I Dig Sports
Man City find form to boost top-four hopes, but Chelsea are unraveling
Manchester City moved back into the top four of the Premier League with an impressive 3-1 win over Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola's side issued the perfect response to the demoralising Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain to come from behind against Chelsea thanks to goals from Josko Gvardiol, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden.
City handed debuts to winter transfer signings Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush from the start -- and Khusanov endured a nightmare, gifting Chelsea the opening goal inside three minutes. The 33.6 million signing from RC Lens missed a bouncing ball and then saw his weak header back to Éderson incepted by Nicola Jackson, who squared for Noni Madueke to tap into an empty net.
Gvardiol had two good chances to equalise before taking his third opportunity just before halftime. Matheus Nunes latched onto Ilkay Gündogan's ball over the top and with goalkeeper Robert Sánchez rushing out to meet him, the ball fell into Gvardiol's path to score with a simple finish.
City were the better team in the second half and eventually got a second goal through Erling Haaland. Ederson's long ball forward was flicked on by the Norwegian, who chased it down and wrestled off Trevoh Chalobah. With Sanchez stuck in no-man's land, Haaland lifted his finish over the Chelsea goalkeeper and into the net for his 18th league goal of the season.
Foden wrapped up the result in the closing stages, collecting Haaland's clever pass to run through from the halfway line to score his sixth goal in his past six games.
Man City's rise and Chelsea's fall marks a shift in title race
Manchester City's comeback win -- staggeringly, only their sixth victory in 20 games across all competitions -- was enough to put Guardiola's side back in the top four and may signal a turning point in what has been a shockingly bad season thus far.
With UEFA's co-efficient system looking likely to award a Champions League spot to fifth place, City are suddenly right back in contention having now gone unbeaten in the league for a month. Coming just three days after their capitulation to Paris Saint-Germain, City's league position will offer a degree of comfort to Guardiola, particularly given he threw in two debutants here and watched his team fall behind.
Chelsea, by contrast, end Saturday in sixth place -- a remarkable fall from grace, which fully extinguishes any talk of Enzo Maresca's side being part of the title race.
They have now won one game in seven and their game plan was undone in troubling fashion. The high defensive line, which initially caused City problems, ended up being badly exposed as Madueke allowed Gvardiol to run in behind one too many times to equalise. Haaland and Foden later also beat Chelsea's offside trap too easily to find the scoresheet.
In truth, the Blues' response after falling behind was almost nonexistent -- an attitude made all the more surprising given this result could represent an important swing in the race for Europe. -- James Olley
Chelsea's wait for a statement win drags on
One curious quirk of Chelsea's season is that they have taken more points on the road (21) than at home (19) -- yet they are without a statement away win under Maresca, who took over the club this season.
They were beaten at Liverpool in October -- somewhat unfortunately -- before losing at Newcastle in the EFL Cup and drawing at Manchester United. December's 4-3 victory at Tottenham was arguably their most significant success outside of Stamford Bridge given they came from 2-0 down and they had City on the back foot early on, seemingly ready to capitalise on their current fragility.
And yet the opportunity slipped through their grasp. They were curiously passive after the opening half-an-hour or so, allowing City to recover their poise and turn the game around.
Something needs to change soon for Maresca. Chelsea's next four away games are at Brighton twice -- once in the FA Cup fourth round -- Aston Villa and then Arsenal. Their self-belief drained away to a troubling extent and more resistance is needed to ensure their season does not unravel further. -- Olley
Rough start for Man City's January signing Khusanov
Man City's comeback win may render it more of a footnote, but it was a disastrous start for Khusanov. Thrown straight into the centre of defence after just three training sessions with his new teammates, the 20-year-old was all over the place in the opening five minutes.
With only his third touch, he sold Ederson short with a routine header back and allowed Jackson to set up Madueke. Immediately afterwards he misplaced a pass into midfield and was booked for hacking down Cole Palmer as he tried to make amends.
