Hawks award Woodson two-year extension

Rick Sund's first two weeks as general manager of the Atlanta Hawks convinced him the team is moving in the right direction and should keep Mike Woodson as coach.

Woodson, who in his fourth season and led the team to its first playoff berth in nine years, has signed a two-year extension, Sund announced Friday.

"What I really felt was that each year the club had improved and got better," said Sund, who was hired as GM on May 28.

Woodson's record is a poor 106-222, but the Hawks' win total has improved in each of his four years. They ended the NBA's longest playoff drought this season, when they were 37-45 before stretching the Boston Celtics to seven games in a first-round series.

Former Hawks general manager Billy Knight's authority appeared to be weakened when he lobbied unsuccessfully with the owners to fire Woodson at the trade deadline. Knight resigned after the season.

JORDAN LAWSUIT: A Pennsylvania woman who says Michael Jordan fathered her child despite two DNA tests to the contrary has been barred from contacting the basketball great, his family or his representatives.

Judge Gordon Miller on Thursday granted the permanent injunction against Lisa Miceli. The 35-year-old woman from Meadville says Jordan fathered her 4-year-old son. She was thrown out of the courtroom after speaking out several times during a hearing on the request June 4.

FINALS RATINGS: Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night had an 8.7 rating on ABC, down from 9.2 for Tuesday's Game 3.

The network said Friday that the Boston Celtics' 97-91 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 averaged 13,762,000 viewers and 9,851,000 households.

Through four broadcasts, the 2008 NBA Finals are averaging an 8.8 rating, up 42 percent over last year's 6.2. Game 1 earned an 8.7, and Game 2 had an 8.5.

The rating is the percentage watching a program among homes with televisions.

HEAT HIRES FIZDALE: The Miami Heat hired David Fizdale as an assistant coach to new head coach Erik Spoelstra, bringing the 34-year-old back to where he began his NBA career.

Fizdale spent the past five seasons as an assistant coach with Golden State and Atlanta.