RYAN BLANEY PULLS OFF THRILLING NASCAR CUP SERIES VICTORY AT ATLANTA

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In a race that did not finish until early hours of Monday morning, Ryan Blaney put on a dominating performance in the NASCAR Cup Series at EchoPark Speedway.

The driver of the No. 12 led a race-high 171 of 263 laps and outdueled Carson Hocevar on the final lap to win the Quaker State 400 at the EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta. Blaney secured his second win of 2026, 19th career victory, and first triumph at Atlanta.

Christopher Bell finished second, followed by Hocevar third, Ty Gibbs in fourth, and Erik Jones wound out the top five.

Bubba Wallace initially finished the race runner-up, but was penalized for advancing his position below the yellow line down the backstretch on the final lap. Because of this, Wallace finished 29th. 

Blaney passes Hocevar on the final lap to win Atlanta

with six laps remaining.   

A multi-car crash involving Kyle Larson, Chase Briscoe, Riley Herbst, Austin Hill, and others set up an overtime restart.

Hocevar started up front for the restart and had his No. 77 machine in prime position to take the win as the field took the white flag.

The Spire Motorsports driver had built a gap on the rest of the field. However, a push from Wallace propelled Blaney past Hocevar. The two ran side-by-side, which then opened the door for Wallace to dive three-wide underneath.

With one final push from Bell up top, Blaney crossed the finish line first and scored the win.

The thrilling victory capped a dominant performance for the North Carolina native.

Rain delayed NASCAR’s finish by over three hours

Blaney started on the pole and led the field to the green flag. The 2023 Cup champion led all 60 laps of the opening stage en route to the victory. Tyler Reddick was second and Kyle Larson was third.

Blaney continued to lead for the bulk of the second stage, but swapped the lead with Kyle Larson. At the red flag on lap 108, Blaney was in command with Bubba Wallace second and Reddick third.

The rain delay lasted three hours and nine minutes as the cars did not get re-fired until just after 11:30 p.m. Eastern time. At 12:01 a.m. Eastern time, the race resumed on lap 123.

In the waning laps of the second stage, Blaney held off challenges from Wallace, Joey Logano, and Hocevar to complete the stage sweep. Reddick finished second in stage two, followed by Logano in third. 

Gibbs assumed the lead after a round of pit stops and was out front to start the final stage.

With just over 60 laps to go, A.J. Allmendinger’s single-car spin on the frontstretch brought out the fourth caution of the race.On the cycle of pit stops, Bell took over the lead, with Larson in second. 

The fifth caution came out with just under 30 laps remaining after Allmendinger slapped the outside retaining wall. 

With 23 laps to go, Wallace led the field back to green with Blaney alongside him. Blaney overtook Wallace and held the advantage with 19 laps remaining, when Larson spun through the infield grass and triggered the sixth caution.

With six races until The Chase, Denny Hamlin leads the points standings by 24 over Reddick.

- John Breeden

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THAT TIME TED TURNER (BRIEFLY) CONSIDERED CHANGING THE BRAVES NAME

At the time of acquiring the Atlanta Braves, Ted Turner had an idea that they'd join the flock of other local sports names

When Ted Turner acquired the Braves, he considered a name change | Image originally published by the Atlanta Constitution

The Atlanta Braves mourn the loss of their former owner, Ted Turner, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 87. Upon his death, many started to look back at the stories that helped shape his legacy. One story that arose involved a brief idea that he didn't act on.

When he was finalizing his purchase of the team in 1976, Turner admitted he was considering a name change. He already had one in mind: The Eagles. While this is a name that immediately makes one think of the NFL team in Philadelphia, and then maybe Emory, Turner had a logical reason behind the choice.

For starters, Turner had nothing against the name Braves. According to the Atlanta Constitution, which has since merged with the Atlanta Journal, it was part of a vision to change the whole image of the team. He also felt that local teams of the same feather should flock together.

"That would tie in with the names of our other teams, the Hawks, the Falcons," he said in 1976. "I am thinking about changing the name, though, although legally, it would take a year to get it done."

A column in the paper the following day jokingly noted that the Firebirds would be more appropriate since Atlanta also had the Flames of the NHL.

