<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/hawks-news-larry-nance-jr-loopy-message-after-hand-surgery');   ga('set', 'title', 'Larry Nance Jr.‘s ‘loopy’ message after hand surgery');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Hawks-news-Larry-Nance-Jr-s-loopy-message-after-hand-surgery.jpg"></figure><h1>Larry Nance Jr.‘s ‘loopy’ message after hand surgery</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-01-03T00:54:38-08:00">January 3rd, 12:54am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-01-03T00:54:38-08:00">January 3rd, 12:54am</time><address><a>Nathan Yasis</a>Nathan Yasis is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints, specializing in the NBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Hawks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Hawks’ Jalen Johnson’s exclusion from the 2024-25 All-Star roster has raised eyebrows, with many considering it a notable oversight for the emerging talent. Similarly, questions persist about Trae Young’s placement, with arguments that his ranking should be higher. Larry Nance believes his teammates deserve more recognition after the first fan returns were released for the NBA All-Star Weekend this year.</p><h2><b>Larry Nance calling for Jalen Johnson’s inclusion in the All-Star Game</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Jalen-Johnson-and-Trae-Young-on-the-floor-for-the-Hawks.jpg"><figcaption>Eric Hartline-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>“Larry Nance Jr. sustained a right hand injury during Saturday’s game vs. Miami at State Farm Arena. Imaging has confirmed a fractured fourth metacarpal bone in his right hand. He will undergo surgery on Thursday, Jan. 2 to repair the fracture. His timeline for return will be provided following surgery,” <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/hawks-news-larry-nance-jr-undergo-surgery-suffering-hand-injury">the Hawks wrote</a> on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>“Fresh outta surgery, and still a little loopy.. but, I’m still aware enough to know Jalen Johnson deserves to be on this list, and Trae needs to be higher. That is all, go Hawks,” Nance <a href="https://www.twitter.com/larrydn22/status/1874916800410140896?s=46" rel="noopener">said in his post</a> in X (formerly Twitter).</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fresh outta surgery, and still a little loopy.. but, I’m still aware enough to know Jalen Johnson deserves to be on this list, and Trae needs to be higher. That is all, go Hawks <a href="https://t.co/qWtMwUz4G2">https://t.co/qWtMwUz4G2</a></p><p>— Larry Nance (@Larrydn22) <a href="https://twitter.com/Larrydn22/status/1874916800410140896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Jalen Johnson is delivering an impressive season, averaging 19.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. He is one of only five players achieving these numbers, alongside Alperen Sengun, Domantas Sabonis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokic — all of whom secured spots on the first-wave fan ballot for the All-Star Game.</p><p>Stathead data reveals that only three players in NBA history have posted numbers comparable to Jalen Johnson’s and missed the All-Star team before this season. The most recent instances include Russell Westbrook in 2021-22 and Domantas Sabonis in 2023-24, with Jeff Ruland being the last to experience this in 1985-86.</p><h2><b>Should Trae Young rank higher?</b></h2><p>The debate surrounding Trae Young’s All-Star placement becomes more intricate when evaluating his performance alongside the four guards ranked ahead of him: Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson, and LaMelo Ball.</p><p>Trae Young’s scoring average of 22.3 points per game is the lowest among the group and marks his lowest output since his rookie season, largely attributed to inefficiency. His 39.9% shooting from the field is a career low, while his 33.8% accuracy from beyond the arc ranks as his third-worst performance.</p><p>Despite his shooting struggles, Trae Young leads the league in assists, holding a 4.3-assist advantage over the second-place player, Jalen Brunson. However, there is an element of hypocrisy in the comparison, as three of the four players ranked ahead of Young play for teams with higher standings than the Hawks.</p><p>The argument against Trae Young in past seasons has often centered around the lack of team success. This year, LaMelo Ball’s Hornets have a 7-25 record, tied for the third-worst in the NBA, and both Ball and Damian Lillard have each appeared in fewer than 25 games.</p><p>Young, Brunson, and Mitchell have all played in over 30 games so far. Fan votes make up 50% of the final tally, while media and player votes each contribute 25%. The next fan vote update will be released on January 9.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Larry Nance Jr.‘s ‘loopy’ message after hand surgery

