The1998–99 NBA season was the 50th season for theAtlanta Hawks in theNational Basketball Association, and their 31st season inAtlanta, Georgia.^[1] Due to alockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.^[2]

The Hawks continued to split their home games between theGeorgia Dome, and theAlexander Memorial Coliseum for the second consecutive season.^[3] During the off-season, the team signed free agentsLaPhonso Ellis,^[4][5][6] second-year guardAnthony Johnson and re-signed former Hawks forwardGrant Long;^[7][8][9] Ellis would reunite with his former teammate of theDenver Nuggets, 3-time Defensive Player of the YearDikembe Mutombo. However, Ellis would be out for the remainder of the regular season with a hernia injury after just 20 games,^[10][11] being replaced by second-year forwardChris Crawford as the team's starting small forward.

The Hawks got off to a 6–3 start to the regular season, but then lost six of their next nine games, falling to .500 inwinning percentage with a 9–9 start to the season. However, after holding a 22–17 record as of April 13, 1999, the team posted a 7-game winning streak during that month, and won nine of their final eleven games of the season. The Hawks finished in second place in theCentral Division with a 31–19 record, earned the fourth seed in theEastern Conference, and qualified for theNBA playoffs for the seventh consecutive year.^[12]

Steve Smith led the Hawks in scoring with 18.7 points per game, whileMookie Blaylock averaged 13.3 points, 5.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game, and led the team with 77 three-point field goals, andAlan Henderson provided the team with 12.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. In addition, Mutombo provided with 10.8 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game, while Ellis contributed 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds. Off the bench, Long played a sixth man role, averaging 9.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, while Corbin contributed 7.5 points per game, Crawford, the team's starting small forward, averaged 6.9 points per game, and Johnson provided with 5.0 points and 2.2 assists per game.^[13]

Mutombo and Blaylock were both named to theNBA All-Defensive Second Team, while Mutombo also finished in second place inDefensive Player of the Year voting, behind his formerGeorgetown University teammate,Alonzo Mourning of theMiami Heat;^[14][15] Smith finished tied in 16th place inMost Valuable Player voting,^[15] and head coachLenny Wilkens finished tied in eighth place inCoach of the Year voting.^[15]

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the1999 NBA playoffs, the Hawks faced off against the 5th–seededDetroit Pistons, who were led by All-Star forwardGrant Hill, sixth manJerry Stackhouse, andLindsey Hunter. Despite losing Henderson to an eye injury in Game 1, and losing Crawford to a shoulder injury in Game 2,^[16][17] the Hawks won the first two games over the Pistons at home at the Georgia Dome, and took a 2–0 series lead. However, the team lost the next two games on the road, which included a Game 4 loss to the Pistons atThe Palace of Auburn Hills, 103–82. With the series tied at 2–2, the Hawks won Game 5 over the Pistons at home, 87–75 at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum to win in a hard-fought five-game series.^[18][19][20]

In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the 8th–seededNew York Knicks, a team that featured All-Star centerPatrick Ewing,Allan Houston, and sixth manLatrell Sprewell. Despite having home-court advantage in the series, the Hawks lost the first two games to the Knicks at the Georgia Dome, and then lost the next two games on the road, including a Game 4 loss to the Knicks atMadison Square Garden, 79–66, thus losing the series in a four-game sweep; the Hawks struggled only shooting .316 in field-goal percentage during the series.^[21][22][23] The Knicks would become the first #8 seed to advance to theNBA Finals, but would lose to theSan Antonio Spurs in five games in the1999 NBA Finals.^[24][25][26] This season would also be the last time the Hawks appeared in the NBA playoffs until the2007–08 season, as what would follow was an eight-year playoff drought.

The Hawks finished 27th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 331,831 at the Georgia Dome, and the Alexander Memorial Coliseum during the regular season, which was the third-lowest in the league.^[13][27] Following the season, Smith and second-year guardEd Gray were both traded to thePortland Trail Blazers,^[28][29][30] while Blaylock was traded to theGolden State Warriors after seven seasons with the Hawks,^[31][32][33] Long signed as a free agent with theVancouver Grizzlies,^[34][35] andTyrone Corbin re-signed with theSacramento Kings.^[36]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	20	Roshown McLeod	SF	United States	Duke
2	49	Cory Carr	SG	United States	Texas Tech

1998–99 Atlanta Hawks roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From G 10 Mookie Blaylock 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1967–03–20 Oklahoma G/F 33 Tyrone Corbin 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1962–12–31 DePaul F 4 Chris Crawford 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1975–05–13 Marquette F 20 LaPhonso Ellis  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1970–05–05 Notre Dame G 22 Ed Gray 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1975–09–27 California F 44 Alan Henderson  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1972–12–02 Indiana G 24 Anthony Johnson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1974–10–02 College of Charleston F 43 Grant Long 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1966–03–12 Eastern Michigan F 7 Roshown McLeod 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 221 lb (100 kg) 1975–11–17 Duke C 55 Dikembe Mutombo 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 260 lb (118 kg) 1966–06–25 Georgetown G 15 Jeff Sheppard 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1974–09–29 Kentucky G 8 Steve Smith 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1969–03–31 Michigan State C 41 Mark West 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1960–11–05 Old Dominion

Head coach Lenny Wilkens Assistant(s) Stan Albeck Phil Hubbard Gary Wortman Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Player statistics citation:^[13]

• Mookie Blaylock,NBA All-Defensive Second Team
• Dikembe Mutombo,NBA All-Defensive Second Team

June 24, 1998

• TradedCory Carr, a 1999 second round draft pick and a 2000 second round draft pick to theChicago Bulls forShammond Williams.

January 22, 1999

• TradedChristian Laettner to theDetroit Pistons forScot Pollard and a 1999 first round draft pick.

January 21, 1999

• SignedJeff Sheppard as a free agent.
• SignedAnthony Johnson as a free agent.
• SignedMark West as a free agent.

January 30, 1999

• SignedLaPhonso Ellis as a free agent.

February 1, 1999

• SignedGrant Long as a free agent.

February 16, 1999

• Waived Jeff Sheppard.

February 19, 1999

• Waived Scot Pollard.
• WaivedShammond Williams.

February 22, 1999

• Signed Jeff Sheppard as a free agent.

March 4, 1999

• Waived Jeff Sheppard.

March 19, 1999

• Signed Jeff Sheppard to the first of two 10-day contracts.

April 8, 1999

• Signed Jeff Sheppard to a contract for the rest of the season.

Player Transactions Citation:^[37]

• 1998-99 NBA season

• Atlanta Hawks seasons
• 1998 in sports in Georgia (U.S. state)
• 1999 in sports in Georgia (U.S. state)
• 1998–99 NBA season by team

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
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