There were points during the opening exchanges when it looked like his teammates were reluctant to give him the ball. He eventually settled himself down with a couple of simple passes -- each of which were enthusiastically cheered by the City fans in an attempt to make the youngster feel better.
Guardiola will not have wanted to chuck Khusanov in at the deep end after just 18 months in Belarus and 31 appearances for RC Lens, but he will feel that he had no choice. Rúben Dias and Nathan Aké are both injured and John Stones, who was on the bench but not fully fit, is needed against Club Brugge next week in the Champions League, a competition Khusanov is not eligible to play in.
Khusanov was eventually replaced by Stones after just 53 minutes. He got a word of encouragement from Stones on his way off and a hug and a pat on the back from Guardiola. -- Rob Dawson
Marmoush looks poised to boost Man City
The game will be remembered for Khusanov's debut rather than Marmoush's, but the 63m signing from Eintracht Frankfurt looked sharp.
He had a goal ruled out in the first half when Gundogan's shot came back off Sanchez. He should have left the finish to Bernardo Silva, who was onside, but he can't be criticised too heavily for his desperation to score. It was the same in the second half when he opted to shoot instead of sending Foden clear through and got an earful from the England midfielder.
Playing on the left of a front three is probably not his favourite position, but he still did enough to show that he can add something to this City team. He was confident enough to take on Reece James and was constantly looking to stretch Chelsea's defence with runs in behind.
With Haaland a certain starter and Kevin De Bruyne and Foden first-choice to play in the attacking midfield positions, it might take a while for Marmoush to find out where he fits in. But on his debut he looked quick, skilful and hungry for goals which can only be good news for Guardiola.
After being substituted in the second half, the cameras caught Marmoush chatting to Jack Grealish and wearing a big smile. He certainly enjoyed himself more than Khusanov. -- Dawson
Pressure mounts on goalkeeper Sanchez
Haaland took his winning goal brilliantly, but the opportunity was made far easier by another moment of indecision from Sanchez in goal.
Although Haaland looked like he had the beating of Chalobah as he chased his own flick-on, the Norwegian striker was still a long way from goal when Sanchez inexplicably decided to rush off his line. Quickly realising he would never make up the ground to Haaland, he checked back and left himself stranded off his goal line as City's No. 9 cut back on his left foot and lifted a fine finish into the net.
It is the second bad error in a week after a mistake against Wolves and places Sanchez under further scrutiny, especially in the context of Maresca's pre-match comments where he said the 27-year-old was "getting better, but still far, far, far from where I want him to be."
Maresca also refused to confirm whether Sanchez would be his No. 1 next season. With summer signing Filip Jorgensen impressing in the Conference League, there is now a growing debate about whether Sanchez should be in goal next week. -- Olley
Noman Ali paying no heed to pitch criticism as second Test becomes 'a one-innings match'
Speaking after play on Saturday, Noman said "such a match was bound to happen", given the extreme conditions that were on offer.
"We will try our best [to bowl West Indies out quickly] because it is [now] a one-innings match," Noman said after Pakistan fell nine runs short of the visitors' total. "In the first innings, for their last-wicket partnership, the runs that we gave away were a little extra. So we will try not to give such runs again."
Noman said this is not something on the team's mind, since it faced criticism even when Tests went all the way. "Even when we used to have a full five-day match before, fans criticised us a lot," he said. "We were criticised saying the results are not coming. [But] now the results are coming. If the results are coming in two or three days, then I think [it is fine]. The results have been positive so far, and we'll try that this match also has a positive result."
Pakistan had West Indies at 54 for 8, before the tailenders pushed them to 163. In the first innings of the first Test, West Indies had recovered from 66 for 8 to 137. Noman said Pakistan "made some mistakes", which they will try to avoid in the second gig.
