Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Hawks vs Philadelphia 76ers: Game Preview, Injury Report, Projected Starting Lineup for Tonight’s Matchup
The Atlanta Hawks had a tough challenge against a Cavaliers lineup practically at full strength, but they met it and prevailed. Jalen Johnson continued to dazzle with his unique blend of scoring, rebounding and playmaking – he stuffed the stat sheet with a 29 point triple-double that also saw him grab 12 rebounds and dish out 12 assists. Nickeil Alexander-Walker also put on an incredible performance with 30 points and five made three-pointers. In the absence of Kristaps Porzingis, Onyeka Okongwu stepped up with 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists. It was the epitome of a team win and showed that the Hawks are very much a team that needs to be respected despite not having Trae Young back.
Young’s return is on the horizon as he’ll be re-evaluated in two weeks, but Atlanta has done a great job of holding serve and keeping ground in the Eastern Conference. They’ll have an opportunity to move up in the standings tonight against a familiar opponent in the Philadelphia 76ers. A disaster of a season for the 76ers last year landed them the third overall pick, but they’ve showed signs of being above that mark this season. They play hard and shouldn’t be discounted, but two of their highest-paid players in Joel Embiid and Paul George are out and working back from injury, respectively. Philly’s frontcourt has also been hit with injuries recently – both Kelly Oubre and Trendon Watford are out for this game after having capable starting performances for Philly this year. It’s fair to wonder whether the 76ers will ever be at full strength this year, but they certainly aren’t right now and it’s a good time to play them.
By the Numbers
The Hawks righted the ship after their disappointing performance against the Wizards and looked rather comfortable against the Cavaliers. They’re 16th in points, 5th in FG%, 9th in 3P%, 20th in FT%, 25th in rebounds (25th in OREB, 22nd in DREB), 1st in assists and 14th in turnovers per game. They’re 16th in offensive rating on the year, so the advanced metrics support the idea that they’ll be able to match up with most teams on that end.
Atlanta’s defense did enough to get the win against Cleveland and held the rest of the Cavs in check, but they still struggled to stop Donovan Mitchell from exploding for 42 points. On a per-game basis, the Hawks rank 15th in points allowed, 13th in FG% allowed, 9th in 3P% allowed, 23rd in rebounds allowed, 7th in steals and 6th in blocks. They’re 13th in defensive rating on the year, which puts them in an above-average tier.
Philadelphia’s offensive success lies in Tyrese Maxey and their strong backcourt, but they have felt the injury absences of Embiid and George. They’re 17th in points, 18th in FG%, 11th in 3P%, 9th in FT%, 17th in rebounds (12th in OREB, 18th in DREB), 18th in assists and 13th in turnovers per game. George has returned to the lineup and seems to be working his way back to his usual form, but he’s still on a minutes restriction and that holds Philadelphia back from unlocking a higher ceiling.
A relatively healthy Embiid is usually enough to keep Philadelphia in a solid tier defensively, but his absence and the lack of elite defensive talent unfortunately means they are a slightly below-average defense despite being the best shot-blocking team in basketball. They’re 18th in points allowed, 16th in FG% allowed, 8th in 3P% allowed, 14th in rebounds allowed, 23rd in steals and 1st in blocks. This should be a relatively soft matchup for the Hawks offense.
Three Reasons Atlanta Can Win This Game
| Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Even though it seems pretty clear that Joel Embiid and Paul George are both past their prime, that ignores the fact that the 76ers are better when they play. Philadelphia has a positive on-off swing with both Embiid (1.2 points better) and Paul George (5.0 points better). They have a positive net rating in the two most common starting lineups with Embiid and a +9.5 net rating with their current best-case starting lineup of Maxey and Edgecombe working out of the backcourt while George and Grimes play on the wing. Embiid’s defense has declined, but he still demands a lot of attention on defense due to being able to score at all three levels. George should be avaliable for the 76ers against Atlanta, but he’s on a minutes restriction and likely won’t be able to play much in the second half. The 76ers are thin in the frontcourt and desperately need what George provides as a ball-handler, shooting option and defender with size. Not having to face both Embiid and George is a clear advantage for the Hawks.
