# 1988–89 Atlanta Hawks season

The 1988–89 NBA season was the Hawks' 40th season in the NBA and 21st season in Atlanta. After falling into the second round of the playoffs for three straight seasons, the Hawks signed free agent and All-Star forward Moses Malone, who won a championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1983 NBA Finals, acquired All-Star guard Reggie Theus from the Sacramento Kings, and signed undrafted rookie forward Duane Ferrell during the off-season. However, Kevin Willis was out with a broken foot suffered during the preseason, and was later on suspended indefinitely for missing functions and rehabilitation therapy.
After winning their first three games of the regular season, the Hawks struggled losing six of their next nine games, leading to a 6–6 start. However, the team went on a six-game winning streak between November and December, posting an 11–3 record in December, and holding a 28–19 record at the All-Star break. The Hawks posted a nine-game winning streak in April, winning 12 of their final 14 games, finishing in third place in the Central Division with a 52–30 record, and reaching 50 wins for the fourth consecutive season.
Dominique Wilkins averaged 26.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while Malone averaged 20.2 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, and Theus provided the team with 15.8 points, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. In addition, Doc Rivers provided with 13.6 points, 6.9 assists and 2.4 steals per game, while John Battle contributed 9.5 points per game off the bench, Cliff Levingston averaged 9.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, and Jon Koncak contributed 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Wilkins and Malone were both selected for the 1989 NBA All-Star Game in Houston, Texas, which was Malone's final All-Star appearance.
In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Hawks faced off against the 5th-seeded Milwaukee Bucks for the second consecutive year. However, after winning Game 1 at home, 100–92, the Hawks would lose to the Bucks in five games.
The Hawks finished eleventh in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 644,291 at the Omni Coliseum during the regular season. Following the season, Theus was left unprotected in the 1989 NBA Expansion Draft, where he was selected by the newly expansion Orlando Magic.
One notable highlight of the season was the Hawks defeating the Philadelphia 76ers, 135–93 at the Omni Coliseum on April 5, 1989; the Hawks got off to an 18–2 lead early in the game, and held a 78–37 lead at halftime. At one point during the game, they led by 50 points with a 130–80 lead late in the fourth quarter, when Hawks forward Antoine Carr hit a technical free throw with 2 minutes and 53 seconds left in the game.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 2 | 44 | Anthony Taylor | | United States | Oregon |
| 3 | 54 | Jorge González | C | Argentina | |
| 3 | 68 | Darryl Middleton | PF | United States | Baylor |

## Roster
### Roster Notes

* Power forward Kevin Willis was suspended indefinitely for missing functions and rehabilitation therapy; Willis was out with a broken foot sustained during the preseason.

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Central Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Detroit Pistons | 63 | 19 | .768 | – | 37–4 | 26–15 | 20–10 |
| x-Cleveland Cavaliers | 57 | 25 | .695 | 6 | 37–4 | 20–21 | 19–11 |
| x-Atlanta Hawks | 52 | 30 | .634 | 11 | 33–8 | 19–22 | 20–10 |
| x-Milwaukee Bucks | 49 | 33 | .598 | 14 | 31–10 | 18–23 | 11–19 |
| x-Chicago Bulls | 47 | 35 | .573 | 16 | 30–11 | 17–24 | 12–18 |
| Indiana Pacers | 28 | 54 | .341 | 35 | 20–21 | 8–33 | 8–22 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Detroit Pistons | 63 | 19 | .768 | – |
| 2 | y-New York Knicks | 52 | 30 | .634 | 11 |
| 3 | x-Cleveland Cavaliers | 57 | 25 | .695 | 6 |
| 4 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 52 | 30 | .634 | 11 |
| 5 | x-Milwaukee Bucks | 49 | 33 | .598 | 14 |
| 6 | x-Chicago Bulls | 47 | 35 | .573 | 16 |
| 7 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 46 | 36 | .561 | 17 |
| 8 | x-Boston Celtics | 42 | 40 | .512 | 21 |
| 9 | Washington Bullets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 23 |
| 10 | Indiana Pacers | 28 | 54 | .341 | 35 |
| 11 | New Jersey Nets | 26 | 56 | .317 | 37 |
| 12 | Charlotte Hornets | 20 | 62 | .244 | 43 |
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1988-89 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIA | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 3–1 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Boston | 1–3 | – | 6–0 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| Charlotte | 1–4 | 0–6 | – | 1–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 |
| Chicago | 2–4 | 3–1 | 4–1 | – | 0–6 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 6–0 | – | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | – | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | – | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Detroit | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 6–0 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 |
| Golden State | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | – | 1–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–1 | – | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 |
| Indiana | 1–5 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 |
| L.A. Clippers | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 1–1 | – | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | – | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Miami | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–4 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 |
| Milwaukee | 0–6 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | – | 4–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 |
| New Jersey | 1–4 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | – | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 |
| New York | 2–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | – | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 |
| Philadelphia | 2–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | – | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Portland | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | – | 3–3 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 1–1 |
| Sacramento | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | – | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | – | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–0 | – | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 1–3 | – | 2–0 |
| Washington | 1–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — |

