Sports Radio Interviews

Mike Woodson and the Atlanta Hawks are Flying High

If you were to go back before the start of this NBA season and think of some of the title contenders I bet you didn’t have the Hawks on your short list and I don’t blame you. For so long the Atlanta Hawks have been so bad, but they have now turned the corner. They are off to a red hot start and are tied with the Phoenix Suns for the best record in the NBA. This team is nasty!
Their starting five are all capable of scoring 20+ pints on any given night and then they have Jamal Crawford coming off the bench. Crawford is capable of scoring 50 points in a game as he has done it three different times for three different teams. With the addition of Crawford, this takes the pressure off Joe Johnson’s back and lets him play his game. Joe Johnson is in a contract-year and you can bet he is going to play his butt off each and every night because he wants to get paid.

Josh Smith is another guy that is playing tremendously. Atlanta fans used to rip their hair out watching him dribbling the ball up the court and shooting a three pointer. He hasn’t done that much this year. In fact, he has only attempted one three pointer through the first 12 games. In the past he has taken as many as 152 three point shots in a season. He is on pace to attempt only 7 three pointers. That is a good thing to see if you are a Hawks fan because he can now just play his game of blocking shots, getting rebounds and scoring points in the paint. The players seem to get all of the credit but some of it needs to go to their GM, Rick Sund, and their head coach, Mike Woodson. This team has improved each season under his tutelage and this year will be no exception. I expect them to be the #1 or #2 seed in the Eastern Conference this year and make a lot of noise in the playoffs.

Mike Woodson joined 790 The Zone in Atlanta to talk about Josh Smith’s start to the season, Josh Smith playing smart offensively, having Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson and them being lethal weapons late in a game, and whether he agrees that the Al Horford this year is better than last.

On Joe Johnson’s comments after Monday’s win against Portland that the Hawks would have lost that game in the past:

“Well again that team two or three years ago were babies.  They were 18 or 19 year old kids that were trying to win big time NBA games.  But Joe is more vocal this year without a doubt and we need him to be that way.”

On Josh Smith’s start to the season:

“I am so proud of him because he has come a long way.  I mean he has grown over the years.  The thing about Josh is now I think he is learning to manage the game.  We have talked about it over the years.  Time, scoring situations, he is really doing a great job in those areas I believe.” 

Whether Josh Smith is as physically gifted as any player on the NBA:

“Oh without a doubt.  Without a doubt;  I mean we watch him time and time on film and it is amazing the things he can do on the basketball floor.  A lot of it has to do with his athletic ability and the fact that he is learning the game now.  It is beautiful to watch it really is.”

On having Jamal Crawford and Joe Johnson and them being lethal weapons late in a game:

“Jamal has been great and you cant forget Bibby because Bibby is a big shot maker as well.  Jamal has really come in especially down the stretch.  He has been in the situation before in terms of throwing him in there and asked to make big shots.  He is a gifted offensive player and he has been great for us so far this year.”

Whether he agrees that the Al Horford this year is better than last:

“Yeah I agree.  He is playing fresh now.  We got enough bigs that we really don’t have to save themselves.  Zaza is playing well for us.  You can throw Joe Smith in.  I haven’t been able to play Collins and Randolph a whole lot but we do have enough bigs this year that I can throw guys in and take hard fouls and defend a little bit for us.  Al can really go all out.  He doesn’t have to save his fouls.  If he gets a couple of fouls I can pull him early.  I can get him back in and feel good about the big guys that I am putting in behind him.”

 Mike Woodson on Mayhem in the AM in Atlanta on 790 The Zone to talk about their hot start

Tags: Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Eastern Conference, Hawks are the best team in the NBA, Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Mike Bibby, Mike Woodson, NBA