NBA LOCALS
A weekly look at locals players in the NBA:
Al-Farouq Aminu, Mavericks, Norcross High
Averaging 4.9 points and 3.4 rebounds in 28 games
Chris Bosh, Heat, Georgia Tech
Missed sixth straight game with strained right calf Thursday
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Pistons, Georgia
Had 20 points and six rebounds in 33 minutes at Nets Dec. 21
Jae Crowder, Celtics, Villa Rica High
Made his Celtic debut Dec. 21 against Heat and had two rebounds and an assist in 7:30
Derrick Favors, Jazz, Georgia Tech
Averaging 15.6 points and 8.0 rebounds in 26 games
J.J. Hickson, Nuggets, Wheeler High
Averaging 7.5 points and 6.4 rebounds in 21 games
Dwight Howard, Rockets, Southwest Atlanta Christian
Recorded 19 points and 11 rebounds for 11th double-double of season versus Hawks Dec. 20
Jarrett Jack, Nets, Georgia Tech
Had 17 points, eight assists and a rebound in 38 minutes versus Nuggets Dec. 23
Jeremy Lamb, Thunder, Norcross High
Averaging 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in 23 games
Jodie Meeks, Pistons, Norcross High
Averaging 10.7 points and 1.8 assists in 23.3 minutes in six games
Anthony Morrow, Thunder, Georgia Tech
Averaging 10.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in 23 games
Glen Rice Jr., Wizards, Georgia Tech
Remains on D-League assignment with Fort Wayne
Iman Shumpert, Knicks, Georgia Tech
Dislocated shoulder will not require surgery
Josh Smith, Rockets, McEachern High
Released by the Pistons Monday, signed with Rockets Friday
Thaddeus Young, Timberwolves, Georgia Tech
Averaging 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists
Lou Williams, Raptors, South Gwinnett High
Is ninth among backcourt players in Eastern Conference All-Star voting
Note: Stats through Thursday
Doc Rivers had a unique perspective on the two racially charged incidents that rocked the NBA this summer.
The Clippers President of Basketball Operations and head coach was front and center in Los Angeles when team owner Donald Sterling was forced to sell the franchise following racist remarks. Following the release of audio of Sterling’s comments, the NBA banned Sterling for life. Months later the franchise had a new owner.
On the heels of that controversy, the Hawks were at the center of a similar firestorm. Controlling owner Bruce Levenson announced in September he would sell his interest in the team after the discovery of a 2012 email that included racist comments about, among other things, the fan base and game operations. The email was discovered after general manager Danny Ferry made a racially insensitive comment about free-agent target Luol Deng during a June conference call with ownership and management. Ferry has been on an indefinite leave of absence since September and the sale of the team has been arduous process.
Rivers has a long connection with the Hawks franchise. He played for Atlanta for 1983-91 and remains the franchise all-time leader in assists.
“You don’t want anything bad to happen to any organization,” Rivers said before Tuesday’s game with the Hawks. “Knowing all the parties, that was very difficult to see — for all of us, speaking as a Hawk in that way. I think they’ve gotten through it the best that they could at that time. Whenever you see something like that you are sad that it happens.
“I’m not smart enough to ever know if it’s ignorance or racism. I don’t think any of us are that smart. I don’t know if I get upset but I don’t like it when people think they know what one it is.
“It happened. I was happy that it came out and I was happy that it was resolved. That is all you can do. You move on and you learn.”
Millsap 13th in voting
Hawks forward Paul Millsap is 13th among frontcourt players in the first NBA All-Star voting results released by the league Thursday. Millsap, who was named a reserve for the Eastern Conference in his first season with the Hawks last year, has received 21,545 votes.
No other Hawks player is in the top 15 among front-court players or the top 10 in backcourt players.
Spreading holiday cheer
Several Hawks players took part in individual events to help others during the holiday season.
Thabo Sefolosha hosted a toy giveaway to benefit the Decatur Family YMCA Wednesday. Approximately 100 children received gifts at the event.
DeMarre Carroll hosted 19 children from the Decatur YMCA at the Hawks game against the Clippers Tuesday.
Kent Bazemore partnered with HOPE Atlanta to adopt a military veteran and his family. He hosted the family for the Clippers game. The veteran, Emmett Mauzy, and his wife Mandy have three daughters. Recently, the storage unit they used for housing was robbed. HOPE Atlanta currently has them housed in a hotel and is working on getting them permanent housing.
Quotable
“In my mind, this is the most underrated team in basketball, and the most underrated coach in basketball. Right now, with the way everybody’s playing, this is a team that realistically could be the team coming out of the East in the playoffs. They’re playing that well.”
— Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle after a home loss to Hawks on Monday
“He’s eating.”
— Clippers coach Doc Rivers retort to a Hawks fan who yelled “Put the fat guy back in” in reference to Glen Davis on Wednesday
“Old age. My knees are sore at this stage of the season. My Achilles are sore — both of them. My metatarsals are tight. Back is tight. I just need to kind of hit the reset button.”
— Kobe Bryant on missing his second consecutive game Thursday, a Christmas Day matchup with the Bulls
By the numbers
21-7 Hawks start through 28 games, tying the best mark in franchise history. It matched the starts of the 1986-87, 1987-88 and 1993-94 seasons.
49 Fourth-quarter points scored by Bulls in a victory against the Raptors on Monday. It set a franchise record for most points in a quarter.
50 Hawks franchise record for consecutive free throws set last week by Kyle Korver. It surpassed the mark of 47 set my Tom McMillen in 1978-79. The run was snapped Monday while shooting a fourth-quarter technical foul, only his third miss of the season.
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 Tuesday’s comeback against the Clippers: “Defense wins championships. Offense wins you a couple of games.”
