is 4-0 but a 3-1 trip is something I would sign up for right now. It will be fun to see how the Celtics respond to this challenge coming out of the All-Star break.

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The Toronto Raptors come out of the All-Star break already with more wins than they had all of last season. 

The next goal? Earn home-court advantage in an opening-round playoff matchup.

That means taking care of business when they are 5.5-point favorites, which is exactly what they are when they open the second half of the season by visiting the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, February 19.

My Raptors vs. Bulls predictions and NBA picks are focused on Immanuel Quickley, who will be key to taking the first step to achieving that goal.

Raptors vs Bulls prediction

Raptors vs Bulls best bet: Immanuel Quickley Over 2.5 3-pointers (-115)

There’s one Toronto Raptors player who wasn’t happy that the team went on break.

Immanuel Quickley was raining threes before the All-Star break, shooting a ridiculous 47.5% from beyond the arc over his last five games, hitting three or more threes in all five. 

If there’s a team that IQ can stay hot against, it’s the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls rank dead-last in opponent 3P% and allow the sixth-most made threes per game.

That includes Quickley hitting three treys against the Bulls back on February 5. He drains three more on Thursday night.

Raptors vs Bulls same-game parlay

The Bulls also get burned by the extra pass. Chicago allows the fourth-most assists per possession this season. 

RJ Barrett is my favorite candidate to go Over his assists prop, which is sitting at 3.5. Barrett is averaging 3.6 assists per game this season and has dished out four or more dimes in four of his last five games.

Toronto didn’t even have Barrett in the lineup when they last played the Bulls on February 5, where the Raps rolled over this remade Bulls roster 123-107 as 7.5-point faves. I expect something similar here. 

Raptors vs Bulls SGP

• Immanuel Quickley Over 2.5 3-pointers
• RJ Barrett Over 3.5 assists
• Raptors -5.5

Our "from downtown" SGP: Raptors roundball

The Raptors will get contributions from all over the court on their way to another win over the Bulls.

Raptors vs Bulls SGP

• Immanuel Quickley Over 2.5 3-pointers
• RJ Barrett Over 3.5 assists
• Brandon Ingram Over 21.5 points
• Scottie Barnes Over 7.5 rebounds

Raptors vs Bulls odds

• Spread: Raptors -5.5 | Bulls +5.5
• Moneyline: Raptors -210 | Bulls +175
• Over/Under: Over 233 | Under 233

Raptors vs Bulls betting trend to know

The Bulls have only covered in 18 of their last 50 games for -15.00 Units and a -27% ROI. Find more NBA betting trends for Raptors vs. Bulls.

How to watch Raptors vs Bulls

Raptors vs Bulls latest injuries

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In sports, marriages, and baby juggling, sometimes the third time’s a charm. After losing to them twice this season, by a combined 69 points, the very determined Knicks (35*-20) host the Detroit Pistons (40-13) at Madison Square Garden tonight. Gluttons for punishment? We think not!

Both teams are coming in hot for this potential playoff preview and their first game post-All-Star break. New York has won eight of their last ten tries, including a marvelous 49-point evisceration of the Sixers, while the Pistons have also won eight of ten. Right before the schedule break, Detroit needed just 46 second-half points to beat the respectable Raptors by 18.

We’ve tried to mentally expunge the last game between the Knicks and the Pistons (and the one before that, too). On February 6, Motown won 118-80 in Detroit, and Cade Cunningham led all scorers with 28 points. For New York—playing without Karl-Anthony Towns, we hasten to add—Jalen Brunson tallied 20.

The surging Pistons rank second in defensive rating at 109.2 and net rating at +8. They average 117.2 points per game, tenth in the league; lead everybody in steals at 10.6 and blocks at 6.3; and rank fourth in offensive rebounds at 13.1. They step to the foul line more often than 27 other teams, choosing to attack inside the arc (first in 2-pointers made) rather than outside (27th in three-point attempts).

