The Atlanta Hawks and the Houston Rockets are getting ready to face each other tonight at State Farm Arena and the starting lineups for both teams were just announced:
G- Trae Young
G- Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F- Zaccharie Risacher
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F- Onyeka Okongwu
C- Kristaps Porzingis
Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson won’t play tonight for Atlanta.
G- Reed Sheppard
G- Aaron Holiday
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F- Josh Okogie
F- Isaiah Crawford
C- Jeff Green
Mar 22, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; St. John’s Red Storm guard Deivon Smith (5) during the first half of a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Earlier this week, the Hawks signed Lamont Butler, M.J. Walker, and Deivon Smith before their third preseason game, but only Butler remains after the Hawks requested waivers on Walker and Smith.
Smith appeared in two games with the Hawks during the NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 5.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 14.2 minutes (.600 FG%, 1.000 FT%).
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Prior to suiting up for Atlanta’s Summer League team, the Decatur, Georgia, native saw action in 30 games (17 starts) with St. John’s during the 2024-25 season, notching 9.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals in 27.1 minutes of play, earning All-MET Honorable Mention.
Over the course of a five-year collegiate career, Smith appeared in 139 games (64 starts), averaging 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 24.8 minutes, suiting up for Mississippi State (2020-21), Georgia Tech (2021-23), Utah (2023-24) and St. John’s (2024-25).
Walker has appeared in two NBA games with the Phoenix Suns during the 2021-22 season on a 10-day contract, making his NBA debut on Dec. 31 at Boston. He has seen action in 132 career NBA G League games (57 starts) across four seasons with the Westchester Knicks (2021-23) and Greensboro Swarm (2023-25), owning averages of 10.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25.0 minutes (.410 FG%, .375 3FG%, .795 FT%). The 6-5 guard knocked down a career-high 10 three-pointers in a win over Mexico City on Feb. 21, 2025, finishing with 30 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal in 32 minutes.
A native of Jonesboro, Georgia, Walker appeared in 120 career collegiate games (82 starts) across four seasons at Florida State (2017-21), recording 9.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 24.3 minutes of play. The two-time All-ACC selection (All-ACC Second Team in 2021, All-ACC Honorable Mention in 2020), finished his Seminole career with 96 wins, the third-most in school history, leading Florida State to three NCAA Tournament appearances in his four seasons (2018, 2019, 2021).
Butler, a member of Atlanta’s NBA 2K26 Summer League 2025 team, appeared in 27 games (all starts) for Kentucky during the 2024-25 season, tallying career highs of 11.4 points, 4.3 assists and 2.9 rebounds, in addition to 1.6 steals in 26.0 minutes (.498 FG%, .391 3FG%, .735 FT%).
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A native of Moreno Valley, California, Butler spent his first four collegiate seasons suiting up for San Diego State (2020-24), leading the Aztecs to the 2023 NCAA National Championship Game. He finished his Aztecs career ranked fifth all-time in steals (183), sixth in conference victories (52), ninth in total victories and 10th in assists (338). A three-time Mountain West Conference All-Defensive Team member, Butler was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2023-24.
In five collegiate seasons, Butler appeared in 158 games (129 starts), owning career averages of 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals in 23.8 minutes (.428 FG%, .333 3FG%, .691 FT%).
SAN FRANCISCO — Robbie Ray was everything the Giants could ask for on Sunday afternoon at Oracle Park.
In a performance that continued a strong recent stretch, the 34-year-old went eight innings and gave up a single unearned run, leading San Francisco to a 3-2 win.
It was an outing that will only increase potential interest in Ray at the upcoming MLB trade deadline, one where the Giants figure to be busy after ending their first winning homestand since April with a record of 35-48.
The Braves, who remain in first place in the NL East, are 49-33.
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Ray was perfect through four innings until Matt Olson broke up his run of 12 consecutive batters retired with a single to center to lead off the fifth.
His shutout bid was ruined in the eighth when Michael Harris II drove in Eli White with a sacrifice fly, but Ray buckled down and retired Ozzie Albies with a popup to center to end the inning.
The Giants got on the board when Luis Arraez scored in the sixth on an infield single by Rafael Devers, running home when Austin Riley’s throw bounced off Olson’s glove and trickled away from him down the right-field line. They scored again when Albies threw the ball past Olson on Jung Hoo Lee’s grounder to the right side, allowing Heliot Ramos to score.
Ramos made his return from a right quad strain Sunday and played in his first game with the Giants since May 15.
Arraez led off the inning with an infield single down the left-field line, and Ramos further set the table with a single to center. Arraez added on in the seventh, bringing in an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to right that scored Drew Gilbert, who had led off the inning with a pinch-hit single to center.
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The Sunday matinee was attended by 33,138 fans. Next up for the Giants is a quick six-game trip that begins Monday with an evening game in Arizona and will continue with a three-game set in Colorado over the holiday weekend, starting Friday.
Check back for updates to this story.
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Top fast food chain report: Jersey Mike’s takes first place
After an 11-year run, Chick-fil-A is no longer the top-rated quick-service restaurant, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
A new survey suggests that if Georgia workers could choose any office in the state to work from, many would pick Chick-fil-A’s headquarters in Atlanta.
The survey from Resume.io asked more than 3,000 workers nationwide to identify the workplaces they would most like to work from if location were not a factor.
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Participants were instructed to judge the office environment itself rather than salary, benefits, company culture or employer reputation.
Among Georgia locations, the Chick-fil-A Support Center ranked highest, followed by Porsche Cars North America’s headquarters in Atlanta.
Chick-fil-A tops Georgia list
The Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A Support Center ranked No. 17 nationally in the survey.
Researchers highlighted the campus-style setting, which includes landscaped grounds, gardens, walking trails and visitor experiences. The workplace was noted for having a more retreat-like atmosphere than a traditional office tower.
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The support center serves as the corporate headquarters for the restaurant chain founded by S. Truett Cathy.
Porsche headquarters also earns recognition
Coming in at No. 30 nationally was the headquarters of Porsche Cars North America.
Located in metro Atlanta, the campus is home to the Porsche Experience Center and includes a driver development track, simulators, event space, training facilities and a vehicle restoration workshop.
The survey described the site as a workplace that immerses employees in the brand’s automotive culture.
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What workers want from an office
According to Resume.io, respondents were asked to focus strictly on the physical workplace environment when making their selections.
The survey comes as many employers continue balancing in-office, hybrid and remote work arrangements.
Amanda Augustine, a career expert with Resume.io, said employee expectations have changed as flexible work has become more common.
“If people are going to spend time commuting and working onsite, the experience has to offer something more than a desk and fluorescent lighting,” Augustine said.
Which offices ranked highest nationwide?
Nationally, the top-ranked workplace was Bloomberg’s headquarters in New York City.
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Other offices appearing near the top of the list included the PGA TOUR Global Home in Florida, Servco Pacific’s headquarters in Hawaii, Google’s St. John’s Terminal in New York and TikTok’s U.S. Data Security office in Arizona.
Georgia was one of only a handful of states to place two workplaces among the survey’s top 30 most desirable offices.
For more information, visit resume.io.
Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia, covering food and entertainment. Email her atVcountryman@gannett.com.
