Tag: nba

The NBA Time Machine: 1983

Posted on by in Sports, The NBA Time Machine

Published July 27, 2023

The NBA Time Machine:
1983

Trade Me Once, Shame On You

Good Days Are Mo-ver

Hardly acknowledged was the increasingly unstable nature of the Houston Rockets. The 1981 finalists didn’t quite achieve over the previous season, failing to improve their roster and only seeing forty-six wins. Superstar Moses Malone was so dominant that he could lug an underwhelming cast to a positive record, but the Texas magic faded by the playoffs as they bowed out in the first round.

With Malone now in free agency, the Houston’s hand was forced. They struggled to gauge the value of their franchise great, eventually settling for a yearly offer of 1.5 to 2 million. The Philadelphia 76ers subsequently joined the sweepstakes in shocking fashion, presenting a six-year contract that fell between eleven and fifteen million total. The Rockets opted to match the offer, but their two-time M.V.P. had already felt a warm appreciation from Philadelphia. With his sights now on Julius Erving-led club, Houston was forced to settle for a sign-and-trade to at least reap some benefits from their loss.

The return wasn’t exactly inspiring – all they could muster was a thirty-two-year-old Caldwell Jones and one first-round draft pick. They grabbed a franchise-worst fourteen matches and had no players reach the fifteen-point mark in scoring average.

On the flipside, Philadelphia surged with their new acquisition – their sixty-five wins was the second greatest in 76ers history, and Malone was awarded yet another M.V.P. This made him the first player to win in back-to-back seasons…on different teams.

Worthy of Success?

The Cleveland Cavaliers had asserted themselves as a directionless franchise by the early-80’s, with only three playoff appearances to their name. By mid-February of the 1979-80 season, owner Ted Stepien had playoff hopes – his club may have been 24-37, but optimism guided his decisions. There was a belief in the front office that the Cavaliers could surge in the latter half of the year and secure a playoff berth.

Stepien contacted the Los Angeles Lakers – who were a notably deep team with many unused rotational pieces – for potential trade talks. The seldom-utilized defensive specialist Don Ford was being eyed by Cleveland, and was ultimately traded for sophomore guard Butch Lee and a first-round pick. Lee was a top prospect in the 1978 draft, but injuries soured his value – the Cavaliers wanted somebody proven.

Considering the franchise was expected to be below-average at worst, the pick was not expected to be of significant value. This changed after Cleveland compiled a league-worst record, inflating its worth. Their former trade asset was now valued as the number-one pick, and they had lost it to Los Angeles. This cast a grim cloud on their future, as they could have obtained North Carolina college sensation James Worthy.

A coin flip between the Lakers and San Diego Clippers favored the bigger brother, adding a high-upside rookie to a defending championship team. This was a league-breaking move that helped further deepen their roster, and the Cavaliers were met with side eyes. An already budding dynasty was now boosted by an eventual All-Rookie talent, entirely thanks to Stepien’s hastiness.

We See You!

In accordance with the recent Comeback Player of the Year award, the NBA continued to diversify its regular season honors with two new trophies – the Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year.

The former was intended for the best defender of the season, initially awarded to Sidney Moncrief of the Milwaukee Bucks. The latter was designated for the best “sixth man” – a term synonymous with a bench player – eventually falling into the hands of Philadelphia’s Bobby Jones.

Standout Players

Moses Malone

Due to playing alongside better teammates, Malone’s statistics naturally regressed – however, his impact was greater than ever. He led the league in rebounding for the third consecutive season and helped Philadelphia win sixty-five games, resulting in his third M.V.P. award.

Larry Bird

Bird’s growth continued as he achieved career highs in points, rebounds, assists, and efficiency. The Celtics may not have clinched sixty games this time around, but it did not change Bird’s status as an M.V.P. runner-up for the third consecutive year.

Magic Johnson

Now a definitive superstar, the reigning Finals M.V.P. led the NBA in assists as Los Angeles saw fifty-eight victories. He became the seventh player to average ten assists in a season, and the second of the decade after Micheal Ray Richardson.

Buck Williams

The third overall pick showed out for his New Jersey club, anchoring a top-ranked defense and and the franchise’s best record since joining the NBA. Williams was also a part of the top rebounding and efficiency leaders.

Artis Gilmore

Gilmore fit perfectly with his new team, continuing his stretch of quality play and vaulting the Spurs to a fifty-win campaign again. He was one of two players to shoot over sixty-percent from the field and maintained his defensive dominance.

Sidney Moncrief

The young guard managed to develop further as a hyper-efficient two-way player. He averaged over twenty points per game for the first time and sustained his gritty persona, being awarded the inaugural Defensive Player of the Year award.

Around the League

Team Standings

Notes
An asterisk (*) indicates that the team qualified for the playoffs.

