Pero Antic remained in the starting lineup at center following the good and bad of his debut Friday.
Antic made his first NBA start against the Warriors and posted career highs in points (13), rebounds (seven) and 3-pointers (four). However, he was responsible for Andre Iguodala’s game-winning shot when he left the forward open to double-team Stephen Curry in the final seconds. Iguodala came off the in-bounds play to make a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 101-100 win.
Coach Mike Budenholzer announced following the loss that Antic would start again Saturday at the Bulls. When asked if that decision was made based on Antic’s performance, Budenholzer said “I’m not even sure.”
A day later, Budenholzer didn’t fault Antic for leaving Iguodala to attempt a trap of Curry.
“I think he just made an instinctive play,” Budenholzer said. “Steph Curry is one of the best players in our league. Getting the ball out of his hands you could argue is a good idea. I think it was just an instinctual play that he made. Give credit to Steph for making a great pass and Iguodala for making a tough shot.”
The Hawks have used four different lineups since the season-ending injury to center Al Horford.
Korver blogs: Much attention has been on Kyle Korver during his NBA-record streak of 3-pointers. Korver — and family — have been reluctant to speak about the streak.
Korver did offer some thoughts about setting the mark in a blog he wrote for his website recently.
“I didn’t want to make too big of a deal about it, because to me, my challenge was and still is, in perfecting my shot,” Korver wrote. “Somewhere along the way, over the last few years, I’ve begun to hone in on the finer mechanics of my shot. Tiny details that most people might not ever notice, but I have learned to notice from the inside. I’ve developed body awareness, wherein I can feel if my elbow is a few degrees out or my shoulder is too tense, if my left foot is turned too far inward or my knee is weak on the outside. The attention to these details, is what kept me going.”
Jenkins misses trip: John Jenkins will miss at least two more games, his sixth and seventh consecutive, as he continues to deal with nerve pain in his left leg related to a lower back injury. Jenkins did not make the trip that began Saturday in Chicago and ends in Brooklyn on Monday. Jenkins had already missed five games with the ailment that flared up in Cleveland on Dec. 26. There is no timetable for Jenkins to return as he continues to rest and receive physical therapy.
About the Author
