1994–95 Atlanta Hawks season

The 1994–95 Atlanta Hawks season was the 46th season for the Atlanta Hawks in the National Basketball Association, and their 27th season in Atlanta, Georgia.^[1] This was the team's first season since 1981–82 without All-Star forward Dominique Wilkins, as he signed as a free agent with the Boston Celtics in the off-season.^[2][3][4] During the off-season, the Hawks acquired Ken Norman from the Milwaukee Bucks,^[5][6][7] and Tyrone Corbin from the Utah Jazz.^[8][9] After the first two games of the regular season, the team traded Kevin Willis to the Miami Heat in exchange for Steve Smith and Grant Long.^[10][11][12]

Despite the addition of Smith and Long, the Hawks struggled losing their first four games of the regular season, lost 9 of their 13 games in November, got off to a 12–19 start to the season, and later on held a 22–26 record at the All-Star break.^[13] However, the team played above .500 in winning percentage for the remainder of the season, and won seven of their final ten games. The Hawks finished in fifth place in the Central Division with a mediocre 42–40 record, and earned the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.^[14]

Mookie Blaylock averaged 17.2 points, 7.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game, led the Hawks with 199 three-point field goals, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, while Smith averaged 16.2 points per game and contributed 135 three-point field goals, and Stacey Augmon provided the team with 13.9 points and 1.3 steals per game. In addition, Norman contributed 12.7 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, while Long provided with 11.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, and Andrew Lang averaged 9.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. Off the bench, sixth man Craig Ehlo contributed 9.7 points per game, but only played just 49 games due to a knee injury,^[15][16] while Corbin provided with 6.2 points per game, and Jon Koncak averaged 2.9 points and 3.0 rebounds per game.^[17]

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1995 NBA playoffs, and for the second consecutive year, the Hawks faced off against the 2nd–seeded, and Central Division champion Indiana Pacers, who were led by All-Star guard Reggie Miller, Rik Smits and Mark Jackson. The Hawks lost the first two games to the Pacers on the road at the Market Square Arena, before losing Game 3 at home, 105–89 at the Omni Coliseum, thus losing the series in a three-game sweep.^[18][19][20]

One notable highlight of the regular season occurred on January 6, 1995, when head coach Lenny Wilkens became the NBA's all-time winningest coach, surpassing former Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach with 939 wins, as the Hawks defeated the Washington Bullets at the Omni Coliseum, 112–90. Shortly before the game had ended, Hawks assistant coach Dick Helm gave Wilkens a cigar and a lighter; Wilkens, who does not smoke, lit up the cigar, took a puff, and told the crowd at "The Omni" that it was a testament to Auerbach, who was known for his trademark "victory cigar".^[21][22][23]

The Hawks finished 26th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 504,807 at the Omni Coliseum during the regular season, which was the second-lowest in the league.^[17][24] Following the season, Corbin was traded to the Sacramento Kings,^[25][26] and Koncak signed as a free agent with the Orlando Magic after ten seasons with the Hawks.^[27][28] For the season, the Hawks added new black alternate road uniforms, which only lasted for just one season.^[29]