Eastern Conference
Atlantic DivisionWLCentral DivisionWL
Philadelphia 76ers*6517Milwaukee Bucks*5131
Boston Celtics*5626Atlanta Hawks*4339
New Jersey Nets*4933Detroit Pistons3745
New York Knicks*4438Chicago Bulls2854
Washington Bullets4240Cleveland Cavaliers2359
Indiana Pacers2062
Western Conference
Midwest DivisionWLPacific DivisionWL
San Antonio Spurs*5329Los Angeles Lakers*5824
Denver Nuggets*4537Phoenix Suns*5329
Kansas City Kings4537Seattle SuperSonics*4834
Dallas Mavericks3844Portland Trail Blazers*4636
Utah Jazz3052Golden State Warriors3052
Houston Rockets1468San Diego Clippers2557

Fun Facts

  • The Houston Rockets’ record of 14-68 became the second worst in NBA history.
  • This was the Boston Celtics’ first season below sixty wins since the debut of Larry Bird.
  • The San Antonio Spurs continued their hot streak of divisional titles, winning their third in a row.
  • For the first time since 1978, all members of a division finished with a winning record.
    • This was accomplished by the Atlantic Division, whose worst team was the forty-two-win Washington Bullets.
  • Although they did not clinch a playoff berth, the Dallas Mavericks improved in swift fashion for an expansion team – they were only three games under .500, and developed a distinct offense-oriented mentality.
  • The Denver Nuggets led the NBA in pace for the third straight season.
  • Under the watch of Moses Malone, the Philadelphia 76ers obtained their first divisional title since 1978.

Notable Movement

Key

The player stats listed are based on their last tenure, whether it be with their former team or the previous season.
Name(s) under the “Top Draft Picks” section with a plus (+) opted to play in another league instead of the NBA this season.
p – points
r – rebounds
a – assists
s – steals
b – blocks

Top Draft Picks

#TeamPlayer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10		Los Angeles Lakers
San Diego Clippers
Utah Jazz
Dallas Mavericks
Kansas City Kings
New York Knicks
Chicago Bulls
Indiana Pacers
Detroit Pistons
Atlanta Hawks		James Worthy
Terry Cummings
Dominique Wilkins
Bill Garnett
LaSalle Thompson
Trent Tucker
Quintin Dailey
Clark Kellogg
Cliff Levingston
Keith Edmonson

Players

DatePlayerTeamActionDestinationStats
July 7, 1982Truck RobinsonPhoenix SunsTradedNew York Knicks(19.1p/9.7r/2.4a)
July 22, 1982Artis GilmoreChicago BullsTradedSan Antonio Spurs(18.5p/10.2r/2.7b)
September 15, 1982Moses MaloneHouston RocketsTradedPhiladelphia 76ers(31.1p/14.7r/1.5b)
October 22, 1982Bernard KingGolden State WarriorsTradedNew York Knicks(23.2p/5.9r/3.6a)
February 6, 1983Micheal Ray RichardsonGolden State WarriorsTradedNew Jersey Nets(12.5p/7.4a/3.1s)

Other Personnel

DatePersonTeamAction
June 23, 1982Coach Paul WestheadChicago BullsHired
October 21, 1982Coach Bill MusselmanCleveland CavaliersResigned
October 21, 1982Coach Tom NissalkeCleveland CavaliersHired
March 13, 1983Coach Al AttlesGolden State WarriorsReassigned
April 6, 1983Coach Larry BrownNew Jersey NetsResigned
April 8, 1983Coach Stan AlbeckNew Jersey NetsHired
April 18, 1983Coach Scotty RobertsonDetroit PistonsFired
April 20, 1983Coach Paul SilasSan Diego ClippersFired
April 22, 1983Coach Del HarrisHouston RocketsResigned
May 10, 1983Coach Paul WestheadChicago BullsFired
May 12, 1983Coach Johnny BachGolden State WarriorsHired
May 17, 1983Coach Chuck DalyDetroit PistonsHired
May 27, 1983Coach Bill FitchBoston CelticsFired

Retirements

PlayerTeam(s)Notable Accomplishments
Bob DandridgeMilwaukee Bucks
Washington Bullets		2x Champion
1x All-NBA
4x All-Star
1x All-Defensive
1970 All-Rookie Team
John JohnsonCleveland Cavaliers
Portland Trail Blazers
Houston Rockets
Seattle SuperSonics		1x Champion
2x All-Star
George McGinnisPhiladelphia 76ers
Denver Nuggets
Indiana Pacers		2x All-NBA
3x All-Star

League Leaders

Key

PPG – points per game
RPG – rebounds per game
APG – assists per game
SPG – steals per game
BPG – blocks per game
FG% – field goal percentage (percentage of shots that hit)
FT% – free throw percentage (percentage of foul shots that hit)
3P% – three-point field goal percentage (percentage of three-point shots that hit)

StatLeaders
PPGAlex English (28.4)
Kiki Vandeweghe (26.7)
Kelly Tripucka (26.5)
George Gervin (26.2)
Moses Malone (24.5)
RPGMoses Malone (15.3)
Buck Williams (12.5)
Bill Laimbeer (12.1)
Artis Gilmore (12)
Jack Sikma (11.4)
APGMagic Johnson (10.5)
Johnny Moore (9.8)
Rickey Green (8.9)
Larry Drew (8.1)
Frank Johnson (8.1)
SPGMicheal Ray Richardson (2.8)
Rickey Green (2.8)
Johnny Moore (2.5)
Isiah Thomas (2.5)
Darwin Cook (2.4)
BPGTree Rollins (4.3)
Bill Walton (3.6)
Mark Eaton (3.4)
Larry Nance (2.6)
Artis Gilmore (2.3)
FG%Artis Gilmore (62%)
Steve Johnson (62%)
Darryl Dawkins (59%)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (58%)
Buck Williams (58%)
FT%Calvin Murphy (92%)
Kiki Vandeweghe (87%)
Kyle Macy (87%)
George Gervin (85%)
Adrian Dantley (84%)
3P%Mike Dunleavy (34%)
Isiah Thomas (28%)
Darrell Griffith (28%)
Allen Leavell (24%)

