John Jenkins is still working through the nerve pain in his leg associated with his lower back injury and won’t return to the Hawks lineup any time soon.
The guard has missed 11 straight games. Jenkins had an MRI exam after the injury flared up before the Dec. 26 game at Cleveland. The exam was presumably negative as the course of action has been rest and physical therapy the past three-plus weeks. He has not practiced with the team since the pain became an issue again.
It has been a frustrating season for Jenkins. The first-round pick missed two months this summer with the back injury. He returned to play for the Hawks in the Las Vegas Summer League. The injury flared up again prior to the start of training camp and Jenkins missed all but the final two exhibitions games.
Jenkins has appeared in just 13 games this season. He is averaging 3.1 points, including 4-for-18 (.222) from 3-point range. Last season, he shot 53-for-138 (.384) from behind the arc.
Carroll missed: The Hawks missed DeMarre Carroll in Thursday's 127-110 loss to the Nets in London. Carroll would have guarded Joe Johnson, who scored a game-high 29 points. Johnson scored 15 first-quarter points and 26 first-half points. The Hawks used a double-team on Johnson in the second half that left other shooters open.
Carroll missed the trip as his fiancée gave birth to a daughter on Wednesday.
“We missed having DeMarre and (the Nets) played really well,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said Saturday after the Hawks practiced following their return from London. “Maybe they were getting better shots because we had to double team but there were also times when they just made tough shots. They were very good and we missed DeMarre also.”
Carroll said he gained some more perspective on his role with the Hawks while watching the game on television.
“It gave me a reality check and let me know that my role on the team is bigger than I really think it is,” Carroll said. “Seeing the game and seeing that I am that defensive presence, now makes me what to even more go in the game and be that lockdown defender.”
Important birthday: Carroll's daughter, Lailah Amari Carroll, was born on Jan. 15. It is the birthday of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, a fact not lost on Carroll.
“It’s very important,” Carroll said of the date. “He was so important to so many people. Her being born on that day is even more special for me and for her. When she gets older I can tell her all about him.”
The child was due on the 16th, the day of the game in London.
Korver's lone 3-pointer: Budenholzer left Kyle Korver in the game in the fourth quarter to allow him to continue his NBA-record streak of games with a 3-pointer. After missing his first eight shots, including seven 3-pointers, Korver finally connected from long range, improving the streak to 108 games, with 6:24 remaining and the Hawks trailing by 33 points. Korver came out of the game for good 23 seconds later at a timeout.
“There were a couple minutes there where we were seeing if we could get back in the game,” Budenholzer said. “It’s a double whammy with him. You make a couple 3’s and you could be back in the game and all of a sudden instead of a 22-point lead it’s a 14-point game and you have a chance. We kind of gave the team a chance, gave him a chance.”
Getting over jetlag: The Hawks took advantage of Saturday's practice to do more scrimmaging than they have recently. With another practice day Sunday before hosting the Heat on Monday, the coaching staff seized an opportunity to get up-and-down the court.
“We had a good workout,” Budenholzer said. “We had a lot of scrimmaging, a lot of competing, kind of playing and really competing in 5-on-5 and up-and-down. We really haven’t done a lot of that. They felt good about it. It’s probably one of those rare days where the coach is fairly happy and the players enjoyed playing a little bit and scrimmaging.”
The workout may help the team get over the jetlag from Friday’s 10-hour plane ride home. Budenholzer said he will hold a light workout Sunday in preparation for Monday’s 5:30 p.m. Martin Luther King Day start.
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