The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports
No one came out and said it.
They didn’t have to for everyone start talking about it. But everyone wants to know, is Marvin Williams done for the season? Is the lower back injury that the cost him Monday’s game against New Orleans going to cost him the rest of his season?
We were told he will be out “indefinitely,” with more opinions from specialists being sought.
Mike Woodson and Joe Johnson added
Yet Hawks coach Mike Woodson’s entire demeanor changed when speaking about Williams in the postgame session after the Hawks’ 89-79 defeat of the Hornets.
“He’s going to seek a few more opinions about his back and then I’m sure he’ll make a decision after that and then we’ll know,” Woodson said when asked about his starting small forward’s status.
Make a decision about what?
Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson kicked the door wide open a few minutes later when he was asked about Williams.
“If he’s out for the rest of the season we can’t worry about that,” Johnson said. “We have to move forward with what we’ve got. Injuries are a part of the game, they happen. And unfortunately it’s a tough loss for us, but we have to be strong and be strong for Marvin as well. And everybody will have to step their play up.”
When pressed about it after his initial comments, Johnson admitted that he didn’t know if Williams was done or not.
If Marvin Williams is done for the season, that likely kills Atlanta’s hopes of winning a playoff series and puts a huge cloud of doubt over their best course of action when dealing with their cap space this summer.
Difficult days for the Hawks. I’ll update this post later on when we know more about Marvin’s injury.
Update: Marvin has turned down the option of surgery and will instead undergo a conservative treatment program
Atlanta Hawks forward Marvin Williams has decided not to have surgery on his ailing back, opting for a more conservative treatment program.Williams is back in Atlanta after meeting with a specialist in Durham, N.C.
The Hawks said Thursday Williams is out indefinitely but will try to resolve his problem with rest and treatment.
We finally have a new update on Marvin’s health