For Bickerstaff’s boys, Cunningham averages 25.3 points and leads the team with 9.6 APG. Jalen Duren puts up 17.7 points and hauls in 10.4 boards, Duncan Robinson scores 12.3 points and shoots 40% from three, and Tobias Harris adds 13.4 points per game. Defensive pest Ausar Thompson also contributes 10.2 points and six boards.

Detroit plays bruising basketball and to beat them, your frontcourt must stand tall. We expect the newest Knick Jeremy Sochan—6’8” tall with a seven-foot wingspan—to help with that off the bench. Acquired after the Spurs released him last week, Sochan plans to make his Madison Square Garden debut this evening.

The Pistons’ likely starting five will be Cunningham, Robinson, Thompson, Harris, and Paul Reed. Fellow guitar noodlers, do you also automatically affix Smith to his name? It’s an annoying mental tic of mine, one which—

Wait! Where’s Jalen Duren? you ask. Well, the former Knick was suspended, along with Isaiah Stewart, for brawling with the Hornets. Beef Stew? More like Beef Stupid—

Wait! Duren was a Knick? you ask. That’s right, we briefly had him in our grasp. On Draft Night 2022, Duren was drafted by Charlotte, then immediately traded to New York, who dealt him to Detroit as a way to sweeten a Kemba Walker dump. In return, the Knicks got a 2025 1st-round draft pick, a conditional 2025 1st-round pick, and a trade exception. Later, those picks went to Brooklyn in the Mikal Bridges trade, and the Nets used the 19th selection of 2025 on Nolan Traoré.

So, you continue, there’s an alternate universe where the Knicks kept Duren, grooming him to replace Mitchell Robinson, and the Mikal Bridges trade never happened? Well, yes. Now shut up and let me finish this dumb preview.

Prediction

ESPN gives the Knicks a 57% chance to win. Their AI predictor might still be drunk from a long All-Star weekend—or, like us, it saw the injury report. For the Knicks, OG Anunoby is expected to play, recovering from a toenail avulsion (gross, do not Google). That means, save for Miles McBride, New York will have a full complement of players, while the Pistons will lack two important frontcourt pieces. Salivating? I should be wearing a bib.

If they contain Cade, set the pace, play consistently on both ends, and drink in the loving vibes of a raucous home crowd, our heroes should win tonight and tomorrow morning be declared Finals Favorites by all the knee-jerk reactionary jerks in the media. Lose, and we’ll endure all those same jerks saying they’re pretenders, should blow it up, go for (gag) LeBron, yadda yadda.

Forget that noise. Tonight, New York will get stellar minutes from its starters, punch-in-the-mouth defense from their newest bench players (the aforementioned Sochan and Jose “Eats for free in NYC” Alvarado), and one of their most important wins of the season. New York by four. LGK!

Game Details

Date: Thursday, February 20, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Place: Madison Square Garden, NYC
TV: MSG
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

* Should be one more, but the NBA Cup Final was a figment of your imagination.

The NBA is back, and so is Sixers basketball as the regular season heads into its final stretch. After the All-Star break, where VJ Edgecombe earned Rising Stars MVP honors and Tyrese Maxey’s team won the All-Star Game, the Sixers return looking to snap a two-game losing streak. They begin by hosting the Atlanta Hawks before heading out on a three-game road trip.

The Sixers and Hawks last met in December, when Atlanta escaped with a narrow 120–117 win. A lot has changed for the Hawks since then. Trae Young is gone, now in Washington, and in his place are CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. Meanwhile, Jalen Johnson has taken a major leap. In the middle of a breakout season, he has emerged as the franchise cornerstone as the organization shifts its focus toward building around him.

Philadelphia did a strong job containing Johnson in that previous matchup, holding him to 5-for-17 shooting. Slowing him down again will be a priority. Johnson has been outstanding this season, averaging 23.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists through 50 games while shooting 50.2 percent from the field, 35.3 percent from three, and 77.8 percent from the free-throw line.

