The1970–71 NBA season was the 25th season of theNational Basketball Association. The season ended with theMilwaukee Bucks winning the NBA Championship, beating theBaltimore Bullets 4 games to 0 in theNBA Finals.[1] Three new teams made their debut: theCleveland Cavaliers, thePortland Trail Blazers, and theBuffalo Braves.
1970–71 NBA season | |
---|---|
League | National Basketball Association |
Sport | Basketball |
Duration | October 13, 1970 – March 23, 1971 March 24 – April 19, 1971 (Playoffs) April 21–30, 1971 (Finals) |
Number of games | 82 |
Number of teams | 17 |
TV partner(s) | ABC |
Draft | |
Top draft pick | Bob Lanier |
Picked by | Detroit Pistons |
Regular season | |
Top seed | Milwaukee Bucks |
SeasonMVP | Lew Alcindor (Milwaukee) |
Top scorer | Lew Alcindor (Milwaukee) |
Playoffs | |
Eastern champions | Baltimore Bullets |
Eastern runners-up | New York Knicks |
Western champions | Milwaukee Bucks |
Western runners-up | Los Angeles Lakers |
Finals | |
Venue | |
Champions | Milwaukee Bucks |
Runners-up | Baltimore Bullets |
FinalsMVP | Lew Alcindor (Milwaukee) |
NBA seasons | |
Notable occurrences
edit- For the first time, the league was divided into Conferences (Eastern andWestern), each with two divisions. TheDetroit Pistons andMilwaukee Bucks were shifted from the oldEastern Division to the Western Conference'sMidwest Division, and theAtlanta Hawks were switched from theWestern Division to the Eastern Conference'sCentral Division.
- Before the season, on June 18, 1970, the NBA owners voted 13–4, to seek approval from Congress for a merger with the 11-team American Basketball Association into a 28-team league that would retain the NBA name.[2] The NBA players opposed the merger, andOscar Robertson filed an antitrust lawsuit that prevented further proceedings.
- The1971 NBA All-Star Game was played at theSan Diego Sports Arena inSan Diego, with the West beating the East 108–107.Lenny Wilkens of theSeattle SuperSonics won the game's MVP award.
- TheRookie of the Year award was shared by two players for the first time in league history. They wereDave Cowens of theBoston Celtics andGeoff Petrie of thePortland Trail Blazers.[3]
- In only their third year of existence, the Bucks won the NBA Championship, sweeping theBaltimore Bullets in four straight games. This was the first NBA finals to feature none of the NBA's foundation franchises; the Bullets franchise had joined the NBA as the Chicago Packers in 1961, and the Bucks franchise had joined in 1968. It was also the first NBA finals since 1956 to feature neitherBill Russell orWilt Chamberlain.
- Among those who retired this season includeAl Attles,Bob Boozer,Connie Dierking,Bailey Howell,Tom Meschery andAdrian Smith.* The NBA expanded to 17 teams as thePortland Trail Blazers,Buffalo Braves, andCleveland Cavaliers began play.[4]
Offseason | ||
---|---|---|
Team | 1969–70 coach | 1970–71 coach |
Buffalo Braves | Expansion | Dolph Schayes |
Cleveland Cavaliers | Expansion | Bill Fitch |
Portland Trail Blazers | Expansion | Rolland Todd |
San Francisco Warriors | George C. Lee | Al Attles |
In-season | ||
Team | Outgoing coach | Incoming coach |
N/A |
Final standings
editBy division
editW | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-New York Knicks | 52 | 30 | .634 | – | 32–9 | 19–20 | 1–1 | 10–6 |
x-Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 5 | 24–15 | 21–18 | 2–2 | 10–6 |
Boston Celtics | 44 | 38 | .537 | 8 | 25–14 | 18–22 | 1–2 | 8–8 |
Buffalo Braves | 22 | 60 | .268 | 30 | 14–23 | 6–30 | 2–7 | 2–10 |
W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-Baltimore Bullets | 42 | 40 | .512 | – | 24–13 | 16–25 | 2–2 | 10–6 |
x-Atlanta Hawks | 36 | 46 | .439 | 6 | 21–20 | 14–26 | 1–0 | 9–7 |
Cincinnati Royals | 33 | 49 | .402 | 9 | 17–16 | 11–28 | 5–5 | 16–6 |
Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | .183 | 27 | 11–30 | 2–37 | 2–0 | 1–13 |
W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-Milwaukee Bucks | 66 | 16 | .805 | – | 34–2 | 28–13 | 4–1 | 14–4 |
x-Chicago Bulls | 51 | 31 | .622 | 15 | 30–11 | 17–19 | 4–1 | 7–11 |
Phoenix Suns | 48 | 34 | .585 | 18 | 27–14 | 19–20 | 2–0 | 9–9 |
Detroit Pistons | 45 | 37 | .549 | 21 | 24–17 | 20–19 | 1–1 | 6–12 |
