1990–91 Atlanta Hawks season
The 1990–91 NBA season was the Hawks' 42nd season in the National Basketball Association, and 23rd season in Atlanta. During the off-season, the Hawks signed free agent All-Star guard Sidney Moncrief, who came out of his retirement. Under new head coach Bob Weiss, the Hawks won their first three games. However, after a 4–1 start, they lost nine consecutive games in November, but went on to win 20 of their next 25 games including a 7-game winning streak, and held a 26–21 record at the All-Star break. The Hawks finished fourth in the Central Division with a 43–39 record.
| 1990–91 Atlanta Hawks season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Bob Weiss |
| General manager | Pete Babcock |
| Owners | Ted Turner / Turner Broadcasting System |
| Arena | Omni Coliseum |
| Results | |
| Record | 43–39 (.524) |
| Place | Division: 4th (Central) Conference: 6th (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | First round (lost to Pistons 2–3) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | WTBS WGNX SportSouth TBS (Skip Caray and Rick Barry) |
Dominique Wilkins averaged 25.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and was selected for the 1991 NBA All-Star Game. In addition, Doc Rivers averaged 15.2 points and 1.9 steals per game, while Spud Webb provided the team with 13.4 points, 5.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and Kevin Willis provided with 13.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game. Off the bench, Moses Malone played a sixth man role averaging 10.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, and John Battle contributed 13.6 points per game. Wilkins also finished in eighth place in Most Valuable Player voting.
In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Hawks faced the defending champion Detroit Pistons. The Hawks won Game 1 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, 103–98, but would lose the next two games. After winning Game 4 at The Omni, they lost the series in five games. Following the season, Rivers was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, while Webb was dealt to the Sacramento Kings, Malone signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Bucks, Battle signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Moncrief retired.