The 2020β21Atlanta Hawks season was the 72nd season of the franchise in the
National Basketball Association (NBA) and the 53rd in
Atlanta. On March 1, 2021, head coach
Lloyd Pierce was fired after a 14β20 start[1] and replaced by
Nate McMillan, who would serve out the remainder of the year as interim head coach. On May 12, the Hawks clinched their first playoff appearance since
2017, ending their four-year playoff drought. On May 15, The Hawks clinched their first Southeast Division title since
2014β15 when the
Miami Heat lost to the
Milwaukee Bucks 122β108.
The Hawks surprised many on their playoff run as they went on to defeat the fourth seeded
New York Knicks in five games in the first round.[2] Then in a major upset, the Hawks defeated the top seeded
Philadelphia 76ers in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals; two of their victories involved coming back from large deficits. They advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2015.[3] However, their run would come to an end as they lost in six games to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals, coached by former Hawks coach
Mike Budenholzer, who had led them to the Eastern Conference finals in 2015.[4] The team is similar to the
1977β78 Seattle SuperSonics, as both teams struggled early on, made a coaching change, got a better record to surge up the standings, and had an unexpectedly deep playoff run.[5]
^2025 second round draft pick to Oklahoma City.
Atlanta's 2025 2nd round pick to Oklahoma City protected for selections 31-55 (if this pick falls within its protected range and is therefore not conveyed, then Atlanta's obligation to Oklahoma City will be extinguished) [Atlanta-Oklahoma City, 11/24/2020]
The 2020β21Atlanta Hawks season was the 72nd season of the franchise in the
National Basketball Association (NBA) and the 53rd in
Atlanta. On March 1, 2021, head coach
Lloyd Pierce was fired after a 14β20 start[1] and replaced by
Nate McMillan, who would serve out the remainder of the year as interim head coach. On May 12, the Hawks clinched their first playoff appearance since
2017, ending their four-year playoff drought. On May 15, The Hawks clinched their first Southeast Division title since
2014β15 when the
Miami Heat lost to the
Milwaukee Bucks 122β108.
The Hawks surprised many on their playoff run as they went on to defeat the fourth seeded
New York Knicks in five games in the first round.[2] Then in a major upset, the Hawks defeated the top seeded
Philadelphia 76ers in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals; two of their victories involved coming back from large deficits. They advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2015.[3] However, their run would come to an end as they lost in six games to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals, coached by former Hawks coach
Mike Budenholzer, who had led them to the Eastern Conference finals in 2015.[4] The team is similar to the
1977β78 Seattle SuperSonics, as both teams struggled early on, made a coaching change, got a better record to surge up the standings, and had an unexpectedly deep playoff run.[5]
^2025 second round draft pick to Oklahoma City.
Atlanta's 2025 2nd round pick to Oklahoma City protected for selections 31-55 (if this pick falls within its protected range and is therefore not conveyed, then Atlanta's obligation to Oklahoma City will be extinguished) [Atlanta-Oklahoma City, 11/24/2020]