Mike Woodson likely to be New York Knicks assistant coach – NBA Update
Mike Woodson, the ex Atlanta Hawks head coach, is certainly in the mix of things ever since the off season began. After being linked for a possible head coaching stint with the Detroit Pistons and the Minnesota Timberwolves, Woodson
is now believed to be the top choice as an assistant to head coach Mike D’ Antoni at the New York Knicks
According to various reports, Woodson and D’ Antoni met in a powwow in New York and there have been rumours that the move now only requires an official statement to get complete.
Minnesota Timberwolves had also pursued Woodson for the job of head coach but the general manager of the Wolves said he wanted an up-tempo coach. As far as Woodson is concerned, he is considered as an authority on defence. And
defence is what a team having the likes of Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire need at this moment.
Woodson has also shown his interest in joining the Knicks. "It's where my NBA career started, I'd like to help Mike and see things continue to grow there."
In 1980 NBA Draft, Woodson was selected 12th overall by the Knicks. He played in the team from 1980 until 1981 and averaged 14.0 points per game. The defensive guru has served as the former head coach of Atlanta Hawks from 2004
to 2010. In all the seasons, his team performed well and qualified for the playoffs, but could not win any title because there were no star players in the team. Later, he was not given an extension in his contract.
The thing that distinguishes him as a defense coach is that he learned it from the legendary coach and hall of famer, Larry Brown. At present, the roster of the Knicks is performing well but need lots of improvement when it comes
to defense.
This will also help the Knicks head coach in the longer run. D’ Antoni has been around as a coach in NBA for a long time, but over the years, it has been evident that he does not have a decent grasp on the backcourt tactics. In
the last season, Knicks despite of being one of the top offensive team, lost close games time and again because of their fragilities in the defence. With Woodson around, they can certainly inculcate a robust defensive system and can really become a serious
contender in the next season, whenever it starts.
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