Playoffs

First Round

East / Boston Celtics beat Atlanta Hawks, 2-1
These franchises had history, but their relations had been few and between for a decade now. 1973 was their last playoff matchup, and they were wildly different rosters at this point in time.

Boston warded off Dan Roundfield and Dominique Wilkins in Game 1, but fell short in the second outing due to a Larry Bird shooting slump. Game 3 was a physical and tense match, including a fight between Atlanta’s Tree Rollins and Boston’s Danny Ainge – the latter’s club emerged victorious, however, thanks to Bird’s thorough dominance.
East / New York Knicks beat New Jersey Nets, 2-0
For the first time in league history, the bordering rivals had been good enough to host a post-season round. Also an intriguing narrative was the battle of siblings Bernard and Albert King, who represented the Knicks and Nets respectively.

Bernard’s experience showed from the jump, scoring forty points to lift New York to their first playoff win in five years. Despite being outplayed by his brother in the subsequent Game 2, the Knicks’ offensive depth prompted a sweep – their bench outscored New Jersey’s 33-12.
West / Denver Nuggets beat Phoenix Suns, 2-1
Consecutive first round battles were on the plate for these western small markets, with Denver eager to avenge their previous disappointment. A Game 1 blowout loss was not exactly moving, but not all was lost.

Seventy-two combined points from Kiki Vandeweghe, Alex English, and Dan Issel lifted the Nuggets to a series tie, setting the stage for a road tiebreaker match. Affairs were competitive, going into overtime after a timely three-pointer from Mike Evans. Denver managed to claim victory as Alex English exploded for forty-two points, marking the franchise’s first series win since 1978.
West / Portland Trail Blazers beat Seattle SuperSonics, 2-0
The northwest’s favorite rivalry was back in action. Portland had never beaten Seattle in a series, but this was a better opportunity than ever – they had caught up to their contemporaries in overall roster quality, only worse by two wins and splitting the regular season series.

Despite the acrobatic production of Gus Williams, the Blazers stood their ground. Their supporting players were simply significantly better than Seattle’s, a claim further proven by sixth man Kenny Carr’s seventeen points in Game 2.

Semifinals

East / Milwaukee Bucks beat Boston Celtics, 4-0
Despite being among the Eastern Conference’s top contenders for years, the Bucks and Celtics had yet to meet in during the 80’s until now. Boston was rendered as the superior club due to their experience and personnel, but a down year for the 1981 Champions was a trait Milwaukee eyed closely.

The Bucks tore Boston apart in Game 1, shocking the Garden. A combination of the flu and a hand injury then kept Larry Bird out of the second match, resulting in consecutive home losses that spelt bad news for the Celtics. Not a single game favored them, with Marques Johnson eventually handling business in Game 4 with thirty-three points and nine rebounds.

Boston had now been swept, an occurrence considered pitiful for the storied franchise. Their last appearance on the wrong end of a playoff sweep was 1954, and this was their first in a seven-game format.
East / Philadelphia 76ers beat New York Knicks, 4-0
The 76ers were rested and immensely confident, with Moses Malone publicly betting on his club – “fo, fo, fo” was his prediction, claiming they would steamroll through the post-season lossless. This had yet to be done by an NBA team to date, but there was a first for everything…

Philadelphia got off to a proper start, dismantling the Knicks in a sweep. New York’s once-formidable defense collapsed, entirely incapable of guarding Malone and Maurice Cheeks. Out-gunning their adversaries was of no use, either – the only prolific scorer they had was Bernard King, who could not take down an army alone.
West / Los Angeles Lakers beat Portland Trail Blazers, 4-1
The last time Kareem Abdul-Jabbar stared down red jerseys of this hue, Los Angeles was in a darker place. Their supporting cast was a mess, they had no marketability, and were held to zero wins as Bill Walton’s Trail Blazers advanced to the Finals to win a championship.

Six years later, matters were different. The Lakers were now on pace to reach dynastic success, and Portland was devoid of a legitimate superstar. The Captain averaged thirty-three points through a few matches to jump to a 3-0 lead, sights locked on a Conference Finals appearance.

A hot start from the Blazers won them Game 4, but Norm Nixon’s fiery thirty-six-point bomb in the fifth contest ensured his club’s survival.
West / San Antonio Spurs beat Denver Nuggets, 4-1
Since migrating to the NBA, these former ABA franchises had yet to face off. They did via tiebreaker in their former league, but a meet in 1983 wasn’t quite the same as a Texas Chaparrals vs. Denver Rockets headline. In their modern form, fans were blessed with two offensive juggernauts speeding through the wonders of basketball.