Franklin: Both batting orders finding it difficult
"I don't think it's just the West Indies top order; I think both batting orders are finding it very difficult on this pitch," Franklin said. "There's a lot of spin, [and] a lot of bounce - sometimes it's inconsistent as well. So when you go out there as a batter, I think the first 20-30 balls are very challenging to adapt to the wicket. I think you've seen batters that can get through the initial 20-30 balls and get 15-20 runs under their belts in their innings, the game all of a sudden looks a bit more comfortable from a batting point of view."
"We've seen that a bit from [Mohammad] Rizwan over both Test matches, we've seen that a little bit from Saud Shakeel, [and] we've seen it from some of our bottom-order batters being able to do that. We saw that from Alick Athanaze in the first Test."
Franklin is looking to set small targets for his batters, as they go into their second innings with a slender lead. He said it would be "very competitive" if West Indies end up posting a score in the "high hundreds, 200, [or] 200-plus". Franklin just wanted his batters "to look at small milestones".
"You know 30, 40-run partnerships can be quite significant in these Test matches here in Multan," Franklin said. "We saw that in the first Test, we're seeing that today. I think if we reflect over the three-and-a-bit days of this Test series so far, there's only been one huge difference - and that was a 100-run [141] partnership on day one of Test one. Apart from that, it's been very even-stevens between both sides."
BCB puts its constitution reform committee on ice
The BCB has put its constitution reform committee on ice in the face of an ongoing boycott by the Dhaka clubs. The city's second-tier competition, the Dhaka First Division Cricket League, has been suspended since January 14 with the clubs refusing to play.
Their protests stem from reports that the BCB's constitution reform committee submitted a resolution to reduce the number of BCB directors nominated by the Dhaka league from 12 to four. There has been no formal announcement, by the BCB or the committee in question, of such a move. It would require a change in the BCB's constitution to do this, and it would need to be approved at the board's annual general meeting.
Either way, the BCB announced on Saturday that it is going to take a look at the committee's scope of work and terms of reference.
"The board decided to postpone the constitution review committee's activities," BCB director Mahbubul Anam said. "This committee could be changed or expanded at a later time. The rest of the activities will take place only after their scope of work and terms of reference are prepared. The terms of reference will be on how they will make the necessary changes to the constitution, how they will do it by involving stakeholders."
Anam said that the reports of the committee submitting any resolution were unsubstantiated. "They never submitted any proposed changes to the board president or anyone in the board. We have also heard that they didn't submit anything to the National Sports Council. Many of the changes spoken about isn't also correct.
However, he said, the BCB wants the whole process to be more transparent. "The BCB directors feel that the process has to be clearer. There's no secrecy about the constitution. It is a public information. We want to suspend their activities to stop such discussions. The board feels that stakeholders must be involved so we need change and expansion."
The BCB also announced the names of the board directors who will lead 21 out of its 23 standing committees.
Faruque himself has been named chair of the board's marketing committee. Akram Khan, Mahbubul Anam and Fahim Sinha have also got roles as chair of various committees.
The BCB has instructed the various newly appointed chairs to form full committees for each of their posts over the next two weeks.
The heads of the BCB's working committee and security committee will be named later.
Paarl Royals in playoffs courtesy dominant spin unit, consistent home show
"Keeping things simple is a big part of doing well here. In the past, we've had quite explosive players. Sometimes they come off, sometimes they don't. This season, there's been a lot more consistency, and playing well at home contributes to that."
The Boland, 50 kms inland from Cape Town, is hot and dry in peak summer, and the surfaces get more difficult for run-scoring as the season grows long. Saturday's pitch, which was slow and low, was a perfect example of that. Fortuin has spent his early domestic career here and has played five years of T20 franchise cricket for teams based in Paarl: two years with Paarl Rocks in the now-defunct Mzansi Super League, and three in the SA20. He has adapted his game for exactly these conditions, particularly with the new ball.