One of the most consistent trends across the NBA that has emerged to begin the season is that the 76ers are, frankly, a horrendous third-quarter team. They’re 30th in points per game and net rating for the third quarter and there’s a good deal of separation in that metric. The Pelicans, who are one of the worst teams in the NBA, are 29th and they still have a net rating of -26.6 in the third quarter while the 76ers have a net rating of -28.9 in the same time period. Head coach Nick Nurse has consistently struggled to find ways to draw up successful plays for Philadelphia out of halftime and the players themselves have not performed well in that same time period. Even if the Hawks are down by halftime, they should have an excellent opportunity to get back into the game immediately following their adjustments.
While Paul George is a decent enough defender to match up with Jalen Johnson, Johnson will have ample opportunities to pick on former teammate Dominick Barlow in this matchup. Kelly Oubre and Trendon Watford would both be better defensive options, but neither is available for the 76ers tonight. Barlow has been better on defense since his stint in Atlanta – the 76ers have given up 4.7 fewer points per 100 possessions with Barlow on the court and he’s cut down on his fouling from 5.5% to 3.5%. However, he hasn’t faced a PF as good as Johnson yet and he’s a clear target for the Hawks in this one.
Three Reasons Atlanta Might Lose This Game
The Hawks just got torched by Donovan Mitchell and things aren’t necessarily going to get easier against the 76ers. While having two supermax players on the bench would sink most teams, Philadelphia has been able to stay afloat because Tyrese Maxey has been phenomenal to begin the season. He’s averaging 31.7 points, 7.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game on a career-high 61.3 TS%. The 76ers are 11.6 points per game better when Maxey is on the court, which is a better on-off than what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had last year for the OKC Thunder during his MVP season. Slowing down Maxey is going to be a tough job for Atlanta’s perimeter defense, particularly Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, to handle.
One of Philadelphia’s strengths is their deep backcourt and they could potentially have all four of their promising young guards available for the first time this year if VJ Edgecombe makes his return to the lineup. Beyond Maxey, Quentin Grimes has done an admirable job of taking ball-handler responsibilities and defensive responsibilities on the perimeter while maintaining his hot shooting from deep. Edgecome is struggling with his efficiency, but he’s still a tremendous athlete who threatens in transition and plays a tough brand of defense despite being a rookie. However, rookie sensation Jared McCain has stolen the show as of late after working himself back into game shape due to a meniscus tear that ended his rookie season prematurely. He’s boosted Philly’s bench by averaging 16.7 points on 45/47.4/83.3 shooting splits in his last three games.
While Philadelphia’s struggles in the third quarter are a worrying trend, they have also been excellent in the fourth quarter. They have the third-best offensive rating and the best net rating across the NBA in the final frame, which speaks to how many different shotmakers they have in their lineup. If the 76ers are in the game by the end of the third quarter, there is a very good chance they will be able to make up the difference in the fourth quarter. Centers Adem Bona and Andre Drummond have both been relatively solid presences as rim protectors and they’ve also been able to make some massive plays in the clutch through their hustle, rebounding and shot blocking.
Injury Report
Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young, N’Faly Dante, Kristaps Porzingis and Nikola Durisic are all out.
Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid, Kelly Oubre and Trendon Watford are out while VJ Edgecombe and Andre Drummond are questionable.
How to Watch
Here is how you can watch tonight’s game:
Tip-off time: 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Where to Watch: FanDuel Sports Network
Projected Starting Lineups
Hawks
G – Dyson Daniels
G – Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F – Zaccharie Risacher
F – Jalen Johnson
C – Kristaps Porzingis
76ers
G – Tyrese Maxey
G – Quentin Grimes
F – Paul George
F – Dominick Barlow
C – Andre Drummond
More Atlanta Hawks News:
Atlanta, GA
Conference offers safe space for gay men to unpack the stigmas, challenges of adoption and surrogacy
Dr. Algernon Cargill and Ronaldo Coxson say they were split on whether to have children when they first met. But after they fell in love and got married, they decided that becoming parents was the next step.
