2020-2021 Greatest season in Atlanta Hawks history?

[Sothron]

I don't think anyone can argue against this being the greatest season in Atlanta Hawks history. Please note I intentionally said ATLANTA Hawk history because the St. Louis Hawks did beat the vaunted Celtics to win the championship a very long time ago.

 

Some highlights:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Diesel]

The discussion here is that this is the first team that gave us hope that we could actually win a chip.  We didn't stumble into the ECF.. we went in socking people in the mouth.    So while Bud may have fielded a more experienced team with a better winning percent... this team has a better attitude.   A real leader.  A swagger...  and the love of the city,. 

[Spud2nique]

Hands down the best. 2015 was second fun. Then prolly 2007-2008. The Celtics to 7 with Zaza and KG.

[NBASupes]

You act as if we have good options, we don't. Just this and 2015. Maybe the year Nique lost to Boston in the 2nd round. 

[niremetal]

1 hour ago, Spud2nique said:

Hands down the best. 2015 was second fun. Then prolly 2007-2008. The Celtics to 7 with Zaza and KG.

I think it goes:

1. 2020-21
2. 2014-15
3. 1987-88
4. 2010-11

This year is the only year in memory where I genuinely thought the Hawks had a chance to win it all. I could easily see arguments about how to rank 2-4, because none of those teams had a realistic path to the 'chip.

In '88, we didn't make the ECF, but came damned close (twice) against an all-time great team. I don't see a scenario where the '15 team beats the Cavs, but I could see a scenario where the '88 Hawks beat the Bad Boys Pistons. Not the Lakers, though.

The 2011 team was the best from the JJ era. The team basically took the regular season off, but then upset the Magic in the 1st round (when John Collins exposed that Dwight could not, in fact, take over games offensively). Then took a game off Chicago at home in the Semis, but squandered home court in game 3. Had we gotten past the Bulls, I actually feel we matched up better defensively with the Heat superteam better than people realize. Almost certainly not enough to get past them (we had no one other than JJ and Jamal capable of creating their own shot), but I think the series could have been interesting.

Edited July 15, 2021 by niremetal

[Spud2nique]

33 minutes ago, niremetal said:

• 1987-88
• 2010-11

Indeed.

[niremetal]

2 hours ago, niremetal said:

(when John Collins exposed that Dwight could not, in fact, take over games offensively).

*JASON Collins, obviously

[AHF]

The season that should have been in consideration on this list is 1993-94 when the Hawks were #1 in the East when they traded Nique.  I think once we saw what the team looked like with Manning in the playoffs that all hopes of a championship with Jordan out of the league were gone and when we got bounced in the 2nd round that took this team off the list.  The drop from the explosive Nique and his 24.4 ppg to Manning's 15.7 ppg was too much of a dropoff offensively.  (Frankly, I don't blame Manning as he did step up as best he could in the playoffs, he just was never more than a complimentary scorer.)

That team had an amazing defense with Mookie, Plastic Man, Nique/Manning, Willis and Koncak (who while clearly never living up to his contract was still a good man defender in the post).  Ehlo, Lang and Ferrell gave the team consistent production off the bench.  

My answer on this is that the 2014-15 squad had the best regular season in Atlanta Hawks history.  Between the streak and finishing atop the East by 7 games this is a run-away win for the regular season.

The 2020-21 team had the best playoff run in Atlanta Hawks history and a compelling comeback story of overcoming obstacles and developing a young team for the regular season.

The 2020-21 squad dealt with huge injury issues all regular season while the 2014-15 group was very healthy until the playoffs.  In the playoffs, both teams had injury issues but the 2020-21 squad overcame the missing Cam, Hunter, and Trae and the limping Gallo to put together the best run ever for Atlanta and they did it with style and swagger.  So they won my vote in the end.