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Youth movement leading Wizards into matchup with Hawks

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NBA: New York Knicks at Washington WizardsFeb 3, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) grabs a rebound in front of New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the first quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks continue their five-game homestand on Tuesday with the first game of a back-to-back series against the Washington Wizards.

The Hawks are coming off a 115-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Atlanta erased an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to collect the much-needed win and remain in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

The Wizards had their two-game winning streak broken on Sunday when they lost 129-112 to the Charlotte Hornets.

Many Atlanta fans had the two-game series with Washington marked as the return of Trae Young, who was traded to the Wizards before the trade deadline. Young spent the first seven-plus seasons of his career as the face of the Hawks, but he remains sidelined with an MCL sprain in his right knee and has not played since Dec. 27.

The Wizards said last week that Young and Anthony Davis, also acquired at the deadline, are not quite ready to return. Washington announced on Thursday that Young would miss at least one more week and that Davis, out with ligament damage in his left hand, will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

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“You just follow the process. That’s what we always do,” Washington coach Brian Keefe said.

The Hawks are trying to follow a process, too. They added CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert, Jock Landale, Gabe Vincent, Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga ahead of the trade deadline. Only two players remain from the roster that coach Quin Snyder inherited when he took the job in 2023, leaving the team with the ongoing task of finding the right formula.

McCollum moved into the starting lineup on Sunday, and Kispert and Landale have become important bench pieces. The Hawks are still waiting for Kuminga to return from a left knee bone bruise.

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“It’s part of development,” Snyder said. “Part of that is evaluating the mix between playing and working. The competition that you’re involved in at a high level is able to show you the things that you need to work on, but we want to win, make no mistake about that, and everybody’s got to contribute at the level that they’re capable of right now.”

Meanwhile, the Wizards continue to lean on their youngsters until Young and Davis return. Second-year players Bub Carrington (10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists), Kyshawn George (14.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists) and Tre Johnson (12.8 points) all played in the Rising Stars Game during All-Star Weekend, and Alex Sarr was on the first-team All-Rookie player last season.

The game will also showcase the top two picks from the 2024 NBA Draft. Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher was the No. 1 pick and Sarr was No. 2. Sarr averages a team-leading 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 41 games, while Risacher averages 10.3 points and 3.5 rebounds.

Risacher has struggled since missing 11 games with a left knee bone contusion. In the nine games since his return, Risacher is averaging 6.8 points and 4.2 rebounds. He was replaced in the starting lineup by McCollum on Sunday.

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This will be the third meeting between the two clubs. They split the first two games, both in Washington. The Wizards will remain in town and play Atlanta again on Thursday.

–Field Level Media

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Devin Haney’s hit list: two champions, three undefeated rivals and a British star

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Devin Haney’s father and trainer, Bill Haney, has named six potential opponents that his son could face in the near future.

‘The Dream’ claimed his WBO welterweight title in November, securing a second-round knockdown before unanimously outpointing and dethroning Brian Norman Jr.

In doing so, the 27-year-old became a three-division world champion and cemented himself as a top 10 pound-for-pound star, with many considering him the flagship fighter at 147lbs.

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But despite having only just made his mark on the welterweight division, Haney must now turn his attention towards a selection of fearsome rivals.

Top of his list, according to Bill, is Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, who was stripped of his WBA lightweight title last month following a series of domestic violence charges. Even if the controversial Davis returns to the sport, he would face a big size disadvantage against Haney.

Elsewhere on the list is WBO super-lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson, yet the four-division world champion has said he would only fight Haney at a catchweight of 144lbs, or at welterweight with a 10lbs rehydration clause.

Even so, it appears the American has afforded himself plenty of alternative options, with Bill Haney revealing several of them to ALL THE SMOKE FIGHT.

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“I think ‘Tank’ is at the top of [Devin’s list], maybe Shakur is next.

“Jaron Ennis; Conor Benn might be on there towards the bottom. I think Ryan Garcia is No.10; Brian Norman was on there.

