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Hawks could gain reinforcements as they prepare for Jazz

NBA: Minnesota Timberwolves at Atlanta HawksDec 31, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shown before the start of the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks may get a lineup boost Thursday, but it isn’t likely to come from a last-minute trade.

The Hawks, who host the Utah Jazz on Thursday, could get veteran Kristaps Porzingis back in the lineup. The veteran center, the team’s big offseason acquisition, has missed the last 13 games with left Achilles tendinitis but had his status upgraded to questionable Tuesday and could return for limited minutes.

Porzingis hasn’t played since Jan. 7. He has participated in only 17 of the team’s 52 games because of injuries and management of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, an incurable condition that causes increased heart rate, dizziness and fatigue.

Porzingis has played well when in the lineup, averaging 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists. His return would be especially welcome since Onyeka Okongwu is day-to-day after dental surgery following a nasty elbow in the mouth against Boston. The Hawks have been living with Mouhamed Gueye and Christian Koloko at center.

Atlanta ended a two-game losing streak Tuesday with an impressive 127-115 road win against Miami.

Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson is coming off his ninth triple-double of the season. Johnson, who was named to the NBA All-Star team, had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists against the Heat.

“Jalen just continues to find, within the rhythm of the game, opportunities to get off the ball to be the open guy, and when he needs to be more aggressive and go to the basket. I just love that he’s not hesitating with the catch-and-shoot threes. I think that gives him space to play. Some of our other guys are getting more connected with him, too.”

Utah ended a six-game skid Tuesday by defeating the Indiana Pacers 131-122. The Jazz had only seven available players, and each scored in double figures. Utah played Tuesday without Keyonte George (ankle), Kevin Love (illness), Walker Kessler (shoulder) and Jusuf Nurkic (illness).

“Games like this are odd, playing with seven people and the lineups we had out there,” Utah coach Will Hardy said. “But I thought the team had great energy, great camaraderie.”

Isaiah Collier played all 48 minutes and had a career-high 22 assists in the win, the most in the NBA this season and the most by a Jazz player since John Stockton on Dec. 18, 1992. The last player in the league with 22 assists was Denver’s Nilola Jokic last March 7.

“Isaiah, with 22 assists and only two turnovers, is a testament to him, it’s a testament to his teammates,” Hardy said. “Overall, he showed a lot of poise and maturity as a point guard.”

The game marks a homecoming for Utah rookie Ace Bailey, who grew up in the Atlanta suburbs and was Mr. Georgia Basketball in 2024. He is averaging 11.3 points and 3.6 rebounds and scored 19 on Tuesday.

This is the final meeting between the teams this season. The Hawks, who have won three straight against the Jazz, took the first game 132-122 on Nov. 13 in Salt Lake City. Johnson had a triple-double (31 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists) and Okongwu had a career-high 32 points with eight 3-pointers.

–Field Level Media

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Canadiens extend point streak with comfortable win over Jets

NHL: Montreal Canadiens at Winnipeg JetsFeb 4, 2026; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Montreal Canadiens right wing Josh Anderson (17) celebrates a goal against Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) in the second period at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson each had a goal and two assists as the visiting Montreal Canadiens defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5-1 on Wednesday during the final game for both teams ahead of the Olympic break.

Oliver Kapanen, Lane Hutson and Phillip Danault also scored for the Canadiens, while Noah Dobson picked up two assists. Goalie Samuel Montembeault made 36 saves as Montreal improved to 4-0-1 in the past five games.

Kyle Connor scored the lone goal for Winnipeg, which has just one win in four games (1-2-1). Netminder Connor Hellebuyck stopped 22 shots.

The Jets opened the scoring on a power play 6:07 into the game. Quick puck movement between Mark Scheifele and Vilardi set up Connor for a snap shot from just beyond the crease.

That tally gave Connor his ninth straight season with 25 or more goals.

Montreal tied the game 1-1 with 3:34 remaining in the first period. Hellebuyck stopped Dobson’s initial shot, but the rebound sat loose in the crease and was swept home by Kapanen.

The Canadiens took a 2-1 lead when Anderson went to the front of the net and was left all alone to tip in a long shot from Jayden Struble at 5:28 of the second period.

The Canadiens extended the advantage to 3-1 only 1:16 later, striking off the rush. Anderson sent a long backhand pass to Hutson, who weaved back and forth with the puck and beat Hellebuyck with a quick shot from a tight angle.

Montreal added to its cushion in the third period, as Gallagher converted a neat feed from Kirby Dach with a wrist shot from the side of the net on the power play at 10:57.