Even without Young, Atlanta still has plenty of scoring around its new centerpiece. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has revitalized his career and developed into a legitimate two-way threat, putting up 20.1 points per game while shooting 37.3 percent from deep. McCollum is adding 18.8 points per contest, and recent addition Jonathan Kuminga will be looking to make his mark after moving on from Golden State.

On the Sixers’ side, things have been just as fluid. Over the past few weeks, they’ve basically held open tryouts, cycling through two-way and 10-day contracts while the roster sorted itself out after an eventful, or depending on your perspective, completely uneventful trade deadline. Stability has not exactly been the theme.

Charles Bassey and Patrick Baldwin Jr.’s 10-day deals have expired. In their place, Cameron Payne returns from overseas, Jabari Walker is back in the mix, and two-way players Dalen Terry and Tyrese Martin join the fold (though the Warker and Martin moves are not official yet).

Now that things are beginning to stabilize, this matchup feels like a chance for the Sixers to reset before heading out on the road. With the revolving door of short-term additions finally slowing down, they’ll look to build some continuity and turn the page heading into the trip.

Prior to the break, Joel Embiid missed two games for knee management. The team downplayed any real concern, but Embiid will not suit up for this game with a different reasoning (more on that below). Without Embiid, and with Paul George serving his suspension, the offense has leaned heavily on Tyrese Maxey and whoever else could generate a decent look. It hasn’t exactly been a formula for consistent firepower or playmaking.

The time off should help across the board, not just for Embiid. Maxey has been logging a league-leading workload, and VJ Edgecombe hasn’t been far behind. For the 20-year-old, this is the most basketball he’s played at any point in his life. Getting close to a full week off should give the Sixers’ backcourt some much-needed fresh legs heading into the stretch regular season run.

The Sixers will be without Embiid (knee management, shin soreness) and George (suspension). Johni Broome and MarJon Beauchamp are doubtful with G League assignments. For Atlanta, Kuminga is the only key player out, as he rehabs from a knee injury.

The Sixers looked like a shell of themselves heading into the All-Star break. Maybe it was tired legs. Maybe it was trade deadline whiplash. Maybe it was the constant roster shuffle or the lack of availability. Most likely, it was all of the above. Either way, this is a chance to reset and get back on track, starting tonight.

As it stands, they sit just 1.5 games above the final playoff spot in the six seed, so there isn’t much room for error. The upcoming road trip includes some very winnable games, making this stretch even more important. A win at home followed by at least a 2-1 showing on the trip would put them in solid position as they push to secure a playoff berth.

Now it’s about which version of this team shows up. Do they look refreshed and reenergized after the break, or does this turn into a repeat of their earlier matchups with Atlanta, when they fell just short? We’ll soon find out.

Game Details

When: Wednesday, February 19, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Cooper Flagg's NBA debut jersey sold privately via Sotheby's earlier this month for $1 million, the auction house announced Thursday morning.

The price is a record for any Flagg-related collectible and comes mid-way through his rookie campaign, during which he is averaging 20.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Dallas Mavericks.

"The $1 million result for Cooper Flagg’s rookie debut jersey is a powerful testament to the significance collectors place on true ‘first moments’ in sport," Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s Head of Modern Collectibles, said in a statement. "This jersey captures the very beginning of a special career, one carrying huge expectations and excitement.”

Flagg's Summer League debut jersey sold in August for $95,250 in a Sotheby's auction.

Sotheby's is the NBA's official game-worn partner, and generally offers jerseys from key games in public auctions, such as the 2023 sale of Victor Wembanyama's debut jersey for $762,000. However, the auction house has recently become more strategic with its inventory, holding back jerseys that have the potential to gain in value.

Collectors will have the chance to scoop up other key rookie debut jerseys at auction this month, however, as Sotheby's will sell gamers from the first games of VJ Edgecombe, Kon Knueppel, Dylan Harper, Derik Queen and more, with bidding opening Thursday.

Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.

As we enter the home stretch of the 2025-26 NBA season, there’s no denying that it’s been a topsy-turvy couple of months for the Atlanta Hawks. At the end of November, Atlanta’s record stood at 13-8, they had picked up nine wins in their last twelve outings and were sitting as the five-seed in the East – perched above teams like Boston, Cleveland and Philadelphia in the conference standings.

