The Atlanta Hawks have picked up their third-year option on head coach Larry Drew, according to Sekou Smith of NBA.com.

 

Drew has served as the head coach of the Hawks since the beginning of the 2010-11 season. In his first year with the squad the team finished 44-38, which was third in the Southeast division. In 2011-12 he the Hawks finished 40-26 in a shortened season, which placed them second in the Southeast.

The 54-year-old had previously served as an assistant fro the Hawks, Nets, Wizards, Pistons and Lakers.

ATLANTA (AP) — Larry Drew is returning for his third season as the Atlanta Hawks’ coach despite the team’s first-round exit from the playoffs.

The Hawks announced Friday the team is exercising its option on Drew’s contract for next season.

“Larry did an outstanding job this season in guiding our team to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, despite a condensed schedule and unfortunate injuries,” said general manager Rick Sund.

“The Hawks have reached the postseason in each of his years on the bench, and we feel Larry’s experience, expertise and dedication to the game were a key ingredient to our success.”

Drew led the Hawks to a 40-26 regular-season record before the team lost to the Boston Celtics in six games in the first round of the playoffs. It was a step back for the franchise after three straight second-round appearances.

Atlanta had the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference despite losing All-Star center Al Horford for all but 11 games of the regular season. Horford returned in Game 4 of the Celtics series.

The Hawks also lost Joe Johnson, Zaza Pachulia, Kirk Hinrich and other players for stretches of six or more games.

“This group, we never really got to show what we’re capable of,” Horford said last week.

Pachulia, who was Horford’s top backup, missed the Celtics series with a chipped bone in his left foot. Third-string center Jason Collins started the first four games of the series.

Drew said he and his staff “endured a lot of unexpected things.”

“Obviously when you lose an All-Star at the beginning of the season, you have to make some adjustments and you’ve got to kind of change your way of thinking of how you deal with the team now,” Drew said last week. “Certainly when you have factored a guy in for the entire season and then he won’t be there, you’ve got to change some things around, particularly the mindset of the rest of the team.”

Drew said he did a good job of keeping the team playing hard.

“It’s something I take a lot of pride in and spend a lot of time on,” he said. “Player relationships are very important and how you deal with it, how you deal with your best player all the way down to the guy who may not dress out during games.

“I thought I did a good job with that. I thought my staff did a good job with that. We can only control so much, but the one thing we tried to control is that those guys when they come to that gym they come out and play hard for you every single night, and I thought we got that.”

Drew is 84-64 in two regular seasons and 8-10 in the playoffs. The Hawks were 17-16 on the road this season, the team’s first winning record away from Atlanta in 13 years.

The team’s five starters and Pachulia are under contract for next season. Nine players are free agents, and Sund’s contract expires on June 30.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Posted by
Inside Hoops

May
18

Atlanta Hawks Executive Vice President/General Manager Rick Sund announced today that the Hawks have exercised Head Coach Larry Drew’s contract option for the 2012-13 season.

“Larry did an outstanding job this season in guiding our team to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, despite a condensed schedule and unfortunate injuries,” said Sund.  ”The Hawks have reached the postseason in each of his years on the bench, and we feel Larry’s experience, expertise and dedication to the game were a key ingredient to our success.”

In two seasons with the Hawks, Drew’s led the franchise to consecutive playoff appearances and a record of 84-64 (.567).  Despite significant injuries to key players during this past season, Drew coached Atlanta to a 40-26 mark, the team’s first winning record on the road in 13 y

Atlanta Hawks Coach Larry Drew, shown during a game May 8, is to return to coach the Hawks next season.The NBA team picked up its option on Drew’s contract Friday. UPI/David Tulis 

License photo

ATLANTA, May 18 (UPI) — Larry Drew will be back next season as coach of the Atlanta Hawks, the NBA team said Friday.

General Manager Rick Sund said the team was exercising its contract option to retain Drew for at least the 2012-13 season. Financial terms weren’t released.

“Larry did an outstanding job this season in guiding our team to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, despite a condensed schedule and unfortunate injuries,” Sund said.

