Raptors’ DeMar DeRozan and Rockets’ James Harden named NBA Players of the Week
NEW YORK – The Toronto Raptors’ DeMar DeRozan and the Houston Rockets’ James Harden today were named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Nov. 7 through Sunday, Nov. 13.
DeRozan led the Raptors to a 3-0 week, averaging a league-leading 34.7 points to go with 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists. On Nov. 9, he scored 37 points and added six assists and four rebounds in a 112-102 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He followed that performance with 34 points, three assists and two steals in a 113-111 victory against the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 11. DeRozan leads the NBA in scoring (34.0 ppg) and has an NBA-best eight 30-point games this season. He is the first player to score at least 30 points in eight of his first nine games of a season since Michael Jordan in 1986-87.
Harden helped the Rockets to a 2-1 week behind averages of 27.0 points, 14.3 assists (first in NBA) and 9.7 rebounds. He opened the week on Nov. 7, finishing with 32 points, 15 assists and six rebounds in a 114-106 win against the Washington Wizards. Harden added a triple-double on Nov. 9, recording 24 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds in a 101-99 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Harden has recorded at least 24 points and 12 assists in each of the past six games, the longest streak in NBA history.
Here is a recap of the week for DeRozan and Harden:
DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors
Nov. 9 @ Oklahoma City: Finished with 37 points, six assists and four rebounds in a 112-102 win over the Thunder.
Nov. 11 @ Charlotte: Recorded 34 points, three assists and two steals in a 113-111 victory over the Hornets.
Nov. 12 vs. New York: Contributed 33 points, seven rebounds and two steals in a 118-107 win over the Knicks.
James Harden, Houston Rockets
Nov. 7 @ Washington: Finished with 32 points, 15 assists and six rebounds in a 114-106 victory over the Wizards.
Nov. 9 @ San Antonio: Posted 24 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds in a 101-99 victory over the Spurs.
Nov. 12 vs. San Antonio: Recorded 25 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds in a 106-100 loss to the Spurs.
Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Atlanta’s Dennis Schroder, Brooklyn’s Brook Lopez, Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, Chicago’s Jimmy Butler, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, the LA Clippers’ Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins, New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid and Utah’s Gordon Hayward.
CLEVELAND’S JAMES AND UTAH’S HILL NAMED
NBA EASTERN AND WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
NEW YORK, Nov. 7, 2016 – The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Utah Jazz’s George Hill today were named NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Nov. 6.
James led the unbeaten Cavaliers to a 3-0 week, averaging 24.7 points (fourth in the East), 11.3 assists (first in the East) and 9.3 rebounds. On Nov. 3, he scored a season-high 30 points and added 12 assists and seven rebounds in a 128-122 win over the Boston Celtics. He followed that performance with 25 points, 14 assists, eight rebounds and two steals in a 102-101 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 5. During the game, James passed Hakeem Olajuwon for 10th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
Hill helped the Jazz to a 3-1 week behind averages of 20.8 points, 5.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds. He connected on 31-of-53 (58.5 percent) shots from the field, including 11-of-20 (55.0 percent) from three-point range. On Nov. 2, he scored a season-high 25 points to go with six rebounds and four assists in a 97-81 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Hill capped his week by recording 23 points and a season-high nine assists in a 114-109 win over the New York Knicks on Nov. 6. Utah improved to 4-0 when Hill scores at least 20 points.
Here is a recap of the week for James and Hill:
LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Nov. 1 vs. Houston: Finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in a 128-120 win over the Rockets.
Nov. 3 vs. Boston: Recorded 30 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in a 128-122 victory over the Celtics.
Nov. 5 @ Philadelphia: Contributed 25 points, 14 assists, eight rebounds and two steals in a 102-101 win over the 76ers.
George Hill, Utah Jazz
Nov. 1 @ San Antonio: Finished with 22 points (on 9-of-13 shooting) and seven assists in a 106-91 victory over the Spurs.
Nov. 2 vs. Dallas: Posted 25 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 97-81 victory over the Mavericks.
Nov. 6 @ New York: Recorded 23 points, nine assists and two steals in a 114-109 win over the Knicks.
Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were Atlanta’s Dwight Howard, Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, Houston’s James Harden, the LA Clippers’ Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, Orlando’s Evan Fournier, Portland’s Damian Lillard, Phoenix’s Devin Booker and Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan.
ATLANTA HAWKS PURCHASE NBA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE TEAM
- New Team to Debut in City of College Park, Ga., in 2019-20 Season -
NEW YORK, Nov. 10, 2016 – The NBA Development League and the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club today announced that the Hawks have acquired the right to own and operate an NBA D-League team that will play in College Park, Ga., beginning with the 2019-20 season. Additionally, the City of College Park has agreed to construct a 3500-seat arena in which the new franchise will serve as the primary tenant. With the purchase, the Hawks become the 16th NBA team to own and operate an NBA D-League affiliate, while the NBA D-League grows to 23 teams.
