Fansided

Every NBA team’s worst iteration ever

By Rich Kraetsch

BOSTON - NOVEMBER 20: Guard Chris Herren and coach Rick Pitino's expressions on the bench reflected their loss against the 76ers. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON - NOVEMBER 20: Guard Chris Herren and coach Rick Pitino's expressions on the bench reflected their loss against the 76ers. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA – DECEMBER 11: Antoine Walker #8 of the Atlanta Hawks goes up for a tip-in against the New Jersey Nets during a game on December 11, 2004 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
ATLANTA – DECEMBER 11: Antoine Walker #8 of the Atlanta Hawks goes up for a tip-in against the New Jersey Nets during a game on December 11, 2004 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Atlanta Hawks (2004-05, 13-59, -9.62 SRS)

Nobody is going to confuse the Atlanta Hawks for being one of the NBA’s storied franchises. Yet, Atlanta has managed to avoid truly disastrous seasons since their first NBA season in 1950 as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks.

That is until 2004-05.

First-year head coach Mike Woodson inherited a team that had won only 28 games the year prior under then-head coach Terry Stotts. General manager Billy Knight retooled the struggling team in the offseason moving away from the core of Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Jason Terry, acquiring All-Star Antoine Walker, Al Harrington and combining them with draft picks Josh Smith and Josh Childress.

The Hawks got off to a terrible 0-4 start and never found their footing. By the beginning of December, Atlanta was 2-12. At the halfway point, they were 10-41. Walker was dealt to the Boston Celtics at midseason and Atlanta for a brief moment acquired Gary Payton, who was immediately (and mercifully) returned back to the Celtics.

Despite the dreadful year, Josh Smith won the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend while both Smith and Childress made the All-Rookie Season Team. So, you know, it wasn’t all bad.

Atlanta finished with a 13-69 record and found themselves at or near the bottom of the league in most major statistical categories: 28th in points per game, 29th in opponent points per game, dead last in SRS and 29th in both OffRtg and DefRtg.

Things were so dreadful in Atlanta, the team failed to beat any NBA team more than once all-year and were swept by half the teams in the league.

On the positive, Atlanta’s dreadful season gave them great odds in the NBA Draft lottery and they would be rewarded with the #2 pick in the 2005 Draft. They would draft North Carolina star Marvin Williams with that pick and in doing so passed up the opportunity to draft Deron Williams or Chris Paul.

Whoops.

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