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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