Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks are a professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia, competing in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Eastern Conference. The franchise originated in 1946 as the Buffalo Bisons, a charter member of the Basketball Association of America, and underwent several relocations and name changes before settling in Atlanta in 1968. Over its long history, the Hawks have won one NBA championship, in 1958, while based in St. Louis, and have made numerous playoff appearances, including two Eastern Conference Finals in the 2010s and 2020s. The team plays its home games at State Farm Arena, a downtown venue that opened in 1999 and seats approximately 18,118 for basketball.

The Hawks are known for a fast-paced offensive style and have featured several Hall of Fame players, including Bob Pettit, Dominique Wilkins, and Dikembe Mutombo. The team's colors are red, yellow, and white, and its mascot is Harry the Hawk. With a storied past stretching back to the early days of professional basketball, the Hawks remain a fixture in the NBA landscape, consistently drawing a dedicated fan base in the Atlanta metropolitan area.[edit]

The franchise began in 1946 as the Buffalo Bisons, but after only 38 days moved to Moline, Illinois, becoming the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. In 1951, the team relocated to Milwaukee, rebranding as the Hawks, and then to St. Louis in 1955. The St. Louis Hawks enjoyed the franchise's golden era, winning the NBA championship in 1958 by defeating the Boston Celtics in six games, and reaching the Finals in 1957, 1960, and 1961. In 1968, the team moved to Atlanta, where it has remained ever since. The Hawks have made the playoffs 48 times in franchise history, with notable runs to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2015 and 2021. The 2014–15 team finished with a 60–22 record, the best in the Eastern Conference, but lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference finals. In 2021, led by Trae Young, the Hawks defeated the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the second round before falling to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks in six games.[edit]