At the time, the Atlanta Constitution lent some defense to the notion of changing the name. The team had gone through multiple names in its history, and they had abandoned the name "Braves" before. They've been the Beaneaters, Red Stockings, Reds (which has since been claimed elsewhere), Red Caps, Doves, Rustlers, and, mostly infamously, the Bees.

The Braves had been the name since 1941, though they went by that name previously from 1912 to 1935. Apart from a bee-related hiatus, they had been using the name for nearly 60 years. It was the name of the team when Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews and Warren Spahn represented them, and it had traveled to three different cities.

However, the name didn't have the same association with winning that it does now. While they won the World Series twice, along with four pennants and a division title with the name, they were mostly known for being a mediocre team.

They played second fiddle to the Red Sox in Boston, regardless of name. Following their appearance in the World Series in 1958 and their divison title in 1982, the Braves saw postseason action once in 1969. That was also the only time during that multi-decade stretch where they won 90 games or more.

The year before Turner acquired the Braves, they had finished 40 and a half games behind first. However, despite this limbo period for the team, Turner never circled back to the name change.

In time, the Braves' name built national recognition, being broadcast to millions coast to coast on the TBS Superstation. Eventually, it became associated with more Hall of Famers, one of the best starting rotations of all time and two more World Series titles.

It was an idea that Turner likely had no regrets leaving as an idea. That being said, he didn't fully give up on his idea of matching bird names. The succeeding NHL team in Atlanta, the Thrashers, which he owned at their inception in 1999, joined the flock.

- Harrison Smajovits

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TYLER REDDICK WINS AT ATLANTA TO GIVE MICHAEL JORDAN SECOND STRAIGHT NASCAR VICTORY

 

Tyler Reddick rebounded from a crash to become the first driver in 17 years to sweep the first two races of a NASCAR Cup Series season, winning in double overtime Sunday at Echo Park Speedway. David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

HAMPTON, Ga. — Whether on or off the racetrack, all Michael Jordan does is win in NASCAR.

For the second consecutive Sunday to open the season, the basketball great and co-owner of 23XI Racing celebrated in victory lane with driver Tyler Reddick. This time, after a thriller at Echo Park Speedway.

Jordan’s team now has the top two drivers in the Cup Series points standings with Reddick and Bubba Wallace. The six-time NBA champion already added a ring last week with Reddick in the Daytona 500, the crown jewel of stock-car racing.

Oh, and Jordan also settled a federal antitrust lawsuit with NASCAR in December, a major legal victory that secured a permanent franchise-style model and ensured his team would remain in business for the long-term.

“The guys worked hard all summer, and I know we had our little ordeal,” Jordan said after Reddick’s victory Sunday, referring to the bruising court battle that ended with him making peace with NASCAR CEO and chairman Jim France. “They kept working hard and this is the fruit of their labor. They put forth the effort, and for us to come out and win the first two races says a lot about our whole team.”

It especially says a lot about Reddick, who put on another dazzling performance the week after he became the fourth driver in history to win the Daytona 500 by leading only the final lap.

This time, he led a race-high 53 laps on the 1.54-mile oval south of Atlanta – including the final two in a double-overtime restart. He snatched the lead from Wallace despite the right-front fender of his No. 45 Toyota being damaged in a nine-car crash on the 224th of a scheduled 260 laps. Reddick fell two laps down for repairs but came roaring back from 27th for his 10th career victory.

“I mean, that’s crazy, ain’t it?” said Reddick, who became the first driver since Matt Kenseth in 2009 to win the first two NASCAR Cup Series races of the season. “I just found a way to get back in the top five, and I tried to stay committed to somebody.”

He got a helpful push from runner-up Chase Briscoe. Ross Chastain finished third, followed by the Spire Motorsports tandem of Carson Hocevar (who triggered a large crash in the first overtime) and Daniel Suarez.

“Tyler had like another gear,” Chastain said. “(He had) no fender, and he pulled us so fast.”

In a race that featured a track-record 57 lead changes, Wallace was first entering the final restart but shuffled to eighth. He still gained the second-most points (48) by winning the second stage and leading 46 laps.

“Tyler did an unbelievable job,” Jordan said. “I feel bad for Bubba because he had an unbelievable day. But Tyler drove his ass off. I’m very happy for Tyler. I’m very happy for 23XI.”

