The 1959-60 season was a pivotal one for the St. Louis Hawks, a team that would later become the Atlanta Hawks. Under head coach Ed Macauley, the Hawks finished first in the Western Division with a 46-29 record. The team was led by Hall of Famer Bob Pettit, who averaged 26.1 points and 16.4 rebounds per game, showcasing his dominance on both ends of the court.
In the playoffs, the Hawks defeated the Minneapolis Lakers in the Western Division Finals, securing a spot in the NBA Finals. However, they fell to the Boston Celtics in a hard-fought seven-game series, marking their second consecutive Finals appearance against Boston. Despite the loss, the 1959-60 season solidified the Hawks’ reputation as one of the top teams of the era, with Pettit’s performance earning him his fourth consecutive All-NBA First Team selection.
- Regular Season Record: 0-0
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Atlanta Hawks Roster and Stats for 1959-60 Season
POINTS
Bob Pettit
26.2
REBOUNDS
Bob Pettit
15.7
ASSISTS
Cliff Hagan
1.3
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Bob Pettit | 72 | 26.2 | 15.7 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14 | 26.1 | 15.8 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Cliff Hagan | 75 | 24.8 | 8.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14 | 24.2 | 9.9 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Clyde Lovellette | 68 | 20.8 | 8.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14 | 17.6 | 10.8 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Larry Foust | 25 | 10.2 | 6.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 | 6.5 | 5.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Al Ferrari | 71 | 8.6 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 4.4 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Johnny McCarthy | 75 | 8.4 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14 | 8.1 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dave Piontek | 25 | 7.8 | 4.2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14 | 5.1 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Slater Martin | 64 | 6.2 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Si Green | 70 | 6.1 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 14 | 14.1 | 7.9 | 5.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Ferry | 62 | 5.9 | 2.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dave Gambee | 41 | 5.1 | 2.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Chuck Share | 38 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Cal Ramsey | 4 | 4.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jack McMahon | 25 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Hub Reed | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Atlanta Hawks 1959-60 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1959-60 season for the Atlanta Hawks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 94-87 | |
| Oct 31, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 109-102 | |
| Nov 01, 1959 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 138-101 | |
| Nov 03, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 103-98 | |
| Nov 07, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 117-113 | |
| Nov 10, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 134-105 | |
| Nov 14, 1959 | @ Boston Celtics | L 113-111 | |
| Nov 17, 1959 | @ New York Knicks | L 105-97 | |
| Nov 20, 1959 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 118-117 | |
| Nov 21, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 109-107 | |
| Nov 22, 1959 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 106-100 | |
| Nov 25, 1959 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 104-97 | |
| Nov 26, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 112-95 | |
| Nov 28, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 102-91 | |
| Dec 01, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 106-101 | |
| Dec 02, 1959 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 130-121 | |
| Dec 04, 1959 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 124-112 | |
| Dec 05, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 113-112 | |
| Dec 06, 1959 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 118-104 | |
| Dec 08, 1959 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 105-101 | |
| Dec 10, 1959 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 129-111 | |
| Dec 11, 1959 | @ Boston Celtics | L 122-99 | |
| Dec 13, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 118-98 | |
| Dec 15, 1959 | @ New York Knicks | W 119-110 | |
| Dec 16, 1959 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 107-106 | |
| Dec 19, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 102-89 | |
| Dec 20, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 102-86 | |
| Dec 25, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 112-96 | |
| Dec 26, 1959 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 117-104 | |
| Dec 28, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 120-106 | |
| Dec 30, 1959 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 96-82 | |
| Jan 01, 1960 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 119-107 | |
| Jan 02, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 114-113 | |
| Jan 03, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 110-108 | |
| Jan 06, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 121-101 | |
| Jan 08, 1960 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 112-102 | |
| Jan 10, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 121-111 | |
| Jan 12, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 126-108 | |
| Jan 13, 1960 | @ Boston Celtics | L 134-112 | |
| Jan 14, 1960 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 119-112 | |
| Jan 15, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 141-140 | |
| Jan 17, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 135-119 | |
| Jan 20, 1960 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 119-108 | |
| Jan 23, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 108-100 | |
| Jan 24, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 155-129 | |
| Jan 26, 1960 | @ New York Knicks | L 123-119 | |
| Jan 27, 1960 | @ Boston Celtics | L 127-114 | |
| Jan 29, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 130-125 | |
| Jan 30, 1960 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 117-107 | |
| Jan 31, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 117-110 | |
| Feb 02, 1960 | @ Boston Celtics | W 114-113 | |
| Feb 03, 1960 | @ New York Knicks | W 125-115 | |
| Feb 05, 1960 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 114-96 | |
| Feb 07, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 130-108 | |
| Feb 09, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 114-104 | |
| Feb 10, 1960 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 120-110 | |
| Feb 11, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 139-120 | |
| Feb 13, 1960 | @ New York Knicks | L 122-104 | |
| Feb 14, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 107-105 | |
| Feb 16, 1960 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 111-104 | |
| Feb 17, 1960 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 131-127 | |
| Feb 19, 1960 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 111-101 | |
| Feb 20, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 121-105 | |
| Feb 21, 1960 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | L 112-98 | |
| Feb 22, 1960 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 113-103 | |
| Feb 24, 1960 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 124-122 | |
| Feb 25, 1960 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 110-105 | |
| Feb 27, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 116-114 | |
| Feb 28, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 122-105 | |
| Mar 01, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 109-101 | |
| Mar 02, 1960 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 116-100 | |
| Mar 05, 1960 | @ Minneapolis Lakers | W 107-106 | |
| Mar 06, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 128-109 | |
| Mar 08, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 122-101 | |
| Mar 09, 1960 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 123-116 |