Atlanta Hawks
From Tri-Cities to Atlanta: A journey through relocation and realignment that brought two Eastern Conference rivals together.
For Chicago Bulls fans, the Atlanta Hawks represent a franchise with deep roots in the region's basketball history, tracing back to their origins as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. The connection between these two teams spans decades of divisional realignments and conference shifts. While the Bulls rose to global prominence in the 1990s, the Hawks have remained a consistent presence in the Eastern Conference, having relocated from Milwaukee and St. Louis before settling in Atlanta in 1968. Their paths crossed significantly during the league's expansion era when both franchises competed for positioning within the newly formed divisions.
- Conference
- Eastern
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The history of the Hawks began in 1949 as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, one of the teams joining from the NBL. In 1951, they relocated to Milwaukee to become the Milwaukee Hawks before moving again to St. Louis in 1955. It was not until 1968 that the franchise found its permanent home in Atlanta after relocating from St. Louis. During the 1970 realignment, the Hawks moved from the Western Division to the Eastern Conference, placing them on a collision course with the Chicago Bulls, who had joined as an expansion team in 1966 and were initially placed in the Western Division before moving east. This realignment set the stage for decades of competition within the Atlantic and Central Divisions.
In Their Own Story
The narrative of these two teams is defined by structural changes rather than a single defining series. In 1970, the league realigned into Eastern and Western Conferences with new divisions. The Atlanta Hawks moved from the Western Division to the Eastern Conference, while the Chicago Bulls had been placed in the Western Division upon their 1966 entry but eventually shifted east. By the time both teams were firmly established in the East, they competed for divisional supremacy. The 1980 realignment saw the Hawks and Bulls navigating shifts between the Midwest and Central Divisions, further intertwining their competitive schedules as the league expanded to include new franchises like the Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets.
Reader's Guide
Understanding the relationship between these teams requires tracking the specific movements recorded in the timeline. The Hawks entered the NBA in 1949 as part of the BAA-NBL merger, while the Bulls joined later in 1966. A pivotal moment occurred in 1970 when the league created the Atlantic and Central Divisions for the Eastern Conference; the Hawks moved from the West to join them. The Chicago Bulls eventually followed suit, establishing a long-standing rivalry within the same conference.
Did You Know?
- The franchise began as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in 1949 before relocating to Milwaukee in 1951 and St. Louis in 1955.
- In 1970, the Atlanta Hawks moved from the Western Division to the Eastern Conference during a major league realignment.
- The Chicago Bulls joined the NBA as an expansion team in 1966 and were initially placed in the Western Division.
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