Fortuin is often used in the powerplay to put the pressure on upfront and usually also make a few crucial incisions. Across the three seasons of SA20, Fortuin's economy rate of 6.08 in the powerplay is the best among bowlers who have delivered at least 15 overs in that phase. His 20 wickets in the same period is the joint most with Marco Jansen. It includes the likes of Quinton de Kock, Dewald Brevis and Ryan Rickelton (all twice); Devon Conway, Faf du Plessis, Kyle Mayers and Kusal Mendis; and on Saturday, the destructive Afghan opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
In another country, Fortuin's record and reputation might see him walk straight into the national squad. But the presence of Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi means he plays infrequently for South Africa, and has also missed out on the Champions Trophy squad. Fortuin said the snub is "not something I can comment on right now" as he focuses on SA20 success, where Royals have set the pace, particularly with their spinners.
"Looking at their team, we were trying to find the seamers when we saw the line-up," Rilee Rossouw, Capitals' captain, said. "It's definitely something different. It's something that we are not so accustomed to, especially here in South Africa. Credit also has to go to their bowlers and how they went about their business."
That statement might apply to the tournament as a whole. Royals have only lost one game so far - to their neighbours MI Cape Town - and have won all four at home. This is the third successive season that Royals have made it to the knockout stage, but have yet to make a final. And they will be wary of dropping form at the business end, as they have done in the past.
In 2023, they won five of their first eight matches, and then lost two of the last three. Last year, after only losing only one of their first six matches, they finished on a five-match losing streak, including defeat in the knockouts.
"So we won't count our chickens too early," Fortuin said. "The past two seasons, we've had good starts and then sort of fallen away towards the back end. So we'll take it game by game."
There, Royals coach Trevor Penney expects his seam attack, and specifically Ngidi, who has not played for the last three matches, to step up.
"We've got the balance. We've got the seamers that are ready to jump in," Penney said. "With Lungi, we know big fast bowlers like him, they sometimes needed a couple of weeks to get back into that full flow and the rhythm. It's a tough thing for fast bowlers. He was out [with a groin injury] for like eight weeks. So he's on a programme where he's almost back now. So we played him in the first few games so he could get some game time. And I'm sure when we go to the Highveld, he's going to be straight back in."
Before that, Royals will sign off from Paarl with a match against Durban's Super Giants on Monday in a goodbye to a crowd that has ridden the wave of their winning streak.
"They're very passionate. The nice thing is that they're actually quite knowledgeable as well, so they appreciate small bits of cricket here and there," Fortuin said. "You certainly hear it when you're not doing well, which is a bit of extra motivation as well. The vibe here is incredible. And in the future, I do hope that we can play games here at the back end of the tournament. It would be quite cool to eventually have a home final if something like that happens."
With a capacity of 10,000, Boland Park is the smallest of the SA20 venues, and has yet to host a playoff game.
Stats inputs from Sampath Bandarupalli
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's correspondent for South Africa and women's cricket
Mooney calls for Australia to put on a show in Ashes Test
Mooney, who was masterful in the third T20I with an unbeaten 94 off 63 balls, conceded there was an element of disappointment in the fact the Test wasn't a live contest in terms of the Ashes, but on the flip side hoped that it would allow the team to play with freedom.
"It's going to be awesome," Mooney said. "We obviously don't get to pull on the baggy green too often. The pink ball behaves a little bit differently so that'll create some challenges. I'm just really looking forward to the spectacle of the game to be honest.
"We're pumped that we're 12-0 up. It certainly would have been nice if we played the test match while the series was still on the line, maybe earlier in the series, but that wasn't to be. I think on an individual front and as a group it's come at a great time for us to basically just show off our skills and really enjoy playing the four-day game."
"I take pride in the fact that I can offer the coaching staff and selection panel different options," Mooney said. "Whether it's batting order or behind the stumps or in the field. It'll be a nice challenge for me wicketkeeping and batting in that middle order role, so looking forward to what that's going to present and hopefully I'm just warming Midge's spot for a little while."