Now, 11 weeks and 22 losses later, I wouldn’t blame you for wondering whether that late November surge will be remembered as the apex of the Hawks season. 

December was not kind to Atlanta, and in retrospect, proved to be a watershed month for the franchise. Amid a nebulous, illness-related absence for Kristaps Porzingis*, as well as an unsuccessful attempt to reintegrate Trae Young into the lineup**, Atlanta managed just three wins in their next 14 games, slipping all the way down to the 10-seed in the East. 

_{*After appearing in 12 out of the Hawks first 21 games, Kristaps Porzingis played just twice in the month of December – scoring 25 points on 9-for-13 shooting (4-for-7 from downtown) in a 1-point loss to Denver on December 5th, then chipping in with 16 points in 17 minutes in a New Years Eve drubbing of the Minnesota Timberwolves.} 

_{**Young was sidelined from October 30th to December 17th due to an MCL sprain suffered early in the season. His return to action coincided with a six-game losing streak before the team shut him down and eventually traded him on January 7th.}

Atlanta’s defense, which had played a vital role in their early-season success, deserves the brunt of the blame for their December woes. After allowing 113.1 points per 100 possessions through the first 21 games of the season (good for the 11th-ranked defensive unit in the league), the Hawks allowed 119.8 points per 100 possessions in December – a mark which ranked 27th in the league over that span. 

While Porzingis’ absence and Young’s presence* did nothing to aid their efforts on the less glamorous end of the floor, looking at the raw shooting numbers, though there wasn’t a significant change in where their opponents were shooting from, the most damaging difference between October/November and December was seen in their opponent’s three-point accuracy – with their opponents converting 37.8% of their looks from the perimeter in the month of December (fifth-highest opponent 3P% over this span) after shooting just 34% through the first 21 games of the season (seventh-lowest opponent 3P% over this span).

_{*Atlanta allowed an eye-watering 129 points per 100 possessions with Young on the court in December (141 minutes across five games) relative to 116.2 points per 100 possessions with him on the bench.} 

In addition to their opponents shooting better from the perimeter, another factor that negatively impacted Atlanta’s defense in December was that they weren’t forcing as many turnovers as they were early on in the season. Per cleaningtheglass, the Hawks pressured their opponents into committing turnovers on 16.2% of their possessions (the fourth-highest rate in the league) through the first 21 games of the season, however in December, that number dropped to 14.2% – slightly below the league average.

After that disastrous December, the first seven weeks of 2026 have been marked by fluidity up and down the roster. Young was shipped off to Washington on January 7th, with CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert coming Atlanta’s way in the trade.

Porzingis continued to play sporadically – suiting up in three out of Atlanta’s first four games of the new year before reclaiming his spot on the injury report due to a bout with left Achilles tendonitis. Atlanta would eventually trade him to Golden State for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield at the trade deadline on February 5th, bringing the Latvian’s stint in Atlanta to an end after playing in just 17 out of a possible 52 games this season.

With Porzingis’ spot in the rotation up for grabs, the Hawks gave in-house options Mouhamed Gueye and Asa Newell an extended look as the back-up ‘5’, though when neither played impressed, the team went out and signed fourth-year big, Christian Koloko to a two-way contract on January 16th for some additional depth at the position. Koloko got his first taste of action on January 21st, logging 11 minutes in a two-point victory against Memphis, and played valiantly in each of the next six games before being replaced in the rotation by veteran big-man, Jock Landale* – who was acquired by the Hawks on deadline day for cash considerations. Coming out of the All-Star break, the spot appears to be Landale’s to lose. 