“The Hawks have reached the post-season in each of his years on the bench and we feel Larry’s experience, expertise and dedication to the game were a key ingredient to our success.”

Drew just completed his second season as the Hawks’ coach. Atlanta was 40-26 and advanced to the playoffs but was eliminated by the Boston Celtics in six games in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. The Hawks were 44-38 last season under Drew and were ousted in the second round of the playoffs.

Updated May 18, 2012 1:53 PM ET

ATLANTA (AP) — Larry Drew is returning for his third season as the Atlanta Hawks‘ coach despite the team’s first-round exit from the playoffs.

The Hawks announced Friday the team is exercising its option on Drew’s contract for next season.

“Larry did an outstanding job this season in guiding our team to the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, despite a condensed schedule and unfortunate injuries,” said general manager Rick Sund.

“The Hawks have reached the postseason in each of his years on the bench, and we feel Larry’s experience, expertise and dedication to the game were a key ingredient to our success.”

Drew led the Hawks to a 40-26 regular-season record before the team lost to the Boston Celtics in six games in the first round of the playoffs. It was a step back for the franchise after three straight second-round appearances.

Atlanta had the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference despite losing All-Star center Al Horford for all but 11 games of the regular season. Horford returned in Game 4 of the Celtics series.

The Hawks also lost Joe Johnson, Zaza Pachulia, Kirk Hinrich and other players for stretches of six or more games.

“This group, we never really got to show what we’re capable of,” Horford said last week.

Pachulia, who was Horford’s top backup, missed the Celtics series with a chipped bone in his left foot. Third-string center Jason Collins started the first four games of the series.

Drew said he and his staff “endured a lot of unexpected things.”

“Obviously when you lose an All-Star at the beginning of the season, you have to make some adjustments and you’ve got to kind of change your way of thinking of how you deal with the team now,” Drew said last week. “Certainly when you have factored a guy in for the entire season and then he won’t be there, you’ve got to change some things around, particularly the mindset of the rest of the team.”

Drew said he did a good job of keeping the team playing hard.

“It’s something I take a lot of pride in and spend a lot of time on,” he said. “Player relationships are very important and how you deal with it, how you deal with your best player all the way down to the guy who may not dress out during games.

“I thought I did a good job with that. I thought my staff did a good job with that. We can only control so much, but the one thing we tried to control is that those guys when they come to that gym they come out and play hard for you every single night, and I thought we got that.”

Drew is 84-64 in two regular seasons and 8-10 in the playoffs. The Hawks were 17-16 on the road this season, the team’s first winning record away from Atlanta in 13 years.

The team’s five starters and Pachulia are under contract for next season. Nine players are free agents, and Sund’s contract expires on June 30.

ATLANTA (AP) — The NBA has fined Atlanta Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. $35,000 for publicly criticizing NBA officiating and making negative comments about an opposing player.

The NBA also on Saturday announced Hawks rookie Ivan Johnson was fined $25,000 for directing an obscene gesture toward fans.

Gearon was quoted by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as calling Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett “the dirtiest guy in the league” on Wednesday. Gearon also criticized officiating in the series, won by the Celtics in six games.

Gearon on Saturday said Garnett is “a great player.” He says Celtics coach Doc Rivers, a former Atlanta player, “has been a good friend of mine for over 20 years.” He says he wishes the Celtics success in the playoffs.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

ATLANTA (AP) — The NBA has fined Atlanta Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. $35,000 for publicly criticizing NBA officiating and making negative comments about an opposing player.

The NBA also on Saturday announced Hawks rookie Ivan Johnson was fined $25,000 for directing an obscene gesture toward fans.

Gearon was quoted by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as calling Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett “the dirtiest guy in the league” on Wednesday. Gearon also criticized officiating in the series, won by the Celtics in six games.

Gearon on Saturday said Garnett is “a great player.” He says Celtics coach Doc Rivers, a former Atlanta player, “has been a good friend of mine for over 20 years.” He says he wishes the Celtics success in the playoffs.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.