"Nothing Can Stop Us"
The Silver Anniversary of the 57-win Season of 1986-1987
by Jon Newberry

The 1986-87 Atlanta Hawks set a new team record with 57 wins in the regular season on their way to the Central Division title. The record breaking win showcased all of the excitement and energy that had become familiar to Hawks' fans that season, as the team rallied from 14-points down to defeat the Bulls in Chicago, despite 61 points from Michael Jordan.

But to find the root of all that success, one must go back a few years earlier.

"We had spent about two or three years building that team," said Dominique Wilkins, the team's leading scorer, in a recent interview. "Everybody bought into the system, everbody played their role. We knew that we were going to be good. We had a lot of tough players, a lot of players that really wanted to win."

Indeed, that year's team got off to a quick start, winning 10 of their first 12 games, including a 97-96 win over the defending champion Boston Celtics when 'Nique poured in 38 points. Injuries to Tree Rollins and Spud Webb slowed the team's progress in January, but they won 24 of their final 28 games en route to setting the new franchise record.

Overall, the team was young, with Rollins standing tall (he was 7'1") as the only key player over 30.

"I think in that era guys had to grow up quicker," said Wilkins. "You had to be responsible because guys counted on you. If you didn't come play hard, guys would let you know you weren't playing hard. That's the respect we had for one another. We never took constructive criticism personal. It was all about making our team better."

One trademark of the team was effort on defense. At a time when every team was averaging well over 100 points each game, the Hawks led the league by holding opponents to 102.8 ppg.

"We were a great defensive team," Wilkins remembered. "You weren't going to stop anybody in those days, but to slow them down... if you slowed them down then you did your job."

Joining Wilkins as regular starters that season:

• Doc Rivers, PG: Doc set a franchise record that season with just over 10 assists per game.
  According to 'Nique - "Doc was our floor leader. He was a guy who dictated everything. He was a guy who got everybody where they needed to be."
• Kevin Willis, PF: Willis was a true physical specimen at 24 years old (he was still that way when he retired two decades later), Willis was the team's leading rebounder (10.5 rpg) and second leading scorer (16.1 ppg).
• Tree Rollins, C: A nine-year veteran, Rollins provided leadership and a daunting presence in the lane. Foot injuries kept him below his career average of 2.2 blocks per game, but he still led the team with 140 for the season.
• Randy Wittman, SG: Too often overlooked, the former Hoosier teamed with Rivers to form on of the best backcourts in the league, each averaging over 12 ppg. The fact that both guards have gone on to head coaching positions in the league speaks to the high basketball I.Q. of the Hawks teams in that era.

And then there is Wilkins.

Ira Berkow wrote a great piece for The New York Times prior to the final game of that season, profiling the "hottest team in the league." In the article, head coach Mike Fratello spoke about a conversation he had with Dominique following the 1984 playoffs.

Wilkins responded by increasing his scoring from 21.6 ppg in 1983-84 to over 30 ppg in 1985-86 while capturing the NBA scoring title. The team won 50 games that year, but Fratello knew that he could get more out of his superstar.

"After (the 1985-86) season, I went to 'Nique, and said, 'We know you can score,"' said Fratello, "and we won 50 games. But obviously it's not enough. The overall game still has to be improved."

Wilkins again responded to his coaches prodding, and the team went on to the record-setting season.