San Antonio amply out-played Denver. Some highlights from the first few games included forty-two points from George Gervin in Game 1, twenty assists from Johnny Moore in Game 2, and a ludicrous 39/8/12 stat-line with five steals from the point guard a couple nights later.

The Nuggets finally managed a victory in Game 4 following an ugly shooting night from the Spurs. In response, San Antonio closed the series out with a forty-point victory – a profoundly disrespectful statement.

Conference Finals

East / Philadelphia 76ers beat Milwaukee Bucks, 4-1
Three years of 76ers-Bucks basketball. It was as inevitable as the Philadelphia-Boston rivalry at this point, but these teams could at least rejoice in the fall of their shared Massachusetts rival.

Milwaukee entered scrappy, even forcing overtime after a Junior Bridgeman game-tying shot. Their defense on Moses Malone was quality in Game 1, but the M.V.P. quickly broke through their schemes to win three straight matches.

The Bucks narrowly won the fourth game – therefore spoiling Malone’s playoff sweep hopes – but were shot down shortly after by the center’s twenty-eight points, seventeen rebounds and four blocks.
West / Los Angeles Lakers beat San Antonio Spurs, 4-2
A rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals was underway, albeit with a major difference – Artis Gilmore. The multiple-time All-Star was the perfect asset to slow down Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, which energized San Antonio. To emphasize the validity of their poise, they beat Los Angeles 4-1 in the regular season series – they statistically had the defending champions’ number.

Wins were split in The Forum, but the Lakers mustered two road wins to build a cushioned series lead. San Antonio fought for their lives in Game 5 to keep their aspirations afloat, but they lost in soul-crushing fashion immediately after. Despite twenty-four points and eighteen rebounds from Artis Gilmore, the Texan team slipped into the losers’ column by one point.

Finals

Philadelphia 76ers beat Los Angeles Lakers, 4-0
The Finals was now presenting a clear-cut rivalry – these franchises had met at this stage for the third time in four years, and the 76ers were hungry to finally dethrone Los Angeles for a title of their own.

Moses Malone proved his status as the world’s best player, looking unstoppable in Philadelphia’s two home wins to begin the series. The Lakers jumped to a large lead in Game 3, comfortable in the Californian air – however, the play of Sixth Man of the Year Bobby Jones provided the 76ers with enough energy to come back and win yet again.

The chances of a Los Angeles repeat seemed close to zero at this point, considering a 3-0 lead had never been reversed. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Malone had a battle for the ages, with the thirty-five-year-old collecting more points – however, the reigning M.V.P. out-rebounded his rival by sixteen. This, in tandem with good performances from Julius Erving and Maurice Cheeks, was the dealbreaker – the 76ers were champions again for the first time in sixteen years.
The Philadelphia 76ers win the 1983 NBA championship!
Moses Malone was named the Finals Most Valuable Player.

Awards

Notes
Name(s) under the “All-Stars” section with an asterisk (*) were listed as the MVP of the All-Star Game that year. Those with “(IR)” next to their name were chosen to replace an injured star.

Major Awards

Rookie of the YearMVPFinals MVPCoach of the Year
Terry CummingsMoses MaloneMoses MaloneDon Nelson
Comeback Player of the YearDefensive Player of the YearSixth Man of the Year
Paul WestphalSidney MoncriefBobby Jones

All-NBA

All-NBA First TeamAll-NBA Second Team
Magic Johnson
Sidney Moncrief
Julius Erving
Larry Bird
Moses Malone		Isiah Thomas
George Gervin
Alex English
Buck Williams
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

All-Defensive

All-Defensive First TeamAll-Defensive Second Team
Maurice Cheeks
Dennis Johnson
Sidney Moncrief
Dan Roundfield
Bobby Jones
Moses Malone		T.R. Dunn
Michael Cooper
Larry Bird
Kevin McHale
Tree Rollins

All-Stars

Eastern All-StarsWestern All-Stars
Larry Bird
Maurice Cheeks
Julius Erving*
Marques Johnson
Bill Laimbeer
Moses Malone
Sidney Moncrief
Robert Parish
Reggie Theus
Isiah Thomas
Andrew Toney
Buck Williams		Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Alex English
George Gervin
Artis Gilmore
Magic Johnson
Maurice Lucas
Jim Paxson
Jack Sikma
David Thompson
Kiki Vandeweghe
Jamaal Wilkes
Gus Williams
East beats West, 132-123

All-Rookie

All-Rookie Team
Terry Cummings
Quintin Dailey
Clark Kellogg
Dominique Wilkins
James Worthy

All-Time Championship Leaderboard

Notes
The Baltimore Bullets (1947-1954) won the championship in 1948, but are defunct. As a result, they are not listed.

TeamCountYears
Celtics141957, 1959
1960, 1961
1962, 1963
1964, 1965
1966, 1967
1969, 1974
1976, 1981
Lakers81949, 1950
1952, 1953
1954, 1972
1980, 1982
Warriors31947, 1956
1975
76ers31955, 1967
1983
Knicks21970, 1973
Kings11951
Hawks11958
Bucks11971
Trail Blazers11977
Bullets11978
SuperSonics11979
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The NBA Time Machine: 1982

Posted on by in Sports, The NBA Time Machine

Published July 15, 2023

The NBA Time Machine:
1982

Butting Heads

Poison in the Lake

Coming off a bitter end to the 1980-81 season, the air was a tad toxic in the Los Angeles Lakers’ locker room. This was a byproduct of disputes between coach Paul Westhead and star player Magic Johnson.

