1968–69 Atlanta Hawks season

1968–69 Atlanta Hawks season
Head coach	Richie Guerin
Arena	Alexander Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record	48–34 (.585)
Place	Division: 2nd (Western)
Playoff finish	West Division Finals (Eliminated 1–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	WQXI-TV
Radio	WQXI

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, 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.

Draft picks

Main article: 1968 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	13	Skip Harlicka	Guard	United States	South Carolina
10	131	Dwight Waller	Forward	United States	Tennessee State

Roster

Atlanta Hawks roster

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 Richie Guerin (Iona) Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Western Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Neutral	Div
x-Los Angeles Lakers	55	27	.671	–	32–9	21–18	2–0	30–10
x-Atlanta Hawks	48	34	.585	7	28–12	18–21	2–1	26–14
x-San Francisco Warriors	41	41	.500	14	22–19	18–21	1–1	20–20
x-San Diego Rockets	37	45	.451	18	25–16	8–25	4–4	20–20
Chicago Bulls	33	49	.402	22	19–21	12–25	2–3	19–21
Seattle SuperSonics	30	52	.366	25	18–18	6–29	6–5	15–23
Phoenix Suns	16	66	.195	39	11–26	4–28	1–12	8–30

Record vs. opponents

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	—

Game log

1968–69 game log Total: 48–34
October (Total: 3–4) Game Date Team Score Location Attendance Record 1 October 16 Cincinnati 110–125 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 0–1 2 October 19 Milwaukee 125–107 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 1–1 3 October 23 Chicago 106–91 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 2–1 4 October 25 Seattle 112–123 Seattle Center Coliseum 2–2 5 October 27 Phoenix 123–100 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 3–2 6 October 29 L.A. Lakers 124–125 The Forum 3–3 7 October 30 San Diego 116–127 San Diego Sports Arena 3–4
November (Total: 9–8) Game Date Team Score Location Attendance Record 8 November 1 San Francisco 109–105 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 4–4 9 November 3 Boston 103–123 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 4–5 10 November 6 Baltimore 119–140 Baltimore Civic Center 4–6 11 November 8 San Diego 114–101 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 5–6 12 November 9 San Francisco 113–106 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 6–6 13 November 12 San Francisco 108–123 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 6–7 14 November 13 Seattle 142–113 Seattle Center Coliseum 7–7 15 November 15 Philadelphia 115–116 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 7–8 16 November 16 Cincinnati 125–130 Cincinnati Gardens 7–9 17 November 19 Milwaukee 89–119 Milwaukee Arena 7–10 18 November 20 New York 111–106 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 8–10 19 November 21 Detroit 129–121 Cobo Arena 9–10 20 November 23 Chicago 114–96 Chicago Stadium 10–10 21 November 24 Baltimore 111–118 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 10–11 22 November 26 Baltimore 99–102 Baltimore Civic Center 10–12 23 November 27 Cincinnati 94–91 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 11–12 24 November 30 Cincinnati 126–109 Cincinnati Gardens 12–12
December (Total: 10–3) Game Date Team Score Location Attendance Record 25 December 3 New York 93–126 Madison Square Garden 12–13 26 December 4 New York 113–121 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 12–14 27 December 6 L.A. Lakers 94–99 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 12–15 28 December 8 Phoenix 121–99 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 13–15 29 December 10 San Francisco 111–100 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 14–15 30 December 12 Seattle 93–91 Seattle Center Coliseum 15–15 31 December 13 L.A. Lakers 105–103 The Forum 16–15 32 December 17 Chicago 87–83 Chicago Stadium 17–15 33 December 18 Milwaukee 122–116 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 18–15 34 December 21 Detroit 120–110 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 19–15 35 December 26 Seattle 126–96 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 20–15 36 December 28 Boston 110–97 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 21–15 37 December 29 Baltimore 101–99 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 22–15
January (Total: 11–7) Game Date Team Score Location Attendance Record 38 January 2 Chicago 106–88 Chicago Stadium 23–15 39 January 3 Detroit 128–106 Cobo Arena 24–15 40 January 4 L.A. Lakers 111–121 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 24–16 41 January 5 Phoenix 97–96 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 25–16 42 January 8 Philadelphia 111–112 Spectrum 25–17 43 January 10 Detroit 104–101 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 26–17 44 January 11 L.A. Lakers 104–100 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 27–17 45 January 16 Phoenix 112–107 Columbia, South Carolina 28–17 46 January 17 Phoenix 112–107 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 29–17 47 January 19 New York 100–96 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 30–17 48 January 21 San Diego 113–124 San Diego Sports Arena 30–18 49 January 22 Phoenix 125–107 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 31–18 50 January 24 L.A. Lakers 110–106 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 32–18 51 January 25 Baltimore 112–109 Baltimore Civic Center 33–18 52 January 26 Philadelphia 115–119 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 33–19 53 January 28 Boston 96–108 Boston Garden 33–20 54 January 29 Philadelphia 96–119 Spectrum 33–21 55 January 31 Seattle 112–119 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 33–22
February (Total: 9–7) Game Date Team Score Location Attendance Record 56 February 1 Detroit 119–99 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 34–22 57 February 2 San Diego 115–103 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 35–22 58 February 4 New York 97–122 Madison Square Garden 35–23 59 February 7 Boston 109–107 Boston Garden 36–23 60 February 8 Chicago 106–97 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 37–23 61 February 9 Baltimore 101–102 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 37–24 62 February 11 San Francisco 87–92 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 37–25 63 February 12 Milwaukee 113–106 Milwaukee Arena 38–25 64 February 14 Boston 104–101 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 39–25 65 February 16 San Francisco 106–113 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 39–26 66 February 17 Milwaukee 111–123 Baltimore, MD 39–27 67 February 18 Cincinnati 124–123 Cleveland 40–27 68 February 20 Detroit 97–87 Cobo Arena 41–27 69 February 23 San Diego 124–92 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 42–27 70 February 25 New York 101–122 Madison Square Garden 42–28 71 February 28 Boston 120–122 Boston Garden 42–29
March (Total: 6–5) Game Date Team Score Location Attendance Record 72 March 2 Milwaukee 112–108 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 43–29 73 March 6 Philadelphia 139–99 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 44–29 74 March 9 Cincinnati 134–107 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 45–29 75 March 11 Chicago 90–102 Chicago Stadium 45–30 76 March 12 Chicago 109–90 Alexander Memorial Coliseum 46–30 77 March 15 Philadelphia 120–122 Spectrum 46–31 78 March 16 Seattle 131–127 (OT) Alexander Memorial Coliseum 47–31 79 March 18 San Francisco 128–115 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 48–31 80 March 20 San Diego 97–115 San Diego Sports Arena 48–32 81 March 21 L.A. Lakers 103–116 The Forum 48–33 82 March 23 San Diego 121–128 San Diego Sports Arena 48–34
1968–69 schedule