“Today’s an exciting day in the NBA D-League as we welcome the Hawks and the City of College Park to our growing family,” said NBA D-League President Malcolm Turner. “With the addition of the Hawks to our ownership ranks, more than half of NBA teams now own and operate their NBA D-League affiliate – an important step toward our goal of having a 30-team minor league.”
“Securing a D-League team for the Atlanta Hawks was among our top priorities when our ownership group took over the team,” said Tony Ressler, Atlanta Hawks Principal Owner and Chairman. “Coach Bud and Wes Wilcox would agree that having a local D-League franchise will play a significant role in building a championship-caliber team by helping us develop players, like the six now on our roster who have D-League experience. We would like to thank the City of College Park for becoming the host city of what will be another exciting part of our community and the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club.”
The new arena will be built at the Gateway Center, a conglomeration of upscale Marriott hotels and office space surrounding the Georgia International Convention Center, connected to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport via light rail. The arena is scheduled to be completed by summer 2019.
“We are extremely excited about the Hawks’ D-League team calling the City of College Park its home,” stated Mayor Jack P. Longino. “Our Georgia International Convention Center is a world-class facility and now has a world-class professional sports team. It’s a win for everyone!”
“I would like to thank Mayor Longino for his leadership as we worked toward bringing professional basketball to College Park. We are excited to deliver the Hawks brand of sports and entertainment while building bridges to this thriving community,” Hawks CEO Steve Koonin said.
Six current Hawks have NBA D-League experience, including starters Kent Bazemore and Dennis Schröder, while assistant coaches Darvin Ham and Taylor Jenkins both began their coaching careers on NBA D-League benches. Additionally, Hawks General Manager Wes Wilcox was the inaugural general manager of the NBA D-League’s Canton Charge. Last season, the Hawks assigned three players to the NBA D-League.
“We are excited to have our affiliate based in College Park. The close proximity will allow us to maximize our relationship and have the highest level of synergy possible while providing a great place to develop future Hawks draft picks and players. Player development is at the core of our basketball program and our affiliate will be a critical component in that process,” President of Basketball Operations/Head Coach Mike Budenholzer said. “With Wes, Darvin, Taylor and our players, we have seen firsthand the positive impact the league can have in preparing players, front office staff and coaches for meaningful roles in the NBA.”
The NBA D-League’s 16th season tips off tomorrow, Nov. 11, with a record 22 teams. Last season, 32 NBA D-League players earned 42 GATORADE Call-Ups to the NBA, while 68 NBA players were assigned to the NBA D-League more than 300 times for injury rehabilitation and development. More than 40 percent of the last five NBA Draft classes have honed their skills in the NBA D-League, including 10 2015 first-round selections.
About the Atlanta Hawks
With a bold identity and strong new ownership, the Atlanta Hawks Basketball Club and Philips Arena remain committed to making Atlantans proud on the court and off. The 2014-15 Southeast Division Champions, the Hawks have made the postseason in nine consecutive seasons and reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history in 2015. Off the court, the organization has built a culture of inclusion, diversity and innovation, all with a touch of Southern Hospitality. It continues into the community where the organization builds bridges through basketball, whether by constructing and refurbishing courts in Atlanta neighborhoods, providing scholarships to our basketball camps, or surprising and delighting our fans with unique Atlanta Hawks experiences. Atlanta Hawks Membership, which includes your seat for every home game for the 2016-17 regular season games, is on sale now at www.hawks.com/membership or by calling 866-715-1500! For more information on the Hawks, log on to www.hawks.com today or follow us on twitter @ATLHawks.
About the City of College Park
College Park is home to the world’s most traveled airport, in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International. Last year alone, it served over 101-million passengers. The city offers great business incentives – and is home to the world headquarters of Chick-fil-A. 15,000 residents call College Park home, attracted by Woodward Academy, the largest private school on the U.S. mainland. Georgia’s newest and second largest convention center, the Georgia International Convention Center (GICC) is uniquely positioned to offer an unprecedented hospitality experience, and is now taking flight as the new home for the Atlanta Hawks’ D-League team.
About the NBA Development League
The NBA Development League is the NBA’s official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory. Featuring 22 teams with direct affiliations with NBA franchises for the 2016-17 season, the league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. An all-time high 38 percent of all NBA players at the end of the 2015-16 season boasted NBA D-League experience. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. Fans can watch all NBA D-League games on nbadleague.com.
