Pro Dogs Update: Edwards, Timberwolves Atop Western Conference

ATHENS, Ga. – Three Georgia basketball alums are deep into their season with their respective NBA squads while a further five former Bulldogs are contributing to the success of their teams at home and abroad.

The Denver Nuggets and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have dominated the last three games in regular season play toppling the Washington Wizards, the Portland Trailblazers and the Golden State Warriors all by double-digit margins. In those matchups, Caldwell-Pope played 84 minutes (28.0 mpg) and added 22 points (7.3 ppg), eight rebounds (2.7 rpg), eight assists (2.7 apg) and two steals. The forward’s minute were limited in the February 22 contest against the Wizards due to hamstring tightness – which also limited his minutes in the previous two games. On the season, Caldwell-Pope has scored 524 points (9.9 ppg) with 125 rebounds (2.4 rpg), 124 assists (2.3 apg), 23 blocks (0.4 bpg) and 68 steals (1.3 spg) to help the Nuggets to a 39-19 record and the third overall seed in the Western Conference.

Nic Claxton’s Brooklyn Nets are in the midst of a four-game skid in February as they moved to 21-35 on the season. However, in that stretch, Claxton has contributed 34 points (8.5 ppg), 33 rebounds (8.3 rpg), 10 assists (2.5 apg), three blocks and two steals. Interestingly, the center ranks top 15 in the league in rebounds per game (10.1 rpg) and in the top 10 in field goal percentage (62.1%). The Brooklyn Nets will look to utilize Claxton’s totals of 554 points (12.0 ppg), 465 rebounds, 89 assists (1.9 apg), 101 blocks (2.2 bpg) and 30 steals (0.7 spg) to improve upon its current 11th place seeding in the Eastern Conference – just outside the expanded playoff format.

Since the All-Star Break, the Minnesota Timberwolves have split the last two games against the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. During those two games, Anthony Edwards exploded for 57 points (28.5 ppg), 17 rebounds (8.5 rpg), eight assists (4.0 apg), a block and three steals. For the Western Conference in the All-Star game, Edwards tallied 13 minutes of action and four points, connecting on two of three field goal attempts. Edwards remains in the top 15 in the league in points per game (26.3 ppg). The Timberwolves, on top of a 40-17 record, still share the top spot in the Western conference with the Oklahoma City Thunder large in part to the former number-one overall pick’s 1,422 points (26.3 ppg), 289 rebounds (5.4 rpg), 281 assists (5.2 apg), 27 blocks (0.5 bpg) and 66 steals (1.2 spg).

In the NBA G League, Terry Roberts is still logging significant minutes for Brooklyn Nets’ affiliate Long Island Nets. In the last two games since the NBA All-Star Break, Roberts has scored 22 points (11.0 ppg) while adding 15 rebounds (7.5 rpg), nine assists (4.5 apg) and four steals (2.9 spg) off the bench. The Long Island Nets are currently 11-10 on the season and sit in seventh place in Eastern Conference standings.

Many of the European leagues are in a break from play. Updates on four former Bulldogs in action in their respective leagues over the past couple of weeks are compiled below:

Aaron Cook has played in one game in the last two weeks for Bremerhaven in the German Pro-A League. In an 89-84 win over Nuernburg, Cook played 24 minutes and posted 10 points, five rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Impressively, the guard ranks first in his side and top fifteen in the league in assists (5.9 apg). The German side remain in the middle of the pack in league standings in 10th place with an 11-12 record, and on the season, Cook has 194 points (12.9 ppg), 46 boards (3.1 rpg), 89 assists, five blocked shots and 22 steals (1.5 spg).

Turkish Basketball League side Bornova are continuing to surge after the acquiring of J.J. Frazier. Bornova started the season 1-4 in league play, and since his addition to the squad, the team has gone 12-9 for an overall record of 13-13, good for seventh place in league standings. In his last two games, Frazier has amassed 39 points (19.5 ppg), 10 rebounds (5.0 rpg), 14 assists (7.9 apg) and three steals. The guard ranks top ten in the league in points, assists, steals, three-point attempts and defensive rebounds, while leading his team in points, assists, steals, three-point attempts made, free throws made and defensive rebounds. In all, Frazier has 451 points (21.5 ppg), 149 rebounds (7.1 rpg), 163 assists (7.8 apg), a blocked shot and 56 steals (2.7 spg) this season.

Jordan Harris and Brussels Basketball are in a mid-season break in BNXT League play after a February 17 contest against Belfius Mons. In the game, Harris tallied 15 points, six rebounds, an assists, a blocked shot and two steals. Harris ranks in the top five on his team in points, assists, steals, two-point attempts made and free throws made while also ranking top 10 in the league in steals and free throws made. On the season, Harris has contributed 216 points (11.4 ppg), 87 rebounds (4.6 rpg), 36 assists (1.9 apg), eight blocked shots (0.4 bpg) and 38 steals (2.0 spg).

In Japan, Terrance Woodbury is in action for the Kumamoto Volters in the Japanese B2 League, currently placed third in the West division of the league standings with a 28-15 record. In his last four games, Woodbury has accumulated 88 points (22.0 ppg), eight rebounds (2.0 rpg), nine assists (2.3 apg) and a steal. He ranks top five in his side in points, steals, two-point attempts made, three-point attempts made and free throws made, along with ranking in the top 15 in the league in points, three-point attempts made and three-point percentage. This season, Woodbury has 703 points (20.1 ppg), 137 rebounds (3.9 rpg), 95 assists (2.7 apg), five blocked shots and 35 steals (1.0 spg).