Should Healy be fit it leaves Australia with an interesting selection call to make given she has moved down the order in Test cricket in recent years. She would likely have to slot back in at the top alongside Phoebe Litchfield unless the selectors were also able to find room for Georgia Voll.
There is one vacancy from when Australia last played a Test, against South Africa at the WACA, with Sophie Molineux out injured. Georgia Wareham could come into the side to partner fellow legspinner Alana King, although the pink-ball factor may bring Megan Schutt into contention as another seamer. Wareham has only played one previous Test, against India in 2021.
Ash Gardner is expected to be fit after a calf injury kept her out of the T20I series.
Source: Lions promote LBs coach Sheppard to DC
DETROIT -- The Lions didn't have to look far to find their new defensive coordinator.
Detroit promoted former linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard to replace Aaron Glenn in the vacant coaching role, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Saturday, confirming an NFL.com report.
After a record-breaking 15-win season in Detroit, Glenn and former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson accepted head coaching positions with the New York Jets and Chicago Bears, respectively.
Sheppard joined the Lions' staff as an outside linebackers coach at the beginning of coach Dan Campbell's tenure in Detroit in 2021. For the past three seasons, he coached the entire linebackers group and has a knack for developing young talent.
Sheppard, 37, spent eight seasons in the NFL from 2011 to 2018 playing for Buffalo, Indianapolis, Miami, the New York Giants and Detroit. He was a third-round pick (68th overall) in the 2011 NFL draft by the Bills.
After losing in the NFC divisional round to Washington as the No. 1 seed, Campbell said he would evaluate internal and outside candidates to help fill the coaching vacancies before he chose Sheppard as his defensive coordinator.
"I think we've got guys on staff that I think are more than qualified and would be outstanding in those roles, but that does not mean that I'm not looking outside either," Campbell said Jan. 20. "So, I want what I believe is going to be as close to what we have been as possible, and we don't lose what we're about and our identity, and like what you just asked, we're going to stay true to who we are, and if you're somebody that doesn't feel comfortable with that, then no, I don't -- this isn't the job for you."
Jets complete overhaul, turn to Mougey as new GM
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Completing their leadership overhaul, the New York Jets hired Darren Mougey as their general manager Saturday.
Mougey, a longtime Denver Broncos scout and executive who became their assistant GM in 2022, will team with newly hired coach Aaron Glenn -- a brain trust with no previous experience in their new positions. It's a bold pairing by the Jets, who are trying to reboot after a turmoil filled season and a 14-year playoff drought.
At 39, Mougey is the third-youngest GM in the NFL and two years younger than quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whose future with the Jets will be determined in the coming weeks. Mougey is expected to have a traditional GM role, meaning he has final say on personnel decisions and control of the 53-man roster. Glenn, who was involved in the hiring, will have significant input.
"Darren is a trusted NFL executive who has experience working with an impressive collection of football leaders," Jets chairman Woody Johnson said in a news release. "He is a proven talent evaluator who impressed us with his vision for this team. His partnership with Coach Glenn will revitalize this organization. I am proud of the thorough search we undertook and that it led us to the two best individuals to lead our football team going forward."
Mougey replaces Joe Douglas, who was fired Nov. 19 after five-plus seasons on the job. Under Douglas' stewardship, the Jets were 30-64. Phil Savage served as the interim GM.
Mougey called his new job "one of the great honors and privileges of my life."
"I could not be more excited to work alongside Coach Glenn to build a championship team that will make Jets fans proud," he said in the release.
The Jets took an unconventional route by hiring their coach before the GM. A dual announcement was expected Wednesday, when Glenn's deal was finalized, but things changed.
Washington Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark appeared to be the front-runner because he was the first candidate to receive a second interview. He and Glenn seemed to be a natural fit, considering they worked with the Detroit Lions from 2021 to 2023. Both interviewed Tuesday at the team facility, but the Jets met again with Mougey and Cincinnati Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown.
