Atlanta Hawks · Franchise era 4 of 6
Defense, then a reset: the Atlanta Hawks story
Franchise era
1994–95—2006–07
Defense, then a reset
Atlanta Hawks
The story in one sentence
An elite defensive core kept Atlanta relevant in the 1990s before a long rebuild followed the veterans' departure.
Mutombo's blocks give way to rebuilding
Dikembe Mutombo, Mookie Blaylock and Steve Smith gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for a decade of playoffs.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1994–95
What came before
Wilkins turned Atlanta into a perennial playoff team and one of basketball's essential attractions, peaking with the classic 1988 duel against Larry Bird.
1996
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Atlanta Hawks vs Orlando Magic
1997
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls
1999
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks
After 2006–07
What came next
Atlanta returned to the playoffs for ten straight seasons, culminating in a 60-win, four-All-Star team that reached the 2015 conference finals.
The core