Green turns to yellow

Austin Cindric took advantage of a stretch of 61 green-flag laps to open the race, winning the first stage after starting 30th.

It was the second consecutive year that the first stage in the February race was completed without a yellow flag – an oddity for a track known for chaos since its 2022 reconfiguration into a high-banked drafting oval.

The cautions quickly picked up pace in the second stage with three yellow flags in 40 laps that collected 16 cars and eliminated notable drivers Ty Gibbs, Josh Berry, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch. The 160-lap middle segment ended under another yellow when defending Cup Series champion Kyle Larson slammed the outside wall after a collision with Shane van Gisbergen.

No Las Vegas love lost

Busch was perturbed after his No. 8 Chevrolet “got rammed” exiting Turn 2 by the No. 4 Ford of Noah Gragson on the 125th lap.

Though both drivers hail from Las Vegas, Nevada, the 40-year-old Busch felt little kinship in taking issue with the aggressive style of Gragson, who is 13 years younger.

“He didn’t give me an opportunity to make sure I was straight before hitting me or get into me gently to try and get the momentum back,” said Busch, who finished 33rd. “He just drove right through me.”

Up next

The NASCAR Cup Series will race at the Circuit of the Americas, the first road course of the 2026 season, on Sunday, March 1. Christopher Bell outdueled Kyle Busch and William Byron to win at the Austin, Texas, track last year.

- Associated Press

MICHELLE OBAMA & MATT ROGERS ON WATCHING ESPN (VIA IMO PODCAST)

 

FERNANDO VARGAS HITS BACK AT SONS' BOXING CRITICS Won't Say It To Our Faces!

Former boxing champion Fernando Vargas is calling out anyone criticizing his sons' boxing careers ... telling TMZ Sports they're bold behind a keyboard, but don't have the guts to say any of it to their faces!!

Vargas' three sons are all boxers ... including Amado, who has a fight on Saturday against Angel Luna at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta.

Vargas is confident his son will secure his 13th straight win by knockout in "four, five rounds" and maintain his perfect record.

Even with that said, some remain unimpressed with the 24-year-old fighter. Pops -- a former middleweight with a 26-5 record -- chalks it all up to how negativity is part of the boxing game.

He also knows that none of the doubters would dare back up their words in person.

"Be mad! Be mad!" Vargas said. "It doesn't matter to me! You not gonna say nothing crazy to me or come up and say anything crazy to me. It's never been done!"

"You can run your mouth and say whatever you want, but you will never say it to my face or you will never say it to my boys' faces."

Vargas -- who shared the ring with legends like Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, and Shane Mosley -- believes his sons will silence the haters, backed by his full support and their boxing DNA.

"My boys got what it takes to become champions."

- TMZ Sports 

'THAT WAS NASTY!'... FANS AGHAST AS FORMER CHAMPION PUNCTURES LUNG AND CRACKS RIBS IN BRUTAL WWE RAW SPOT

A horrendous spot gone wrong on WWE Raw led to a star collapsing and being admitted to the hospital.

JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio competed for the Tag Team Championships against The War Raiders on the January 27 edition of WWE Raw.

While the Judgment Day lost their match against Erik and Ivar, that was the least of McDonagh’s troubles in Atlanta.

The Irishman took a nasty bump on the commentary table after a moonsault led to him crashing the back of his skull.

Fans have reacted to the nasty spot and commended McDonagh for his response to the genuinely horrible injury.

Photo by WWE/Getty Images

Fans stunned by JD McDonagh’s reaction to brutal spot

While the spot happened fairly early in the match, the Irishman continued the match which impressed fans in attendance and those watching from home.

On X, one fan wrote: “JD McDonagh collapsed backstage after that insane bump. What a legend for finishing that match!” while another said: “That was a hell of a performance out there.”

Another wrote: “That looked terrible! I can’t believe he finished the match honestly” and one said: “It was very scary to watch. Tough as hell to finish that match."

McDonagh has been part of WWE’s main roster since 2023 when he was brought into the Judgment Day by Finn Balor.

WWE stars react to JD McDonagh’s horrendous injury

While the live audience strongly reacted to McDonagh’s response to his nasty table bump, the wrestlers watching on from the back were equally impressed.

