1996–97 Atlanta Hawks season

The 1996–97 NBA season was the Hawks' 48th season in the National Basketball Association, and 29th season in Atlanta.[1] In an effort to improve their team, the Hawks strengthened their defense by picking up free agent All-Star center Dikembe Mutombo,[2] while re-signing Tyrone Corbin during the offseason. Other free agents included Eldridge Recasner, former Georgia Tech guard Jon Barry and Henry James, who was signed by the team in December. The Hawks struggled with a 5–6 start to the season, but later on posted a 14–2 record in January including a ten-game winning streak. The team also won 20 consecutive home games from November 12 to February 12. The Hawks finished second in the Central Division with a 56–26 record, while posting the third best home record in the league at 36–5. Mutombo and Christian Laettner were both selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game.

1996–97 Atlanta Hawks season
Head coachLenny Wilkens
OwnersTed Turner
ArenaThe Omni
Results
Record56–26 (.683)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Central)
Conference: 4th (Eastern)
Playoff finishEast Conference Semifinals
(eliminated 1-4)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWATL
Fox Sports South
RadioWCNN

Mutombo would also capture the Defensive Player of the Year honors, as he finished second in the NBA in rebounding and blocked shots.[3] He was not the only member of the club to excel on defense as guard Mookie Blaylock led the NBA in steals, while finishing second in the league with 221 three-point field goals. Meanwhile, Steve Smith continued to lead the Hawks in scoring with 20.1 points per game.

During this season, Ted Turner was the then-vice chairman of Time Warner after acquiring Turner Broadcasting System.

In the playoffs, the Hawks would be put to the test as they needed five games to get past the Detroit Pistons after trailing 2–1 in the first round. However, the Hawks would provide little challenge to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference semifinals as they fell in five games to the eventual NBA champions, despite winning Game 2 at the United Center 103–95.[4] It was also their final season playing at The Omni, which hosted its final game in a Game 4 loss to the Bulls, 89–80 on May 11, 1997.[5] Following the season, Barry signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers, James re-signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Ken Norman retired.

Offseason

Draft picks
Main article: 1996 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 28 Priest Lauderdale (from Seattle)[6] Center  United States Peristeri BC (Greece)

[7]

Roster
Roster listing
Atlanta Hawks roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
SG 17 Barry, Jon 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Georgia Tech
PG 10 Blaylock, Mookie 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Oklahoma
SF 33 Corbin, Tyrone 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) DePaul
SF 35 Hancock, Darrin 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Kansas
PF 44 Henderson, Alan 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Indiana
SF 42 James, Henry 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Saint Mary's
PF 32 Laettner, Christian 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Duke
C 15 Lauderdale, Priest 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) 325 lb (147 kg) Central State
PF 2 Miller, Anthony  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Michigan State
C 55 Mutombo, Dikembe 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Georgetown
PF 28 Newbill, Ivano 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Georgia Tech
SF 3 Norman, Ken  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Illinois
PG 5 Recasner, Eldridge 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Washington
SG 8 Smith, Steve 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Michigan State
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster

Roster notes
  • Rookie center Priest Lauderdale holds American and Bulgarian dual citizenship.
  • Forward Darrin Hancock played in two stints with the Hawks during the season. He was signed by the team after being waived by the Phoenix Suns, who acquired him from the Milwaukee Bucks. After the Hawks waived him, he signed with the San Antonio Spurs where he would only play one game for them before being released, and re-signed by the Hawks for the rest of the season.[8]

Regular season

Season standings
Central Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Chicago Bulls 6913.841–39–230–1124–4
x-Atlanta Hawks 5626.6831336–520–2117–11
x-Detroit Pistons 5428.6591530–1124–1717–11
x-Charlotte Hornets 5428.6591530–1124–1714–14
Cleveland Cavaliers 4240.5122725–1617–2413–15
Indiana Pacers 3943.4763021–2018–2311–17
Milwaukee Bucks 3349.4023620–2113–2810–18
Toronto Raptors 3052.3663918–2312–296–22

[9]