“Keyshawn Davis is on there too. He can get it too.”

With Ennis campaigning at 154lbs and aiming for his own intriguing contest with Vergil Ortiz Jr before targeting belts, Haney is unlikely to deliver on that particular fight just yet.

Potential bouts with Garcia, Keyshawn Davis and Benn, however, could soon become far more realistic, especially now that Garcia offers a unification as well as a storyline from their first controversial encounter.

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WTA roundup: Rebeka Masarova pulls off first-round upset in Austin

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Tennis: Miami OpenMar 22, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Rebeka Masarova (SUI) hits a forehand against Danielle Collins (USA)(not pictured) on day five of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Swiss qualifier Rebeka Masarova overpowered third-seeded Xinyu Wang of China 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of the ATX Open on Monday in Austin, Texas.

Masarova won 85.7% of her first-serve points (30 of 35) and saved four of the five break points she faced. She avenged a loss to Wang three weeks ago in the second round at Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

The only other seeded player in action on Monday, No. 7 Anna Bondar of Hungary, lost to Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 7-5.

In a matchup of U.S. qualifiers, Whitney Osuigwe rallied past Elizabeth Mandlik 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.

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Taylor Townsend of the United States edged the Czech Republic’s Linda Fruhvirtova 4-6, 7-6 (3), 7-5, but two other U.S. players lost. Czech qualifier Nikola Bartunkova beat Katie Volynets 6-4, 7-5, and Russia’s Oksana Selekhmeteva defeated Alycia Parks 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

Merida Open Akron

Marina Stakusic, a 21-year-old Canadian ranked 142nd in the world, upset fifth-seeded Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3 in the first round at Merida, Mexico.

The result was the first tour-level win for Stakusic this year. She fell in the first round at Canberra, Australian, then qualified for the Australian Open before losing in the first round at Melbourne. Stakusic was aided on Monday by Yastremska’s six double faults.

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Great Britain’s Katie Boulter and Colombia’s Emiliana Arango earned straight-set wins, while Andorra’s Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva eked out a 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 victory over Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva.

–Field Level Media

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Dynasty QB Rankings Update: February 2026 movers, Malik Willis watch, and more.

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Dynasty ranking changes from January to February are generally pretty minimal. They are mostly influenced by the smattering of news we get and my first run at 2026 Fantasy Football projections. This year, at quarterback, the changes in the rankings are almost completely nonexistent. Just don’t get used to this static situation because before I release my March rankings, there are at least eight quarterbacks who could change uniforms and their Dynasty outlook radically altered.

My way-too-early 2026 quarterback projections are here.

The first two obvious names are Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa. Both of their respective teams have new coaches and have expressed at least some interest in moving on from their very expensive quarterbacks. The risk of them not finding starting jobs has already been factored in to some degree, but it could be worse. For either of these quarterbacks, if their situations are unresolved a month from now, I will be more nervous. At the same time, if they find a new home as a starter in March, they could be risers. I am more optimistic both about Murray’s chances of finding a starting job and his Fantasy upside if he does, which is why he is ranked considerably higher than Tagovailoa.

Earlier in February, I had Jay Felicio from QB List on Fantasy Football Today Dynasty to discuss the state of the quarterback position. Check it out:

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The free agent I am most interested in monitoring in the next month is Malik Willis. From my view, those two teams we just talked about, the Dolphins and the Cardinals, are the two most likely to give Willis a starter’s contract in 2026. The path to him being a riser in the next month is if Willis receives a contract that offers him more long-term security than what Justin Fields received last year. These two coaching staffs have close connections to the Packers, so if anyone is willing to take that risk, it should be them. Over the past two seasons, Willis has thrown 89 passes and averaged 10.9 yards per attempt with six touchdowns and zero interceptions. Combine that with his rushing upside, and if Willis gets a three-year deal, he could vault into the top 20 in the rankings below.