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/hawks-news-larry-nance-jr-undergo-surgery-suffering-hand-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hawks’ Larry Nance Jr. set to undergo surgery after suffering hand injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hawks-news-Larry-Nance-Jr.-set-to-undergo-surgery-after-suffering-hand-injury.jpg"></figure><h1>Hawks’ Larry Nance Jr. set to undergo surgery after suffering hand injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-30T11:35:10-08:00">December 30th, 11:35am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-30T11:35:54-08:00">December 30th, 11:35am</time><address><a>Malik Brown</a>Malik Brown is a multimedia reporter based in Atlanta who covers the Hawks and Dream for ClutchPoints. Malik has worked in entertainment and sports, and he specializes in the NBA and NFL.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Hawks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/hawks-news-jalen-johnson-highlights-keys-success-after-straight-victory">Atlanta Hawks</a> have announced that Larry Nance Jr. is set to undergo surgery after he <a href="https://x.com/atlhawks/status/1873806491389432154?s=46" rel="noopener">suffered a hand injury</a> against the Miami Heat on Dec. 28.</p><p>“Larry Nance Jr. sustained a right hand injury during Saturday’s game vs. Miami at State Farm Arena,” the Hawks wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Imaging has confirmed a fractured fourth metacarpal bone in his right hand. He will undergo surgery on Thursday, Jan. 2 to repair the fracture. His timeline for return will be provided following surgery.”</p><p>Nance has stepped in as the third center this season behind Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu. When Okongwu has missed games this season, Nance has been the backup and has played well for the Hawks. He’s been able to stretch the floor for the Hawks, shooting a career-high 52% from three.</p><p>Nance has also served as one of the veterans on the team, as he and Capela are the players with 10-plus seasons in the league.</p><h2>Hawks will be without Larry Nance Jr. for some time</h2><p>With Larry Nance Jr. probably sidelined for some time, the Hawks will hope that Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu can stay healthy. If not, they have players such as Mouhamed Gueye and Dominick Barlow, who can step in and provide depth at the position.</p><p>Nance had played the past few games for the Hawks after Okongwu was out of the lineup with knee inflammation, but he returned against the Toronto Raptors.</p><p>The Hawks have been rolling as of late, as they’re currently on a four-game winning streak and are now fifth in the Eastern Conference. Their defense has been the thing that has helped them win games this season, and the offense will always stay afloat as long as Trae Young is on the court. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/hawks-news-quin-snyder-drops-jalen-johnson-endorsement-impressive-play">Jalen Johnson has also taken a big step</a> for the Hawks and is making a case for being an All-Star this season.</p><p>Depth has been key for the Hawks, and luckily, they have players who can step up while Nance is out.