Affairs begun on a decent note, with the team going 7-3 through their first ten games. Following a narrow win against the Utah Jazz in early November, the basketball community was rushed with shocking news as Johnson requested a trade to another team. He was becoming increasingly frustrated with Westhead’s coaching philosophy.

The traditionalist coach preferred to run deliberate plays that involved a patient halfcourt offense designed to feed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Johnson did not necessarily have any ill will towards his teammate and mentor, but his offensive ideologies could not have been more different. His vision involved embracing the fast break and demolishing opponent morale with speed and energy.

Given that Johnson could not realize his potential in this system, he reached a breaking point. It was now up to the front office to choose between their star or coach, and history favored the former. This situation was not exempt, as Westhead was fired less than twenty-four hours after news of the request materialized.

Pat Riley, who was an assistant, was ultimately nominated to take the lead role. His willingness to consider Johnson’s approach ultimately led to a fifty-seven-win season and a near-triple-double statistical average for the guard.

Pay Your Guard

In an era of growing player independence, Gus Williams was yet another talent complacent with dismissing his playing duties. The one-time champion sat out the entirety of the previous year, stripping the Seattle SuperSonics of a primary scoring option. They did manage to acquire the multiple-time All-Star Paul Westphal in a trade, but injury woes rendered that move a failure.

Williams’ primary motive for holding out was financial. The guard claimed he had personal reasons intensifying his choice, but they were not detailed. Seattle ultimately gave in, upgrading from a proposed five-hundred-thousand-dollar deal to a monumental one of three-million.

Due to managing his condition in missed time, Williams was far from rusty. He averaged career highs in scoring and assists, therefore receiving his first All-Star Game selection and the Comeback Player of the Year award. The SuperSonics also improved by eighteen games under his lead.

K.C. Kollapse

During the 1981 off-season, the Cleveland Cavaliers forwarded an offer sheet to Kansas City Kings star Otis Birdsong. The expectation was that the shooting guard would side with Cleveland, who had proposed a five-million-dollar agreement – unless the Kings matched the price or traded him, of course.

The reigning Western Conference Finalists were now met with a harsh ultimatum – fork up some significant funds, or lose the franchise’s best player of the last five years. They ultimately chose the latter in an exchange with the New Jersey Nets – Birdsong and a second-round draft pick were swapped for the young and promising power forward Cliff Robinson.

In further conflicts with Cleveland they also lost former All-Star Scott Wedman. While Kansas City did receive a first-round draft pick as compensation, this ripped apart their timeline – they were now working with a severely inexperienced roster that was unlikely to make any serious noise.

After trading Robinson mid-way through the season – to yes, you guessed it, the Cavaliers – Kansas City ultimately embraced a rebuilding period. They finished the season on a 14-18 run and clinched a bottom-five record in the NBA.

Just a Few Buckets

On March 6, the Milwaukee Bucks and San Antonio Spurs went head-to-head in what was an inconspicuous matchup. Both teams were very good, ensuring a quality show, but there were no particular implications at play.

What instead transpired was a historic moment – a triple-overtime showdown that resulted in the highest-scoring game in NBA history. San Antonio bested their adversaries with a 171-166 finish, witnessing ninety-five combined points from George Gervin and Mike Mitchell. Johnny Moore also dished out sixteen assists while only recording one turnover.

On the other end, Brian Winters and Junior Bridgeman recorded a jointed seventy-three points off the bench, nine of which came from three-point shots. Regardless, Milwaukee was bested and spiraled into a five-game losing streak due to exhaustion.

Calming the Thunder

Due to the established popularity of explosive dunks, the NBA was forced to consider the safety of their resources. They chose to implement breakaway rims – which were better-equipped for strong forces – to avoid ramifications such as player injury or shattered backboards. World-class dunkers, including Darryl Dawkins and David Thompson, were protected most by this decision.

Standout Players

Moses Malone

For the third time in the past four seasons, Malone led the NBA in rebounding. The Rockets’ forty-six wins was the third-highest total in franchise history, and he was awarded his second M.V.P. award for dragging a rather bleak supporting cast to the playoffs.

Larry Bird

The superstar forward reached another stage of offensive excellence, averaging career highs in scoring and assists. He also shot over fifty-percent from the field for the first time. Boston’s sixty-three win total became the second-highest the team had ever seen.

Julius Erving

It was yet another business year for the Doctor, who scored on blistering efficiency to keep Philadelphia in firm contention. Despite the gap between him and the next-highest scorer being eight points, the 76ers were a top-five ranked offense – a clear indicator of his impact, if there ever was one.

