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Atlanta Hawks: Kyle Korver and Thabo Sefolosha Cleared to Resume Basketball Activities

By Jonathan Savitske

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The Atlanta Hawks were without their best defender, Thabo Sefolosha, during the postseason last year, following an altercation with the NYPD in which Sefolosha’s tibia and fibula were shattered.

Kyle Korver also missed most of the Eastern Conference Finals due to an ankle injury in which Cleveland Cavaliers’ backup Point Guard Matthew Dellavedova dove for a lose ball with reckless abandon and broke Korver’s ankle in the ensuing scrum.

-= Related: Atlanta Hawks: Sosa, Jones Added to Training Camp Roster =-

Both Korver and Sefolosha are important pieces for the Atlanta Hawks in the coming season as they attempt to replicate last year’s success. The Hawks and their fans received good news today regarding the status of both players’ health. Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that Thabo Sefolosha, Shelvin Mack and Kyle Korver have been cleared to resume basketball activities “of differing degrees”.

This is encouraging news for the Atlanta Hawks, as there was some concern that both Kyle Korver and Thabo Sefolosha would not be at full strength by the start of season. The Atlanta Hawks offense is very much predicated on Kyle Korver’s ability to stretch the floor, he will need to be healthy in order for the team to be successful. Of course, the severity of each of their injuries is different and will require a different amount of patience and different time-tables for full recovery.

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Following the departure of DeMarre Carroll in free agency, Thabo Sefolosha is the projected starting SF in Mike Budenholzer’s lineup. Though he may not possess the offensive prowess of Carroll, Sefolosha is one of the best defenders in the game, and will be relied upon to defend players like Paul George, Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony this season.

The AJC’s Vivlamore also reported that backup PG Shelvin Mack has been cleared to practice. Mack injured his shoulder in the final game of the ECF, and underwent shoulder surgery after the Atlanta Hawks were ousted from the postseason. Though Mack may be an outside shot at being a rotational player this year after the emergence of Dennis Schroder, he is nonetheless an important piece on the Hawks’ depth chart.

With training camp a little more than a week away, and the start of the season in a little over a month, it’s great to hear that Kyle Korver, Thabo Sefolosha and Shelvin Mack are recovering on schedule. If the Atlanta Hawks again want to contend for an Eastern Conference Crown, they must begin the season healthy in order to win. Training camp begins on September 29th at the University of Georgia.

Next: Atlanta Hawks: How to Get Back to the ECF

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