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hawks’ Larry Nance Jr. set to undergo surgery after suffering hand injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/hawks-news-larry-nance-jr-awards-dyson-daniels-perfect-defensive-nickname');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hawks’ Larry Nance Jr. awards Dyson Daniels with perfect defensive nickname');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Bill-OBriens-honest-admission-after-making-QB-move.jpg"></figure><h1>Hawks’ Larry Nance Jr. awards Dyson Daniels with perfect defensive nickname</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-14T11:38:54-08:00">November 14th, 11:38am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-14T11:38:54-08:00">November 14th, 11:38am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Hawks</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>On Tuesday evening, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/hawks-news-trae-young-gives-mf-shoutout-to-injury-replacement-as-atlanta-stuns-celtics">Atlanta Hawks pulled off the biggest upset of the young NBA season</a> by knocking off the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics on the road without Trae Young and several other key pieces in the lineup. The game featured a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/hawks-news-dyson-daniels-defensive-feat-fuels-early-awards-watch">breakout performance from newly acquired wing Dyson Daniels</a>, who scored 28 points and also registered his third straight game with at least six steals, a category he leads the NBA by a country mile so far this year.</p><p>At Hawks practice on Thursday, Daniels’ own teammate Larry Nance Jr., who was sent to Atlanta along with Daniels in exchange for Dejounte Murray this offseason, lined up along with reporters for his press conference and gave him <a href="https://x.com/KLChouinard/status/1857123088824992085" rel="noopener">a perfect nickname</a> for his defensive prowess: The Great Barrier Thief (per Kevin Chouinard on X, formerly Twitter).</p><p>This of course refers to Daniels’ Australian heritage as well as his skills on the defensive side of the court, where he has quickly turned himself into one of the NBA’s elites.</p><h2><b>A breakout start to the season</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Daniels-celebrates.jpg"><figcaption>David Butler II-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>When the Hawks traded Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans this offseason, many treated Dyson Daniels as an afterthought in the deal considering that he hadn’t been able to get consistent minutes in the Pelicans’ rotation throughout the first couple of years of his career.</p><p>However, Daniels is quickly proving that he has all of the tools necessary to be an elite two-way wing in the NBA, constantly taking Jayson Tatum out of his comfort zone on Tuesday in Boston while also having an impressive game on offense both in terms of shooting and facilitating.</p><p>In order to truly break into the type of player that the Hawks are hoping he will, Daniels will need to continue to improve his three point shooting, which has hovered around 30 percent throughout his career. However, at just 21 years of age, there is plenty of time for that number to skyrocket, while his defense–which is already among the best in the NBA–can also continue to expand.</p><p>Combine Daniels’ breakout start to the season along with increased production from Jalen Johnson and some flashes from number one overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, and the Hawks have a trio of young wings who could form the makings of a new young core, even if Trae Young is no longer part of the franchise’s long term plans.</p><p>The Hawks will next take the floor on Friday evening vs the Washington Wizards.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hawks’ Larry Nance Jr. awards Dyson Daniels with perfect defensive nickname