_{*Landale had averaged 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in 24 minutes per game on 51/38/67 shooting splits (FG/3PT/FT) across 45 appearances (25 starts) for the Memphis Grizzlies this season before being traded to Atlanta.}

Still, integrating McCollum and Kispert as well as settling on a back-up ‘5’ weren’t the only rotation questions the Hawks have faced since the calendar flipped. After exploding for a season-high 25 points against New Orleans on January 7th, Zaccharie Risacher missed the next three weeks due to a bone contusion in his left knee. Onyeka Okongwu was sidelined for four games after suffering a gruesome dental fracture against the Celtics on January 28th. Both Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson have missed time due to nagging lower body injuries. 

The Hawks were active in the trade market as well. In addition to the transactions outlined above, on February 1st they traded fan-favorite, Vit Krejci, to the Portland Trail Blazers for two future second-round picks and Duop Reath (who was subsequently waived). On February 5th, they flipped Luke Kennard to the Los Angeles Lakers in return for Gabe Vincent and a future second-rounder. 

Amid all the changes, the Hawks have gone 10-11 since the beginning of January, and with 26 games remaining in the regular season, find themselves in a precarious position as far as the 2025-26 season is concerned*. With a record of 26-30, they are clinging to the 10-seed in the East – sitting just 1.5 games ahead of Chicago and Milwaukee for a spot in the Play-In tournament. 

_{*Thanks to their front office’s maneuvering, Atlanta has ample cap space this summer.}

With Giannis Antetokounmpo slated to return to action for Milwaukee, the Charlotte Hornets surging (9-1 over their last 10 games), and teams like Miami and Orlando still playing hard-nosed hoops, postseason basketball is far from guaranteed for the Hawks. We’ll find out what this team is made of over the next few weeks.

Entering this crucial stretch of the season, here’s my projection of Atlanta’s depth chart, with a look at the updated cap sheet below (salary figures from Spotrac). 

Ahead of the home-stretch, these are two burning questions facing the Atlanta Hawks.

---

What’s wrong with the offense?

While the Hawks have patched things up on defense since December – allowing 113.3 points per 100 possessions since January 1st (similar to their performance through the first 21 games) – their offense has crumbled, with the team managing just 111 points per 100 possessions over this span, a mark which ranks 27th* in the NBA. It would be easy to pin this drop-off on the departure of Trae Young, who, for all of his flaws, remains one of the best offensive floor-raisers in the league, however I would push back on this notion given that the Hawks posted a 115.3 offensive rating between October 31st and December 15th (22 games) when Young was sidelined with an MCL sprain. 

_{*Tied with the Sacramento Kings – never a good sign.}

Comparing Atlanta’s offensive performance from that stretch without Young to their offense since January 1st, a few things stand out. First, while the Hawks have continued to play fast, they have actually done a better job taking care of the ball in the new year, posting an offensive turnover rate of 12.6% since January 1st, the fourth-lowest mark in the league and a vast improvement from their early season stretch without Young, when they were committing turnovers on 15.6% of their possessions. 

Additionally, while the Hawks free-throw and offensive rebounding rates have remained quite low, the main thing that’s hurt their offense has been the dramatic decline in shooting efficiency – with Atlanta ranking just 22nd in effective field-goal percentage since January 1st after ranking seventh during the early season stretch. 

Taking a closer look at their offensive shot profile, while the Hawks have indeed shot slightly worse from the perimeter, the driving factor behind this drop off has been the team’s struggles at the basket. Since January 1st, the Hawks have shot just 62.3% within five feet – the second-worst mark in the league, and a far cry from their rim efficiency from earlier in the season, when they were converting these looks at close to a 70% clip. 

Looking at the individual player’s finishing numbers below, the culprits begin to emerge. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, whose finishing wasn’t great to begin with, has shot just 55% at the rim since January 1st. Onyeka Okongwu, who was converting these looks at a 71% clip earlier in the season, has shot just 59% over this span. New addition, Corey Kispert, who has shot 73% at the rim for his career hasn’t been able to replicate this form in Atlanta, shooting just 57% at the rim in a Hawks uniform. Mouhamed Gueye and Zaccharie Risacher have seen significant declines as well, shooting just 52% and 57% respectively since January 1st.

