About Last Night

About Last Night: Welcome back, Korver

Lillard celebrates World Trick Shot Day; Westbrook appears on 'Tonight Show'

Lonny Krasnow, NBA.com

On the night they welcomed back Kyle Korver to Salt Lake City, the Utah Jazz set a franchise record with 20 3-pointers in a 139-105 rout of the Spurs.

Korver came off the bench and contributed 15 points in 15 minutes, knocking down three of four attempts from deep. In all, 10 Jazz players hit 3-pointers, led by Donovan Mitchell (4), Joe Ingles (3) and Korver (3). Georges Niang hit the record-breaking 3-pointer with 1:33 left in the game.

Korver, who played for the Jazz from 2007-10, helped Utah achieve season bests in shooting from inside (60.7 percent) and outside the arc (60.6).

“His confidence is contagious,” Donovan Mitchell said. “His presence gives us spacing and helps everybody.”

 

After the ceremonial postgame dousing, Korver revealed a surprising fact: “That has never happened to me in my entire life … I’ve never had Gatorade dumped on my head, but I’m glad it was tonight.”

Meanwhile, the Spurs have lost three of their past four games, with each loss by at least 30 points. Prior to this season, San Antonio suffered just nine such losses during the Gregg Popovich era (since Dec. 1996).

World Trick Shot Day

Did you know that Tuesday was World Trick Shot Day? Originated by the Harlem Globetrotters, it falls on the first Tuesday in December and gives fans a chance to showcase their unique shot-making skills.

And right on cue, Damian Lillard hits one his patented circus layups …

Late night with Westbrook

Russell Westbrook appeared on “The Tonight Show” for the third time and explained his “rock-the-baby” celebration to Jimmy Fallon.

“Well, I’m pretty big for my position,” Westbrook said. “And I would say I’m probably stronger than other guys in my position. So when I have smaller guys on me, you have to treat them like babies.”

Westbrook also promoted the new merchandise his brand Honor The Gift is set to release later this month, as well as the Jordan Westbrook 0.3 shoes Nike recently release.

The Thunder will play the Nets on Wednesday night at Barclays Center.

Celebrating Nelson Mandela

To celebrate the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, Giants of Africa and the Nelson Mandela Foundation are hosting a two-day tribute event in Toronto. Several Raptors were in attendance.

 

This marks the fifth consecutive year that Giants of Africa, the not-for-profit founded by Raptors president Masai Ujiri, paid tribute to the late South African president and Nobel Peace Prize winner.

The celebration continues Wednesday when the Raptors host the Philadelphia 76ers. Mandela will be honored throughout a game in which Joel Embiid (Cameroon), Serge Ibaka (Republic of the Congo) and Pascal Siakam (Cameroon) will suit up.

Who he play for?

Point guard De’Anthony Melton made a case for more playing time with 21 points in 23 minutes, along with five assists and a steal in the Suns’ 122-105 loss to the Kings.

Melton, a second-round draft pick out of USC, is seeing less than 10 minutes per game in his rookie season. Phoenix acquired Melton and Ryan Anderson in the four-player trade that sent Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss to the Rockets.

Spreading holiday cheer

Kyrie Irving and the Celtics visited Boston Children’s Hospital and performed a nice rendition of Jingle Bells.

Stat of the night

All 13 players who appeared for the Jazz had a point, rebound and assist, marking the second game in NBA history in which 13 or more players did so. The Spurs accomplished the same feat on March 14, 2014.

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