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/why-pelicans-already-have-larry-nance-jr-replacement');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Pelicans already have Larry Nance Jr.’s replacement');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Why-Pelicans-already-have-Larry-Nance-Jr.s-replacement.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Pelicans already have Larry Nance Jr.’s replacement</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-09-24T12:47:32-07:00">September 24th, 12:47pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-09-24T12:48:08-07:00">September 24th, 12:48pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a New Orleans Pelicans beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New Orleans Pelicans have had Zion Williamson in the building since the 2019 NBA Draft but are still looking for an identity. A crucial part of that process has involved finding the right big men to fit around the All-Star in the rotations. Larry Nance Jr. looked the part over the last two seasons but had to be sacrificed so the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/pelicans-dejounte-murray-upgrade-depends-perspective">Pelicans could acquire Dejounte Murray.</a> Thankfully, a late summer Pelicans training camp might have unearthed a diamond in the rough replacement in Karlo Matkovic.</p><p>Injury setbacks derailed the first trip to Las Vegas but never phased the 23-year-old’s resolve to make the New Orleans roster. Matkovic, the 52nd overall pick in 2022, has shown significant growth and potential since being<a href="https://x.com/DoingItDodson/status/1540023856295026688" rel="noopener"> draft-and-stashed</a> by New Orleans. The progression from European competitions to G-League action was undeniable for anyone keeping track.</p><p>It was easy to see the Croatian becoming a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/karlo-matkovic-answering-pelicans-closing-center-question">valuable, mismatch-creating asset for the Pelicans</a> after the 6-11 big man dominated the 2024 NBA Summer League runs for long stretches. Dennis Scott was <a href="https://twitter.com/PelsFilmRoom/status/1813435983926378793" rel="noopener">scouting the excited reactions</a> of Willie Green amid a 10-12 shooting showcase.</p><p>“If you didn’t know about him before this game, you know about him now…Willie Green is over there taking notes saying I see how I can use him, I see how he can help us win ball games.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Another big-time lob for Matkovic!</p><p>He's got 23 points on 10-12 shooting… watch the final minutes on NBA TV 👀 <a href="https://t.co/FhtRybIcYZ">https://t.co/FhtRybIcYZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/On41UyrwJh">pic.twitter.com/On41UyrwJh</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1813428625401655640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Nance Jr.’s contributions should not be diminished. The respected veteran was a locker room leader who could be counted on to do the dirty work when available. Nance Jr. ($11.2m) averaged 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game last season. Still, Matkovic ($1.4m) should be able to match that production with more upside and at a cheaper salary cap hit.</p><p>Matkovic averaged 15.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game across all competitions with Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia) last season. He was putting up approximately 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 31 minutes per game with the Squadron. Then came the sensational Summer League showcase and a three-year guaranteed NBA deal.</p><h2><b>Karlo Matkovic is money found for Pelicans</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Karlo-Matkovic-on-a-scale-that-says-255-pounds.-On-another-scale-is-a-pot-of-gold-with-a-9-million-price-tag.-The-article-mentions-Karlo-being-worth-his-weight-in-gold.jpg"></figure><p>Tracking Matkovic took more time and patience than money but it is paying off now. Several reports of an impressive Matkovic came out of the team’s voluntary, player-led training camp in California. It’s something some have <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1796241469247811688" rel="noopener">seen coming for a while</a>, especially the Nance Jr. replacement part.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Multiple sources within Org have said/replied during our conversations that Karlo is more of a Larry 4 replacement instead of a JV 5.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pelicans?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pelicans</a> <a href="https://t.co/I6t58vYIVx">https://t.co/I6t58vYIVx</a></p><p>— Dodson, Chris Dodson (@DoingItDodson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1796241469247811688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The same scouting department that bet on Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Naji Marshall, and Jose Alvarado approved of Matkovic. His per-100 possession stats lend more evidence to the argument that Matkovic should play 10-12 meaningful minutes per night. He can be used in the same actions, has better height, is deceptively athletic, and again, comes at a big discount. The front office saved almost $10 million in this move and might have upgraded at the position.</p><p>Slightly lower stat totals should not dissuade Green from giving Matkovic room to grow. Fans should expect to see a lot of Matkovic around town even if there are a few DNP-CDs on the scorecard. He is too cheap to be of much use in the trade market but could be worth his weight in gold to head coach Willie Green. At 255 pounds, that is about $9 million give or take.</p><p>So, yes, the Pelicans could be getting top-dollar MLE money production from a near-minimum draft and stash curiosity. Even the toughest critics have to admit that is good business from EVP David Griffin’s Pelicans.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Pelicans already have Larry Nance Jr.’s replacement