Chad Gable took to X to share his admiration for the star, saying: “JD McDonagh is remarkable”, while backstage producer Gregory Helms wrote: “JD McDonagh is a f’n stud!”.

McDonagh is expected to be out for a couple of months, but he’ll surely be welcomed back with open arms by the WWE universe after his tremendous show of courage.

- Liam McMillen

SOURCES: FALCONS EXPECTED TO CUT KIRK COUSINS BEFORE $10M BONUS DUE

Kirk Cousins' divorce from the Falcons is expected to be finalized before his $10 million roster bonus is due March 17, with executives across the NFL fully expecting Atlanta to release him by then.

The split between Cousins and the Falcons is inevitable at this point, according to multiple sources.

Front office executives observing the situation have pointed out that, due to the no-trade clause in Cousins' contract, he now has all the leverage. And nobody believes he will do any favors for a Falcons team that surprised him on draft night by selecting another quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., in the first round then benched him this week in favor of the rookie.

Thus there now is a widespread expectation across the league that the Falcons will not be able to trade Cousins and will have to release him before March 17, when his $10 million roster bonus for the 2026 season comes due. There is no need for the Falcons to absorb any more costs for a quarterback who they have paid $90 million for 14 games.

Therefore, for the second straight offseason, Cousins is expected to become a free agent, able to choose the team and situation he believes will be best for him.

A Falcons official told ESPN on Saturday morning that it was too early to determine whether the organization would release Cousins. The official added that Penix's relatively low salary cap number for 2025 ($5.2 million) gives the Falcons the financial flexibility to potentially keep Cousins.

But the expectation around the league remains that the Falcons will release Cousins before the roster bonus is due.

The Denver Broncos were in a similar situation last offseason, when Russell Wilson ultimately was released before his $37 million salary for the 2025 season became fully guaranteed. Wilson's guarantee was due on March 17, 2024, exactly one year before Cousins' roster bonus with the Falcons is due.

Wilson signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers worth the veterans minimum at $1.2 million -- similar to the type of contract offers the 36-year-old Cousins would field from other teams if he chooses to play in 2025. Any salary Cousins earns in 2025 would be offset by the $27.5 million owed to him by the Falcons, making him a potential bargain option for next season.

Had the situation in Atlanta been handled differently, in the eyes of executives across the league, the Falcons maybe would have had a chance to work with Cousins to facilitate a trade to another team. But considering the history that has unfolded in recent months, that is not expected to be the case.

Cousins was not informed that the Falcons would draft a quarterback until they called the four-time Pro Bowler while they were on the clock for their first-round pick in April.

This caused frustration and confusion from the Cousins camp, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported on draft night, because Atlanta didn't use the eighth overall pick on a player to support Cousins and make the team better; instead the Falcons selected a player to eventually take over for Cousins.

Kirk Cousins, who has a $10 million roster bonus due on March 17, acknowledged this week that his turnovers hurt the Falcons but insisted that he "didn't forget how to play quarterback." Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire

"He got the call on the clock, obviously because of the sensitive time with the issues of what you got going on," Falcons coach Raheem Morris said in April. "It's never a right time to talk to a quarterback about those things, and reactions are always going to be private when it comes to those things, unless Kirk decides to tell you some of those things that are whatever they may be.

"But he's a competitor, just like us all. And you can always expect those things to go just like you kind of think."

The Falcons announced Tuesday that Penix was their starting quarterback "moving forward" with three games remaining this season, sending Cousins to the bench just months after he signed a four-year, $180 million contract that included $100 million guaranteed.

The Falcons might try to see whether there is a way to trade Cousins but would need his cooperation, and nobody across the league expects them to get it, meaning it's only a matter of time before Atlanta will be left with no choice but to release him.

What also makes the move interesting is the perceived shortage of quality quarterbacks available this offseason. Next year's draft is not considered as good or deep at the quarterback position as this year's, and the free agent quarterback class currently is scheduled to include Sam Darnold, Wilson and eventually Cousins.

Teams expected to be in the quarterback market this offseason include the Steelers, Jets, Giants, Raiders, Saints, Browns and Titans. As usual, there aren't enough quarterbacks for everyone.

Morris said Wednesday that the biggest factor in benching Cousins was his turnovers. Cousins has a league-leading 16 interceptions, and his 12 fumbles is tied for the most in the NFL with Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.