Magic Johnson

Despite being the proprietor of tension in the locker room, the Los Angeles Lakers had effectively handed the keys to Johnson. He was their best performer, only being half a rebound and assist short of averaging a triple double for the season. The guard also led the league in steals once again.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

This was not Abdul-Jabbar’s prettiest statistical showing – he averaged career lows in all major statistics, and finished with a single-digit rebound average for the first time. This was all by design, though – the improvement of Magic Johnson allowed the Captain to take a backseat in responsibility.

George Gervin

The Iceman won his fourth scoring title amidst yet another Spurs divisional title. This was the club’s fourth in the past five years. They also finished with a top-three offense behind Gervin’s tricks, setting the stage for what could be a competitive playoff run.

Around the League

Team Standings

Notes
An asterisk (*) indicates that the team qualified for the playoffs.

Eastern Conference
Atlantic DivisionWLCentral DivisionWL
Boston Celtics*6319Milwaukee Bucks*5527
Philadelphia 76ers*5824Atlanta Hawks*4240
New Jersey Nets*4438Detroit Pistons3943
Washington Bullets*4339Indiana Pacers3547
New York Knicks3349Chicago Bulls3448
Cleveland Cavaliers1567
Western Conference
Midwest DivisionWLPacific DivisionWL
San Antonio Spurs*4834Los Angeles Lakers*5725
Denver Nuggets*4636Seattle SuperSonics*5230
Houston Rockets*4636Phoenix Suns*4636
Kansas City Kings3052Golden State Warriors4537
Dallas Mavericks2854Portland Trail Blazers4240
Utah Jazz2557San Diego Clippers1765

Fun Facts

  • The New Jersey Nets earned their first winning season since joining the NBA.
  • Despite finishing with winning records, the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers could not secure a playoff berth in the uber-competitive Pacific Division.
  • The twenty-five game gap separating the Portland Trail Blazers and San Diego Clippers was the largest between two divisional rivals since the format was implemented.
  • This was the Phoenix Suns’ first finish below fifty wins since 1978.
  • With four rotational pieces at thirty years of age or higher, the Houston Rockets were the clear-cut oldest squad around.
    • This was finalized by the acquiring of multiple-time All-Star Elvin Hayes, who was the oldest player in the NBA.
  • Alex English’s breakout was the catalyst for a Denver Nuggets bounce-back campaign.
    • Behind him, they sported a generational scoring arsenal – their average of 126.5 points per game was more than enough to boast the league’s top-ranked offense.
      • This was neutralized by their horrific defensive tendencies, giving up 126 points per game as well.

Notable Movement

Key

The player stats listed are based on their last tenure, whether it be with their former team or the previous season.
Name(s) under the “Top Draft Picks” section with a plus (+) opted to play in another league instead of the NBA this season.
p – points
r – rebounds
a – assists
s – steals
b – blocks

Top Draft Picks

#TeamPlayer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10		Dallas Mavericks
Detroit Pistons
New Jersey Nets
Atlanta Hawks
Seattle SuperSonics
Chicago Bulls
Kansas City Kings
San Diego Clippers
Dallas Mavericks
New Jersey Nets		Mark Aguirre
Isiah Thomas
Buck Williams
Al Wood
Danny Vranes
Orlando Woolridge
Steve Johnson
Tom Chambers
Rolando Blackman
Albert King

Players

DatePlayerTeamActionDestinationStats
June 8, 1981Scott WedmanKansas City KingsSignedCleveland Cavaliers(19p/5.3r/2.8a)
June 8, 1981Otis BirdsongKansas City KingsTradedNew Jersey Nets(24.6p/3.6r/3.3a)
June 18, 1981Gus WilliamsSeattle SuperSonicsSigned (from holdout)Seattle SuperSonics(22.1p/4.8a/2.2s)
December 23, 1981Mike MitchellCleveland CavaliersTradedSan Antonio Spurs(19.6p/5.2r/1s)
February 12, 1982Paul WestphalSeattle SuperSonicsSignedNew York Knicks(16.7p/4.1a/1.3s)

Other Personnel

DatePersonTeamActionStats
November 19, 1981Coach Paul WestheadLos Angeles LakersFiredRecord: 7-4
November 19, 1981Coach Pat RileyLos Angeles LakersHiredRecord: 50-21
December 3, 1981Coach Don DelaneyCleveland CavaliersFiredRecord: 4-11
December 3, 1981Coach Bob KloppenburgCleveland CavaliersAppointed (Interim)Record: 0-3
December 4, 1981Coach Chuck DalyCleveland CavaliersHiredRecord: n/a
December 10, 1981Coach Tom NissalkeUtah JazzFiredRecord: 8-12
December 10, 1981Coach Frank LaydenUtah JazzHiredRecord: 17-45
February 17, 1982Coach Jerry SloanChicago BullsFiredRecord: 19-32
February 17, 1982Coach Phil JohnsonChicago BullsAppointed (Interim)Record: 0-1
March 8, 1982Coach Chuck DalyCleveland CavaliersFiredRecord: 9-32
March 8, 1982Coach Bill MusselmanCleveland CavaliersAppointed (Interim)Record: 2-21
May 14, 1982Coach Red HolzmanNew York KnicksRetiredRecord: 33-49
May 20, 1982Coach Hubie BrownNew York KnicksHiredRecord: n/a