### Game log

1988–89 game log Total: 52–30 (home: 33–8; road: 19–22) :
November: 8–6 (home: 5–0; road: 3–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
December: 11–3 (home: 8–2; road: 3–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
January: 7–7 (home: 5–1; road: 2–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
February: 9–4 (home: 5–1; road: 4–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
March: 7–8 (home: 4–4; road: 3–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
April: 10–2 (home: 6–0; road: 4–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
1988–89 schedule :

## Playoffs

1989 playoff game log :
First round: 2–3 (home: 1–2; road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 27
Milwaukee
W 100–92
Dominique Wilkins (28)
Moses Malone (13)
Doc Rivers (10)
Omni Coliseum 14,541
1–0
2
April 29
Milwaukee
L 98–108
Dominique Wilkins (32)
Moses Malone (8)
Doc Rivers (8)
Omni Coliseum 15,742
1–1
3
May 2
@ Milwaukee
L 113–117 (OT)
Dominique Wilkins (30)
Jon Koncak (11)
Reggie Theus (5)
Bradley Center 18,469
1–2
4
May 5
@ Milwaukee
W 113–106 (OT)
Malone, Wilkins (24)
Moses Malone (17)
Spud Webb (7)
Bradley Center 18,633
2–2
5
May 7
Milwaukee
L 92–96
Moses Malone (25)
Moses Malone (16)
Rivers, Theus (6)
Omni Coliseum 16,220
2–3 :
1989 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Dominique Wilkins | 80 | 80 | 37.5 | 46.4 | 27.6 | 84.4 | 6.9 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 26.2 |
| Moses Malone | 81 | 80 | 35.5 | 49.1 | 0.0 | 78.9 | 11.8 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 20.2 |
| Reggie Theus | 82 | 82 | 30.7 | 46.6 | 29.3 | 85.1 | 3.0 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 15.8 |
| Doc Rivers | 76 | 76 | 32.4 | 45.5 | 34.7 | 86.1 | 3.8 | 6.9 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 13.6 |
| John Battle | 82 | 0 | 20.4 | 45.7 | 32.4 | 81.5 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 9.5 |
| Cliff Levingston | 80 | 52 | 27.3 | 52.8 | 20.0 | 69.6 | 6.2 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 9.2 |
| Antoine Carr | 78 | 12 | 19.1 | 48.0 | 0.0 | 85.5 | 3.5 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 7.5 |
| Jon Koncak | 74 | 22 | 20.7 | 52.4 | 0.0 | 55.3 | 6.1 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 4.7 |
| Spud Webb | 81 | 6 | 15.0 | 45.9 | 4.5 | 86.7 | 1.5 | 3.5 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 3.9 |
| Duane Ferrell | 41 | 0 | 5.6 | 42.2 | 0.0 | 68.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 2.4 |
| Ray Tolbert | 50 | 0 | 6.8 | 42.6 | 0.0 | 62.2 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 2.1 |
| Dudley Bradley | 38 | 0 | 7.0 | 32.6 | 25.8 | 50.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.9 |
| Pace Mannion | 5 | 0 | 3.6 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.8 |

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Dominique Wilkins | 5 | 5 | 42.4 | 44.8 | 29.4 | 71.1 | 5.4 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 27.2 |
| Moses Malone | 5 | 5 | 39.4 | 50.0 | 100.0 | 78.4 | 12.0 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 21.0 |
| Doc Rivers | 5 | 5 | 38.2 | 38.6 | 31.6 | 70.8 | 4.8 | 6.8 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 13.4 |
| Jon Koncak | 5 | 5 | 38.4 | 62.1 | 0.0 | 84.8 | 9.6 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 12.8 |
| John Battle | 5 | 0 | 23.6 | 43.5 | 0.0 | 75.0 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 9.8 |
| Reggie Theus | 5 | 5 | 25.4 | 36.8 | 0.0 | 75.0 | 1.4 | 4.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 7.4 |
| Antoine Carr | 5 | 0 | 16.2 | 61.9 | 0.0 | 72.7 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 6.8 |
| Cliff Levingston | 5 | 0 | 15.4 | 27.3 | 100.0 | 90.0 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 3.2 |
| Spud Webb | 5 | 0 | 11.0 | 27.3 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.6 |
Player Statistics Citation:

## Awards and records

* Dominique Wilkins, All-NBA Third Team