"There's a standard that I have for myself, that the team has for me, that, unfortunately, I wasn't playing up to that standard consistently enough," Cousins said Wednesday in his first comments since being benched. "And so, it is what it is, and you roll with it and now you still get ready -- 'one play away' kind of a thing -- and support Mike and just try to help our team be able to find a way to win these last three to get in the playoffs, and that's what it's all about."

The Falcons (7-7) are second in the NFC South but own the tiebreaker over the first-place Buccaneers (8-6) and have a 20% chance of making the playoffs, according to ESPN's Football Power Index projections.

Atlanta hosts the struggling Giants (2-12) on Sunday, when Penix will make his first career start.

Cousins said Wednesday that, despite coming back from a torn Achilles in 2023, he is not injured. As far as beyond this season, he said he will deal with that when the time comes.

"I didn't forget how to play quarterback," he said. "Certainly, turnovers were not what you want, but I didn't forget how to play."

ESPN's Marc Raimondi contributed to this report.

- 

TOYOTA TEAM DRAMA OPENS DOOR FOR HILL'S ATLANTA XFINITY RACE WIN

Race winner Austin Hill

Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Richard Childress Racing driver once again proved why he's one of the best on drafting tracks.

Austin Hill held off a charging Chandler Smith and Corey Heim to earn his ninth career win as a NASCAR Xfinity Series driver. Seven of his nine victories have come on drafting tracks including four at Atlanta. 

"We had to dig deep for that one," said Hill, a Georgia native ."The No. 81 [Smith] got into (Turn) 3 and had me jacked up. He's doing what he has to do to try and win. Very surprised that the No. 26 [Heim] pushed me there and didn't go with a Toyota.

"I thought that I messed up into (Turns) 1 and 2, and I hate it that he got into the fence. I wasn't trying to run him into the fence. I was just trying to get him aero loose."

Hill ended up having two Toyota drivers directly behind him in the run to the finish. Smith did get alongside, but his fellow Toyota driver Corey Heim didn't help. He instead chose to push Hill, moving into second position with a shot at his first-ever Xfinity win.

In Turn 1 on the final lap, Heim went to the outside of Hill but ended up tagging the outside wall, ending his chances of winning. Parker Kligerman and A.J. Allmendinger then rocketed past, but they were unable to run down Hill before the checkered flag. Kligerman crossed the finish line second and Allmendinger third. Smith finished a disappointed fourth and Heim fifth.

Smith wasn't very pleased by his teammate's decision to not be a team player at the very end. "Yeah (I'm surprised), we're Toyota teammates," he told NBC Sports. "I got clear out of the restart zone and could have went bottom and hung up top to be the leader. I didn't. I stayed up top with my Toyota teammate. Ultimately gave up the lead doing that." Smith was referring to the 14-to-go restart when he was in control of the race, but stayed in line while Hill passed him on the inside. That ended up being the winning move.

"I expected my Toyota teammate to come with me and that didn't happen. It is what it is, but we had a really fast No. 81 Supra all day. I feel like I've been robbed of three Atlanta wins now unfortunately in my career here. I'm kind of speechless, honestly. There's a lot of different things I could have done. I could have been more selfish and when I got clear, went to the bottom to cover that and just control the race for sure, but I was trying to be a good teammate, and it didn't pay off for me today, as usual."

Naturally, Heim saw things differently, questioning the timing of Smith's move. "At the end of the day, the move was going to be made on a straightaway, not in the middle of the corner. So, if he wanted me to push him by, I feel like if he had just dropped back to my bumper out of (Turn) 4 on the straightaway, and had ourselves, both an opportunity to win the race, I would have gladly pushed him. He had no run or no momentum so why go to the bottom of that point? I came here to win the race. 

"For a team like Sam Hunt Racing to have an opportunity at their first win -- I wanted to give them that opportunity. There's no point going to the bottom in the middle of the corner and trying to scoot by the leader. Best car all day was the No. 21 [Hill]. Just wasn't in my best interest. Wasn't in his best interest, either. I'm not sure why he decided to go down there."

