NBA News: 02.04.13

 J.R. Smith, Jefferson named conference Players of Week

 NEW YORK -- The New York Knicks' J.R. Smith and the Utah Jazz's Al Jefferson on Monday were named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, March 25 through Sunday, March 31.

Smith led the Knicks to a 4-0 week which included two wins over the Boston Celtics and a win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Smith averaged 29.8 points (second in the league), 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals. He tallied three consecutive 30-plus point performances off the bench to open the week, including a season-high 37 on March 29 during a 111-102 win over the Charlotte Bobcats. The last NBA player to score 30-or-more off the bench in three consecutive games was the Milwaukee Bucks' Ricky Pierce in 1990.

Jefferson led the Jazz to a 4-0 record, which helped Utah pull back into a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference -- both teams own 38-36 (.514) records. He averaged 19.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.25 steals and 1.5 blocks. Jefferson's displayed his versatility with 20 points, seven rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks as the Jazz topped the Brooklyn Nets 116-107 on March 30 to seal the undefeated week. 

Spoelstra, Karl named Coaches of Month

NEW YORK -- The Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra and the Denver Nuggets' George Karl on Monday were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in March.

Spoelstra led Miami to a league-best 17-1 (.944) record in March, which included 15 straight wins to open the month that pushed the Heat's winning streak to 27 straight games. The Chicago Bulls halted Miami's run with a 101-97 win at United Center on March 27, leaving the Heat with the second longest streak in league history, six games shy of the Los Angeles Lakers' 33-game streak during the 1971-72 campaign. Spoelstra, who reached 250 wins faster than any head coach in Heat history on March 25 by virtue of Miami's 108-94 win over the Magic, has the Heat atop the NBA standings at 58-15 (.795) entering the final month of the regular season.

Karl led Denver to a Western Conference-best 13-2 (.867) mark in March, which included wins in the first 12 games of the month, feeding a 15-game winning streak that began on Feb. 23. The Nuggets' 110-86 loss to the New Orleans Hornets on March 25 ended the overall winning streak, although Denver is still riding an 18-game winning streak at home, and owns an NBA-best 33-3 home record. At 50-24 (.676), the Nuggets own the third-best record in the Western Conference entering April.

Other nominees for Coach of the Month were Dallas' Rick Carlisle, Indiana's Frank Vogel, Memphis' Lionel Hollins and New York's Mike Woodson.

Without injured Lawson, Nuggets still expect to run

DENVER (AP) -- Nuggets coach George Karl believes his team will maintain their fast-paced offense even with speedy point guard Ty Lawson on the sideline.

Lawson is out indefinitely with a plantar fascia tear in his right foot.

Veteran Andre Miller will start in Lawson's place when they play Wednesday night in Utah and rookie Evan Fournier will be called upon to spell the 37-year-old Miller.

Neither player can match Lawson, but there are other ways to keep up the quickness down the court.

Said Karl after practice Monday: "It's going to be more of a team commitment, to keep the pace at a high level."

The Nuggets have a precarious grasp on the third seed in the Western Conference standings with eight games remaining.