By Jordan Long
The Atlanta Hawks lost in the Eastern Conference Finals in game 6 against the Milwaukee Bucks. This was the furthest they have been in the playoffs since 2015 when they were swept by Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals that year. Even though they were eliminated, they decided to remove the interim tag and make Nate McMillan the full time Head Coach.
The Atlanta Hawks season didn’t start well. They were 14-20 and fired then Head Coach Lloyd Pierce on March 2nd. At the time the Hawks were the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference. Pierce had been the Head Coach since the start of the 2018 season. The Hawks knew they could score averaging at the time 112.6 points per game but they were giving up 112.2 points per game. It was time to let Pierce go.
Pierce had time to try to help this franchise win. He failed to do so. Pierce’s overall record with the Atlanta Hawks was a disappointing 63-120, a winning percentage of .344. The Hawks never made the postseason.
Atlanta turned to McMillan. McMillan brought plenty of NBA Coaching experience to the Atlanta Hawks. He had been the Head Coach for the then Seattle Super Sonics from 2001 to 2005, Portland Trail Blazers from 2005 to 2012, and the Indiana Pacers from 2016 to 2020. With those franchises, McMillan advanced to the playoffs 9 times. He was the right man for the job.
The Hawks immediately turned their year around. McMillan coached them to a record of 27-11. The Hawks finished the regular season at 41-31, 5th in the Eastern Conference. They played better basketball under McMillan averaging 114.8 points per game and giving up 110.6 points per game. Players showed they were buying into McMillan’s system. It helped them go all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.
When game 6 ended, the choice was obvious, McMillan was going to be the full time Head Coach. He had turned the Hawks from a team who was looking like it was going to be another year for them to reach the playoffs to a title contender.
According to usatoday.com, Atlanta Hawks General Manager Travis Schlenk said, “At some point during the regular season I went to Nate and told him the job was his if he wanted it, and we both agreed to wait until after the season to formalize it.”
McMillan will now be the Atlanta Hawks’ Head Coach for the next 4 years. The financial terms of the deal weren’t announced. McMillan can stay and help star point guard Trae Young develop his game more helping him to become one of the best at his position in the NBA.
The Hawks should be in the conversation to be a threat to make a deep run or even an NBA Finals with McMillan. McMillan is the right man for the job. The goal is always to win the NBA title. Atlanta would love nothing more than to win an NBA Championship with him as Head Coach. They haven’t been to the NBA Finals since 1960. The last time they were NBA champions was in 1958. McMillan hopes to end that drought.
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