“We ultimately chose surrogacy because we wanted to have a biological connection to our kids,” Cargill said. “[A]nd we also heard some horror stories of families being placed with a foster family and then losing on the placement later on…”
The two say it was a rewarding experience. They now have two daughters, Elle, 7, and Grace, 2. They also have great relationships with their egg donor and surrogates. But they say that as a gay couple, the process was challenging and expensive. Cargill says they weren’t able to take advantage of certain forms of support that are more readily available to heterosexual couples and women looking to get pregnant.
“Employers and employer-sponsored health plans do cover some healthcare costs for couples suffering from infertility; that doesn’t necessarily apply to us,” Cargill said. “And so we had to purchase an insurance plan through the market and then use that to cover some of the healthcare costs of surrogacy.”
In an effort to help other men interested in surrogacy, Dr. Cargill and Coxson have opened up about their journey alongside family planning experts at the Men Having Babies Conference in downtown Atlanta. The couple appeared last year, but the conference was held in the city again in June. Organizers say their goal is to create a safe space for gay men to unpack the stigmas and challenges they face while trying to become parents. They are also working to spread awareness about the resources available to community members looking to expand their families.
Tim’m West, the executive director of the Rustin Institute for Leadership Development, was a panelist during this year’s conference and is a friend to Cargill and Coxson.
“We hear it takes a village all the time,” West said. “Well, it also takes a village for gay men that are exploring, bringing families into the world and who don’t want that negative stigma or the pushback…”
West says it’s important for friends, loved ones and allies to show support however they can.
“We use in the LGBTQ community all the time, ‘chosen family,’ ‘found family,’” he said. “Well, I think surrogacy is just something that expands that notion and sort of brings it to bear in terms of – ‘who’s going to be the family to these children that we bring into the world.”
Dr. Lauren Berman, a psychologist specializing in family planning with the Fertile Ground Psychology Group, was also on the panel.
“When people don’t understand that there are rigorous screening processes and very significant education, that there is informed consent, and that there is implications counseling, they misconstrue the idea of surrogacy, that surrogacy is exploitative of women,” Berman said.
She says unpacking misconceptions is important for helping people decide if surrogacy is right for them and their families.
“When standards are used and applied, it is a safe and actually a really loving and exciting process. And I meet a lot of surrogates and a lot of intended parents who end up just adoring each other and feeling very excited about the journey that they’ve been through together,” Berman said.
Coxson says he put effort into fostering good relationships with their daughters’ surrogates.
“It took me really good communication, I’ll tell you that,” Coxson said. “Because you have to talk to someone else and take in their journey as a part of your own, and it becomes a collaborative effort. So if you’re a control freak, surrogacy is not the way to go.”
Cargill says he and his husband will give their daughters more details about how they came into the world as they get older.
Until then, the couple says they tell their daughters they’re special—and were created with love and care.
ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – General admission tickets to FIFA Fan Festival Atlanta are sold out as temperatures hover in the 90s, with organizers urging attendees to prepare for the heat ahead of a packed Wednesday schedule.
Three matches are scheduled for Wednesday, including a U.S. Men’s National Team match in the evening, as the World Cup continues in the knockout stage. The festival at Centennial Olympic Park has welcomed nearly 400,000 visitors since the start of the tournament.
What fans should know before they go
Organizers are advising fans to wear light, loose clothing and bring hats. Neck fans are permitted, as are plastic water bottles without labels. The park opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m. Wednesday.
“We are aware of the heat index and we want to make sure people are comfortable and safe within the park,” said Chincie Mouton, Director of Sports Engagement & Community Impact for the Georgia World Congress Center Authority.
