– Everyone’s favorite goggle-wearing, dime-dishing, three-swishing NBA player is back. **Kirk Hinrich** (Atlanta Hawks) made his debut on Wednesday after sitting out the first quarter of the season, recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Hinrich scored seven points on 3 of 4 shots (one three) with a steal and two turnovers in 13 minutes at backup point guard, but the Hawks lost, 105-83, to the San Antonio Spurs ([full stats here][1]).
– **Xavier Henry** (New Orleans Hornets) made his Hornets debut/season debut on Wednesday against the Thunder in his hometown of Oklahoma City. His stat line wasn’t too inspiring (just three points on [dunk][2] of 5 shooting, 1 of 2 free throws — [full stats here][3]) but it was his first game action since Feb. 22, 2011. And his 13 minutes on Wednesday were the most he’s played in more than a year (15 minutes on Dec. 26, 2010). It’ll be fun to see what he can do now that he’s healthy.
– **Drew Gooden** (Milwaukee Bucks) could see more time going forward, as Bucks starting center Andrew Bogut suffered a nasty ankle sprain after nine minutes in Wednesday’s game against the Houston Rockets. Gooden filled in at center and had 11 points in 28 minutes as the Bucks won, 105-99. He only had two rebounds, but he added two assists, three steals, a block and a three-pointer ([full stats here][4]).
Gooden’s already made as many three-pointers (3 of 9) as he did in 35 games last year (3 of 20). He hasn’t made more than three triples in a season since 2004, when he hit 5 of 28 for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Don’t hold your breath, though. Gooden is a career 21 percent three-point shooter.
– **Brandon Rush** (Golden State Warriors) was perfect from beyond the arc on Wednesday as he scored 14 points and helped the Warriors to a 101-93 victory over the Portland Trailblazers. Rush scored all 14 of his points in 15 first-half minutes and led his team with 5-for-6 shooting (3 of 3 threes) at the break. He took just two more shots the entire game but played all 12 fourth-quarter mintues ([full stats here][5]). After Wednesday’s game, Rush is now the No. 1 three-point shooter in the NBA, by percentage. Rush also ranks fourth among all NBA guards in overall field-goal percentage (11th if you classify him as a forward).
– **Mario Chalmers** (Miami Heat) continued his most efficient shooting season of his career and scored 16 points on 5 of 7 shots (3 of 5 threes, 3 of 3 free throws) on Wednesday. Chalmers added three rebounds, four assists to two turnovers and a steal in 28 minutes as the Heat beat the Detroit Pistons, 101-98 ([full stats here][6]). Chalmers’ hot shooting from outside pushed him up to No. 16 in the NBA in three-point percentage. Also interesting to note: Chalmers is having the best all-around scoring season of his career, averaging 11.9 points a game — almost double last season’s average and almost two points better than his previous best, set during his rookie season.
– **Nick Collison** (Oklahoma City Thunder) returned from a minor ankle injury and played 17 minutes against the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday. Collison scored seven points with three rebounds, two assists and two blocks ([full stats here][7]). The Thunder won, 101-91.
– **Cole Aldrich** (Oklahoma City Thunder) did not play (coach’s decision) on Wednesday against the New Orleans Hornets. Royce Young of DailyThunder.com became the latest Thunder writer to push for more minutes for Aldrich, [writing after the game][8]:
>I’m ready for the Cole Aldrich era. I said before the season that I thought he would crack the rotation at some point and I think that time has come. Nazr Mohammed just isn’t producing nor is he playing very well. His minutes are getting cut more and more and the Thunder basically have a dead spot behind Perk right now. I’d give some time to Aldrich if anything just for the shot of energy he could give for six or seven minutes.
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Overseas notes
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– **Darnell Jackson** (Ukraine-Superleague – BC Donetsk) had six points and six rebounds in 13 minutes on Tuesday in his team’s second Eurocup Last 16 tournament game ([full stats here][9]). BC Donetsk won, 81-74.
– **Sasha Kaun** (Russia PBL – CSKA Moscow) played just eight minutes on Wednesday and scored four points as his team blew out the competition, 96-68, at the Euroleague Top 16 tournament. Kaun added a rebound and an assist ([full stats here][10]).
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Jayhawks in upcoming NBA games
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**[Thursday, Jan. 26][11]**
– 7 p.m., TNT, **Paul Pierce** and the Boston Celtics vs. the Orlando Magic
– 9:30 p.m., TNT, **Josh Selby** and the Memphis Grizzlies vs. the Los Angeles Clippers
**[Friday, Jan. 27][12]**
– 6:30 p.m., **Paul Pierce** and the Boston Celtics vs. the Indiana Pacers
– 6:30 p.m., **Kirk Hinrich** and the Atlanta Hawks vs. the Detroit Pistons
– 7 p.m., ESPN, **Mario Chalmers** and the Miami Heat vs. the New York Knicks
– 7 p.m., **Drew Gooden** and the Milwaukee Bucks vs. the Chicago Bulls
– 7 p.m., **Xavier Henry** and the New Orleans Hornets vs. the Orlando Magic
– 9 p.m., **Markieff Morris** and the Phoenix Suns vs. the Portland Trailblazers
– 9:30 p.m., NBATV, **Nick Collison**, **Cole Aldrich** and the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. **Brandon Rush** and the Golden State Warriors
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‘Hawks in the NBA will return Saturday…
[1]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120125/ATLSAS/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100265#nbaGIboxscore
[2]: http://www.nba.com/video/games/thunder/2012/01/25/0021100263_noh_okc_play4.nba
[3]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120125/NOHOKC/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100263#nbaGIboxscore
[4]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120125/MIADET/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100260#nbaGIboxscore
[5]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120125/PORGSW/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100269#nbaGIboxscore
[6]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120125/MIADET/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100260#nbaGIboxscore
[7]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120125/NOHOKC/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100263#nbaGIboxscore
[8]: http://www.dailythunder.com/2012/01/okc-has-to-work-for-it-but-handles-the-hornets-101-91/
[9]: http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/Eurocup/2012/0124_4709_186.asp
[10]: http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/Euroleague/2012/0125_89_99.asp
[11]: http://www.nba.com/gameline/20120126/
[12]: http://www.nba.com/gameline/20120127/
