Team to give Sefolosha more time to recover

Groin injury still not healthy enough for forward to play.

Thabo Sefolosha missed his sixth consecutive game with a left groin injury Wednesday night, but the Hawks remain hopeful the starting forward will return before the All-Star break next week.

The Hawks are trying a new approach to get Sefolosha back in the lineup, according to coach Mike Budenholzer. It could involve missing more games.

“Every game or every day we were ramping him up and seeing if he could get ready and if he would be available,” Budenholzer said Wednesday before the Hawks hosted the Nuggets. “I think we are backing off how much we ramp him up and maybe say let’s take a few days and a few games and see if the less workload and less ramp-up can that get him to where he is ready to go here shortly.”

After the Hawks play the Nuggets, the team has a threegame west coast trip against the Kings on Friday, the Trail Blazers on Monday and the Clippers next Wednesday. Following the final game of the trip, the Hawks are off until Feb. 24, an eight-game respite. The rest could be in a factor in getting Sefolosha back.

“I would say we are hopeful of him playing before the All-Star break,” Budenholzer said. “But that’s, obviously, on the back burner. If we have to go that long, then you do have that 7-10 day break to add on to it.”

Sefolosha sustained the injury against the Bulls on Jan. 25. He played the next game two days later against the Wizards. Sefolosha has admitted it was likely a mistake to try to play right away. He lasted only 16 minutes and has not played since.

Tim Hardaway Jr. again will start in place of Sefolosha.

Patterson re-ups: Lamar Patterson signed a second 10-day contract Wednesday. The first deal with the guard/ forward expired Tuesday.

The second 10-day contract will expire Feb. 17, when the Hawks are in the All-Star break. Patterson will be eligible for four games, including Wednesday night’s game against the Nuggets.

“There is a level of comfort in knowing Lamar,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “His body is in a good place. He is taking care of himself, taking his conditioning and his fitness to another level. I think he’s a very gifted passer, a very gifted decision maker . ...

“The feedback from his teammates, feedback from the assistant coaches and drills, 3-on-3’s and 4-on-4’s, we are very happy with him.”

Patterson appeared in three games in this first stint with a total of six points and four rebounds in 20 minutes.

The Hawks obtained Patterson on draft night in 2014 after he was a second-round pick of the Bucks at No. 48 overall. He played one season in Turkey for Tofas Bursa. He joined the Hawks the following season and appeared in 35 games and averaged 2.4 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 11.3 minutes. The Hawks waived Patterson this summer, and he was claimed by the Kings.

Before re-joining the Hawks, Patterson played this season for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA Development League where he has put up impressive numbers. In 28 games, he averaged 24.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.0 steals in 35.8 minutes. He ranked fourth in the D-League in scoring, 12th in assists and tied for 12th in steals.

‘I think we are backing off how much we ramp him up and maybe say let’s take a few days and a few games and see if the less workload and less ramp-up can that get him to where he is ready to go here shortly.’ Mike Budenholzer Hawks coach on forward Thabo Sefolosha