Sports
Hawks hurting on defense ahead of tilt with Kings
Oct 25, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) plays defense against Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images Two teams trending in different directions will square off in Atlanta on Friday, when the Hawks host the Sacramento Kings.
Atlanta won its first two games to start the year, but a slew of early-season injuries has decimated the Hawks, who have dropped three in a row.
A season ago, the team allowed 120.5 points per game, tied for second-most in the NBA. Similar defensive issues have reappeared five games into this season, as Atlanta has surrendered 123.6 points per contest, third to the Wizards and Raptors (124).
The injury bug certainly hasn’t helped the cause, as key defenders Dyson Daniels and De’Andre Hunter have combined to miss four games. Daniels, whom the Hawks received from New Orleans in a trade for Dejounte Murray in the offseason, is second in the NBA with 2.8 steals per game.
Although Hunter (knee) and Daniels (hip) aren’t expected to miss extended time, the news wasn’t as fortunate for another pair of Atlanta contributors. Bogdan Bogdanovic, who scored a career-high 16.9 points per game last season, underwent a non-surgical procedure on his hamstring and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. The team also announced its 2023 first-round pick Kobe Bufkin will also be re-evaluated in four weeks due to a shoulder subluxation.
The injuries have reared their head for Atlanta, which fell to Washington 133-120 Wednesday, its second loss to the Wizards in as many games. The Hawks held an eight-point halftime lead, but allowed Washington to score 76 second-half points in the defeat.
“What we need to be mindful of are the things that we have more control over, like getting back on defense,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “Those are consistent themes for us that we care about and we’re working on. When (Washington) made runs, us not getting stops and not converting the other way, that’s a collective thing.”
Atlanta is led in scoring by Trae Young’s 28.2 points per game, followed by Hunter’s 18. Atlanta is led in scoring by Trae Young’s 28.2 points per game, followed by Hunter’s 18. Hunter and Daniels have been ruled out for Friday’s game.
Sacramento enters the game winners of two straight following an 0-2 start. It’s been a three-headed attack for the Kings’ offense, as Domantas Sabonis leads the team with 24.3 points per game, followed by DeMar DeRozan’s 23 and De’Aaron Fox’s 21.5.
The Kings are coming off a 113-96 road victory over the Utah Jazz, in which Sabonis recorded 28 points and 11 rebounds with an efficient 13-for-18 shooting mark from the field.
“(Domantas) is just a monster in there,” Kings head coach Mike Brown said. “He wears his hard hat every single game and he was fantastic (against Utah).”
Brown admits that the group looked out of whack following an 0-5 preseason rut that extended into the first two games of the year. For a Sacramento team that wants to string together three straight winning seasons for the first time in 19 years, Brown’s expectations are as high as ever.
“We were all in a little bit of a funk in the preseason, and I’ll take most of the blame for that,” Brown said. “I put these guys in a box, because I needed to see what we had and we still have a ways to go. The neat part about this is we figured out how to win our last two, and our ceiling is still high. We have a lot of room to grow on both sides of the floor.”
Brown and Sacramento swept the two-game season series with Atlanta last year.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Stephen Curry first active player showcased by Hall of Fame
Sep 25, 2022; San Francisco, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) poses with the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophies during Media Day at the Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame will break with tradition Friday when it opens an exhibition highlighting the career of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry. No other player in league history has received such an honor while still active.
The exhibition is titled “Stephen Curry: Beyond the Arc” and takes a look at the four-time NBA champion and two-time MVP both on and off the court. Curry’s business team partnered with the Hall of Fame on the project.
“The exhibit is designed to explore his multifaceted legacy as a basketball icon, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and family man,” the Hall of Fame said in a news release.
This will be the first look at Curry’s legacy at the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., but not the last. He is certain of being selected for enshrinement into the hall as soon as he is eligible, post-retirement.
“When I think about my journey, I think about the people who believed in me, the work that happened when nobody was watching and the moments that shaped me on and off the court,” said Curry, 38.
“To have that story told while I’m still playing is something I don’t take lightly. My hope is that fans walk through this experience and feel the joy, the purpose and the gratitude that basketball has given me, and maybe see a little bit of their own journey in it too.”
A closing date has not been set for the exhibition.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cardinals OL Isaiah Adams facing gun charges in Canada
Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Isaiah Adams (74) watches from the sidelines during the team’s practice at State Farm Stadium on July 29, 2025. Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Isaiah Adams is facing multiple charges related to a guns and gangs investigation in his native Canada.
Adams turned himself into Durham Regional Police in the Toronto area on Sunday on charges of possessing a weapon by crime, possessing a restricted or prohibited firearm without a license, possessing a loaded firearm and possessing a prohibited device.
His 27-year-old sister, Allyson Mae Adams, was charged with the same crimes as part of the investigation.
Adams, who turned 26 on Tuesday, has since returned to Arizona and is expected to report to training camp on Wednesday, according to ESPN. The Cardinals begin practice on Thursday.
The Cardinals said Tuesday that they were aware of the situation.
“Out of respect for the process, we will refrain from commenting further at this time,” a team spokesperson said.
A third-round draft pick by Arizona in 2024, the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Adams appeared in 32 games with 16 starts in his first two NFL seasons. He is expected to compete with rookie Chase Bistonis for the starting job at right guard.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Royals acquire RHP Nate Pearson from Astros
Jun 26, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Nate Pearson (55) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the sixth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images The Kansas City Royals acquired Nate Pearson from the Houston Astros on Wednesday in exchange for fellow right-hander Max Martin.
Pearson, 29, was designated for assignment by Houston on Sunday after going 1-0 with one save and a 3.60 ERA in 16 relief appearances this season.
He is 10-6 with four saves and a 4.99 ERA in 139 career games (six starts) with the Toronto Blue Jays (2020-21, 2023-24), Chicago Cubs (2024-25) and Astros.
Martin, 22, is 6-2 with a 2.01 ERA in 26 relief appearances across two Class A levels this season. Kansas City drafted him in the 10th round in 2025.
–Field Level Media
Stephen Curry first active player showcased by Hall of Fame
Cardinals OL Isaiah Adams facing gun charges in Canada
