The 1960-61 season for the St. Louis Hawks, as they were known before relocating to Atlanta in 1968, was a memorable campaign. They finished the regular season with a strong 51-28 record, securing first place in the Western Division. Under head coach Paul Seymour, the team showcased solid performances, led by standout stars like Bob Pettit and Cliff Hagan.
In the playoffs, the Hawks made a significant run. They defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Division Finals, advancing to the NBA Finals for the third time in four years. However, they faced the Boston Celtics, a powerhouse of the era, and ultimately fell short, losing the series 4-1. Despite the finals loss, the Hawks’ season was marked by impressive team cohesion and individual brilliance, reaffirming their status as one of the premier teams of the early NBA era.
- Regular Season Record: 0-0
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Atlanta Hawks Roster and Stats for 1960-61 Season
POINTS
Bob Pettit
27.9
REBOUNDS
Bob Pettit
20.2
ASSISTS
Johnny McCarthy
1.6
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Bob Pettit | 76 | 27.9 | 20.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 | 28.6 | 17.6 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Cliff Hagan | 77 | 22.1 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 | 22.0 | 9.8 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Clyde Lovellette | 67 | 22.0 | 8.4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 15.4 | 5.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Lenny Wilkens | 75 | 11.7 | 3.4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 | 14.2 | 6.0 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Si Green | 76 | 9.2 | 4.0 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 | 11.4 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Johnny McCarthy | 79 | 8.3 | 3.3 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 | 3.7 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Larry Foust | 68 | 8.1 | 4.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Woody Sauldsberry | 69 | 7.5 | 6.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 | 13.7 | 9.0 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Fred LaCour | 55 | 5.6 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 4.0 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Al Ferrari | 63 | 5.2 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 5.0 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dave Piontek | 30 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Phil Rollins | 7 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ernie Beck | 8 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Atlanta Hawks 1960-61 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1960-61 season for the Atlanta Hawks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 22, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 112-96 | |
| Oct 23, 1960 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 114-103 | |
| Oct 25, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 123-100 | |
| Oct 29, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 113-97 | |
| Nov 02, 1960 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 132-117 | |
| Nov 05, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 119-104 | |
| Nov 09, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 126-120 | |
| Nov 11, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 117-112 | |
| Nov 12, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 107-105 | |
| Nov 16, 1960 | @ Boston Celtics | L 124-106 | |
| Nov 17, 1960 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 112-105 | |
| Nov 18, 1960 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 129-128 | |
| Nov 19, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 121-120 | |
| Nov 22, 1960 | @ New York Knicks | W 120-119 | |
| Nov 24, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 132-97 | |
| Nov 26, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 126-113 | |
| Nov 29, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 119-109 | |
| Nov 30, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 135-126 | |
| Dec 02, 1960 | @ New York Knicks | W 139-133 | |
| Dec 03, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 131-127 | |
| Dec 06, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 146-110 | |
| Dec 07, 1960 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 113-83 | |
| Dec 09, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 131-118 | |
| Dec 10, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 111-108 | |
| Dec 12, 1960 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 114-103 | |
| Dec 14, 1960 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 124-113 | |
| Dec 16, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 112-107 | |
| Dec 17, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 116-103 | |
| Dec 18, 1960 | @ Syracuse Nationals | W 104-103 | |
| Dec 21, 1960 | @ Boston Celtics | L 120-108 | |
| Dec 26, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 133-112 | |
| Dec 28, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 105-99 | |
| Dec 29, 1960 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 112-89 | |
| Dec 30, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 107-99 | |
| Jan 01, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 114-112 | |
| Jan 05, 1961 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 110-96 | |
| Jan 06, 1961 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 108-104 | |
| Jan 08, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 133-104 | |
| Jan 10, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 119-110 | |
| Jan 11, 1961 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 133-128 | |
| Jan 12, 1961 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 111-102 | |
| Jan 14, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 135-113 | |
| Jan 15, 1961 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 137-122 | |
| Jan 18, 1961 | @ Boston Celtics | W 125-114 | |
| Jan 19, 1961 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 129-127 | |
| Jan 21, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 145-122 | |
| Jan 22, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 115-108 | |
| Jan 24, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 114-112 | |
| Jan 25, 1961 | @ New York Knicks | W 116-109 | |
| Jan 28, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 136-116 | |
| Jan 29, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 125-108 | |
| Jan 31, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 109-103 | |
| Feb 01, 1961 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 137-131 | |
| Feb 02, 1961 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 116-115 | |
| Feb 04, 1961 | @ New York Knicks | W 128-111 | |
| Feb 05, 1961 | @ Boston Celtics | L 123-121 | |
| Feb 07, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 127-124 | |
| Feb 08, 1961 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 120-103 | |
| Feb 09, 1961 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 123-113 | |
| Feb 11, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 123-122 | |
| Feb 12, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 105-95 | |
| Feb 14, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 135-134 | |
| Feb 15, 1961 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | W 135-98 | |
| Feb 16, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 133-107 | |
| Feb 18, 1961 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 141-138 | |
| Feb 19, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 123-100 | |
| Feb 21, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 126-114 | |
| Feb 23, 1961 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 144-116 | |
| Feb 24, 1961 | @ New York Knicks | W 122-119 | |
| Feb 25, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 122-109 | |
| Feb 26, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 148-122 | |
| Feb 28, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 131-105 | |
| Mar 01, 1961 | @ Boston Celtics | W 110-97 | |
| Mar 04, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 104-102 | |
| Mar 05, 1961 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 127-122 | |
| Mar 07, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 137-136 | |
| Mar 08, 1961 | @ New York Knicks | W 117-94 | |
| Mar 09, 1961 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 129-119 | |
| Mar 11, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 130-87 |