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Back To The Bottom

Authored by Patrick J. Austin - January 3, 2006 - 4:41 pm

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After putting together a nice string of wins, the Hawks have stumbled once more and are back at the bottom with the worst record in the league (7-21). I really thought they had turned a corner. Beating quality teams like the Spurs, Nuggets, and Cavaliers gave me a sense of optimism, but that was quickly replaced with frustration and confusion after watching them lose to teams like the Bobcats(minus Emeka Okafor) and Raptors.

One major problem I’ve noticed is Mike Woodson’s substitution strategy(or lack thereof). He seems to have finally settled on a starting line-up and rotation, but he has this terrible habit of taking out players when they’re actually producing.

For example, in a recent loss to the Toronto Raptors, Salim Stoudemire scored an incredible 12 points in only 9 minutes. He was hot and stroking it from beyond the arc. Funny thing is, Salim only played those 9 minutes. For some odd reason Woodson didn’t keep him in. Ask any other basketball coach and they’ll tell you to keep the guy with the hot hand in until he gets cold. The way Salim was scoring, he should have gotten at least gotten 20-25 minutes.

It sounds like Woodson won’t be fired this season since he received a “vote of confidence” from ownership; but if we keep losing that could change quickly. I’m really hoping the owners are able to land a proven, veteran coach either during this season or in the summer.

In order to reverse our crapitude(yeah, I made that word up and the copyright is forthcoming) we need someone who actually knows how to coach a team and get the best out the talent available. Sad to say, Woody is not that someone.

So here we are, back again in the doldrums of the NBA. It pains me to say, but being dead last is starting to feel familiar; like it’s something to expected from the Hawks. I wish it wasn’t that way, but when you watch your beloved team slowly but surely turn into the Clippers of the East (Clippers 90’s edition) I guess it’s unavoidable.