NBA LOCALS
A weekly look at locals players in the NBA:
Al-Farouq Aminu, Mavericks, Norcross High
Averaging 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 26 games
Chris Bosh, Heat, Georgia Tech
Out with strained right calf, unclear how much time he will miss
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Pistons, Georgia
Tied a season-high three steals vs. Suns on Dec. 12
Jae Crowder, Celtics, Villa Rica High
Traded from Mavericks to Celtics as part of the Rajon Rondo deal
Derrick Favors, Jazz, Georgia Tech
Missed some time this week with a right ankle sprain
J.J. Hickson, Nuggets, Wheeler High
Averaging 7.9 points and 6.9 rebounds in 17 games
Dwight Howard, Rockets, Southwest Atlanta Christian
Missed 11 games with knee injury, returned Dec. 13 with 26 points and 13 rebounds vs. Nuggets
Jarrett Jack, Nets, Georgia Tech
Participated in commencement ceremony for degree earned 10 years after he left before his senior season
Jeremy Lamb, Thunder, Norcross High
Had six points on 3-of-9 shooting Wednesday after missing game with sore foot
Jodie Meeks, Pistons, Norcross High
Return to action after missing two months with stress reaction in back
Anthony Morrow, Thunder, Georgia Tech
Averaging 10.5 points and 2.7 rebounds in 19 games
Glen Rice Jr., Wizards, Georgia Tech
Remains on D-League assignment with Fort Wayne
Iman Shumpert, Knicks, Georgia Tech
Out for at least three weeks with dislocated shoulder
Josh Smith, Pistons, McEachern High
Recorded season-highs in rebounds (13) and blocks (5) at Kings Dec. 13
Thaddeus Young, Timberwolves, Georgia Tech
Scored a season-high 29 points at Wizards on Dec. 16, his third 20-plus game of year (104th career)
Lou Williams, Raptors, South Gwinnett High
Averaging 14.4 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 26 games
Note: Stats through Thursday
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau has a simple message for his star point guard Derrick Rose.
Get in the paint.
Rose, the former NBA MVP, is returning from two serious knee injuries that caused him to miss most of the past two seasons. This season, he has battled ankle and hamstring injuries that have limited him to 16 games.
“I want him to read the defense,” Thibodeau said last week before the Bulls took on the Hawks. “He has to attack. Sometimes (a floater) is the shot that is there. If that is the shot that is there, that is the shot he’s got to take. I just want him in the paint. When he races the ball up the court, he gets easy shots for everybody. When he’s attacking it forces the defense to collapse and the game becomes easier for everybody, including himself. The more aggressive, the better. Attack, attack, attack.”
Rose is no doubt the catalyst for the Bulls. His health is a major factor in how the Bulls will fare this season. Many predicted the Bulls to challenge the Cavaliers for the top spot in the Eastern Conference — assuming Rose stays healthy.
Thibodeau just wants Rose on the court.
“The more you play, the harder you go, the more confident you are going to become,” he said. “It’s really simple. He is stringing games together, finishing, making big shots late, pushing the ball. Doing that, you are going to feel good. …
“He’s got to get the most out of his ability each and every night. That is the challenge for everybody. I would say great players always figure it out.”
Rose averaged 16.8 points, 5.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds in his first 16 games.
Hawks get creative for All-Star ballot
It’s all about the hashtag.
Kent Bazemore and Mike Muscala know it.
The two Hawks players were part of a video created by the team’s marketing department this week to urge fans to vote during the NBA All-Star balloting. The skit is modeled after a routine by Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake on the “Tonight Show” where the two have a social media-inspired conversation complete with a hashtag hand gesture.
Bazemore and Muscala run down the list of Hawks starters who deserve All-Star consideration. Each player gets a number of adjectives such as:
Jeff Teague: #Put 'em on skates
Paul Millsap: #Get in your bag
Al Horford: #Boss
Kyle Korver: #Machine Gun Korver
DeMarre Carroll: #Junkyard Dawg
The reference to Korver is play on words from rapper Machine Gun Kelly and is often shouted from the bench after he hits a 3-pointer.
“They gave us a script and we tweaked it, ad libbed it a little bit,” said Bazemore, who even does some singing in the skit. “Eighty percent of it (the marketing department) and we just ran with it. Luckily, we both saw the Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake rendition of it.
“I hope they see it. I think it will go viral.”
The video was filmed Thursday. The players said it took only about a half an hour to shoot. They did the routine twice as it was filmed from two angles and the final product was edited. The video was shot in the recently renovated family room at Philips Arena.
“It’s kind of who I am,” Muscala said. “I’m on social media a lot, and I see a lot of funny things. A lot of things make me laugh. I thought it would be fun to do.”
After Bazemore and Muscala run through the hashtag attributes of the starting five, they note that this year’s all-star balloting is open to all players — therefore you can #Vote for your boys.
The video ends with a cameo by veteran Elton Brand, who interrupts to inform the two that coach Mike Budenholzer wants them back at practice, as in immediately.
“You know, I’m a seasoned actor,” Brand said with a smile. “I come in and steal the show. I’ve done a few movies if you check me out on IMDB (Internet Movie Database, imdb.com). They said we have some young guys acting, can you help us out.”
The Hawks released the video on Twitter on Dec. 12. It was played during a timeout later that night during the game with the Magic and was well received by those in attendance.
“It’s fun,” Bazemore said. “You get to show a little personality, get be yourself. That’s easy.”
#Funny.
Korver featured
The offseason workout regime of Kyle Korver is featured in the January edition of Outside magazine. The boundary-pushing fitness ritual is called misogi. The magazine accompanied Korver as he took part in a grueling quest to move a heavy rock under water.
“At some point you have to accept that there is no backing out and you’re gonna set yourself on repeat until you cross the finish line,’ Korver told the magazine. “Excuses have to be dropped. Your mind has to focus. And you have to train that mindset.”
Quotable
“That was embarrassing how we played. I apologize to all the good fans that came out here as they always do.”
— Cavaliers coach David Blatt after his team lost 127-98 to the Hawks on Wednesday
“He’s playing more minutes. The more minutes has really helped him. It’s interesting. In hindsight, I should have (given him more minutes).”
— Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau on Hawks' guard Kyle Korver, who he coached in Chicago
“He has a lot of years ahead of him for his great career. It was tough to see your teammate going down and not being able to walk.”
— Bucks center Zaza Pachulia following the season-ending torn ACL by rookie Jabari Parker
By the numbers
32,331 Career points for Kobe Bryant, who moved past Michael Jordan into third place on the NBA all-time scoring list
10-10 Point and assist total for Hawks rookie Dennis Schroder in first career start, a win at the Cavaliers. He is one of four Hawks to record a point-assist double-double in his first start with the team, joining Bob Sura, Spud Webb and Armond Hill.
9 Number of 20-point games as a substitute for Clippers Jamal Crawford, tops in the NBA
Carroll’s Corner
Words of wisdom from DeMarre Carroll, the man who brought you this quote from last season: “If you see me in a fight with a bear, you better help that bear.”
Following the Hawks’ ninth consecutive victory, a win over the Magic: “I think the point is to play Hawks basketball. We are trying to build something here. As you can see, coach is trying to lay down the foundation. We are trying to take advantage of our opportunities. The winning streak isn’t really the big thing, playing the right way is the biggest thing.”
