The 1968–69 Atlanta Hawks season was the team's first season in Atlanta, 20th in the NBA, and 23rd overall. The Hawks relocated from St. Louis , where the franchise played the previous thirteen seasons. Lenny Wilkens was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Walt Hazzard,[ 1] who would help lead the Hawks to a second-place finish with a record of 48 wins and 34 losses. In the playoffs, the Hawks eliminated the San Diego Rockets in six games. In the Western Conference Finals, the Hawks challenged the Los Angeles Lakers; the Lakers would eliminate the Hawks in 5 games.[ 1]
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
C
31
Beaty, Zelmo
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Prairie View A&M
F/C
32
Bridges, Bill
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
228 lb (103 kg)
Kansas
G/F
27
Caldwell, Joe
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Arizona State
F/C
24
Davis, Jim
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Colorado
G
18–19
Guerin, Richie
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Iona
F
12
Hamilton, Dennis
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Arizona State
G
21
Harlicka, Skip (DP)
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
South Carolina
G
42
Hazzard, Walt
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
UCLA
G/F
23
Hudson, Lou
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Minnesota
G
20
Lehmann, George
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Campbell (KS)
G
10
Ohl, Don
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Illinois
F/C
29
Silas, Paul
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Creighton
F
16–34
Waller, Dwight (DP)
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Tennessee State
Head coach
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Record vs. opponents
edit
1968–69 NBA records
Team
ATL
BAL
BOS
CHI
CIN
DET
LAL
MIL
NYK
PHI
PHO
SDR
SFW
SEA
Atlanta
—
2–4
3–3
6–1
4–2
6–0
3–4
4–2
2–4
1–5
6–0
3–4
4–3
4–2
Baltimore
4–2
—
5–2
6–0
4–3
7–0
3–3
5–1
3–4
2–4
6–0
5–1
3–3
4–2
Boston
3–3
2–5
—
4–2
5–2
5–1
2–4
5–1
1–6
5–2
6–0
4–2
3–3
3–3
Chicago
1–6
0–6
2–4
—
1–5
3–3
3–4
5–1
2–4
1–5
4–2
3–3
4–3
4–3
Cincinnati
2–4
3–4
2–5
5–1
—
3–4
2–4
5–1
4–2
3–4
4–2
2–4
3–3
3–3
Detroit
0–6
0–7
1–5
3–3
4–3
—
3–3
2–4
3–4
3–4
4–2
3–3
2–4
4–2
Los Angeles
4–3
3–3
4–2
4–3
4–2
3–3
—
5–1
5–1
1–5
6–0
7–0
4–3
5–1
Milwaukee
2–4
1–5
1–5
1–5
1–5
4–2
1–5
—
0–6
0–6
6–2
4–2
3–3
3–5
New York
4–2
4–3
6–1
4–2
2–4
4–3
1–5
6–0
—
4–3
5–1
3–3
5–1
6–0
Philadelphia
5–1
4–2
2–5
5–1
4–3
4–3
5–1
6–0
3–4
—
5–1
4–2
2–4
6–0
Phoenix
0–6
0–6
0–6
2–4
2–4
2–4
0–6
2–6
1–5
1–5
—
1–7
2–4
3–3
San Diego
4–3
1–5
2–4
3–3
4–2
3–3
0–7
2–4
3–3
2–4
7–1
—
3–3
3–3
San Francisco
3–4
3–3
3–3
3–4
3–3
4–2
3–4
3–3
1–5
4–2
4–2
3–3
—
4–3
Seattle
2–4
2–4
3–3
3–4
3–3
2–4
1–5
5–3
0–6
0–6
3–3
3–3
3–4
—
1969 playoff game log
Division Semifinals: 4–2 (home: 3–0; road: 1–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Series
1
March 27
San Diego
W 107–98
Lou Hudson (39)
Bill Bridges (22)
Ohl , Hazzard (3)
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 4,194
1–0
2
March 29
San Diego
W 116–114
Zelmo Beaty (31)
Bill Bridges (14)
Joe Caldwell (8)
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 6,006
2–0
3
April 1
@ San Diego
L 97–104
Zelmo Beaty (31)
Zelmo Beaty (17)
Joe Caldwell (6)
San Diego Sports Arena 9,340
2–1
4
April 4
@ San Diego
L 112–114
Walt Hazzard (34)
Beaty , Bridges (11)
Walt Hazzard (5)
San Diego Sports Arena 12,337
2–2
5
April 6
San Diego
W 112–101
Joe Caldwell (26)
Bill Bridges (17)
Caldwell , Hazzard (5)
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 4,007
3–2
6
April 7
@ San Diego
W 108–106
Lou Hudson (27)
Bill Bridges (17)
Caldwell , Hazzard (4)
San Diego Sports Arena 10,117
4–2
Division Finals: 1–4 (home: 1–1; road: 0–3)
1969 schedule
Players Added
Via Draft
Via Trade
Players Lost
Via Trade