NBA LOCALS
A weekly look at locals players in the NBA:
Jordan Adams, Grizzlies, Central Gwinnett High
Scored a career-high 13 points in a career-high 23 minutes on March 3 vs. Jazz
Al-Farouq Aminu, Mavericks, Norcross High
Averaging 5.4 points and 4.1 rebounds 17.0 in 60 games
Chris Bosh, Heat, Georgia Tech
Out for the season because of blood clots on his lung
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Pistons, Georgia
Has improved scoring by 6.3 points from last season, third among players playing at least 50 games each season
Jae Crowder, Celtics, Villa Rica High
Averaging 11.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 27.9 minutes since the All-Star break
Derrick Favors, Jazz, Georgia Tech
Had 29 points, 12 rebounds and two steals with just one turnover in 35 minutes vs. Knicks on Tuesday
J.J. Hickson, Nuggets, Wheeler High
Had 10 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes against Hawks on Wednesday
Dwight Howard, Rockets, Southwest Atlanta Christian
Out indefinitely after having procedure on right knee
Jarrett Jack, Nets, Georgia Tech
Scored 16 fourth-quarter points in loss to Heat on Wednesday, accounting for over half of the Nets’ 31 points
Jeremy Lamb, Thunder, Norcross High
Averaging 6.9 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 14.8 minutes in 39 games
Jodie Meeks, Pistons, Norcross High
Averaging 11.4 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.5 minutes in 42 games
Anthony Morrow, Thunder, Georgia Tech
Shot 8-for-12 from field and scored 17 of his 26 points in first half, making 6-of-9 3-pointers, versus Clippers on Wednesday
Iman Shumpert, Cavaliers, Georgia Tech
Scored 10 points against the Hawks on March 6
Josh Smith, Rockets, McEachern High
Had 10 points and 10 rebounds for third double-double as a Rocket versus Nuggets on March 7
Thaddeus Young, Nets, Georgia Tech
Had 19 points and Nets’ season-high-tying four steals in his first start for Brooklyn on Sunday versus Jazz
Lou Williams, Raptors, South Gwinnett High
Has already set career highs in both 3-pointers made and attempted (115-for-343) for single season
Note: Stats through Thursday
Adreian Payne’s trade to Minnesota is working out just fine for the rookie.
Payne, the Hawks’ first-round draft pick last year, was traded to the Timberwolves on Feb. 10 for a conditional 2017 first-rounder. In 10 games with the Timberwolves, including four starts, Payne is averaging 7.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in 24.6 minutes. He played a total of 19 minutes over three games with the Hawks and totaled five points and four rebounds.
Payne had 16 points and 15 rebounds in a start against the Clippers on March 9. He became the first rookie in the NBA this season and seventh in Timberwolves history, to have a 15-point, 15-rebound game. The 15 rebounds were the third most for any Timberwolves player this season.
“Coach (Flip Saunders) was just telling us we had to play harder and play with more energy and passion, and that’s what I was trying to do,” Payne told the Star-Tribune following the game.
Payne has scored in double figures in three of his past five games.
Embiid progressing
The 76ers waited for Nerlens Noel. They will wait for Joel Embiid.
Embiid has been out all season after foot surgery days before the 76ers took him with the third overall pick in this year’s draft. He was expected to miss the entire season and that continues to be the plan, according to coach Brett Brown.
Embiid has made significant progress as evidence of a video of him doing a between-the-legs dunk that went viral. He did put a scare into some when he recently was seen in a walking boot. However, he has been cleared to workout — and dunk.
Brown said keeping Embiid off the court during his rehabilitation has not been easy.
“No doubt (he is more ornery than Noel) and I love it,” Brown said before a game against the Hawks last week. “I love it. Really. I’m serious. He’s got a disposition that’s way different than Nerlens. There is a toughness and a serious side, and he wants to play. How can any of us get upset at that? We have to throw him off the court. He wants to be on a court. Nerlens did, too, but the reaction when you say something to Joel versus when you said it to Nerlens is different. I kind of like it.”
Noel missed all of last season with a torn ACL after being drafted sixth overall by the Pelicans and traded the 76ers.
Karl starting anew
George Karl was 10 games into this tenure with the Kings last week when they faced the Hawks at Philips Arena. The Hawks put up a season-high 130 points in the lopsided win and set a franchise record for 3-pointers made (20) and an NBA season-high for assists (42).
Karl said before the game that he is mostly concerned with changing the Kings’ offense. The organization fired Mike Malone midseason, and Tyrone Corbin served as coach on an interim basis before Karl was hired at the All-Star break.
“You try to take the good things of the old regime and old people,” Karl said. “Mike Malone is a good coach, has a great fundamental basis, and you can build upon his defensive concepts which are similar to mine. Offensively is where things change.
“We are trying to develop a San Antonio, Phoenix, Denver kind of attack, attack, attack and let the ball define the shot and try not to run a lot of sets. We try to play basketball more in flow with quick decisions, smart decisions. We have been very good at it. But we’ve also had the turnover problem that comes with the lack of familiarity of playing with one another. … It’s a growing period. It’s tough when you lose but I think the process is in a good place.”
The Hawks play the Kings again in Sacramento next week.
Quotable
“I think he’s only been honest to his teammates. He didn’t say anything to you guys that he didn’t say to us personally, so I respect that. I feel like guys will respect that and get things in order.”
— Mavericks’ Tyson Chandler after teammate Amare Stoudemire ripped the team’s effort
“All the love and energy has really, really allowed me to be back here. Not under the circumstances I want to be, but beggars can’t be choosers. Very happy to be here and I’m doing a lot better.”
— Heat’s Chris Bosh during first public comments since having his season end because of blood clots on his lungs
“They are playing in the East, which gives them an advantage. If the Cavs were in the West, they would have no chance. I don’t think they could win three seven-game series in the Western Conference.”
— TNT analyst Charles Barkley on Cavaliers’ playoff picture
By the numbers
57: Points scored by the Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving in Thursday's win over the Spurs. Irving, who also scored 55 points in game earlier, has the two highest-scoring games in the NBA this season.
$4,000: Fines accumulated by Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer after getting two technical in three games, his first two infractions of the season.
24: Minutes the Nuggets' Danilo Gallinari needed to get 23 points, five rebounds and five assists against Hawks. He joined Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry as the only players in post at least those totals in 24 or fewer minutes this season.
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