NEW YORK — The Hawks will be the guest of Mike Woodson on Wednesday. How hospitable their former coach will be remains to be seen.
Woodson, now an assistant with the Knicks, coached the Hawks for six seasons before his contract was not renewed following the 2009-10 season. Following a year off, Woodson will be on the other team’s bench when he sees many of his former players and staff members at Madison Square Garden.
“I will be glad to see him,” Hawks guard Joe Johnson said. “He is still a great guy to me. I have no bad blood with him. Hopefully nobody does. Just like I go greet [Knicks coach Mike] D’Antoni every time we play, I will go greet him as well.”
Johnson played for D’Antoni with the Suns before joining the Hawks.
Woodson refused an interview request by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the game.
For Hawks coach Larry Drew, there is no special significance to the game.
“I’m just going into the game like I do all other games,” Drew said of his feelings of coaching against his former boss.
Drew said he has not kept in touch with Woodson, citing the NBA schedule. “It’s busy. It’s hard to do that,” Drew said.
Woodson coached the Hawks from 2004-10, compiling a 206-286 (.419) record. The team bettered its record in each season, reached the playoffs his final three seasons, including trips to the Eastern Conference semifinals in the last two.
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