With 14 seconds left, Danault scored short-handed into an empty net.

The Jets are off until a Feb. 25 game at Vancouver. The Canadiens resume action the next night, at home against the New York Islanders.

–Field Level Media

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Tounde Yessoufou's game-high 27 points enough for Baylor win over Colorado

NCAA Basketball: Colorado at BaylorFeb 4, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes guard Barrington Hargress (24) drives against Baylor Bears guard Tounde Yessoufou (24) during the first half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Tounde Yessoufou scored a game-high 27 points Wednesday night, and Baylor led nearly wire-to-wire en route to an 86-67 Big 12 Conference rout of visiting Colorado in Waco, Texas.

Yessoufou converted 10-of-16 field-goal tries, including 4 of 7 from the 3-point line, as the Bears (13-9, 3-7) earned their second straight win. Obi Agbim contributed 19 points and six assists, while Cameron Carr added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists.

Baylor canned 52.8 % of its field-goal attempts and led for all but 1:36. It made 10 of 24 3-pointers and committed just nine turnovers, earning a 15-8 advantage in points off turnovers while winning the rebound battle 32-26.

Jalin Holland scored 12 points for the Buffs (13-10, 3-7), while Barrington Hargress added 11 and Isaiah Johnson netted 10. But Johnson, the team’s leading scorer at 16.5 ppg, made only 3 of 13 attempts from the field.

Poor shooting plagued Colorado all night long as it made only 22 of 55 attempts from the field, including a dismal 8 of 25 in the first half, as it fell behind by 24 points. It also mixed in nine of its 10 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.

The storyline coming into the game was how the Buffs’ new lineup — coach Tad Boyle started four freshmen for the second straight game — would play in front of a road crowd. When Boyle debuted the lineup Sunday, they rolled to an 87-61 home blowout of TCU.

Things didn’t go quite as well in this one. After Johnson converted a floater to start the scoring, the Bears quickly rattled off a 13-2 run that Agbim fronted with a 3-pointer and a jumper. The margin reached double figures for the first time at the 12:52 mark via Agbim’s second 3-pointer.

It didn’t get much better for Colorado after that. Baylor expanded the margin to 36-16 when Carr drained a 3-pointer and got to halftime with a 45-21 cushion when Isaac Williams drove for a layup off a turnover with two seconds remaining.

–Field Level Media

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KJ Lewis helps Georgetown upend Creighton for fourth straight win

Syndication: The Indianapolis StarGeorgetown Hoyas head coach Ed Cooley reacts to a call Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, during a basketball game between the Butler Bulldogs and the Georgetown Hoyas at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

KJ Lewis scored 22 and Malik Mack had 20 as Georgetown won its fourth straight, beating Creighton 76-68 on Wednesday night in Washington, D.C.

Vince Iwuchukwu posted his second double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Hoyas (13-10, 5-7 Big East) matched their longest conference regular season winning streak since 2015. Caleb Williams added seven points and 10 rebounds as Georgetown won despite shooting 34.9% and not making a field goal over the final 4:04.

Jasen Green scored 12 points to lead Creighton (12-11, 6-6) which has now lost a season-worst three straight. Nick Graves and Fedor Zugic each added 11 as the Bluejays shot 24.2% (8 of 33) from 3-point range. Creighton committed 16 turnovers, one short of a season-high.

Georgetown took control during a 12-0 run early in the second half that started with a Mack 3-pointer and ended on a dunk by Iwuchukwu to give the Hoyas a 45-34 lead with 15:45 remaining. Iwuchukwu scored 12 points in the second half.

Creighton trailed virtually all of the second half but closed to within 74-68 after a Zugic 3-pointer with 36.5 seconds remaining. Lewis sank a pair of free throws to close it out. Georgetown shot 24 of 33 from the free throw line as Lewis and Mack combined to go 21 for 25. Creighton shot 6 of 10 from the charity stripe.

After Creighton needed overtime in the first matchup with Georgetown to escape with an 86-83 victory on Jan. 13, the first half in the rematch was much of the same. There were four ties and six lead changes as neither team led by more than four with the Bluejays taking a 29-27 lead into halftime.

Creighton took their halftime lead on a Graves jumper as time expired as the Bluejays connected on six of their final seven shots, hitting 48.3% from the field despite going 1 for 11 from 3-point range.

Green had 10 points before the break to lead Creighton. Georgetown struggled from the field in shooting 26.5% but made 5 of 12 3-pointers to stay in the game. Creighton outscored Georgetown 22-6 in the paint as the Hoyas missed 11 layups.

–Field Level Media

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