Photo: NBA
Nine years ago today, for the first time in NBA history, five teammates shared the honor of being named co-Players of the Month. The Atlanta Hawks’ starting five – DeMarre Carroll, Al Horford, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap and Jeff Teague – were awarded the Kia Eastern Conference Players of the Month for January 2015, after leading the team to a perfect 17-0 record in the month, the best in league history.
The Hawks’ starters were instrumental in the team’s historic run, which included wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Chicago Bulls, the Toronto Raptors and the Portland Trail Blazers. The Hawks also set a franchise record by making 10 or more 3-pointers in eight consecutive games.
Carroll, Horford, Korver, Millsap and Teague each contributed to the team’s success with their balanced and unselfish play. Carroll averaged 12.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting 52.5% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc. Horford, who was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week twice in the month, averaged 17.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.4 blocks per game, while shooting 58.8% from the field and 73.8% from the free-throw line. He also recorded his first career triple-double against the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 13.
Korver, who was selected as an All-Star reserve for the first time in his career, averaged 13.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, while shooting a remarkable 56.3% from the field, 56.7% from 3-point range and 85% from the free-throw line. He led the Eastern Conference in 3-point percentage and 3-pointers made (55), while ranking eighth in field-goal percentage. Millsap, who was also named an All-Star reserve, averaged team-highs of 18.3 points and 8 rebounds per game, along with 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting 48.7% from the field, 40.8% from 3-point range and 87.5% from the free-throw line. Teague, who was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Jan. 5, averaged 16.6 points, a team-high 8.5 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, while shooting 43.4% from the field and 87.1% from the free-throw line. He ranked second in the Eastern Conference in assists per game, tied for seventh in steals per game and 11th in free throws made (54).
The Hawks’ starters were joined by Houston Rockets guard James Harden, who was named the Kia Western Conference Player of the Month for January 2015, after averaging 25.8 points, 6.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game, while leading the Rockets to a 12-4 record in the month.
