ATLANTA -- Lenny Wilkens looked as if he never left Atlanta.
Gray hair swept back. Impeccably dressed. Brooklyn accent
intact. Focused on the present.
The only thing that continues to change is Wilkens' victory total. The 28-year coach has 1,203 career wins, the most in NBA history.
"When I came here, they said the team couldn't win, and we won," Wilkens said Wednesday night as his Toronto Raptors prepared to face the Atlanta Hawks. "I have a lot of good memories."
The Raptors, playing without leading scorer Vince Carter, lost 102-97.
Wilkens twice sidestepped whether he had spoken with Hawks president Stan Kasten, although he did say he and general manager Pete Babcock talked after scouting director Gary Wortman died of cancer Oct. 23.
Wilkens resigned under pressure from Kasten on April 24, five days after the Hawks ended the season 28-54, the team's worst record since the franchise moved from St. Louis before the 1968-69 season.
"I really don't think about it," the 63-year-old Wilkens said. "I try to put all those things aside and focus on the game."
Wilkens, the only individual named among the 50 greatest players and coaches in NBA history, got off to a fast start with the Hawks, winning the Central Division title in the 1993-94 season. He was also named coach of the year.
Atlanta, which pulled off a midseason trade that sent Dominique Wilkins to the Los Angeles Clippers for Danny Manning, fell in six games to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
As was the case toward the end of his seven-year stay in Cleveland, Wilkens was criticized for failing to lead the Hawks deep into the playoffs.
His last legitimate chance came in the lockout season of
1998-99. With a veteran team that included Steve Smith, Mookie
Blaylock, Dikembe Mutombo and LaPhonso Ellis, the Hawks were swept
by the New York Knicks in four games in the semifinals.
"He was always really good with me," Hawks forward Alan Henderson said. "He gave me the opportunity to play. I'll always be grateful for what he did me and how he helped me as a player."
Atlanta lost 10 of its final 12 games last season, though the
preseason trade for troubled guard Isaiah Rider all but sealed
Wilkens' fate. Rider, who has continued to have problems with the
Los Angeles Lakers this season, was placed on waivers March 17.
During the offseason, Wilkens co-authored a book that sought to absolve him of agreeing with Kasten and Babcock on the trade that sent Smith to Portland for Rider and Jim Jackson.
Afterward, he was criticized by Atlanta guard Jason Terry, a rookie last year who described the veteran coach as distant and difficult to work with.
"We spent a lot of time with him, even if he doesn't remember
it," Wilkens said. "But I'm happy for him this year. He's blossoming."
Wilkens considered taking a year off from coaching, but signed a
four-year contract worth $18 million with the Raptors on June 21.
Toronto, with guard Vince Carter averaging 27.7 points, left Wednesday's loss with a 24-22 record. The Raptors are in third place in the Central Division. Carter is sidelined with a sore left knee.
"He is the best coach you could ever want to play for,"
Raptors forward Charles Oakley said. "He constantly makes
adjustments. He's always looking to do something different, even
late in the game, he's not afraid to try something that brings out
the best in you as a player."
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