The Atlanta Hawks went 17-0 during the month of January. Something that was unheard of in the NBA until Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague, Al Horford, Kyle Korver and DeMarre Carroll all put on a show. Now, they are all being honoured.
HAWKS’ FIVE NAMED EAST PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague and Al Horford, Kyle Korver and DeMarre Carroll have all been named the Eastern Conference Players of the Month for January for doing something that has not been done before in the NBA..
Going 17-0 in the month of January. The Hawks starting five simply dominated the competition, until the New Orleans Pelicans halted their streak at 19.
Via ESPN:
The Hawks won a franchise-record 19 games in a row until a loss at New Orleans on Monday night. They rebounded Wednesday night with a 105-96 victory over the Wizards and have a comfortable lead in the East. Atlanta is just percentage points behind Golden State for the best overall record.
The win over the Wizards stretched the Hawks’ current winning streak vs. Eastern Conference games to 13 games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
[…]
The Hawks said it’s the first time in NBA history that all five starters from one team were named players of the month. Atlanta outscored its opponents by an average of 11.9 points a game in January.
“It’s definitely fun,” Millsap said. “Especially when, as a team, everybody’s contributing. When everybody’s contributing, everybody’s happy.”
Millsap led the team in scoring for the month (18.3 points per game), followed by Horford (17.1), Teague (16.6), Korver (13.4) and Carroll (12.3). Millsap paced the Hawks in rebounding (8.0), Teague was the leader in assists (8.5) and steals (1.8), Horford ranked first in blocks (1.4) and Korver was the top 3-point shooter (56.7 percent).
“We appreciate the recognition of our starters’ play during this past month. It is reflective of all the work our entire team and organization has put in,” said coach Mike Budenholzer, who will lead the East in the All-Star Game. “We place a strong emphasis on having the right approach every day and making daily improvement. Collectively, we know that we have a lot more work to do this season and look forward to continue growing as a team.”
SPIKE LEE TO COACH CELEBRITY ALL-STAR GAME
Oh dear..
Via AP:
The famed filmmaker is slated to coach the Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, which will kick off festivities for the All-Star Weekend on Feb. 13-15. Lee, a New York Knicks fan, will coach with Knicks star Carmelo Anthony and ESPN Radio’s Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg.
The event, to be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City and televised live on ESPN, will also feature actors Ansel Elgort and Chadwick Boseman, former NBA players and current WNBA stars.
Keke Palmer will sing the national anthem, and Magic! — known for their hit “Rude” — will perform at halftime.
THE STORY OF KOBE AND JIMMY’S BEER RUN