1996–97 NBA East standings
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Chicago Bulls6913.841–
2 y-Miami Heat6121.7448
3 x-New York Knicks5725.69512
4 x-Atlanta Hawks5626.68313
5 x-Detroit Pistons5428.65915
6 x-Charlotte Hornets5428.65915
7 x-Orlando Magic4537.54924
8 x-Washington Bullets4438.53725
9 Cleveland Cavaliers4240.51227
10 Indiana Pacers3943.47630
11 Milwaukee Bucks3349.40236
12 Toronto Raptors3052.36639
13 New Jersey Nets2656.31743
14 Philadelphia 76ers2260.26847
15 Boston Celtics1567.18354
z = clinched division title
y = clinched division title
x = clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents
1996–97 NBA records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA VAN WAS
Atlanta —3–11–31–33–12–01–11–32–01–13–12–01–11–24–02–03–11–33–14–01–12–02–02–01–14–01–12–02–1
Boston 1–3—0–40–41–21–11–10–41–10–21–20–21–10–41–30–20–40–40–41–31–11–10–21–10–23–10–20–20–4
Charlotte 3–14–0—0–43–11–12–02–22–02–02–21–11–11–22–22–04–03–11–24–01–10–22–02–02–02–20–22–03–1
Chicago 3–14–04–0—3–12–02–03–12–01–14–02–01–12–24–02–03–12–23–04–02–02–02–02–02–03–11–12–02–1
Cleveland 1–32–11–31–3—2–01–12–21–10–23–12–01–10–42–22–04–01–32–23–01–11–12–00–20–23–11–12–01–3
Dallas 0–21–11–10–20–2—3–10–20–40–41–12–20–40–20–21–31–11–11–12–01–31–32–21–31–30–21–33–10–2
Denver 1–11–10–20–21–11–3—0–21–31–30–21–30–40–21–10–41–10–20–21–12–20–42–22–20–41–10–43–11–1
Detroit 3–14–02–21–32–22–02–0—2–01–13–12–01–10–43–12–04–01–22–22–10–21–11–12–01–13–11–12–04–0
Golden State 0–21–10–20–21–14–03–10–2—0–41–11–30–40–21–11–32–00–21–12–00–42–21–34–00–42–00–43–10–2
Houston 1–12–00–21–12–04–03–11–14–0—1–13–13–10–21–14–02–01–10–22–02–22–24–03–13–11–12–23–12–0
Indiana 1–32–12–20–41–31–12–01–31–11–1—2–01–11–32–22–02–21–31–33–01–11–11–11–11–14–00–22–01–3
L.A. Clippers 0–22–01–10–20–22–23–10–23–11–30–2—2–20–22–01–31–10–21–11–12–20–42–24–01–32–01–34–00–2
L.A. Lakers 1–11–11–11–11–14–04–01–14–01–31–12–2—1–12–03–12–01–11–12–04–01–34–02–23–11–11–34–02–0
Miami 2–14–02–12–24–02–02–04–02–02–03–12–01–1—4–01–13–11–32–23–12–01–12–02–00–23–10–22–03–1
Milwaukee 0–43–12–20–42–22–01–11–31–11–12–20–20–20–4—0–22–11–22–23–11–10–20–21–11–13–11–12–01–3
Minnesota 0–22–00–20–20–23–14–00–23–10–40–23–11–31–12–0—2–01–11–11–13–12–20–44–00–41–11–34–01–1
New Jersey 1–34–00–41–30–41–11–10–40–20–22–21–10–21–31–20–2—2–21–32–21–10–21–12–01–10–30–22–01–3
New York 3–14–01–32–23–11–12–02–12–01–13–12–01–13–12–11–12–2—3–13–21–11–12–02–00–23–01–12–04–0
Orlando 1–34–02–10–32–21–12–02–21–12–03–11–11–12–22–21–13–11–3—2–21–12–01–11–11–14–00–21–11–3
Philadelphia 0–43–10–40–40–30–21–11–20–20–20–31–10–21–31–31–12–22–32–2—1–11–10–21–10–21–30–22–01–3
Phoenix 1–11–11–10–21–13–12–22–04–02–21–12–20–40–21–11–31–11–11–11–1—1–34–03–12–20–21–32–21–1
Portland 0–21–12–00–21–13–14–01–12–22–21–14–03–11–12–02–22–01–10–21–13–1—2–24–01–30–22–24–00–2
Sacramento 0–22–00–20–20–22–22–21–13–10–41–12–20–40–22–04–01–10–21–12–00–42–2—3–11–31–10–44–00–2
San Antonio 0–21–10–20–22–03–12–20–20–41–31–10–42–20–21–10–40–20–21–11–11–30–41–3—0–41–11–31–30–2
Seattle 1–12–00–20–22–03–14–01–14–01–31–13–11–32–01–14–01–12–01–12–02–23–13–14–0—2–01–34–02–0
Toronto 0–41–32–21–31–32–01–11–30–21–10–40–21–11–31–31–13–00–30–43–12–02–01–11–10–2—1–11–12–2
Utah 1–12–02–01–11–13–14–01–14–02–22–03–13–12–01–13–12–01–12–02–03–12–24–03–13–11–1—4–02–0
Vancouver 0–22–00–20–20–21–31–30–21–31–30–20–40–40–20–20–40–20–21–10–22–20–40–43–10–41–10–4—1–1
Washington 1–24–01–31–23–12–01–10–42–00–23–12–00–21–33–11–13–10–43–13–11–12–02–02–00–22–20–21–1—

Game log
1996–97 game log
Total: 56–26 (Home: 36–5; Road: 20–21)
November: 9–7 (Home: 4–1; Road: 5–6)
December: 7–4 (Home: 6–0; Road: 1–4)
January: 14–2 (Home: 9–0; Road: 5–2)
February: 8–5 (Home: 5–2; Road: 3–3)
March: 12–4 (Home: 9–1; Road: 3–3)
April: 6–4 (Home: 3–1; Road: 3–3)
1996–97 season schedule

Playoffs

In the first round, Atlanta would need five games to get past the Detroit Pistons. But in the semifinals, they would lose five games to the Chicago Bulls. The Hawks won Game 2 at the United Center 103–95.

