The Atlanta Hawks are an Eastern Conference National Basketball Association (NBA) team that began in 1946 as the Buffalo Bisons of the National Basketball League (NBL). Only 13 games into its first season, owner Ben Kerner relocated the franchise to Moline, Illinois, a city then known as one of the "Tri-Cities." As a gesture toward the region, the franchise was renamed the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, becoming one of the NBA's 17 original franchises when it merged with the NBL in 1949.
As mentioned in the Leo Wells sports blog, the team ended its first season with a trip to the playoffs under coach Red Auerbach, and then notoriously traded the draft rights for future Hall of Famer Bob Cousey. However, after moving from Moline to Milwaukee in 1952 and becoming the Hawks, the franchise redeemed itself by drafting future Hall of Famer Bob Petit in 1953.
Failure in Milwaukee and Success in St. Louis
Despite the versatile Petit, the squad played poorly in Milwaukee, prompting their move to St. Louis in 1955. But in 1957, with Petit as the centerpiece, the squad reached the NBA finals, loosing to the perennial powerhouse Boston Celtics in a closely contested game seven. In 1958, they faced the Celtics in the finals once again, this time winning their only NBA championship.
The Hawks would meet the Celtics in the 1960 and 1961 finals as well, losing both times. But the drafting of Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkens in 1961 would give the franchise a bright spot for years to come. Despite the Hawks' playoff success in the 60's, St. Louis rebuffed Hawks' owner Ben Kerner's petition for a new stadium to replace the aging Kiel Auditorium where the squad played. In 1968, the franchise was sold to owners in Atlanta and soon relocated there.
Winning and Losing in Atlanta
In the early 70's, the Hawks were a popular, winning franchise that featured future Hall of Famer "Pistol Pete" Maravich and Lou Hudson. But they would end the 70's in mediocrity. After being purchased by Ted Turner, their fortune changed in the 80's, particularly after acquiring the high flying Dominque Wilkins whose soaring slams and smooth jumper made the squad a popular TV and stadium draw until he was traded in 1994.
A feared playoff team in the late 80's, the majority of the 90's would see the squad deteriorate to mediocrity, seldom inspiring the fear in opponents that they did in the previous decade. Since their sale to Atlanta Spirit LLC in 2004, the Hawks have again become a playoff team, though haven't advanced past the second round of the playoffs, an accomplishment yet to be realized since their move to Atlanta. Currently, the team is coached by Larry Drew and plays in the Philips Arena. It recently signed its star, shooting guard Joe Johnson, to a six-year contract worth $119 million.
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