Additionally, while Jalen Johnson has continued to finish at a high rate, he’s seen a significant decline in his rim-attempts over the past few weeks – averaging just 4.3 attempts per game since January 1st compared to 5.8 attempts per game during the early season stretch. 

It’s unclear what’s behind this drop off in the team’s finishing ability. The Hawks are playing just as fast, and are getting out in transition at the same exact rate as they were during the early season stretch. If I had to guess, I would say that the fluidity in the rotation as well as the process of integrating their new players took a bit of a toll on the team’s spacing, leading to more difficult attempts at the rim – though if that has indeed been the case, these issues should be ironed out as this new group grows more comfortable playing with each other. 

I also think that Jalen Johnson taking 1.5 fewer rim-attempts per game since January 1st is significant, as he is the team’s best rim finisher. If the Hawks are going to turn things around, I’d expect him to be a big part of the improvement – directly (getting to the basket more) or indirectly (using his playmaking prowess to create cleaner looks at the rim for his teammates).

All that to say, this team’s ability to finish at the rim is the no. 1 area to watch for me coming out of the All-Star break. 

---

What will Kuminga bring to the table?

Speaking of rim finishing, it is quite important to note that the Hawks added a dynamic finisher at the trade deadline in 23 year-old Jonathan Kuminga, formerly of the Golden State Warriors. While it’s unclear when Kuminga will make his Hawks debut – he’s been sidelined since January 23rd due to a bone bruise in his left knee – the former no. 7 pick has shot 71.6% at the rim for his career (on 3.6 attempts per game) and should help the Hawks put pressure on the rim on offense. 

While Kuminga’s finishing hasn’t been up to his usual standards this season (62.7% in 20 appearances for Golden State), this has been an extremely strange season for the 23 year-old. 

Kuminga has long been dissatisfied with his situation in Golden State, where the franchise’s push to maximize the twilight of Steph Curry’s career clashed with their ability/willingness to afford him the runway required to reach his potential. Last year was the final year of Kuminga’s rookie contract, and over the summer, despite Kuminga voicing his desire to play elsewhere, his status as a restricted free agent proved to be a difficult hurdle in negotiations with other teams, and ultimately, he returned to the Warriors on a two-year deal – with a team-option for the second season.

After starting the first 12 games of the 2025-26 season, Kuminga suffered a knee injury, and never found a consistent role when he was cleared to return. He appeared in just eight more games for Golden State, before requesting a trade on January 15th – the first day he was eligible to be traded after signing a new contract this summer. 

It was a peculiar situation, and one that was hard to assess from the outside looking in (no matter how hard ESPN tries), but regardless, I did go back and watch most of Kuminga’s actions from this season. The two clips below are just a taste of the level of athleticism that he brings to the table, and despite the down year efficiency-wise, I remain bullish on his finishing ability.

I mean… holy smokes. 

Still, it’s important to remember that Kuminga is far from a finished product. A few areas for him to improve on offense include his shot selection, decision making and outside shooting. 

As far as the shot selection, I’d like to see Kuminga cut down the number of mid-range attempts he takes and increase the number of rim-attempts as the latter is a more efficient shot. Kuminga’s rim shooting frequency was upwards of 40% in each of his first three seasons, however last year just 31% of his attempts came from this area of the floor, with the number rising to 34.5% this season. Conversely, he’s taken roughly 40% of his looks from the mid-range over the past two seasons. If he can eschew some of these mid-range looks for some more attempts at the rim in Atlanta, I like the fit on offense. 

In terms of his decision making, Kuminga posted the highest turnover rate of his career (4.7 turnovers per 100 possessions) this season in Golden State – with many of these turnovers coming down to simply making a bad read, or losing control of the ball on the gather*. Given how fast Atlanta plays, how Kuminga finds the balance between being aggressive on offense and taking care of the ball will be an important area to watch when he returns to the court. 