Other quarterbacks who could see the biggest gains or losses in the next month are Jacoby Brissett, Aaron Rodgers, Daniel Jones, and Geno Smith. Of course, we have no reason to expect Rodgers to make a decision that fast, and we’ll have to wait until August at least to see how Jones’ rehab is coming. One thing is for sure: We should expect far more changes in the Dynasty QB rankings next month than we got this month. We may even get to add Derek Carr back in if he decides to return to the NFL.

I don’t rank rookies until they are drafted, but I have already started to think about where I will put them. Assuming Fernando Mendoza is taken first overall by the Raiders, I anticipate he will rank somewhere between QB15 and QB18 in the rankings below. I would be surprised if any other rookie cracks the top 25.

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Here are my updated Dynasty QB rankings:

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Alexander Zverev vs Corentin Moutet preview, head-to-head, odds, prediction & betting tips

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Match Details

Fixture: Alexander Zverev vs Corentin Moutet

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Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Tournament: ATP Mexican Open 2026

Round: First Round

Category: ATP 500

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Surface: Hard (outdoor)

Venue: Arena GNP Seguros, Acapulco, Mexico

Prize Money: US$2,469,450 (total prize pool)

Live Telecast: USA – Tennis Channel | UK – Sky Sports | Canada – TSN

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Alexander Zverev vs Corentin Moutet preview

Zverev in action at the 2026 Australian Open (Source: Getty)Zverev in action at the 2026 Australian Open (Source: Getty)
Zverev in action at the 2026 Australian Open (Source: Getty)

Alexander Zverev is set to get his 2026 Mexican Open campaign underway with a potentially tricky first-round outing against Corentin Moutet.

The World No. 4 German is the top seed in Acapulco, and the ATP 500 hardcourt event will mark his first competitive outing since his heartbreaking loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals of the Australian Open. Zverev finished as the runner-up in Acapulco back in 2019, but two years later, managed to win the title by defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final.

Moutet, the World No. 35 from France, like Zverev, was beaten by Alcaraz in Melbourne. The crafty Frenchman then took a short break before featuring in ATP Tour-level action once more at the recently-concluded Delray Beach Open. Here, eventual runner-up Tommy Paul dashed his hopes in the very first round.

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Alexander Zverev vs Corentin Moutet head-to-head

Moutet in action at the 2026 Delray Beach Open (Source: Getty)Moutet in action at the 2026 Delray Beach Open (Source: Getty)
Moutet in action at the 2026 Delray Beach Open (Source: Getty)

Zverev and Moutet have locked horns twice in the past and on both occasions, the German has come out on top. Their first meeting, at the ATP 250 tournament in Stuttgart last year, resulted in a straight-set win for Zverev. However, their second clash, at last year’s China Open, went the distance, with the German ultimately downing the Frenchman 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.


Alexander Zverev vs Corentin Moutet odds

Player Name Moneyline Handicap Bets Total Games
Alexander Zverev -500 -4.5 (+105) Over 21.5 (-125)
Corentin Moutet +340 +4.5 (-150) Under 21.5 (-115)

(Odds via BetMGM)


Alexander Zverev vs Corentin Moutet prediction

Zverev is a heavy favorite to defeat Corentin Moutet in their upcoming first-round match at the 2026 Mexican Open. The German, the 2021 champion in Acapulco, has started 2026 strongly, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open and boasting a 5-1 record in his recent matches.

Conversely, Moutet has struggled with form, losing four of his last six matches, and has never defeated the German. Zverev’s superior power, consistent serving, and experience on the hard courts of Mexico make him far too strong for the Frenchman.

While Moutet is talented, he is unlikely to break through Zverev’s defense. Expect a dominant performance from Zverev, cruising to a straight-sets victory.. The match should confirm Zverev’s status as a top contender for the 2026 Acapulco title.

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Pick: Zverev to win in straight sets.


Alexander Zverev vs Corentin Moutet betting tips

Tip 1: An upset is possible given Zverev’s return from a break, making ‘Corentin Moutet +4.5 Games’ a potential alternative for those expecting a closer contest than the straight-set prediction.

Tip 2: Zverev to win all his service games.