Mike Woodson's career as Hawks coach

Atlanta Hawks

Mike Woodson's career as Hawks coach

Mike Woodson's career as the Atlanta Hawks' head coach

In his six seasons as Hawks' head coach, Woodson compiled a 206-286 record.

Woodson and the Hawks improved on their win total each regular season, beginning with 13 during the 2004-05 season to a high of 53 this season.

Atlanta Hawks general manager Billy Knight introduced Woodson, a former Detroit Pistons assistant, to fans in 2004. Woodson said he took the Hawks coaching job "to help Billy turn this thing around."

Dejected by the team's performance and railed by critics during the 2005 season, former Knicks coach Larry Brown came to Woodson's defense: "I've never had an assistant who was better."

In his first two seasons as the Hawks' coach, Mike Woodson compiled a 39-125 record.

Among the Hawks talent that Woodson has had a chance to coach: Joe Johnson, who made the 2006 Olympic roster and whose acquisition led to the team ownership's current court battle.

Woodson and Josh Smith had their share of disagreements during his tenure as Hawks' coach.

Woodson, the Hawks' tenth head coach since the franchise moved to the Atlanta area in 1968, lost twice as many games as he won during his first four years.

Al Horford has developed into an All-Star center while playing for Woodson.

Marvin Williams was the second pick in the 2005 draft and has developed into a solid starter under Woodson.

The Hawks entered the 2007-08 season with high expectations and hoped for a run at the playoffs. Although the team failed to compile any consistent streaks, Woodson led Atlanta to the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs, where the Hawks forced heavily-favored Boston to a Game 7 before the Celtics took the series.

During the 2008-09 season, the Hawks once again improved their win total from the previous season and this time advanced to the second round of the playoffs, where they were swept by Cleveland.

The acquisition of Jamal Crawford, who would eventually earn NBA Sixth Man of the Year honors, helped Woodson and the Hawks earn the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference this season.

Despite the high win total and the No. 3 seed, the Hawks were bounced from the second round of the playoffs by Orlando in a 4-0 sweep. The organization announced Friday that it would not offer Woodson a new contract.

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In his six seasons as Hawks' head coach, Woodson compiled a 206-286 record.

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