Kyle Korver missed his third straight game with back spasms after he was declared out for Monday’s game against the Suns.
Coach Mike Budenholzer said there is no timetable for Korver’s return as the team faces a busy week in the midst of five games in seven days.
“He is not capable (of playing),” Budenholzer said. “At the same time, it’s not going to be long term. He could be available Wednesday (at the Timberwolves) but we’ll have to wait and see how the next 24 to 48 hours progresses. … It’s just one of those things where we don’t know what it’s going to be.”
Korver’s back flared up during pregame warm-ups before last week’s game against the Pelicans. The Hawks lost to the Pelicans Friday and then to the Raptors on Sunday.
The Hawks were 1-5 in games without Korver this season entering Monday night. Budenholzer said there is a difference in how the opposition defends the Hawks without their starting shooting guard.
“You would be naive not to acknowledge the attention that every opposing defense gives to Kyle,” Budenholzer said. “They tend to stay connected to him. If they are connected to him, that means there should be space for other people to do things. As a group, we shoot it pretty well. I don’t think it’s necessarily a whole lot of guys on our team that the opposing coach is going to let shoot open shots. It’s maybe different degrees of attention.
“I feel like we should be able to function and be efficient and successful with our group that we have even without Kyle.”
Korver leads the NBA with a 3-point percentage of .486 (168 of 346). He averaged 12.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 62 games. He missed four games earlier this season with a rib contusion.
Investors approved: The NBA has approved the addition of five minor investors to the Hawks ownership group. The official approval came last week.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported earlier this month that a deal was nearly completed and only needed league approval.
The investors do not have a significant ownership in the team nor do their additions change the current structure.
The team made no announcement of the new investors nor their identities. The five have been described as being adept in the digital content and social media fields and will offer access to new team sponsorships.
The Hawks currently have an ownership group of seven with Bruce Levenson serving on the NBA’s Board of Governors.
Millsap POW nominee: Paul Millsap was a nominee for the NBA's player of the week award in the Eastern Conference for games played March 17-23. Former Hawks player Joe Johnson, now with the Nets, won the award in the East. The Thunder's Kevin Durant won the award in the West.
It’s the first time Johnson won the award with the Nets after winning it six times with the Hawks. Johnson led the Nets to a 4-0 record while averaging 22 points, five rebounds and 3.5 assists. He made 14 of 24 3-pointers.
Millsap averaged 21 points and 7.5 rebounds while the Hawks went 2-2 for the week. Millsap was named player of the week in January.
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