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/lakers-news-larry-nance-jr-chimes-in-la-coaching-search-after-missing-out-dan-hurley');   ga('set', 'title', 'Larry Nance Jr. chimes in on Lakers’ coaching search after missing out on Dan Hurley');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Larry-Nance-Jr.-chimes-in-on-LA-coaching-search-after-missing-out-on-Dan-Hurley.jpg"></figure><h1>Larry Nance Jr. chimes in on Lakers’ coaching search after missing out on Dan Hurley</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-06-13T10:59:11-07:00">June 13th, 10:59am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-06-13T12:13:50-07:00">June 13th, 12:13pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of one of their roughest off-seasons in recent memory. After striking out on UConn boss Dan Hurley to fill their head coaching vacancy, the team may turn to NBA retiree <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-jj-redick-in-line-become-lakers-coach-after-dan-hurley-debacle-on-1-condition">JJ Redick, who’s never coached</a> at any level.</p><p>New Orleans Pelicans forward and former Laker Larry Nance Jr. <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1801300414068850839" rel="noopener">weighed in on</a> the NBA’s hottest non-Finals storyline, via FanDuel TV’s <i>Run It Back</i>.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“I think a first time head coach is not the answer… You probably need an established coach."</p><p>Larry Nance Jr. shares his thoughts on the Lakers head coaching search 👀</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/RunItBackFDTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RunItBackFDTV</a>)<a href="https://t.co/6WqDDAhbe1">pic.twitter.com/6WqDDAhbe1</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1801300414068850839?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Personally, I think a first-time head coach is not the answer,” Nance said. “The LA market is really hard if you’ve never dealt with something like that before. If you miss a shot, you’re the next fill-in-the-blank. If you miss a shot, you should’ve never picked up a basketball in your life. It’s tough, I think you’d probably need an established coach, but I can’t necessarily put a name out there for that. You need someone with some clout.”</p><p>While Nance has a valid point, there aren’t many former or current head coaches left to pick from. Pelicans assistant James Borrego, who led the Charlotte Hornets for four years, is the only name left in the rumor mill that’s held the big chair before. However, he’s also been rumored to be a frontrunner for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ head coaching gig. If Los Angeles doesn’t land him, their pick will <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/lakers-news-brian-windhorst-jj-redick-lebron-james-interview">most likely be Redick</a>, Celtics assistant Sam Cassell, or Nuggets assistant David Adelman, none of whom have been the head honcho before.</p><p>Nance was also asked if he thought LeBron James would be a good player-coach.</p><p>“I’m gonna say no, because a lot of times, the very best have a hard time teaching others how to do something because it comes naturally to them,” Nance continued. “There are certain times a coach will have to explain something. ‘Bron, I’m not saying he’s done this before, but there are certain times he’ll have to explain something, and it’s like ‘I just don’t understand how you don’t get that. Why can’t you just take the ball, take two dribbles and dunk on their bigs, like just do it.’ You need someone that wasn’t the greatest player ever. Somebody with experience…I actually thought Vogel was really good for them when they had him, but you know…”</p><p>Is Nance right, or would the Lake Show be fine with a first-time locker room leader?</p><h2><b>Nance is on the money, and the Lakers should listen</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Pelicans-Larry-Nance-Jr.jpg"><figcaption>© Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>While Nance couldn’t think of a name off the top of his head, Borrego is the best candidate according to his criteria. Luckily for Los Angeles, he appears to <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/lakers-coaching-search-james-borrego-considered-a-leading-candidate-after-dan-hurley-passed-per-report/" rel="noopener">still be considering the job</a>, via CBS Sports. The 46-year-old interviewed twice for the position.</p><p>Even if the Lakers don’t land Borrego, they’d still be better off with Cassell or Adelman than Redick. Having years of assistant experience is a reasonable way to work up to a high-pressure head coaching job. Playing in the league and then working for ESPN, however, is not. Los Angeles will risk losing its credibility as an organization if they hire someone completely unqualified.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Larry Nance Jr. chimes in on Lakers’ coaching search after missing out on Dan Hurley

Patrick Beverley

Fred VanVleet

Bol Bol

Jamal Murray

Larry Nance Jr.

Eric Bledsoe

Dejounte Murray

Patty Mills

Willie Cauley-Stein

Rudy Gay

Los Angeles Lakers

Cleveland Cavaliers

Portland Trail Blazers

New Orleans Pelicans

Atlanta Hawks

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Career

3 seasons

https://twitter.com/Larrydn22/status/1653580520595288067/

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Why is Gnonto not playing for Leeds? 🤔

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Caitlin Clark is ridiculous 🤦🏽‍♂️ 33-10-8 at the end of the 3rd… SHEEEEESHH

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2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
8.5	4.3	1.6	0.5	0.8

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
8.5	4.3	1.6	0.5	0.8

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