Retirements

PlayerTeam(s)Notable Accomplishments
Phil ChenierWashington Bullets
Indiana Pacers
Golden State Warriors		1x Champion
1x All-NBA
3x All-Star
1972 All-Rookie Team
Doug CollinsPhiladelphia 76ers4x All-Star
Rudy TomjanovichHouston Rockets5x All-Star
Wes UnseldWashington Bullets1x Champion
1x Finals MVP
1x MVP
1x All-NBA
5x All-Star
1969 Rookie of the Year
1969 All-Rookie Team
1x Rebounds Leader
Jo Jo WhiteBoston Celtics
Golden State Warriors
Kansas City Kings		2x Champion
1x Finals MVP
2x All-NBA
7x All-Star
1970 All-Rookie Team
Sidney WicksPortland Trail Blazers
Boston Celtics
San Diego Clippers		4x All-Star
1972 Rookie of the Year
1972 All-Rookie Team

League Leaders

Key

PPG – points per game
RPG – rebounds per game
APG – assists per game
SPG – steals per game
BPG – blocks per game
FG% – field goal percentage (percentage of shots that hit)
FT% – free throw percentage (percentage of foul shots that hit)
3P% – three-point field goal percentage (percentage of three-point shots that hit)

StatLeaders
PPGGeorge Gervin (32.3)
Moses Malone (31.1)
Adrian Dantley (30.3)
Alex English (25.4)
Julius Erving (24.4)
RPGMoses Malone (14.7)
Jack Sikma (12.7)
Buck Williams (12.3)
Mychal Thompson (11.7)
Maurice Lucas (11.3)
APGJohnny Moore (9.6)
Magic Johnson (9.5)
Maurice Cheeks (8.4)
Tiny Archibald (8)
Norm Nixon (8)
SPGMagic Johnson (2.7)
Maurice Cheeks (2.6)
Micheal Ray Richardson (2.6)
Quinn Buckner (2.5)
Ray Williams (2.4)
BPGGeorge Johnson (3.1)
Tree Rollins (2.8)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2.7)
Artis Gilmore (2.7)
Robert Parish (2.4)
FG%Artis Gilmore (65%)
Steve Johnson (61%)
Buck Williams (58%)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (57%)
Calvin Natt (57%)
FT%Kyle Macy (89%)
Charlie Criss (88%)
John Long (86%)
George Gervin (86%)
Larry Bird (86%)
3P%Campy Russell (43%)
Andrew Toney (42%)
Kyle Macy (39%)
Brian Winters (38%)
Don Buse (38%)

Playoffs

First Round

East / Philadelphia 76ers beat Atlanta Hawks, 2-0
After a strange down year that involved a playoff absence, the Hawks returned to form and looked to upset the fiery 76ers. Chances were slim, but anything was possible for a team known to defy odds.

Atlanta entered flat, giving Philadelphia a free lane to win. The latter took Game 1 by a staggering thirty-five points, an effort that commenced after Darryl Dawkins set the tone. The center had twenty-seven points, nine rebounds, and eight blocks.

Dan Roundfield of the Hawks made the second match much more competitive, even going to overtime. However, the 76ers squeezed through by a narrow three-point margin to secure a playoff advance.
East / Washington Bullets beat New Jersey Nets, 2-0
Only separated by one game in the win column, either club could conceivably advance to the Semifinals. Both were known for their defensive aptitude, with New Jersey particularly standing out in that regard – however, their personnel situation was much less enticing. Otis Birdsong, their newest acquisition, was out to injury which damaged their depth.

Washington took both matches comfortably, with the former being powered by eighteen points and twenty rebounds from Jeff Ruland off the bench. The Nets simply failed to find an offensive rhythm, something the presence of Birdsong would have rectified.
West / Phoenix Suns beat Denver Nuggets, 2-1
These Western Conference representatives had never met in the post-season before, despite being mutual contenders for a number of years. Their philosophies were antithetical – the Suns won games with draining defense and depth, while Denver was a top-heavy roster that wanted to run-and-gun at all times.

Home games were split, causing an arrangement for Game 3. A strong third quarter from Phoenix – as well as thirty points from Walter Davis off the bench – was enough to get by and maintain the franchise’s four-year streak of Semifinals appearances.
West / Seattle SuperSonics beat Houston Rockets, 2-1
The Rockets may have been defending Conference Champions, but Seattle’s re-emergence as a powerhouse was concerning. The presence of Gus Williams was enough to change a team’s pace and effectiveness, something Houston was required to monitor.

Williams and Moses Malone swapped big performances in wins for their clubs, indicating a tiebreaker was imminent. Despite a decent outing from Malone, the Rockets’ putrid depth was a sight to see for the SuperSonics. Jack Sikma’s thirty points and seventeen rebounds led the team to a series win.

Semifinals

East / Boston Celtics beat Washington Bullets, 4-1
Boston and Washington had not met in the post-season since the 1975 Eastern Conference Finals. These were entirely different cores now, led by Larry Bird and Greg Ballard as opposed to Dave Cowens and Elvin Hayes.

Game 1 was a solid Celtics win, and the second match was looking to be the same – Frank Johnson of the Bullets thought otherwise, hitting a three-pointer to put his club up with three seconds left. Following this 1-1 series tie, Boston took a hefty lead behind big showings from Robert Parish.

