Atlantic Notes: Shumpert, NBA Draft, Allen

The Knicks will look to make it two in a row against the Bulls tonight with Derrick Rose on the shelf due to injury. Philadelphia made life more difficult for New York as the Sixers knocked off the Nets to pull ahead of Knicks in the race for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Here's the latest news and updates from around the Atlantic Division for your perusal.

  • Knicks rookie Iman Shumpert was told he was going to go undrafted when he decided to leave Georgia Tech early and declare for the draft one season ago, writes Scott Powers of ESPNChicago.com. Shumpert, who grew up in Chicago, was a surprise pick by the Knicks, who took the guard 17th in the 2011 NBA draft. The selection has proved to be a pleasant surprise for New York as Shumpert has averaged 9.8 PPG and 3.2 SPG, making him one of the most prolific thieves in the entire NBA.
  • While the Raptors may have an unlikely chance of winning the lottery in the upcoming NBA draft, the depth of talent already making themselves draft eligible improves the odds that the team will be able to acquire a player ready to contribute. Look for Bradley Beal, Harrison Barnes or Jeremy Lamb to land in Toronto if the Raptors end up with the sixth pick in the draft. All three players recently forfeited their remaining collegiate eligibility and declared for the draft.
  • HoopsWorld's Derek Page lists Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen among his top six NBA postseason assassins. Page points to the fact that only Reggie Miller has made more than Allen's 285 three-pointers in the playoffs as a major reason for the former UConn star making the list. Allen, 36, has averaged 19.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 3.4 APG in 110 playoff appearances with the Bucks, Sonics and Celtics.
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