2008 Atlanta Hawks

Even as we say “Congratulations” to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who beat the Hawks 4 games to 0 to advance to the Conference Finals in the 2009 NBA Playoffs, we want to say a big “Thank you” to the Atlanta Hawks, who placed 2nd in the demanding Southeast Division, for the fantastic season they had!

The Atlanta Hawks finished the 2007-08 season in third place in the Southeast Division, and it was enough to score them a playoff berth. Though they were knocked out by eventual championship winners the Boston Celtics in the first round, it took the Celts 7 games to beat them – that’s one game more than it took them to beat the Lakers in the Finals! For a team that hadn’t seen the postseason in nine years, it was quite a feat, and now the Hawks are looking forward to building on their success in the 2008-09 season. Al Horford and Acie Law should only improve in their second year on the team, and Mike Bibby is fully healed and ready to give 110% on the court. Get your tickets to Philips Arena and help the Atlanta Hawks build on last year’s momentum to make the 2008-09 season their best yet!

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 (also home to the Atlanta Thrashers hockey team). 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 remained 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.

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 Southeast Division. The division is also home to the likes of the Charlotte Bobcats, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards.

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. Atlanta also boasts an NFL team, the Atlanta Falcons, who play at the Georgia Dome.