Heim added that the only thing to discuss in the team meeting next week will be about when to make the move. This incident is reminiscent of what took place at the end of the NASCAR Cup race at Daytona when Parker Retzlaff pushed the Ford of Harrison Burton around fellow Chevrolet driver Kyle Busch, costing his manufacturer the race win. Busch later said Retzlaff owed him nothing in the run to the checkered flag.

- Nick DeGroot

NISHIOKA VS. THOMPSON FOR THE TITLE | ATLANTA 2024 FINAL

HIGHLIGHTS | DAY 4 | ATLANTA 2024

 

ATLANTA HIGHLIGHTS | ROUND 1

ARGENTINA PLAYER RATINGS: 8/10 MESSI LEADS WIN VS. CANADA

Lionel Messi helped Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Canada in the opening match of the 2024 Copa América. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images)

 Argentina triumphed 2-0 over Canada in the inaugural match of the 2024 Copa América at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia as goals from Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez propelled the reigning champions to first on the Group A standings.

La Albiceleste kicked off strong, testing Canadian goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau early on to make the North Americans uncomfortable. Canada coach Jesse Marsch's side didn't back down, however, managing several shots to keep Argentina uncomfortable until the halftime whistle.

After the second whistle, Argentina found the energy that led them to the 2021 Copa América and 2022 World Cup title. A key pass by Lionel Messi to Alexis Mac Allister in the 49th minute inspired the build-up to the first goal, allowing the Liverpool figure to connect with Álvarez to gain the lead.

Canada attempted to bounce back, but substitute Martínez entered the game with the necessary vigor to find the back of the net first and double the score.

Lionel Scaloni's Argentina will now prepare to face Chile on Tuesday night at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for the second group stage match of the tournament.

Manager rating (scale of 1-10)

Lionel Scaloni, 8 -- The manager put out a strong starting 11, but his intelligence showed when making much-needed substitutions in the second half. Though Álvarez could've stayed on the pitch, subbing in Martínez proved to be a key factor in the victory. A good coach not only knows his strongest players, but also pays attention to the assets on the bench.

Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best)

GK Emiliano Martínez, 7 -- After a somewhat comfortable first half, the Aston Villa goalkeeper became crucial in the second 45 to maintain the clean sheet.

DF Nahuel Molina, 6 -- Struggled on the right against Alphonso Davies, coming up short against the Bayern Munich player.

DF Cristian Romero, 7 -- Paired well with Martinez to create, keeping the much-needed clean sheet.

DF Lisandro Martínez, 7 -- Two clearances and provided the backline with the strength necessary against a tricky Canada.

DF Marcos Acuña, 6 -- Defensively solid, but lacked strength when going forward on the attack.

MF Alexis Mac Allister 8 -- Incredibly creative on the attack, consistently threatening Canadian players before finally breaking through on that first goal. Excellent connection with Messi to inspire the goal.

MF Leandro Paredes 7 -- A sound defensive performance with two necessary interceptions and two blocked attempts. A necessary figure in the midfield.

MF Rodrigo De Paul 7 -- Defensively and structurally sound, saw a couple of bright moments on the attack but his long passes need fine-tuning.

MF Ángel Di María 7 -- Led a couple of key breakaways but lacked the precision on the front foot. On another night, he would've put away those opportunities in the first half.

FW Lionel Messi 8 -- His unique vision of the game inspired the key pass to Mac Allister in the build-up of the first goal. Otherwise tested Crépeau, but unlucky not to find the back of the net on the 1v1. situations.

FW Julián Álvarez 8 -- Despite a muted first half, he redeemed himself with the opening goal of the game.

Substitutes (players introduced after 80 minutes = no rating)

MF Giovani Lo Celso 7 (Di Maria, 68') -- A bit muted on the ball, difficult to judge his impact when Martínez outshined the substitutes.

FW Lautaro Martínez 9 (Álvarez, 76') -- It didn't take the player long to come into the game, spice things up and score his goal.

MF Nicolás Otamendi 7 (Paredes, 77') -- A decent performance in a short period of time, but again outshined by Martinez.

- Lizzy Becherano

2024 NBA DRAFT: DRAMA HEATS UP AS LATE CONTENDER EMERGES IN RACE FOR ATLANTA HAWK'S NO 1 PICK

Credit AFP-Scanpix

 We've entered smokescreen season with the NBA Draft just one week away, but there is a sliver of a sightline emerging for the No. 1 pick. And as has been the case several times in recent years, there's a final twist as we enter the homestretch. 

