2006 Atlanta Hawks

A young Hawks team continues the rebuilding at Philips Arena. Rookie Shelden Williams provides inside-outside firepower in support of veterans like guard Tyronn Lue and hard battling Center Lorenzen Wright, who begins his second “tour of duty” in the Hawks uniform. Coach Mike Woodson will have to quickly build team chemistry and make the most of his team talent to compete with the powerhouses in the Eastern Conference.

Atlanta, Georgia is the home of the National Basketball Association's Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks, despite only winning one NBA Championship in 1957, boast one of the most thrilling players and one of the greatest coaches in basketball history. In 1982, the Atlanta Hawks traded for Dominique Wilkins -- "The Human Highlight Film," as he was called -- is the franchise's all-time leading scorer. Lenny Wilkens, the winningest coach in NBA history, immediately turned the Hawks around when he arrived in 1993. That year, the team matched its franchise best 57-25 record and claimed the Central Division Title.

In 1999, the Atlanta Hawks moved into the brand new Philips Arena. The state of the art facility increased ticket sales significantly upon its opening. In 2002, Terry Slots took over the Hawks coaching job. The Atlanta Hawks struggled in the Eastern Conference for the early part of the new millennium. Forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim remains one of the league's best averaging over 20 points per game throughout his career. Rahim was selected to the 2002 Eastern Conference All-Star team as a reserve. Point guard Jason Terry is a good ball handler with the ability to beat players off of the dribble as well as dish the ball to an open teammate.

The Eastern Conference is known throughout basketball as the weaker of the two NBA conferences. Known for its lower scoring games with fewer teams electing to run up and down the court, the conference has not produced an NBA champion since Michael Jordan left the Chicago Bulls in 1998. The Hawks are in the Eastern Conference's Central Division. The division is also home to the likes of the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Detroit Pistons. The Pacers' boast one of basketball's best big men Jermaine O'Neal who averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game in 2003. The Pistons' Ben Wallace is another great big man in the Eastern Conference. Not a potent scorer, Wallace averages double digits in rebounding and is among the league's best shot blockers.

Atlanta is also the home of Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves, who call Turner Field their home. The Braves are a modern baseball dynasty with an unprecedented streak of thirteen consecutive Division Titles between 1991-2004. With such dominance, it is needless to say that Braves tickets are in high demand. Mike Vick and the Atlanta Falcons play in the Georgia Dome. When the Falcon's drafted Vick in 2001, he was widely regarded as the future of the organization. Injury kept Vick off the field for most of 2003, but with him in the game, the Falcons own one of the most electrifying offenses in the NFL. Philips Arena is also home to the Atlanta Thrashers hockey team. Atlanta also played host to the 2000 Olympic games.