The 1995–96 Atlanta Hawks season was the 47th season for the Atlanta Hawks in the National Basketball Association, and their 28th season in Atlanta, Georgia.
Season summary
Off-season The Hawks had the 16th overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft, and selected power forward Alan Henderson out of Indiana University. During the off-season, the team re-acquired former Hawks guard, and one-time Slam Dunk champion Spud Webb from the Sacramento Kings; Webb played for the Hawks from 1985 to 1991. The team also replaced Stacey Augmon as the team's starting small forward with Ken Norman, as Augmon played a sixth man role off the bench for the first half of the regular season.
For the season, the Hawks redesigned their primary logo, adding black and brown to their color scheme of red, yellow and white; the team's primary logo featured a red hawk with a yellow beak and black shadows, spreading its wings and holding a brown basketball below the city and team name in red letters. The team also redesigned their home and road uniforms, which featured the team's primary logo of a hawk on the front of their jerseys below the team name "Hawks", with the jersey number on the upper left side of their jerseys, and a red side panel with the jersey number on the left leg of their shorts. The white home uniforms featured a red, yellow and black trim, and yellow and black outlines next to the side panel on the left leg of their shorts, while the road uniforms were changed from red to a black-to-red fade gradient, and featured a black, yellow and red trim and yellow outlines; their road jerseys were black at the top and faded into red at the bottom, while their shorts were red at the top and faded into black at the bottom.
The team's new primary logo would remain in use until 2007, while the basic design of the logo would last until 2015; the new uniforms would remain in use until 1999.
Regular season With the addition of Henderson and Webb, the Hawks got off to a 9–5 start to the regular season, but soon struggled losing 10 of their 14 games in December, falling below .500 in winning percentage with a 13–15 record at the end of the month. After 28 games, Norman was benched as Augmon returned to the lineup for the remainder of the regular season, as the Hawks posted a 10-game winning streak in January, and later on held a 26–21 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team traded Webb, and Andrew Lang to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Christian Laettner, and Sean Rooks. The Hawks finished in fourth place in the Central Division with a 46–36 record, and earned the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Steve Smith averaged 18.1 points per game and contributed 140 three-point field goals, while Mookie Blaylock averaged 15.7 points, 5.9 assists and 2.6 steals per game, led the Hawks with 231 three-point field goals, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and Laettner provided the team with 14.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in 30 games after the trade. In addition, Grant Long provided with 13.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, while Augmon contributed 12.7 points and 1.4 steals per game, Craig Ehlo contributed 8.5 points per game, and Henderson averaged 6.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Norman averaged 8.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game in only just 34 games, and did not participate in the NBA playoffs, despite not being injured; Norman feuded with head coach Lenny Wilkens during the regular season after being removed from the team's starting lineup.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Henderson was selected for the NBA Rookie Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference Rookie team. One notable highlight of the regular season occurred on March 1, 1996, when Wilkens reached a significant milestone, becoming the first NBA coach ever to reach 1,000 victories, as the Hawks defeated his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, 74–68 at home at the Omni Coliseum. Wilkens also finished in sixth place in Coach of the Year voting.
The Hawks finished 27th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 496,668 at the Omni Coliseum during the regular season, which was the third-lowest in the league.
NBA playoffs In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1996 NBA playoffs, and for the third consecutive year, the Hawks faced off against the 3rd–seeded Indiana Pacers; All-Star guard Reggie Miller was out for most of the series due to an eye socket injury, as the Pacers were led by Rik Smits, Derrick McKey and Mark Jackson. The Hawks took a 2–1 series lead before losing Game 4 to the Pacers at home, 83–75 at the Omni Coliseum. With the series tied at 2–2, and despite the return of Miller, the Hawks managed to win Game 5 over the Pacers on the road, 89–87 at the Market Square Arena to win in a hard-fought five-game series.
In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the 2nd–seeded, and Atlantic Division champion Orlando Magic, who were led by the trio of All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal, All-Star guard Penny Hardaway, and Horace Grant. The Magic won the first three games to take a 3–0 series lead, but the Hawks managed to win Game 4 at the Omni Coliseum, 104–99, in which Smith scored 35 points, and made 7 out of 14 three-point field-goal attempts. However, the Hawks lost Game 5 to the Magic on the road, 96–88 at the Orlando Arena, thus losing the series in five games.