Shaded areas, a splash pad at the Fountain of Rings, and water filling stations are available throughout the park. Some of those water stations are supplied by Third Rock Sanitation Solutions, a family-owned company based in Alpharetta.
“We believe we are absolutely life support here, because water is essential for all of us,” said Mark Slade with Third Rock Sanitation Solutions, based in Alpharetta.
The stations provide chilled, filtered water across the park.
“Without the water, let’s face it, there would be people dehydrated, falling out, there would be several problems. So, being part of that, it’s a really good feeling, heartfelt feeling,” Slade said.
Paramedics on standby
Paramedics and safety crews will be on hand should anyone become overwhelmed by the heat, organizers said.
Jason Walker and his son traveled from England to see England play Congo in Atlanta. The match will be held indoors at Atlanta Stadium. Walker said the outdoor heat was already noticeable upon arrival.
“I’m obviously suffering from it at the moment, it’s extremely hot at the moment,” Walker said.
All five remaining days of the Fan Festival are sold out for free tickets. Some paid tickets remain available. Organizers will stop admitting fans once capacity is reached — a threshold that has been hit during U.S. games being played at the park. Early arrival is encouraged.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Courtesy of Orion Media
A new restaurant at the Forum Peachtree Corners is aiming to reframe what Persian dining in metro Atlanta can look and taste like. Created by Pooya Naraghi, Golestan leans into tradition, drawing heavily from Naraghi’s upbringing and the kind of cooking typically reserved for family tables.
The Naraghi family is best known for their Midtown Mexican restaurant El Valle, created in partnership with chef Luis Damian, but Pooya says Persian cuisine has always been the long-term goal.
“It’s close to my heart,” he says. “Before opening Golestan, the best Persian food I ever ate was my mother’s,” he says. “We want to bring those authentic, home-cooked flavors and traditions to our guests.”
The 5,000-square-foot space pairs homegrown inspiration with a polished, modern setting. Persian rugs suspended overhead, colorful tilework on the floor, florals abound, and arched doorways nod to traditional design, while an open kitchen puts the focus on the chefs at work. The result is what Naraghi describes as elevated but welcoming.
“We don’t want to modernize it too much; it’s what would you experience in Tehran in the ’70s and ’80s in terms of portions, flavors, and plate composition,” Naghari says.
Chef Victor Gonzalez Rodriguez is in the kitchen, bringing more than 20 years of experience in cooking Persian cuisine. The lamb shank, slow-braised until tender in a turmeric and dried lime broth, is a personal favorite of Naraghi, who grew up eating versions of the dish at home. Starters like mirza ghasemi, a smoky eggplant dip with tomato and garlic, are served with house-made flatbread, herbs, feta, and walnuts, nodding to the communal way Persian meals are often shared. Guests can order individual plates or ask for their food served on a shareable platter of rice dishes, kebabs, and sides. It’s a style intentionally reminiscent of dining in Iran decades ago, with an emphasis on generous portions and balance rather than reinvention.
Courtesy of Orion Media
The beverage program weaves Persian ingredients and influences throughout. Cocktails, developed in collaboration with mixologist Daryush Noorbehesht, highlight flavors such as saffron, pistachio, quince, barberry, and sour cherry. Drinks like Leila’s Lips showcase the menu’s balance of tart and aromatic elements. The wine list leans international, with selections from New Zealand, California, France, and Italy alongside lesser-known Lebanese bottles chosen for their compatibility with Persian flavors like cardamom and black tea. Beer spans both local drafts—including SweetWater and Creature Comforts—and a Persian-inspired label, Back Home Beer, brewed by an Iranian-American using family recipes.
For Naraghi, Peachtree Corners was a strategic choice. He saw a gap in the market and an opportunity to introduce something new to the neighborhood. Ultimately, Naraghi’s ambitions extend beyond one location. The name Golestan means “garden of roses,” and reflects a vision of gathering, hospitality, and growth.
“We want guests to feel as though they’ve been welcomed into someone’s home,” he says.
Courtesy of Orion Media
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