ATLANTA (AP) — Nate McMillan earned his deal as fleshy-time coach of the Atlanta Hawks by leading the team to its first playoff look since 2017.
The playoff dash took the Hawks your total way to the Eastern Conference finals, and McMillan says he believes more success awaits the young team.
“I’m truly blessed with a thought to e-book this particular neighborhood into the future,” McMillan acknowledged in a insist released by the team on Thursday, when his deal as fleshy-time coach was made legit.
“I take into consideration what we carried out this season is proper the starting build of what we are in a position to make if we cope with linked and committed to at least one yet another.”
McMillan’s deal was formalized after basic manager Travis Schlenk acknowledged Monday an settlement had been reached however the contract had now not been drawn up.
As intervening time coach, McMillan led the Hawks to an unimaginable dash that modified the expectations for the young team.
The Hawks were handiest 14-20 under former coach Lloyd Pierce, who along side Schlenk led the rebuilding effort. McMillan, 56, was named intervening time coach after Pierce was fired.
The Hawks replied with a assure turnaround, in conjunction with surprising success in retaining late leads that had slipped away early within the season.
The Hawks posted a 27-11 standard-season file under McMillan and earned the No. 5 seed within the Eastern Conference playoffs.
“The implausible job Nate did after taking on this season made this an easy decision,” Schlenk acknowledged. “We were in a space to witness how proficient a tactician, motivator and leader he is first-hand and the excessive stage of admire and belief he earned from our avid gamers made securing him as our head coach our high priority.”
The Hawks beat the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers within the foremost two rounds of the playoffs before falling to the Milwaukee Bucks in six video games within the Eastern Conference finals. It marked handiest the 2nd time of their Atlanta ancient past the Hawks performed within the conference finals.
The Hawks suffered a key hurt all the way through the conference finals when level guard Trae Young, the team’s leading scorer, left out two video games with a bone bruise in his factual foot after inadvertently stepping on an legit’s foot and twisting his ankle in Sport 3.
McMillan joined Pierce’s crew after he was fired as Indiana’s coach. He moreover is a former head coach in Portland and Seattle.
McMillan performed his fleshy 12-year occupation with Seattle after he was the No. 30 overall steal within the 1986 NBA draft. The Sonics retired his No. 10 jersey.
McMillan was the 20th winningest coach in NBA ancient past, passing Mike D’Antoni, when Atlanta beat Golden Pronounce on April 4. He has led Atlanta, Indiana, Portland and Seattle to a 688-599 standard-season file.
The Hawks scheduled a information conference with McMillan for Friday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Source:
McMillan looking for more success as Hawks’ fleshy-time coach
