History
Early Years: Buffalo, Tri-Cities, Milwaukee and St.Louis.
The franchise was formed in 1946 as the National Basketball League's Buffalo Bisons.. However, on December 27, 1946-only 13 games into their inaugural season-owner Ben Kerner moved the team to Moline, Illinois, which at that time was part of an area known as the "Tri-Cities". Kerner renamed the team the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. The Blackhawks became one of the National Basketball Association's 17 original teams after a merger in 1949 of the 12-year-old NBL and the three-year-old Basketball Association of America. The Blackhawks reached the playoffs in the NBA's inaugural year, under the leadership of coach Red Auerbach. However, the following season, they failed to qualify for the postseason. In 1951, the franchise relocated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and became the Milwaukee Hawks. In 1953, the Hawks drafted Bob Pettit, a future NBA MVP. Despite this, the Hawks were one of the league's worst teams, and in 1955 the Hawks moved yet again, this time to St. Louis, Missouri, Milwaukee's rival in the beer industry, and became the St. Louis Hawks.In 1957, the team advanced to the Finals, losing to the Boston Celtics in a double-overtime thriller in game seven. In 1958, the Hawks again advanced to the NBA Finals where they avenged their previous year's defeat against the Boston Celtics, winning the series 4-2. Bob Pettit scored 50 points in Game 6 in front of a crowd of 10,218 in St. Louis. The victory gave the Hawks their first and only NBA Championship.The Hawks remained one of the NBA's premier teams for the next decade
Relocation to Atlanta
In 1968, the team was sold to Atlanta real estate developer Tom Cousins and former Georgia governor Carl Sanders and moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Winning their first Division title in the 1969-70 season with a 48-34 record in the Western Division. Cousins' firm soon developed the Omni Coliseum, a 16,500-seat, state-of-the-art downtown Atlanta arena, The years after the move showcased a talented Hawks team, including Pete Maravich, and Lou Hudson. However, after this period of success, the Hawks experienced years of rebuilding. The rebuilding process appeared to be the right direction when they ended up with the 1st and 3rd picks overall in the 1975 NBA Draft.
Turner's Ownership (80s and 90s)
In the 1979-80 season, the Hawks finished with 50 wins, 32 losses, and won the Central Division. It was their first division title in the Central Division and second in the city of Atlanta. In 1982, the franchise acquired superstar Dominique Wilkins and promoted Mike Fratello to head coach a year later.It was also around this time that Dominique Wilkins would win the Slam Dunk Contest in 1985 and 1990 having an amazing rivalry with Michael Jordan.Spud Webb won the Slam Dunk Contest in 1986. Mike Fratello won coach of the year in 1986 as well. From 1985-89, the Hawks were among the league's elite, winning 50 games or more each season. Winning 50 games or more each season. Winning a third division title in 1986-87 season with a franchise record 57-25 and their second in the Central Division. However, the team could not advance past the semifinals of the Eastern Conference playoffs, losing to eventual Eastern conference and/or NBA champions in Boston and DetroitIn the 1993-94 season, coach Wilkens led the team to 57 victories, tying a team record and won a fourth division title in Atlanta, third in the Central Division and won coach of the year. However, the team fell short again in the playoffs, losing to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern semis in six games. The season was also marred with the trading of Dominique Wilkins, who remains the franchise all-time leading scorer, for Danny Manning, who quickly left via free agency to Phoenix after the season ended. In 1995, coach Wilkens broke the record (previously held by coach Red Auerbach) for most victories by an NBA head coach with victory number 939. The Hawks had two 50+ win seasons in 1997 and 1998, with center, Dikembe Mutombo winning defensive player of the year award back to back in 1997-98, forward Alan Henderson won most improved player award, as well as a 31-win campaign in the lockout-shortened 1999 season, but the Hawks never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.In 2001, the Hawks drafted Spanish star Pau Gasol 3rd , but his rights were ceded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade involving Shareef Abdur-Rahim In 2003, Atlanta hosted the allstar game, the last an east team would host for nine years.
Rebuilding Process (2004/2007)
In March 2004, the team was sold to a group of executives by the name of Atlanta Spirit LL by Time Warner along with the Atlanta Thrashers pro ice hockey team, with which the Hawks shared the Philips Arena, After the change in ownership the Hawks still struggled. In the 2004-05 season, the Hawks were the league's worst team with a mere 13 It was also the year Josh Smith won the 2005 Slam Dunk Contest. Despite their league-worst record, the Hawks only landed the number two pick in the2005 NBA Draft. With the second pick, the Hawks selected Marvin Williams of the University of North Carolina. The previous year, the Hawks had drafted Josh Childress and Josh Smith. In the 2006 Draft, the Hawks selected former Duke star Shelden Williams with the fifth overall pick.In the summer of 2005, the Hawks completed a sign and trade deal with the Phoenix Suns to acquire Joe Johnson in return for Boris Diaw and two future 1st round picks. They also signed Zaza Pachulia from the Milwaukee Bucks. Hope and redemption appeared to be on the horizon for the Hawks beginning in 2007. With the third pick of the NBA draft, they select Al Horford from theUniversity of Florida. Horford nearly averaged a double-double during his rookie season, and is the only unanimous selection to the All-Rookie First Team as well as being runner-up for Rookie of the Year honors
Amazingly Bright Future (2007/?)
For the 2007-08 season, the Atlanta Hawks updated the colors and uniforms to navy blue, red, and white, marking the first time since their days in St. Louis that they had used those colors.
A midseason trade for point guard Mike Bibby boosted the Hawks' playoff hopes.. It was in the playoffs where the Hawks started to show improvement, pushing the eventual NBA champions Boston Celtics to a Game 7 before losing in a blowout back in Boston. The Hawks won all three games at Philips Arena, which hosted its first playoff games and earned its first sellout.
The 2008-09 season saw the Hawks win 47 games, their first winning season since 1999. With almost an intact lineup from the previous year the Hawks manage to take a step forward in their development. Again they were pushed to a Game 7 in the first round but they capitalized on home-court advantage in earning their first playoff series win since 1999 against the Miami Heat. The Hawks were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0 in the conference semifinals.
The 2009-10 season saw the Hawks improve further, winning 53 games, their first 50-win season since 1997. Al Horford earned his first All-Star selection, and along with Joe Johnson, this marked the first time since 1998 that the Hawks sent two players to the All-Star Game. The playoffs, however, were a reprise from the previous year. They won a hard-fought seven-game series against the Milwaukee Bucks, but they were swept by the Orlando Magic in the second round, with every game a one-sided contest. After the season, the Hawks dismissed head coach Mike Woodson and was replaced by Larry Drew.
The Hawks took a step back in the 2010-11 season, finishing with 44 wins, even though Horford and Johnson were named to the All-Star team. In midseason the Hawks traded Mike Bibby to the Washington Wizards for Kirk Hinrich, in hopes of bringing a defensive guard to replace the defensively liable Bibby. Worse, the Hawks finished the season losing their final six games. However in the playoffs the Hawks once again took flight, exacting revenge against the Magic in a six-game series. However, they subsequently lost to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in six games. The Bulls went on to the Eastern Conference Finals
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