Based first in Buffalo and then 3 more cities before finding their home in Georgia, the Atlanta Hawks have a fascinating but frequently rocky history dating back to 1946. The team saw their greatest success while based in St. Louis in the ‘50s and ‘60s, bringing home 4 conference titles and their first and only NBA Championship. Despite having the second-longest championship drought behind the Sacramento Kings, the Hawks have been turning things around in recent seasons. They’ve returned to the playoffs each year for last decade, making it as far as the Conference Finals in 2015. Fans can’t wait to see the team bring home another win for Atlanta, and they clamor to find affordable tickets for games at Philips Arena.
Beginning as the Buffalo Bisons in 1946, the Hawks underwent many changes in their first few decades—changing locations and names to become the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, moving to Milwaukee as the Hawks, relocating again to St. Louis, and finally landing in their current home of Atlanta. Despite all these changes, the team reached their peak period during the years before coming to Atlanta, making it all the way to the NBA Finals 4 times between 1957 and 1961. Each year, the team faced off against the Boston Celtics, bringing home their sole NBA Championship in 1958.
Unfortunately, that was the end of their streak. Despite signing All-Stars Dominique Wilkins, Doc Rivers, and Kevin Willis, the team struggled all the way through the mid-2000s, never making it further than the second round of the playoffs. Beginning in 2000, after a series of losing seasons, the Hawks failed to make it into 8 playoffs in a row.
But things have started to turn around in recent years thanks to the signing of talented players, including Joe Johnson, Al Horford, and Jeff Teague. In the last decade, the Hawks have been working their way back up the ranks, earning 8 winning seasons and even taking the Southeast Division title in 2015. Today, Head Coach Mike Budenholzer is hoping to bring continued improvement, building a roster around Dennis Schroder, Taurean Prince, Kent Bazemore, and Dewayne Dedmon. Grab your tickets today to watch them hit the hardwood against rivals like the Orlando Magic and the Boston Celtics.