W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-Los Angeles Lakers | 48 | 34 | .585 | – | 30–11 | 17–22 | 1–1 | 15–7 |
x-San Francisco Warriors | 41 | 41 | .500 | 7 | 20–18 | 19–21 | 2–2 | 12–10 |
San Diego Rockets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 8 | 24–15 | 15–26 | 1–1 | 14–8 |
Seattle SuperSonics | 38 | 44 | .463 | 10 | 27–13 | 11–30 | 0–1 | 10–14 |
Portland Trail Blazers | 29 | 53 | .354 | 19 | 18–21 | 9–26 | 2–6 | 3–15 |
By conference
edit# | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | |
1 | z-New York Knicks | 52 | 30 | .634 |
2 | y-Baltimore Bullets | 42 | 40 | .512 |
3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | .573 |
4 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 36 | 46 | .439 |
5 | Boston Celtics | 44 | 38 | .537 |
6 | Cincinnati Royals | 33 | 49 | .402 |
7 | Buffalo Braves | 22 | 60 | .268 |
8 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | .183 |
# | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | |
1 | z-Milwaukee Bucks | 66 | 16 | .805 |
2 | y-Los Angeles Lakers | 48 | 34 | .585 |
3 | x-Chicago Bulls | 51 | 31 | .622 |
4 | x-San Francisco Warriors | 41 | 41 | .500 |
5 | Phoenix Suns | 48 | 34 | .585 |
6 | Detroit Pistons | 45 | 37 | .549 |
7 | San Diego Rockets | 40 | 42 | .488 |
8 | Seattle SuperSonics | 38 | 44 | .463 |
9 | Portland Trail Blazers | 29 | 53 | .354 |
Notes
- z,y – division champions
- x – clinched playoff spot
Playoffs
editMain article:1971 NBA playoffs
Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | NBA Finals | ||||||||||||
A1 | New York* | 4 | ||||||||||||
C2 | Atlanta | 1 | ||||||||||||
A1 | New York* | 3 | ||||||||||||
Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||||
C1 | Baltimore* | 4 | ||||||||||||
C1 | Baltimore* | 4 | ||||||||||||
A2 | Philadelphia | 3 | ||||||||||||
C1 | Baltimore* | 0 | ||||||||||||
M1 | Milwaukee* | 4 | ||||||||||||
M1 | Milwaukee* | 4 | ||||||||||||
P2 | San Francisco | 1 | ||||||||||||
M1 | Milwaukee* | 4 | ||||||||||||
Western Conference | ||||||||||||||
P1 | Los Angeles* | 1 | ||||||||||||
P1 | Los Angeles* | 4 | ||||||||||||
M2 | Chicago | 3 |
- * Division winner
- Bold Series winner
- Italic Team with home-court advantage
Statistics leaders
editCategory | Player | Team | Stat |
---|---|---|---|
Points per game | Lew Alcindor | Milwaukee Bucks | 31.7 |
Rebounds per game | Wilt Chamberlain | Los Angeles Lakers | 18.2 |
Assists per game | Norm Van Lier | Cincinnati Royals | 10.1 |
FG% | Johnny Green | Cincinnati Royals | .587 |
FT% | Chet Walker | Chicago Bulls | .859 |
NBA awards
edit- Most Valuable Player:Lew Alcindor,Milwaukee Bucks
- Co-Rookies of the Year:Geoff Petrie,Portland Trail Blazers andDave Cowens,Boston Celtics
- Coach of the Year:Dick Motta,Chicago Bulls
- All-NBA First Team:
- G –Dave Bing,Detroit Pistons
- G –Jerry West,Los Angeles Lakers
- C – Lew Alcindor, Milwaukee Bucks
- F –Billy Cunningham,Philadelphia 76ers
- F –John Havlicek, Boston Celtics
- All-NBA Second Team:
- F –Gus Johnson,Baltimore Bullets
- F –Bob Love, Chicago Bulls
- C –Willis Reed,New York Knicks
- G –Walt Frazier, New York Knicks
- G –Oscar Robertson, Milwaukee Bucks
- All-NBA Rookie Team:
- Geoff Petrie, Portland Trail Blazers
- Bob Lanier, Detroit Pistons
- Calvin Murphy,San Diego Rockets
- Dave Cowens, Boston Celtics
- Pete Maravich,Atlanta Hawks
- NBA All-Defensive First Team:
- Dave DeBusschere, New York Knicks
- Gus Johnson, Baltimore Bullets
- Nate Thurmond,San Francisco Warriors
- Walt Frazier, New York Knicks
- Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers
- NBA All-Defensive Second Team:
- John Havlicek, Boston Celtics
- Paul Silas,Phoenix Suns
- Lew Alcindor, Milwaukee Bucks
- Jerry Sloan, Chicago Bulls
- Norm Van Lier,Cincinnati Royals
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Moussavi, Sam (August 1, 2016).Milwaukee Bucks. Weigl Publishers. p. 23.ISBN 978-1-4896-4704-7.
- ^"NBA Okays Merger With ABA", AP report inRochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle, June 19, 1970, p.D1
- ^Janoff, Barry."15 Reasons NBA 1970-71 Kicks the Butt of NBA 2010-11".Bleacher Report. RetrievedDecember 27, 2022.
- ^"Season Review: 1970-71".NBA.com. RetrievedDecember 27, 2022.