Aftermath Following the season, Augmon and Long were both traded to the Detroit Pistons, while Ehlo signed as a free agent with the Seattle SuperSonics, and Rooks signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 16 Alan Henderson PF Indiana 2 42 Donnie Boyce SG Colorado 2 45 Troy Brown PF/C Providence
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
1995-96 NBA Season Summary - Basketball-Reference.com
Game log
|| 1 || November 3 || Indiana Pacers || L 106-111|| || Omni Coliseum || 0–1 |- || 2 || November 4 || Orlando Magic || W 124-91|| || Omni Coliseum || 1-1 |- || 3 || November 6 || @ Utah Jazz || L 96-105|| || Delta Center || 1–2 |- || 4 || November 8 || @ Los Angeles Clippers || W 100-92|| || Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena || 2-2 |- || 5 || November 9 || @ Golden State Warriors || W 125-121|| || Oakland Coliseum Arena || 3–2 |- || 6 || November 11 || @ Dallas Mavericks || W 113-100|| || Reunion Arena || 4–2 |- || 7 || November 14 || Charlotte Hornets || W 111-104|| || Omni Coliseum || 5–2 |- || 8 || November 17 || Miami Heat || L 88-91|| || Omni Coliseum || 5–3 |- || 9 || November 19 || @ Sacramento Kings || W 108-94|| || ARCO Arena || 6–3 |- || 10 || November 21 || @ Denver Nuggets || L 99-107|| || McNichols Sports Arena || 6–4 |- || 11 || November 22 || @ Phoenix Suns || L 112-117|| || America West Arena || 6–5 |- || 12 || November 25 || Toronto Raptors || W 114-102|| || Omni Coliseum || 7–5 |- || 13 || November 28 || @ New York Knicks || W 102-97 (OT)|| || Madison Square Garden || 8–5 |- || 14 || November 29 || Philadelphia 76ers || W 106-81|| || Omni Coliseum || 9–5
|| 15 || December 1 || Dallas Mavericks || L 98-106 || || Omni Coliseum || 9–6
|| 16 || December 2 || @ Detroit Pistons || L 96-104 || || The Palace Of Auburn Hills || 9–7
|| 17 || December 6 || @ Washington Bullets || L 79-96 || || US Airways Arena || 9–8
|| 18 || December 7 || San Antonio Spurs || L 102-104 || || Omni Coliseum || 9-9
|| 19 || December 9 || New York Knicks || L 92-101 || || Omni Coliseum || 9–10
|| 20 || December || @ Boston Celtics || W 108-103 || || Fleet Center || 10-10
|| 21 || December 12 || Minnesota Timberwolves || L 78-85 || || Omni Coliseum || 10–11
|| 22 || December 14 || Chicago Bulls || L 108-127 || || Omni Coliseum || 10–12
|| 23 || December 16 || Denver Nuggets || W 95-86 || || Omni Coliseum || 11–12
|| 24 || December 22 || New Jersey Nets || W 94-91 || || Omni Coliseum || 12-12
|| 25 || December 23 || @ Milwaukee Bucks || L 111-115 || || Bradley Center || 12–13
|| 26 || December 26 || Los Angeles Clippers || W 94-88 || || Omni Coliseum || 13-13
|| 27 || December 29 || Golden State Warriors || L 96-117 || || Omni Coliseum || 13–14
|| 28 || December 30 || @ Chicago Bulls || L 93-95 || || United Center || 13–15
|| 29 || January 2 || Seattle SuperSonics || L 88-111 || || Omni Coliseum || 13–16
|| 30 || January 4 || Toronto Raptors || W 104-101 (OT) || || Omni Coliseum || 14–16
|| 31 || January 6 || @ Charlotte Hornets || L 90-96 || || Charlotte Coliseum || 14–17
|| 32 || January 9 || Sacramento Kings || W 104-88 || || Omni Coliseum || 15–17
|| 33 || January 11 || @ Toronto Raptors || W 87-79 || || SkyDome || 16–17
