The ankle sprain suffered by Hawks guard Dennis Schroder was not serious enough to cost the rookie guard playing time.
Schroder was to warm up before Friday’s game against the Pelicans as a final test of the left ankle injured in Tuesday’s win over the Raptors.
“He will warm up before the game and see how he feels, but I would say he is likely to play,” coach Mike Budenholzer said Friday morning. “There is a good chance that he will play.”
Schroder was injured in the fourth quarter against the Raptors while racing back to make a defensive play. He was unable to return. Schroder said Thursday, via social media, that he saw a doctor and was sore, but not seriously injured.
The guard has played increased minutes of late. He played an average of 15.2 minutes in the past eight games, including 13 before he was injured Tuesday.
Some time off: The Hawks did not practice Wednesday and Thursday before returning Friday to play the Pelicans.
Budenholzer said the respite was more about the recent schedule and the week ahead rather than a reward for a five-game winning streak.
Starting with Sunday’s game in Toronto, the Hawks play five games in seven days in four cities and two countries.
“It’s an opportunity in the schedule,” Budenholzer said. “We’ve had a few back-to-backs recently, and we’re definitely staring down a pretty tough stretch going forward. It was a great opportunity for a little bit of rest, a little bit of recovery.”
From long-range: Kyle Korver continues to lead the NBA, by a wide margin, in 3-point field-goal percentage. Korver made 168 of 346 attempts, for a .486 percentage, entering Friday's game. The Mavericks' Jose Calderon (164 of 365) and the Grizzlies' Mike Miller (83 of 185) were tied for second with a .449 percentage.
Korver’s NBA-record streak of consecutive games with a 3-pointer ended this month at 127. In the next seven games he has made at least one 3-pointer and z20 of 35 attempts (.571).
Bracket buster: Elton Brand had a simple reaction to Duke's loss to Mercer on Friday in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. "Man, that messed up my bracket," the former Duke star said.
Brand is part of an online bracket challenge with a national website.
