White: Derozan helped hone passing skills
Spurs guard Derrick White’s increased production as a facilitator can be attributed in part to the departure of Demar Derozan, who led the team in assists the last three seasons.
What White learned from the three-time Allstar during their time as teammates is another factor.
“Demar, when he came to us, I didn’t know he was as good a passer as he was,” White said of Derozan, who averaged 6.2 assists over his three seasons with the Spurs before joining Chicago in August via a sign-and-trade deal.
“He made it easy for me,” White added. “Just learning how to draw the defense and try to find the open guys. I think I could always pass it before, but it’s good to improve your game that way.”
White entered Thursday night’s game with Denver averaging a career-best 5.1 assists per game, nearly two more than his previous best. He’s registered six games with seven or more assists and has led the team in that category six times this season, second only to backcourt mate Dejounte Murray’s 16.
“Just trying to find the open guy, find the shooter,” White said. “That’s what Coach has asked me to do, so that’s what I got to go out and do.”
White averaged 3.7 assists over the past three seasons. In his lone season at Colorado, he led the Buffaloes with 4.4 assists per game en route to earning first-team All-pac 12 honors.
“He’s always been a good assist man,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “He’s getting minutes. He’s healthy now. He’s got his confidence now. And in that assist category, he and DJ are doing a great job.”
Spurs forward Thad Young, himself an outstanding passer, said he’s enjoyed watching White work.
“He’s been getting guys the ball, driving and probing the lane and making sure other guys are getting shots,” Young said. “He’s done a great job of blending
the two.”
Vassell, food bank to launch drive
In a lengthy chat with San Antonio Food Bank CEO Eric Cooper at a distribution with the Spurs last month on the West Side, Devin Vassell expressed a desire to help the nonprofit through a peanut butter drive.
Vassell’s plan soon will come to fruition, the Spurs announced Thursday.
The second-year player and Georgia native is hosting a peanut butter drive in partnership with the food bank as a part of the NBA’S Season of Giving, a fiveweek celebration during the holiday season where teams give back by supporting and uplifting youth, families and organizations in their communities.
Vassell and the Spurs are encouraging fans to donate jars of peanut butter during home games
Saturday versus Denver, Sunday against New Orleans and Dec. 15 against Charlotte.
Peanut butter annually is the most-requested item at the food bank, Cooper said. It’s also the most expensive item to source for families in need.
“No child deserves to be hungry,” Vassell said in a statement. “If each fan brings just one jar of peanut butter, we can make a difference for thousands of children in our community. That one jar is an easy way for kids to make a meal when they’re hungry. I’m thankful we can make a difference together to help children and their families right here in our community, especially over the holidays.”
San Antonio has the highest poverty rate of any big city in the United States, resulting in one in four kids and one in five adults being at risk for hunger. The Food Bank serves 90,000 people per week.
“Peanut butter is a highprotein, shelf stable item that just brings joy,” Cooper said in a statement. “Let’s ‘spread the love’ this holiday season and make sure no child or senior goes hungry.”
Food Bank volunteers will be at the AT&T Center to collect the peanut butter at the East entrance, the Michelob Ultra Club and between Lot 4 and Lot 5 starting two hours before tipoff until halftime. Fans also can aid the food bank with a financial donation at https://my.safoodbank.org/ spreadthelove.
Johnson sits out with ankle sprain
Starting forward Keldon Johnson sat out Thursday’s game after spraining his right ankle in Tuesday’s loss to the New York Knicks.
It was the first game Johnson has missed this season.
Vassell returned to action against the Nuggets after missing five of the last six games, including three in a row with a right quadriceps contusion.