NBA LOCALS
A weekly look at locals players in the NBA:
Jordan Adams, Grizzlies, Central Gwinnett High
Averaging 2.4 points in 7.4 minutes in 21 games
Al-Farouq Aminu, Mavericks, Norcross High
Averaging 5.2 points and 4.3 rebounds in 17.4 minutes in 64 games
Chris Bosh, Heat, Georgia Tech
Out for the season because of blood clots on his lung
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Pistons, Georgia
Averaging 22.4 in his past five games
Jae Crowder, Celtics, Villa Rica High
Played career-high 45 minutes in OT loss to Pistons on March 22
Derrick Favors, Jazz, Georgia Tech
Averaging 17.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks since All-Star break
J.J. Hickson, Nuggets, Wheeler High
Had 11 points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes at Magic on March 22
Dwight Howard, Rockets, Southwest Atlanta Christian
Returned after missing 26 games with a knee injury and scored four points in 17 minutes at Pelicans on Wednesday
Jarrett Jack, Nets, Georgia Tech
Is 11th in the league in free-throw percentage at 87.7
Jeremy Lamb, Thunder, Norcross High
Averaging 6.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 14.0 minutes in 42 games
Jodie Meeks, Pistons, Norcross High
Had a season-high five rebounds at Celtics on March 22
Anthony Morrow, Thunder, Georgia Tech
Had six 3-pointers and scored 21 points,12 in fourth quarter, in win over Hawks on March 20
Iman Shumpert, Cavaliers, Georgia Tech
Averaging 6.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in 23.8 minutes in 30 games since joining Cavaliers
Josh Smith, Rockets, McEachern High
Had 18 points and tied career-high with 4 3-pointers at Pacers on Monday
Thaddeus Young, Nets, Georgia Tech
Suffered left knee strain against Hornets on Wednesday
Lou Williams, Raptors, South Gwinnett High
Ranks first among NBA reserves in total points (1,051), 3-pointers (124) and free throws (305)
Note: Stats through Thursday
The Gregg Popovich coaching tree has added a few more roots.
Several assistants who served under the long-time Spurs coach have gone on to jobs as head coaches. The Hawks’ Mike Budenholzer and 76ers’ Brett Brown are in their second seasons. The Magic replaced one Popovich protege with another when the fired Jacques Vaughn and replaced him on an interim basis with James Borrego in February
Borrego worked under Popovich from 2003-10 before jobs with the Pelicans and Magic. Budenholzer and Borrego were together for two of the Spurs’ NBA championships.
“Except for tonight, I want him to do well,” Budenholzer said before the Hawks played the Magic on Wednesday. “If I can help him in any way I always will.
“He is just an incredible human being, the whole person, somebody that everybody appreciates, gets along with and enjoys being around. He has a high basketball IQ, knowledge and understanding of the game. He is a great work ethic and poise under pressure.”
As Budenholzer did, Borrego began as a video assistant. There were moments of pressure working under Popovich when something did not go right.
“When the remote control is not working and you want to try to explain to (Popovich) that if you press it that hard that many times it’s not going to work,” Budenholzer said. “Or by pressing it harder or throwing it, it’s not going to make it work either. He found a way to communicate those things in an unbelievably poised and respectful way.”
Nash retires
Steve Nash, one of 10 players to win back-to-back MVP awards, announced his retirement last week after 19 seasons. The eight-time all-star leaves the game third in the NBA’s all-time assists chart.
Nash, 41, finished his career shooting at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line, making him one of the few members of the 50-40-90 club.
Nash played for the Suns and Mavericks before joining the Lakers three seasons ago. Injuries limited the point guard to a total of 65 games in Los Angeles — 50 in 2012-13, 15 last season and none with this season before he decided to leave the game.
“It was just so much fighting every day with myself, with my body,” Nash said as a press conference. “Training twice a day and trying to get over the hump. Getting to some really good places and have it diminish so quickly.
“There was a lot of stress and anxiety that came with that. In the end, I don’t know if that clouded my judgment and made me think, ‘I can do this and I’m going to get there,’ but in the end it became pretty clear. The decision was sort of made for me.”
Korver ditches mask
The Man in the Mask is no more.
Kyle Korver simply had enough. After two missed 3-pointers, it was time for the protective mask, guarding a broken nose, to end its tenure at 5 1/2 quarters.
“I don’t want to make a big deal out of it but I don’t like wearing a mask,” Korver said after the Hawks’ come-from-behind 95-83 victory over the Magic on Wednesday. “I’m grateful for it. It helped me. I needed it to play. But I’ve been drinking all my milk and trying to strengthen my bones and get this nose back together. I keep on bumping it every morning to see if it feels a little better, and today it felt a little better.”
The original plan was for Korver to wear the mask for two to three weeks. He underwent a surgical procedure and missed three games after he broke his nose against the Lakers on March 15.
In his first game back, Korver made both 3-point attempts in a loss to the Spurs on Sunday. He made two of his first three long-range attempts Wednesday against the Magic. However, when he missed two 3-pointers in a span of four seconds, he retired the mask following a timeout in the second quarter.
“I missed a couple shots, and as a shooter you try to blame something,” Korver said. “I decided to blame it on the mask — even though I’m grateful for the mask. It was well-made. It’s a great mask. But I like wearing a sleeve on my arm and tall socks. That’s it.”
Quotable
“Losing six straight in March when you’re on the cusp of the eighth seed … could be a death sentence and hasn’t been so far.”
— Pacers coach Frank Vogel
“Sauce Castillo hit the three.”
— TV closed-captioning when Kings’ Nik Stauskas made a 3-pointer in a game against the 76ers
“I think we can beat anybody. So I don’t think it matters what seed we end up in.”
— Bulls guard Jimmy Butler
By the numbers
20: Times that all five Hawks starters have scored in double figures. The next closest team has done so 11 times.
2: Preseason games between the Hornets and Clippers to be played in China in October.
10,335: Career assists for Steve Nash, third in NBA history, who retired after 19 years.
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 a loss to the Spurs on Sunday, the Hawks season-long third in a row: “When adversity hits, what are you going to do?”
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