_{*To be frank, they looked like turnovers one might expect to see from a rookie forward, not a fifth-year player.}

Last but not least, Kuminga’s outside shot has been fairly inconsistent throughout his career (33.1% on 4 attempts per 75 possessions), and while I don’t expect him to suddenly evolve into a high-volume outside shooter in Atlanta, it would be nice to see some improvement in this area before the team makes a decision on his second-year option. 

On the defensive side of the ball, Kuminga has the athletic tools to be a high-level defender and has ranked in the 77th percentile or better in defensive-EPM in each of the past three seasons per dunksandthrees. While his steal/block rates have ranked right around the average for his position, he has ranked in the 75th percentile or better in Bball-Index’s defensive positional versatility metric (indicating the extent to which he guarded various positions) and has rated favorably in their perimeter isolation defensive metric in each year after his rookie season. He won’t be a liability on the defensive end. 

Atlanta will have to wait a little longer to see Kuminga in action – as it was announced yesterday that he is ‘progressing’ in his recovery from a bone bruise in his left knee and will be re-evaluated in one week. Given how strange his situation was in Golden State, Kuminga is viewed as one of the most enigmatic players in the entire league, and will have a lot to prove over the final eight weeks of the 2025-26 season.

Count him out at your own risk. 

The Dallas Mavericks fully leaned into a new era for the organization this season after hearing the calls from MFFLs everywhere — first, by firing general manager Nico Harrison; and next, severing ties to the major connection to the Luka Doncic trade by moving Anthony Davis. The trade deadline reset the books for the future to build around Cooper Flagg. Yes, there are still pieces of the past on the team (for now) — six players from the 2024 NBA Finals team are still in Dallas. But there is no doubt the direction this team is heading and who is at its core.

In the coming months the team will hire a new general manager, someone who according to recent reporting from The Athletic’s Christian Clark will be valued for their previous experience and unlikely to be an “out-of-the-box” hire. That’s good, great in fact. The team previously took the creative approach and it netted them sending away one of the league’s best players overnight in exchange for 29 games of backbreaking fun. A stabilizing force in the front office is smart.

And while they can’t afford creativity there, they can absolutely afford creativity in rebranding the franchise.

We’ve been loud about this in the past. I did a deep dive on this nearly seven years ago to the day. It is baffling this team essentially has the same visual identity they had 25 years ago. And for those who haven’t been paying attention at home you won’t be surprised to learn that their artwork looks 25 years old.

They introduced a new-millenia inspired design in 2001 and haven’t looked back, or forward for that matter. Since then they’ve basically hit shuffle on a three-song playlist, surprised when the same song keeps playing and we’re tired of the hits.

The team has been forgiven of their sins by reintroducing green alternate jerseys recently. It feels so obvious that those retro designs are a hit and should be folded into the core design. But even if it isn’t, we can’t keep looking at this a quarter century later.

Especially when they’ve passed up several obvious opportunities recently to revamp their look, aligning with logical shifts in mini-eras:

• 2019: The team traded their way to Doncic, and after spending a full season next to Dirk Nowitzki, Doncic ushered in a new era. This was the spring I last made this plea. It made too much sense, and yet the Mavericks (and Mark Cuban) did nothing.
• Summer of 2024: The Mavericks had just been sold to the Adelson’s at the start of the year, were fresh off a finals run, and at the time it felt like the start of something new in Dallas. They did nothing.
• Summer of 2025: We’ve already walked through what led to this moment. If the Mavericks were smart they would have rebranded after drafting Cooper Flagg. But they (Nico) believed they were actually contenders and not, in fact, starting a new era. They were starting a new era.

So why not now? The team is officially Flagg’s. This summer they will draft in the top eight and conceivably add Cooper’s future longterm running mate. Trying to pin it to the timeline of a new arena doesn’t make sense — we’re at least five years from that time. It would be one thing if this look felt cool in a retro way, felt timeless in a classic way. But the basketball branding look of AOL instant messenger isn’t timeless.

The time to do it is now. Give new life to the look of the Mavericks brand identity, as they build what this franchise looks like in a fully new era. One that isn’t connected to former times, one that doesn’t overlap with franchise cornerstones. Make this team fully Flagg’s.