Mike Woodson up today, Nellie (and others) waiting in wings

Former Atlanta coach Mike Woodson is next on the Timberwolves' list interview list, meeting today with David Kahn and owner Glen Taylor in town.

Don Nelson is also on their interview list, probably either Thursday or Friday this week.

There will be others, as well.

Woodson and former New Jersey coach Lawrence Frank are finalists for the Detroit job, but while the Pistons are on a hiring pace that soon could be approaching Kahn's firing pace.

So while he waits for the Pistons to decide, Woodson flew into town last night -- the Detroit Free Press first reported his date here today -- and will follow Terry Porter on Monday as the next candidate to interview for a job that opened when Kahn finally fired Rambis last week.

The twist here with Woodson:

After all Kahn last week about searching for a coach who believes in fast-break basketball deep into their bones, Woodson is known as a defensive-minded guy, his coaching career born from playing for Bob Knight at Indiana and then as a longtime assistant to Larry Brown.

Woodson compiled a 206-286 record -- a .419 winning percentage -- in six seasons as head coach for the Hawks, a team that also undertook a long rebuilding process through the draft.

Woodson took that collection of lottery picks, molded them and took 'em from 13 victories in his first season to 53 victories in his last season there before he was fired and replaced by Larry Drew.

Even though he doesn't have fast-break basketball seeping from his bones, he's probably the most legitimate candidate as far as his track record, his age (53) and the ability to grow with a young team of the known candidates so far.

The other factor: Is Woodson just using this interview as leverage to get the Pistons to finally choose a coach and choose him?

Probably.