Dominique and me on June 7, 2008
Sorry that it's blurry!
Pro Basketball makes for an exciting time of year in the spring. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Shaquille O'Neal have all contributed to the NBA being so popular with people of all walks of life. From the playgrounds of Brooklyn and Compton, to the suburbs of Chicago and San Antonio, basketball is here to stay.
| World Champions |
Eastern Conference Champions |
Division Champions |
Retired Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | 1957 | 1957 | Lou Hudson |
| 1958 | 1958 | Bob Pettit | |
| 1960 | 1959 | Dominique Wilkins | |
| 1961 | 1960 | ||
| 1961 | |||
| 1968 | |||
| 1970 | |||
| 1980 | |||
| 1987 | |||
| 1994 | |||
| 2015 |
| Description | | |
| King of the Mountain | | |
| One Legend Made Them Elite | | |
| Rabid Fans That Hate The King | | |
| Most Tortured Fans | | |
| Humidity Creates Winning | | |
| Jeff Hornacek Would Be Proud | | |
| Larry Nance Senior Would Be Proud | | |
| Above Average Most of the Time | | |
| One Unforgettable Season | | |
| Old Franchises With Minimal Winning | | |
| Haven't Done Much Until The Last Ten Years | | |
| Overshadowed In Huge Markets | | |
| 1995 Expansion Teams With Little Success | | |
| Teams Rooted For By Transplants | | |
| No Tradition And No Hope | | |
Most Hated Player Ever: Bill Laimbeer
Player I Would Pay Good Money To See In His Prime: Magic Johnson
Best Ever On Defense: Dennis Rodman
Best Ever Pure Shooter: Larry Bird
Player Who Made The Least Of His Talent: Derrick Coleman
Player Who Made The Most Of His Talent: Ben Wallace
Best Arena I Have Been To: Philips Arena
Most Supportive Fans (always show up): Utah Jazz
Least Supportive Fans (show up only when they win): Atlanta Hawks
Most Knowledgeable Fans: Boston Celtics
Least Knowledgeable Fans: Los Angeles Lakers
Best Uniforms: Los Angeles Lakers
Best Announcers: Marv Albert and Mike Fratello
Most Passionate Fans (show up and are vocal): Philadelphia 76ers
Least Passionate Fans (don't show up and don't care): Miami Heat
Ten Teams I Like (In Order): Atlanta, Phoenix, Utah, New York, Dallas, Houston, Minnesota, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Sacramento
Ten Teams That Are So-So (In Order): Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Denver, Portland, Golden State, New Orleans, Charlotte
Ten Teams I Hate (In Order): Boston, Detroit, Indiana, Orlando, Miami, Chicago, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Toronto, Washington
1. January 13, 2001 vs L.A. Clippers
2. January 10, 1989 vs Chicago
3. February 23, 1988 vs Indiana
4. December 18, 1999 vs Utah
5. November 24, 1989 vs Houston (in Charlotte)
6. January 19, 1990 vs Chicago
7. November 26, 2003 vs Toronto
8. March 11, 1988 vs New York
9. March 7, 1991 vs Phoenix
10. March 2, 2002 vs Cleveland
Dominique Wilkins has his number retired and the Hawks get one of their few wins that year 108-88.
Dominique had 28 for Atlanta but Michael Jordan scored 48 to help the Bulls win 104-101.
My first visit to the old Omni. One play had Spud Webb bouncing the ball off the backboard and Wilkins slamming it home. Atlanta won 131-111.
Karl Malone and John Stockton came to town and
beat the Hawks 106-96. It was my first visit to Philips Arena.
Hakeem Olajuwon was in town and so was I to see my sister run the next day. I saw one of the greatest centers ever and his Rockets won. Houston 85, Charlotte 81.
Deja vu. Dominique had 26 but
Michael Jordan scored 36 and Chicago won in Atlanta again 92-84.
Vince Carter scored 43 as the Hawks lost in overtime.
Patrick Ewing and Rick Pitino showed up but the Knicks weren't such a good team yet. Atlanta won 122-115.
Tom Chambers hit a 15-foot jumper from the left wing at the buzzer as the Suns stunned the Hawks 106-104. I didn't care for the result but it was a great game.
My girlfriend (now wife) had never been to a Hawks game before so we landed really good seats and saw the Hawks defeat the Cavs 84-81. Toni Kukoc hit four three-pointers in the third quarter.
Dominique was Robbed in 1988!