Playoffs

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) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 11 Los Angeles L 93–95 Zelmo Beaty (29) Bill Bridges (20) Walt Hazzard (6) The Forum 16,190 0–1 2 April 13 @ Los Angeles L 102–104 Joe Caldwell (34) Caldwell, Bridges (10) Bill Bridges (5) The Forum 15,136 0–2 3 April 15 Los Angeles W 99–86 Zelmo Beaty (22) Zelmo Beaty (15) Lou Hudson (5) Alexander Memorial Coliseum 7,140 1–2 4 April 17 Los Angeles L 85–100 Lou Hudson (35) Zelmo Beaty (20) Bill Bridges (5) Alexander Memorial Coliseum 7,140 1–3 5 April 20 @ Los Angeles L 96–104 Zelmo Beaty (30) Bill Bridges (22) Lou Hudson (7) The Forum 16,273 1–4
1969 schedule

Player statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Walt Hazzard	80		30.3	.397		.707	3.3	5.9			11.2
Zelmo Beaty	72		35.8	.470		.731	11.1	1.8			21.5
Bill Bridges	80		36.6	.453		.677	14.2	3.7			11.8
Joe Caldwell	81		33.6	.507		.537	3.7	4.0			15.8
Jim Davis	78		17.5	.467		.667	6.8	1.2			8.8
Richie Guerin	27		17.5	.423		.770	2.2	3.7			5.6
Dennis Hamilton	25		5.6	.552		.400	1.2	0.3			3.0
Skip Harlicka	26		8.4	.456		.774	0.6	1.4			4.1
Lou Hudson	81		35.4	.492		.777	6.6	2.7			21.9
George Lehmann	11		12.5	.388		.667	0.8	2.5			5.5
Don Ohl	76		26.3	.427		.707	2.2	2.9			12.1
Paul Silas	79		23.5	.419		.613	9.4	1.8			8.7
Dwight Waller	11		2.6	.222		.429	0.9	0.1			0.6

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Walt Hazzard	11		32.7	.393		.787	3.0	3.9			14.0
Zelmo Beaty	11		43.0	.432		.672	12.9	2.3			22.5
Bill Bridges	11		40.2	.442		.708	16.2	3.4			15.6
Joe Caldwell	11		36.7	.485		.464	5.0	3.4			14.7
Jim Davis	8		6.5	.267		.625	2.1	0.1			1.6
Richie Guerin	3		10.7	.250		.500	1.7	2.3			1.0
Skip Harlicka	1		1.0	.000		.000	0.0	0.0			0.0
Lou Hudson	11		38.5	.468		.769	5.4	2.9			22.0
Don Ohl	11		17.6	.349		.591	1.2	1.5			6.6
Paul Silas	11		23.5	.362		.514	8.4	1.9			5.5

Awards

• Bill Bridges, NBA All-Defensive Second Team

Transactions

Atlanta Hawks

Players Added Via Draft Skip Harlicka Dwight Waller Via Trade Walt Hazzard (From SuperSonics)

Players Lost Via Trade Lenny Wilkens (To SuperSonics)