When was the closest you've felt we have been to a title?

[WraithSentinel]

I would say the 2014.

[Diesel]

I will have to go with the loss to Chicago in the 2nd round. I know, I know. However, we had beaten Orlando, we were playing against the MVP and his game and we took game one. We got our 2nd win and I believe that we were close. If we had beaten Chicago, I think we would have beaten the Heat. The thing about that year was the way we won without big games from Josh and Horf. When Teague took over in the Chicago Series, I just knew it was our time.

Ouch

Edited July 25, 2013 by Diesel

[NineOhTheRino]

Falcons NFC vs 49'ers. Not the Broncos. I Knew they had no shot at beating Elway.

[Atlantaholic]

I will have to go with the loss to Chicago in the 2nd round. I know, I know. However, we had beaten Orlando, we were playing against the MVP and his game and we took game one. We got our 2nd win and I believe that we were close. If we had beaten Chicago, I think we would have beaten the Heat. The thing about that year was the way we won without big games from Josh and Horf. When Teague took over in the Chicago Series, I just knew it was our time.

Ouch

Third quarter of game 6(or was it game 5) when we were taking it to them. Sure seemed like we would take that seires.

[AHF]

When we drafted Bill Russell and had the rights to Dr. J. Basically, nothing on the court.

If you are going back as far as Russell, bear in mind that the Hawks beat Russell's Celtics to win the NBA championship behind a certain legendary power forward.

[Wretch]

I will have to go with the loss to Chicago in the 2nd round. I know, I know. However, we had beaten Orlando, we were playing against the MVP and his game and we took game one. We got our 2nd win and I believe that we were close. If we had beaten Chicago, I think we would have beaten the Heat. The thing about that year was the way we won without big games from Josh and Horf. When Teague took over in the Chicago Series, I just knew it was our time.

Ouch

I'm with you on that D. I know we were closer to the title in '88, but that series gave me such hope. It was awesome when we put Orlando down. Blissful to shut Jameer up... Then we went into Chicago and snatched that game...? Oh man.... I was BEAMING with hope. I was like, *gasp*.... "Oh my gawd....we we could be going to the ECF's...?"

[Hairydawgz]

The last time we visited Miami... Don't they have a trophy in the building?

[Dejay]

1988-89People forget Kevin Willis missed that season with a knee injury. Had he been healthy that team wins it all. Forcing Levingston and Carr in as starters was not the same. They would have made for a deep bench though.RiversTheusWilkinsWillisMoses at 33 still had game.BenchWebbBattleLevingstonCarrKoncak

Give this man a gold star. My thoughts, exactly. The entire city was abuzz about the Hawks back then. Coming off the series with Boston, they did something in the offseason that they rarely ever do; they actually added REAL players to the lineup. Out with Wittman and Rollins, in with Theus and Moses; both were getting up there in terms of age but still had some left in the tank. The Willis injury took the wind right out of their sails because neither Levingston or Carr could get the job done in the starting lineup in his place. It got to the point where Koncak was put next to Moses late in the yea. In a contract year of course, Koncak balled, averaging a double-double in the playoff series against the Bucks. Put that team at full strength against the '94 squad and the refs would have to stop it early...

[T21]

Give this man a gold star. My thoughts, exactly.The entire city was abuzz about the Hawks back then. Coming off the series with Boston, they did something in the offseason that they rarely ever do; they actually added REAL players to the lineup. Out with Wittman and Rollins, in with Theus and Moses; both were getting up there in terms of age but still had some left in the tank. The Willis injury took the wind right out of their sails because neither Levingston or Carr could get the job done in the starting lineup in his place. It got to the point where Koncak was put next to Moses late in the yea. In a contract year of course, Koncak balled, averaging a double-double in the playoff series against the Bucks.Put that team at full strength against the '94 squad and the refs would have to stop it early...

Yeah, 88/89 was also a year that we could have gone long ways... Celtics and Lakers were on the downside, Pistons and Bulls weren't there yet...

I remember that Fratello tried just about everyone available for that PF spot, from Levingston, Carr and even Koncak... We really missed Willis that year, as he would have given us strength and toughness!

[HawkItus]

Yeah, 88/89 was also a year that we could have gone long ways... Celtics and Lakers were on the downside, Pistons and Bulls weren't there yet...

I remember that Fratello tried just about everyone available for that PF spot, from Levingston, Carr and even Koncak... We really missed Willis that year, as he would have given us strength and toughness!

I'd forgotten that Willis got hurt. Man, him added to that front court could have been magic. And then we ripped it up so quick after that.

[tomac]

The last year that Mookie, Smitty, and Deke played together. We legitimately had Chicago beaten in the first round. The refs bailed Chicago out with a no call on MJ for pushing Mookie out of bounds. Then there was the phantom foul on Smitty. If I remember correctly, we lost that game from the free throw line on that awful call.

Chicago won the championship that year. We could have made it all the way.

[NJHAWK]

The last year that Mookie, Smitty, and Deke played together. We legitimately had Chicago beaten in the first round. The refs bailed Chicago out with a no call on MJ for pushing Mookie out of bounds. Then there was the phantom foul on Smitty. If I remember correctly, we lost that game from the free throw line on that awful call.

Chicago won the championship that year. We could have made it all the way.

The last year they played together we got swept by the Knicks in the 2nd round. I remember playing the Bulls in the 2nd round a year or two before that but losing in 5 games. We won the 1st game in Chic and were winning the 2nd game there but fell apart.

[Guest]

[macdaddy]

The last year they played together we got swept by the Knicks in the 2nd round. I remember playing the Bulls in the 2nd round a year or two before that but losing in 5 games. We won the 1st game in Chic and were winning the 2nd game there but fell apart.

Yeah. that's right. but we were screwed in that Chicago series. I think we had a good chance that year if there was a level playing field. Maybe not championship but would have loved to beat the Bulls.

[tomac]

The last year they played together we got swept by the Knicks in the 2nd round. I remember playing the Bulls in the 2nd round a year or two before that but losing in 5 games. We won the 1st game in Chic and were winning the 2nd game there but fell apart.

You're right, I got my timelines mixed up. I'm still bitter about that Chicago series.