[外電] No time to admire milestones
No time to admire milestones
By SEKOU SMITH
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/03/06
To say Hawks coach Mike Woodson took exception to the notion that
reaching 13 wins already this season is some sort of milestone
wouldn't do his reaction justice.
Woodson was insulted.
Still, he tried to explain, in the most politically correct way he
could, why that theory is rubbish.
"Listen, man, my concern is still the development and growth of this
team," Woodson said after the Hawks polished off the Charlotte Bobcats
on Wednesday for their second win in a row. "And that's my concern over
the long haul. At the end of the day it's about building this team and
getting this franchise back to the playoffs.
"That's the only thing that matters to me as a coach. And I want my
players to understand it's the only thing that should mean anything
to them, because it's not about sitting at home and watching somebody
else play in late April and May. So while it is nice to move forward
[from last season's win total 13], that number shouldn't be our focus."
The Hawks should have a more immediate focus tonight with Orlando in
town for a game at Philips Arena. A win would allow the Hawks to conquer
yet another milestone during Woodson's 126-game tenure as coach: winning
three consecutive games.
"That's not necessarily on our minds," Hawks forward Josh Smith said.
"But we are trying to keep taking steps forward, and that's the next
logical step."
One of many, Woodson argued. Never mind that he's coaching the NBA's
youngest roster and a team with paper-thin depth in its frontcourt
rotation. Woodson is convinced the impossible is possible.
"I'm the type of person who thinks we can do whatever we set out to do if
we work hard enough," Woodson said. "That's just who I am as a coach."
Point out to Woodson that his team has had four chances to win three in a
row and failed each time and he'll point out that they didn't win two in
a row last season but have done it five times already.
Point out the Hawks' humbling 2-16 start to the season and how hard it'll
be to fully rebound from a stumble of that magnitude, and he'll remind you
of the Hawks' 11-14 record since, with at least eight more winnable games
that they fumbled away.
Point out that their last two wins are over two of the league's worst
teams, New York and the Bobcats, and Woodson will argue that seven of
his team's wins have come over teams that own records of .500 or better,
and that
includes defeats of the reigning world champion San Antonio Spurs and
playoff-bound outfits in Cleveland, Denver and Indiana and postseason
hopeful New Orleans/Oklahoma.
"I'll say it again, and I really don't care if anyone is tired of hearing
it, our record doesn't indicate how well we've played this year," Woodson
said. "Have we struggled at times? Absolutely. But for the most part we've
stayed on track and tried to play with urgency. And that's maybe the
toughest thing for a young team to grasp. I coach every game like it's
the last game I'll coach, and these guys have to play every game like it's
the last one they'll play."
資料來源
http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/hawks/stories/0203hawks.html
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