Espn article on Austin Rivers after yesterday's game

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LAS VEGAS -- Minutes after playing in his first organized basketball game in more than four months, New Orleans Pelicans guard Austin Rivers found his coach, Monty Williams, along the far wall of Cox Pavillion, and the two hugged.Williams is a meticulous tactician, and before he even let go of Rivers, the coach brandished a list of play sequences from the Pelicans' 77-72 win over the New York Knicks that he'd scrawled on the back of a summer league media packet. With his signature combo of encouragement and intensity, Williams offered a critique of Rivers' pick-and-roll defense before enumerating some of the key possessions on which Rivers delivered.On Friday, Rivers' highlights outshined his shortcomings, as he poured in 24 points on 8-for-15 shooting from the field, collected seven rebounds and dished out six assists. Though he was humble after the game, Rivers was also clearly proud of his effort, especially after the long layoff caused by a broken bone in his right hand in March."I haven't played in so long since I got hurt," Rivers said. "I got to watch a lot of film and see my weaknesses and how I need to change speeds instead of going a hundred miles per hour. And it kind of showed today -- just kind of like getting to the lane, changing speeds and getting it high off the glass and pulling up for shots and getting people open."

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