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Atlanta Hawks Fans Recount Scariest Moments

Ranking the five scariest moments in Atlanta Hawks history according to fans.

Pat Benson

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
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Halloween is easily the most exciting day on the calendar. It is hard to beat candy, costumes, and basketball. However, the holiday does entail plenty of spooky moments.

Earlier today, we asked Atlanta Hawks fans to share their scariest moments in team history. The responses ranged from hilarious to pitiful. Based on our feedback, below are the top five scariest moments in Hawks history.

2015 NYPD Incident

Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha dribbles the ball.
Thabo Sefolosha / Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The 2014-15 regular season was magical for the Atlanta Hawks. Not only did head coach Mike Budenholzer have a talented young coaching staff, but there were four All-Stars on the roster. 

The Hawks won 60 regular season games, including a 19-game winning streak. However, an incident with the NYPD outside of a nightclub on April 8 left forward Thabo Sefolosha with a broken leg. The Hawks would get swept by the eventual NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

LeBron James

Cavaliers forward LeBron James dunks over Hawks defenders.
LeBron James dunks during the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Hawks had the misfortune of playing in the same conference as LeBron James for the bulk of his career. James has a 12-0 record against the Hawks in his playing career.

Draft Luck

Hawks owner Jami Gertz smiles during the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery.
Atlanta Hawks owner Jami Gertz smiles during the 2018 NBA Draft Lottery / Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

Previous ownership groups and front offices drafted poorly. Fans are still upset with many of the draft picks of yesteryear. The current Atlanta Hawks leadership has done a commendable job of drafting talented players. However, the Hawks have not always received lucky bounces of the ping pong balls.

Dominique Wilkins Trade

Hawks forward Dominique Wilkins stretches before a game.
Dominique Wilkins stretching before a game / © USA TODAY Sports

One of the worst trades in franchise history must be sending Dominique Wilkins to the Los Angeles Clippers for Danny Manning. The Hawks were tied for first place in the Eastern Conference in February 1994 when they made the surprising trade. Fans cannot help but wonder what would have happened during the 1993-94 season with no Michael Jordan to contend with in the playoffs.

Trae Young Injury

Trae Young is attended to after injuring his ankle.
Trae Young receives treatment after injuring his ankle during the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The answer we received the most was Trae Young's sprained ankle during the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. The 2020-21 Hawks squad felt like a team of destiny after their playoff push got them within a few games of the NBA Finals.

However, Young stepped on the foot of an official during Game 3. Despite finishing the game, Young missed the next two games and was not himself during Game 6. 

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the Atlanta Hawks for Sports Illustrated's All Hawks. He has covered the NBA for several years and is the author of "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)".

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