|| 34 || January 13 || Boston Celtics || W 108-105 || || Omni Coliseum || 17-17
|| 35 || January 15 || Detroit Pistons || W 96-88 || || Omni Coliseum || 18–17
|| 36 || January 17 || Indiana Pacers || W 102-93 || || Omni Coliseum || 19–17
|| 37 || January 19 || @ Philadelphia 76ers || W 82-77 || || Spectrum || 20–17
|| 38 || January 20 || Miami Heat || W 98-78 || || Omni Coliseum || 21–17
|| 39 || January 22 || Houston Rockets || W 105-96 || || Omni Coliseum || 22–17
|| 40 || January 23 || @ Cleveland Cavaliers || W 84-72 || || Gund Arena || 23–17
|| 41 || January 26 || Orlando Magic || W 96-84 || || Omni Coliseum || 24–17
|| 42 || January 30 || @ Indiana Pacers || L 90-107 || || Market Square Arena || 24–18
|| 43 || January 31 || Phoenix Suns || L 84-120 || || Omni Coliseum || 24–19
|| 44 || February 2 || @ Orlando Magic || L 95-108 || || Orlando Arena || 24–20
|| 45 || February 4 || Charlotte Hornets || W 106-104 || || Omni Coliseum || 25–20
|| 46 || February 7 || @ Miami Heat || L 89-101 || || Miami Arena || 25–21
|| 47 || February 8 || Washington Bullets || W 98-92 || || Omni Coliseum || 26–21
|| 48 || February 14 || @ Los Angeles Lakers || L 86-87 || || Great Western Forum || 26–22
|| 49 || February 16 || @ Vancouver Grizzlies || W 110-100 || || General Motors Place || 27–22
|| 50 || February 18 || @ Portland Trail Blazers || W 93-90 || || Rose Garden Arena || 28–22
|| 51 || February 19 || @ Seattle SuperSonics || L 94-102 || || KeyArena at Seattle Center || 28–23
|| 52 || February 22 || Chicago Bulls || L 91-96 || || Omni Coliseum || 28–24
|| 53 || February 23 || @ New York Knicks || W 108-97 || || Madison Square Garden || 29–24
|| 54 || February 25 || @ Minnesota Timberwolves || W 92-76 || || Target Center || 30–24
|| 55 || February 28 || Portland Trail Blazers || W 90-88 || || Omni Coliseum || 31–24
|| 56 || March 1 || Cleveland Cavaliers || W 74-68 || || Omni Coliseum || 32–24
|| 57 || March 2 || @ Milwaukee Bucks || L 106-110 || || Bradley Center || 32–25
|| 58 || March 4 || @ Detroit Pistons || L 93-99 || || The Palace Of Auburn Hills || 32–26
|| 59 || March 7 || @ Cleveland Cavaliers || W 83-72 || || Gund Arena || 33–26
|| 60 || March 8 || Milwaukee Bucks || W 94-91 || || Omni Coliseum || 34–26
|| 61 || March 10 || @ Washington Bullets || L 91-99 || || US Airways Arena || 34–27
|| 62 || March 12 || Utah Jazz || W 115-89 || || Omni Coliseum || 35–27
|| 63 || March 14 || @ Houston Rockets || L 106-114 || || The Summit || 35–28
|| 64 || March 16 || @ San Antonio Spurs || L 92-119 || || Alamodome || 35–29
|| 65 || March 20 || Vancouver Grizzlies || W 98-93 || || Omni Coliseum || 36–29
|| 66 || March 22 || @ Charlotte Hornets || W 117-92 || || Charlotte Coliseum || 37–29
|| 67 || March 23 || Detroit Pistons || W 92-84 || || Omni Coliseum || 38–29
|| 68 || March 26 || @ Toronto Raptors || W 114-111 || || SkyDome || 39–29
|| 69 || March 28 || @ Chicago Bulls || L 80-111 || || United Center || 39–30
|| 70 || March 29 || Los Angeles Lakers || L 89-102 || || Omni Coliseum || 39–31
|| 71 || March 31 || @ Boston Celtics || W 93-92 || || Fleet Center || 40–31
|| 72 || April 2 || Boston Celtics || W 109-89 || || Omni Coliseum || 41–31