The 1965-66 season marked the Atlanta Hawks’ final year in St. Louis before relocating to Atlanta. The team finished with a regular-season record of 36-44, placing them third in the Western Division. Despite a sub-.500 record, the Hawks managed to secure a playoff berth.
In the postseason, the Hawks faced the Baltimore Bullets in the Western Division Semifinals. Atlanta advanced to the next round after defeating the Bullets in a best-of-five series, 3-0. However, their playoff run ended in the Western Division Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, where they lost the series 4-3 in a tightly contested matchup.
The season was notable for player contributions from stars like Lenny Wilkens, who was a key figure on the court. The move to Atlanta the following season marked the beginning of a new chapter for the franchise.
- Regular Season Record: 0-0
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Atlanta Hawks Roster and Stats for 1965-66 Season
POINTS
Zelmo Beaty
20.7
REBOUNDS
Zelmo Beaty
13.5
ASSISTS
Lenny Wilkens
6.2
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Zelmo Beaty | 80 | 20.7 | 13.5 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 19.0 | 13.1 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Lenny Wilkens | 69 | 18.0 | 4.6 | 6.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 17.1 | 5.4 | 7.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Richie Guerin | 80 | 14.9 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 20.6 | 3.7 | 7.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Joe Caldwell | 46 | 14.2 | 5.2 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 18.7 | 5.5 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Cliff Hagan | 74 | 13.7 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 11.3 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bill Bridges | 78 | 13.0 | 12.1 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 20.3 | 14.9 | 2.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Chico Vaughn | 19 | 9.9 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rod Thorn | 46 | 8.8 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| John Barnhill | 31 | 8.5 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| John Tresvant | 15 | 6.7 | 5.7 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Washington | 65 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jeff Mullins | 44 | 5.8 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Gene Tormohlen | 71 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 1.2 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Paul Silas | 46 | 3.8 | 5.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7 | 2.6 | 4.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mike Farmer | 8 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Atlanta Hawks 1965-66 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1965-66 season for the Atlanta Hawks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 1965 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 111-100 | |
| Oct 16, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 106-94 | |
| Oct 20, 1965 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 119-99 | |
| Oct 23, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 120-110 | |
| Oct 30, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 122-95 | |
| Nov 03, 1965 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 120-116 | |
| Nov 05, 1965 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 118-116 | |
| Nov 06, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 131-101 | |
| Nov 10, 1965 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 124-117 | |
| Nov 11, 1965 | @ Boston Celtics | L 87-83 | |
| Nov 13, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 138-113 | |
| Nov 16, 1965 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 107-98 | |
| Nov 20, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 110-101 | |
| Nov 22, 1965 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 112-108 | |
| Nov 24, 1965 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 112-108 | |
| Nov 25, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 119-113 | |
| Nov 27, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 136-110 | |
| Nov 28, 1965 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 110-102 | |
| Nov 30, 1965 | @ New York Knicks | L 138-119 | |
| Dec 01, 1965 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 110-101 | |
| Dec 04, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 100-94 | |
| Dec 05, 1965 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 113-99 | |
| Dec 07, 1965 | @ Boston Celtics | L 112-96 | |
| Dec 08, 1965 | @ New York Knicks | W 104-93 | |
| Dec 10, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 109-106 | |
| Dec 11, 1965 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 126-108 | |
| Dec 12, 1965 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 123-101 | |
| Dec 15, 1965 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 128-113 | |
| Dec 17, 1965 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 103-102 | |
| Dec 25, 1965 | @ New York Knicks | W 131-111 | |
| Dec 26, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 117-115 | |
| Dec 27, 1965 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 108-100 | |
| Dec 28, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 107-100 | |
| Dec 30, 1965 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 130-113 | |
| Jan 01, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 100-98 | |
| Jan 03, 1966 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 130-114 | |
| Jan 05, 1966 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 114-101 | |
| Jan 07, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 137-97 | |
| Jan 08, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 115-105 | |
| Jan 09, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 127-117 | |
| Jan 13, 1966 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 107-102 | |
| Jan 14, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 121-119 | |
| Jan 16, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 136-128 | |
| Jan 17, 1966 | @ New York Knicks | W 115-106 | |
| Jan 18, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 109-107 | |
| Jan 20, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 103-92 | |
| Jan 21, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 117-108 | |
| Jan 22, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 119-111 | |
| Jan 23, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 104-98 | |
| Jan 24, 1966 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 110-107 | |
| Jan 25, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 142-107 | |
| Jan 28, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 114-104 | |
| Jan 29, 1966 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 116-115 | |
| Jan 30, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 115-98 | |
| Feb 02, 1966 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 96-89 | |
| Feb 03, 1966 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 122-113 | |
| Feb 04, 1966 | @ Boston Celtics | L 117-95 | |
| Feb 06, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 109-105 | |
| Feb 07, 1966 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 111-104 | |
| Feb 13, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 104-102 | |
| Feb 15, 1966 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 121-109 | |
| Feb 20, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 126-123 | |
| Feb 22, 1966 | @ New York Knicks | L 113-108 | |
| Feb 24, 1966 | @ Boston Celtics | L 134-106 | |
| Feb 27, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 125-114 | |
| Feb 28, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 108-103 | |
| Mar 01, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 120-95 | |
| Mar 04, 1966 | @ Boston Celtics | W 132-112 | |
| Mar 06, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 119-106 | |
| Mar 07, 1966 | @ Boston Celtics | L 106-104 | |
| Mar 08, 1966 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 112-106 | |
| Mar 09, 1966 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 123-115 | |
| Mar 12, 1966 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 114-113 | |
| Mar 13, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 115-106 | |
| Mar 15, 1966 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 110-109 | |
| Mar 17, 1966 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 116-112 | |
| Mar 18, 1966 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 132-120 | |
| Mar 19, 1966 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 115-112 | |
| Mar 20, 1966 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 121-117 | |
| Mar 22, 1966 | @ New York Knicks | L 126-125 |