:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/5548897/20121223_gav_bb1_206.0.jpg)
For the basketball fan the NBA has become a big part of Christmas each year. This season is no different as the league will roll out five marquee matchups beginning at noon. The Atlanta Hawks aren't part of this season's Christmas day schedule and haven't been for some time. So let us flashback to 1989 when the Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers met at the Omni in Atlanta for a Christmas Day matchup.
Spud Webb led the Hawks to a 115-104 win over the Cavaliers as he stepped in for Doc Rivers and finished with 26 points and 12 assists. Moses Malone contributed a double-double with 24 points and 13 rebounds while Dominique Wilkins chipped in 22 points and seven assists. Atlanta shot a sizzling 53 percent in the game and bested the Cavs at the free throw line where they were 25-31. Malone was 14-16 by himself while Cleveland managed to convert 11-24 attempts. Reggie Williams and John "Hot Rod" Williams led the Cavaliers with 17 points each while Mark Price added 13 points and 11 assists.
The win improved the Hawks record to 16-9 but they would go on to finish 41-41 in what was Mike Fratello's last season as head coach. The loss dropped the Cavs to 10-14 but they would go on to finish one game better than the Hawks at 42-40. Atlanta would miss the playoffs by a single game that season.