For weeks it has seemed like Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher were battling to be taken by the Atlanta Hawks at the No. 1 spot. However, 7-footer Donovan Clingan may be elbowing his way into the discussion to make it a three-man race. ESPN reported Wednesday that Clingan appears to be Risacher's main rival at No. 1, citing his solid workout with the Hawks. The franchise hasn't yet been able to bring Sarr in for a private evaluation. Risacher remains the favorite at No. 1 -- as has been the case for over a week after leaping Sarr in my latest mock -- but this decision is far from made for Atlanta.

There also remains the possibility of Atlanta trading down to net further assets, which would add an interesting wrinkle.

For now, it's safe to say three options are most likely to be called No. 1 on draft night by NBA commissioner Adam Silver. I have listed them below from my most likely to least. (Betting odds are based on current DraftKings lines and subject to change.)

1. Zaccharie Risacher

No. 1 pick odds: +150 

The case: Risacher shot 35.2% from 3-point range this season with JL Bourg in Pro A competition. He rated in the 92nd percentile in transition and 81st percentile in catch-and-shoot situations, per Synergy data. He's a developmental prospect, but the frame and production profile are tantalizing, and safe, in a draft that has a lot of unknowns.

Risacher appears to be in the driver's seat for the No. 1 spot should Atlanta choose to stay at the top of the board. Team decision-makers have done their due diligence on the French forward and even made the trip overseas to scout him up close as he finished his season with JL Bourg on a high note this month. His combination of size, defensive versatility and an improved jumper make him an easy fit at the NBA level, though his ceiling remains up for debate. 

2. Donovan Clingan

No. 1 pick odds: +500

The case: It is simple: Clingan might be the top big -- and best overall player -- in the class. His block rate of 14.4% as a freshman would have been the best in college hoops had he qualified with enough games. He is coming off a dominant sophomore campaign where he served as a destructive interior force for the title-winning Huskies, consistently shutting down opposing offenses with blocks, deflections and his presence. 

If Clingan does not go No. 1, he could slip out of the top three. Washington is likely to select either Risacher or Sarr at No. 2 and Houston is eyeing Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard at No. 3. Clingan has a real case to be the No. 1 pick, though. We've been banging the drum on this since the Final Four, due to his dominant defensive skills and potential to develop into a more dynamic offensive weapon. He has an incredibly high floor as a future defensive anchor and starting center.

3. Alex Sarr

No. 1 pick odds: -130

The case: Sarr boasts a frame, moves like a gazelle, covers a ton of ground on defense and has guard-like skills on the perimeter. The risk of Sarr busting might be higher than Risacher and Clingan, but the chance he booms could launch him into All-Star air if things go right for him.

Sarr remains the betting favorite, but I'd handicap him as third-most likely to go No. 1. That could change in the coming week -- again, it's smokescreen season -- but he'll be mocked No. 2 to Washington in my Friday projections unless something changes. He has worked out for Washington, but not Atlanta yet. Based on scuttlebutt around the league, the Wizards have been enamored with both Sarr and Risacher since the lottery. 

- Kyle Boone

BOSTON CELTICS VS. ATLANTA HAWKS | NBA HIGHLIGHTS

FORMER NFL MVP CAM NEWTON INVOLVED IN SCUFFLE AT 7-ON-7 YOUTH FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT IN ATLANTA

AP Photo 

 A video surfaced Sunday that appeared to show 2015 NFL Most Valuable Player Cam Newton being involved in a scuffle at a 7-on-7 youth football tournament in Atlanta.

The video shows Newton, wearing one of his custom-made hats, being shoved by three people near the top of a set of steps before the pushing, shoving and grabbing moves toward a fence line. The video lasts less than 30 seconds before the altercation is broken up by a policeman and event security at the WeBall Sports x DynastyU 7v7 tournament at B.E.S.T. Academy.

Newton, the No. 1 overall pick in 2011 out of Auburn, does not appear to throw any punches in the video and appears to be fending off three other men. There is one punch thrown in Newton's direction, but it is unclear if the punch landed on the former quarterback.

It's also uncertain what prompted the altercation.