No team? No problem: Mike Budenholzer keeps coaching after Hawks leave huddle
The Atlanta Hawks entered the 2015-16 NBA season facing questions about what kind of encore they had in store after a magical campaign that featured a franchise-record 60 wins, the first Eastern Conference finals trip in team history, and an improbable and wonderful revitalization of the local fanbase. Pegged by many (including us) to take a slight step back, the Hawks have instead pressed on, standing at 4-1 after a 98-92 road win over the Miami Heat paced by All-Stars Jeff Teague (26 points, nine assists, six rebounds) and Al Horford (17 points, 13 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass).
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The numbers aren’t nearly as gaudy as they were during the Hawks’ post-Thanksgiving 2014 rampage to the top of the East — Atlanta ranks just 14th among 30 NBA teams in points scored per possession and 13th in points allowed per possession through the first week of the season, according to NBA.com’s stat tool — but the results have been promising, as Atlanta sits atop the Southeast Division despite still searching for nontraditional solutions to the void left on the wing by the departure of DeMarre Carroll. How have the Hawks stayed afloat? Well, look no further than head coach Mike Budenholzer, whose passion for putting his players in position to succeed evidently persists even long after his players have taken up new positions away from his huddle:
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Hey, the guy didn’t win Coach of the Year for nothing.
Whether the Hawks heard Budenholzer’s specific words, they clearly got the message. Holding onto a four-point lead, Teague was able to slip away from the pack, catch an inbounds pass, get fouled and extend the advantage to six points with 7.7 seconds remaining. From there, the Hawks forced Miami to settle for a last-second 3-point attempt by scuttlebutt-surrounded point guard Mario Chalmers that went awry, sealing the victory.
Back in the winning locker room, ESPN.com’s Tom Haberstroh showed Budenholzer the camera-captured clip, which gave Coach Bud a good laugh:
Just showed Bud, who laughed. “No one ever listens to me anyway.” https://t.co/BohGj5I0uV
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) November 4, 2015
Well, whatever the Hawks are listening to, maybe they should keep on keepin’ on — they’ve won four straight since dropping their season opener to the Detroit Pistons, and are a heavy favorite to make it five in a row when they take on the struggling Brooklyn Nets at Philips Arena on Wednesday.
“Tonight was one of our better games,” Budenholzer said after the win in Miami, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. “I know it’s five games in. They test you in a lot of ways. It’s a step in the right direction.”
Even if it’s also a step away from the dude with the clipboard. It’s enough to make a coach want to chuck that thing.
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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
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