Eastern Conference First Round

(4) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Detroit Pistons Last Playoff Meeting: 1991 Eastern Conference First Round (Detroit won 3-2)

Game Date Home Score Visitor Score Record

(ATL-DET)

 Venue Recap Television
1 April 25 Atlanta 89 Detroit 75 1-0 Omni Coliseum, Atlanta 1
2 April 27 Atlanta 80 Detroit 93 1-1 Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia 2
3 April 29 Detroit 99 Atlanta 91 1-2 The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan 3
4 May 2 Detroit 82 Atlanta 94 2-2 Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan 4
5 May 4 Atlanta 84 Detroit 79 3-2 Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia 5 NBC
Atlanta wins series 3–2

Eastern Conference Semifinals

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks Last Playoff Meeting: 1993 Eastern Conference First Round (Chicago won 3-0)

Game Date Home Score Visitor Score Record

(CHI-ATL)

 Venue Recap Television
1 May 6 Chicago 100 Atlanta 97 1-0 United Center, Chicago 1 TNT
2 May 8 Chicago 95 Atlanta 103 1-1 United Center, Chicago, Illinois 2 TNT
3 May 10 Atlanta 80 Chicago 100 2-1 Omni Coliseum, Atlanta 3 NBC
4 May 11 Atlanta 80 Chicago 89 3-1 Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia 4 NBC
5 May 13 Chicago 107 Atlanta 92 4-1 United Center, Chicago, Illinois 5 TNT
Chicago wins series 4–1

Player statistics

Legend

Season
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Derrick Alston205.5.000..0002.0.0.0.0.0
Jon Barry58816.6.407.387.8041.72.0.9.14.9
Mookie Blaylock 787839.2.432.366.7535.35.92.7.317.4
Donnie Boyce2227.0.333.125.500.7.6.5.22.5
Willie Burton24215.8.336.283.8381.7.5.3.16.2
Tyrone Corbin 706532.9.422.356.7964.21.81.3.19.5
Darrin Hancock1406.1.481..667.9.5.5.12.4
Alan Henderson30016.7.475..6003.9.8.7.26.6
Henry James531517.8.408.420.8331.5.4.2.06.7
Christian Laettner 828238.3.486.352.8168.82.71.2.818.1
Priest Lauderdale3505.1.551.000.5651.2.3.0.33.2
Anthony Miller1014.0.000..7.0.0.0.0.0
Dikembe Mutombo 808037.2.527..70511.61.4.63.313.3
Ivano Newbill72211.8.440..3852.8.3.4.21.4
Ken Norman17012.9.287.158.3332.3.7.4.23.8
Eldridge Recasner71417.0.423.414.8791.61.3.5.15.7
Steve Smith 727239.1.429.335.8473.34.2.9.320.1

Playoffs
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Jon Barry204.5.000.000......
Mookie Blaylock101044.1.396.329.6677.06.52.1.216.4
Tyrone Corbin101036.4.457.3511.0004.32.0.4.210.6
Darrin Hancock605.5.400.000.000.8.2.2.2.7
Alan Henderson10013.6.559..7693.3..1.35.8
Henry James805.6.231.333..1.3.1.1.0
Christian Laettner101040.3.405.190.8577.22.61.0.817.6
Priest Lauderdale302.3.000...7....
Dikembe Mutombo101041.5.628..71912.31.3.12.615.4
Ivano Newbill301.7....3.3...
Eldridge Recasner10012.1.423.364.6251.1.9.2.3.1
Steve Smith101042.1.396.327.8243.91.7.4.118.9

Awards and records

Awards

Transactions

Trades

July 15, 1996

Free agents

July 15, 1996

August 13, 1996

September 12, 1996

September 27, 1996

October 2, 1996

October 28, 1996

November 13, 1996

November 14, 1996

  • Signed Willie Burton as a free agent.
  • Signed Anthony Miller as a free agent.

November 26, 1996

  • Waived Derrick Alston.

December 20, 1996

January 2, 1997

January 7, 1997

  • Waived Darrin Hancock.
  • Waived Willie Burton.

March 4, 1997

March 5, 1997

  • Signed Darrin Hancock to the first of two 10-day contracts.

March 25, 1997

  • Signed Darrin Hancock to a contract for the rest of the season.

See also

References
  1. 1996-97 Atlanta Hawks
  2. "Hawks Get Big With Mutombo". Los Angeles Times. July 16, 1996. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  3. "Mutombo Is the Difference for Hawks". Los Angeles Times. May 5, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
  4. Atlanta Hawks (1968-Present)
  5. "Omni farewell: `It's like somebody is taking my house away from me'". Augusta Chronicle. April 28, 1997. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  6. The Hawks traded #45 and #47 picks to the SuperSonics for #28 pick on June 25, 1996.
    "Hawks Regain First-Round Draft Pick in Sonics Trade". Associated Press. June 25, 1996. p. D1.
  7. "Atlanta Hawks (1949 - ) 1996 Stats, History, Awards and More". Archived from the original on 2009-03-10. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
  8. https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1997_transactions.html
  9. 1996–97 NBA season Summary - Basketball-Reference.com
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