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DerMarr Gets a Bigger Role in Rotation

Dec 31, 2001 10:33 AM EST

DerMarr Johnson on Saturday became the 11th Hawks player to start a game this season. Only Cal Bowdler among those on those the opening-day roster has not been marked on coach Lon Kruger's lineup card at least once.

The coach says more lineup juggling is imminent.

"We're going to make a lot of changes the next two, three weeks," Kruger said, looking ahead to the new calendar year and the return of center Theo Ratliff and No. 2 power forward Alan Henderson.

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Atlanta Hawks

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Atlanta bomb scare puts things in perspective

Dec 31, 2001 11:16 AM EST

There were some anxious moments for Hornets players and coaches shortly after last Saturday’s 101-88 loss to Atlanta after a bomb threat was made to Philips Arena near the end of the game.

"I was made aware right after the game was over," Hornets coach Paul Silas said. "The guys were in the shower and I told Big Shot (equipment manager and Belmont Abbey alumnus Dave Jovanovic) to tell them what was going on. They didn’t believe him at first. They thought it was some sort of a joke. So, I came in there and told them it was real. They moved pretty fast after that and we got on the buses and got out of there."

Hornets forward P.J. Brown said it was the first bomb scare he could recall since he was in junior high in Winfield, La.

"It was kind of weird," Brown said. "But in these days and times, you just never know."

Charlotte guard Baron Davis said he took the threat seriously at first, unlike some of his other teammates.

"I hurried up and got the hell up out of there," said Davis, who was in elementary school in south central Los Angeles during the riots following the first Rodney King verdict.

After searching the arena, officials found no validity to the threat.

Home sweet home

The Los Angeles Clippers stretch of 27 home wins in 36 games is their best stretch since the early 1990s when Larry Brown was the team’s coach.

Brown feels confident this current Clippers’ group, coached by Shelby’s Alvin Gentry, can continue the franchise’s renaissance.

"I’ve watched them," Brown said. "They’re terrific. They’re fun to watch, they’re doing great. There’s a lot of athletic teams in the league now but they’re way up there. And they’re young and they play with enthusiasm.

"I just think Elton Brand has made such an impact. He plays with effort, he gets you 19 and 10 or 11 rebounds every game. Never takes a lot of shots. Doesn’t make mistakes. That was a heck of a trade. And he’s a great character kid, which is something that every young team needs. When you’ve got a guy like him that comes to practice and works hard every game and every possession, it’s a tremendous teaching aide to young people."

Brand, the former Duke star, was acquired on draft night last June from the Chicago Bulls.

Riley still hopeful

Miami’s slow start this season has had Pat Riley going through a rollercoaster of emotions. At times, he wants to get rid of his entire team. At others, he’s hopeful of a playoff run.

"The Eastern Conference is so bizarre," said Riley, who has never missed postseason play in his 19 previous seasons as a head coach. "I will continue to believe we can make the playoffs until we can’t make it. We are only five games out. Think about how sick that is. We have lost 20 games already, and we are only five games out of a playoff spot."

Tough times in Portland

Following a Sports Illustrated story on how far the Portland Trail Blazers have fallen in terms of interest and standing in the community, things haven’t improved. In fact, Bonzi Wells has suffered even more.

Wells was quoted in the story saying, "We’re not really going to worry about what the hell they (Portland fans) think about us. They really don’t matter to us. They can boo us every day, but they’re still going to ask for our autographs if they see us on the street. That’s why they’re fans and we’re NBA players."

In the next home game after the story appeared, Wells was in uniform but did not play due to knee injury. However, during the game, a feature on the in-house replay screen asked players what their favorite Christmas gift was as a kid. When it came time to show Wells’ taped response, the fans booed so loudly it could not be heard.

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Charlotte Bobcats, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, General Basketball

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Nowitzki, Nash Give Young Hawks a Clinic

Dec 30, 2001 7:04 AM EST

It was a game of big numbers:

1,000 for the number of career victories Dallas coach Don Nelson now has.

490 for the end of Mavericks guard Michael Finley's streak of consecutive games, due to a hamstring injury.

23.2 for the average age of Atlanta's starting lineup.

In the end, the numbers that mattered most were 113-97, the final score of the Mavs' ninth straight victory, their longest streak since the 1987-88 season.

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Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks

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Hawks Dec 2001 Archive