Mougey and Glenn, 52, have no previous working relationship, only an indirect connection -- Broncos coach Sean Payton. Glenn was on Payton's New Orleans Saints coaching staff, and they have remained close. Glenn participated in in-person interviews with Mougey and Brown on Thursday at the Jets' facility.
The Jets interviewed 15 candidates, including five with previous GM experience.
Ironically, one of their former GMs -- Mike Tannenbaum -- was involved in the search. Tannenbaum founded The 33rd Team, a media and technology company that was retained by the Jets to compile and vet candidates. Former Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman also assisted. Spielman received a positive report about Mougey from his former assistant GM in Minnesota, George Paton, the Broncos' current GM.
Tannenbaum, now an ESPN analyst, was 36 when the Jets hired him in 2006. Mougey is their youngest GM since. The only current GMs younger than Mougey are the Cleveland Browns' Andrew Berry (37) and the Chicago Bears' Ryan Poles (39), according to ESPN Research.
Mougey played college football at San Diego State. He began as a quarterback, playing behind current Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, but was switched to wide receiver. He had brief stops with the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals, but he never made a regular-season roster.
Mougey got into scouting with the Broncos, working his way up from a scouting intern (2012). He was hired by Broncos legend John Elway and went from area scout (2015 to 2019) to assistant director of college scouting (2020) to director of player personnel (2021) to his most recent role as the assistant GM.
Mougey worked for three ownership groups and two general managers, experiencing the high of a Super Bowl championship after the 2015 season and the low of an eight-year playoff drought that ended this season under the Payton rebuild.
Mougey worked alongside Paton, who in 2022 made the ill-fated Russell Wilson trade -- regarded as one of the worst in recent NFL history. The Broncos surrendered a huge package of draft picks, including two first-rounders, for the fading star, who lasted only two seasons in Denver and left a massive cap hit.
On the positive side, Mougey was part of a front office that has drafted well in recent years. From 2021 to 2023, it selected four players on the current All-Pro team -- cornerback Pat Surtain II, guard Quinn Meinerz, kick returner Marvin Mims Jr. and edge rusher Nik Bonitto (second team). Quarterback Bo Nix, Denver's 2024 first-round pick, enjoyed a promising rookie year.
Mougey walks into a massive job, one that will require a culture overhaul. The Jets haven't produced a winning season since 2015, and their playoff slump is the longest in North American sports. Since 2015, they've gone through four coaches -- Todd Bowles, Adam Gase, Robert Saleh and interim Jeff Ulbrich, who replaced the fired Saleh on Oct. 8.
There are some building blocks on the roster, but Brown must decide on Rodgers and formulate a long-term plan at quarterback. Another pressing issue is the future of wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who is eligible for a contract extension and could request a trade.
The Jets own the No. 7 pick in the draft and have eight total picks, but they have only $25 million in cap room, according to Roster Management System. They have 23 unrestricted free agents, including six starters. It will take some creative cap management to improve the roster under these restrictions.
Amid Mahomes angst, NFL eyes replay on slides
For all those complaining that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes gets too many calls, relief soon could be on the way.
NFL replay assist is expected to expand this offseason into plays that could include the quarterback slide, league sources told ESPN on Saturday.
The NFL enacted replay assist in 2021 to allow replay officials and designated members of the officiating department to assist with on-field calls in limited game situations.
Replay assist has been used during games when there is clear and obvious video evidence, such as the spot of the ball or a foul, a complete or incomplete pass and touching of the ball or a line.
Beginning in 2024, the league expanded replay assist to add additional areas in which information could be provided when there was a penalty flag already on the field, including fouls for hits heading out of bounds, fouls for blows to the head of a quarterback and elements of intentional grounding.
Now, additional elements could be added this offseason. Replay assist came into question in the third quarter of last weekend's AFC divisional playoff game, when Mahomes scrambled out of the pocket, slid beneath two lunging Texans defenders and still drew a 15-yard penalty on Houston for unnecessary roughness.
"Oh come on," ESPN analyst Troy Aikman said during the telecast as the penalty was called on the play. "I mean, he's a runner and I could not disagree with that one more. He barely gets hit."
Aikman said the league has "got to address it in the offseason."
"You can't, as a quarterback, run around and play games with the defenders and then get called for a penalty," Aikman said.
The NFL's competition committee meets throughout the offseason before typically voting on rules changes in late March at the league's annual meeting, which this year will be held in Palm Beach, Florida. The competition committee will discuss expanding replay assist, and it is likely to include quarterback slides.
The belief around the league is that there's no reason not to bring further objectivity and clarity to a play that fans in the stadium or at home can see.
Texans star pass rusher Will Anderson Jr., who was flagged earlier in last Saturday's game for roughing the passer, said Houston "knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game."
Mahomes, however, pushed back on the idea that the Chiefs get favorable treatment from officials.
"I don't feel that way,'' Mahomes said Wednesday as the Chiefs began preparations for Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills. "At the end of the day, the referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and as proper as they possibly can.
"All you can do is go out there and play the game that you love as hard as you can and live with the results. ... I feel like I've just continued to play the game, and I just try to win, and whatever happens kind of happens.''
Hawks' Johnson to have more tests on shoulder
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, already ruled out of Saturday night's home game against the Toronto Raptors, will continue to be sidelined as he has further medical testing on his injured left shoulder, the team announced.
Johnson sustained the injury when he blocked a layup attempt by Toronto's Scottie Barnes in the second quarter of Atlanta's 122-110 road loss Thursday.
"[Johnson] will be listed as out as he undergoes further medical testing and evaluation," the Hawks said in a statement Saturday afternoon. "His injury and status will be updated as appropriate."
Johnson missed five games with a right shoulder problem and returned on Jan. 18.
He leads the Hawks with 10.0 rebounds per game. He is second in scoring average (18.9), assists per game (5.0) and minutes per game (35.7). All four averages are career bests.
Atlanta selected Johnson with the 20th pick of the 2021 NBA draft out of Duke. In his four-year career, he averages 11.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 23.6 minutes per game over 184 games (94 starts).
PARIS -- The desire to play with Victor Wembanyama may someday draw fellow stars to the San Antonio Spurs, but he's already attracting the next generation.
That was the message Saturday from A.J. Dybantsa, who is the nation's top-rated high school player and potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft. Dybantsa, who committed to BYU in December, traveled to Paris this week for the NBA's Global Games and to get an up-close look at Wembanyama, telling ESPN he would like the Spurs to draft him next year so they can pair up.
"I think Victor is just ridiculous; the things he does are just crazy," said Dybantsa, whose Utah Prep (Hurricane, Utah) high school team had the week off. "I just think we would've been a crazy duo. Now the odds of that happening are very slim. But I mean, it was just a thought that came up in my mind when he got drafted. But you never know."
The Spurs have nearly equaled their win total from last season already, and with Wembanyama improving, the odds of the Spurs being at the top of the 2026 draft when Dybantsa is projected to go do make the short-term chances of the pairing a little hard to see at the moment.
The 6-foot-9 Dybantsa, who turns 18 on Wednesday, coming to see these Paris games this week is a reminder of two years ago when a 19-year-old Wembanyama sat courtside at a Detroit Pistons-Chicago Bulls game. Wembanyama was the central attraction in Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers, a progression Dybantsa would like to follow.
"That's the goal," Dybantsa said.
Last weekend, Dybantsa scored 25 points in a loss to Monteverde Academy in a showcase game in Springfield, Massachusetts, that was televised on ESPN2. He's soon to return to the U.S., where he is working on his game. It's a little unclear what position he might play at the next level, but Dybantsa has shown a talent for playing both on and off the ball.
"I'm working on improving my shot. I'm trying to shoot 40% from the 3-point line," he said. "Obviously I've got to extend my range because the farther up I go, the farther the [3-point] line gets."
Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: 
Email: 