The fifth game was down to the wire, with Jeff Ruland hitting a couple free throws at the end to force overtime. No progress was made as it eventually went to a second period, where the Celtics finally pulled away. Parish recorded thirty-three points, thirteen rebounds, three assists, and six blocks in the series-clinching victory.
East / Philadelphia 76ers beat Milwaukee Bucks, 4-2
Milwaukee and Philadelphia returned right where they left off last year – in the Semifinals. Both teams were still just about as even as possible, although the Bucks had a 4-2 advantage in the regular season series.

Cream City’s club struggled to effectively close out games – the 76ers jumped to a 3-1 lead in no time, and the singular loss stemmed from a Sidney Moncrief walk-off buzzer beater. Six double-digit Milwaukee scorers earned the ownership of Game 5, but the entire team – sans Mickey Johnson – shriveled in the must-win sixth match.
West / Los Angeles Lakers beat Phoenix Suns, 4-0
Historically speaking, the Lakers simply had Phoenix’s number. They just gentleman’s swept them a couple years prior, and their chances seemed even prettier this time around.

Consecutive Magic Johnson triple-doubles in blowout wins killed the Suns’ morale immediately. The superstar continued to thoroughly pick apart his opponent in the following outings, eventually leading Los Angeles to a full-power sweep.

Offense bolstered the Lakers – four of the series’ top-five scorers were on their side.
West / San Antonio Spurs beat Seattle SuperSonics, 4-1
A game winner from George Gervin was the first taste fans experienced in this duel, giving the Spurs a quick 1-0 lead. Gus Williams’ determination was enough to keep Seattle in the mix – his thirty-four points and nine assists tied up affairs.

Uninterested in losing their edge, San Antonio pulled off three straight wins behind balanced team performances to advance in five games. Williams was absolutely nuclear offensively but did not receive enough help from his supporting cast, sending the SuperSonics into an anticlimactic defeat.

Conference Finals

East / Philadelphia 76ers beat Boston Celtics, 4-3
For the third consecutive season, the Eastern Conference’s two best teams met in the Conference Finals. This series was perhaps the most important of these teams to date – not only would it break a 1-1 tie, but could open up the gates for a Celtics repeat or long-coveted 76ers title.

On what has been dubbed the “Mother’s Day Massacre”, Boston opened the series with a vicious forty-point blowout led by Larry Bird’s triple-double. Philadelphia responded maturely, securing the next three games behind Andrew Toney’s blistering twenty-eight-point scoring average. The young guard had begun to develop a reputation of being a Celtic killer, earning the nickname “The Boston Strangler”.

Now down 3-1, the green team was in a familiar position. They had overcome this sort of deficit just a season ago, and seemed prepared to replicate that after winning two matches to force Game 7. Thirty-four points from Toney prevented history from repeating, though – he helped Philadelphia enjoy a cushioned win that confirmed their third Finals appearance in the past six years.

Despite the series loss, Boston fans still had life in them – as they watched their players concede defeat, “Beat LA!” chants were heard across the Garden to motivate the lesser of two rivals.
West / Los Angeles Lakers beat San Antonio Spurs, 4-0
Now in the Conference Finals again for the first time since 1979, the Spurs had a large task awaiting them. Dismantling Los Angeles, who had just about all factors in their favor, would not be easy.

Simply put, San Antonio did not have the roster construction to outplay the Lakers. The latter ran too deep in their rotation while also giving minutes to multiple superstars. George Gervin averaged a strong thirty-two points per game for the series, but one man could not defeat an army.

Finals

Los Angeles Lakers beat Philadelphia 76ers, 4-2
After losing in six games to the Lakers in 1980, Philadelphia had redemption in their sights. They had still yet to win a title in the Julius Erving era, instead riding the coattails of the historic 1967 championship run.

Both teams won a game apiece to open up matters, enjoying the benefit of having multiple double-digit scorers. Despite motivating showings from Andrew Toney, the 76ers dropped both road matches and ended up down 3-1 on the plane ride home. They blew Los Angeles out in Game 5 behind Toney’s thirty-one points and eight assists, but had to enter the sixth contest with a different mentality than what was displayed a couple years ago.

Los Angeles thoroughly controlled the pace – offensive rebounds were not their ex-factor this time around, but instead ball movement. Magic Johnson compiled an absurd 13/13/13 stat-line with four steals – he only attempted three shots total, but managed to have an irreplaceable impact on the club’s success. Such manipulation on team morale was unheard of.

Also enormous in this match were Bob McAdoo and Michael Cooper, who combined for thirty-two points off the bench. Not even Toney and Julius Erving’s determination could nullify the makings of such a complete adversary – they had been sent home empty-handed once more, paving the way for the Lakers’ eighth NBA championship.
The Los Angeles Lakers win the 1982 NBA championship!
Magic Johnson was named the Finals Most Valuable Player.

Awards

Notes
Name(s) under the “All-Stars” section with an asterisk (*) were listed as the MVP of the All-Star Game that year. Those with “(IR)” next to their name were chosen to replace an injured star.

Major Awards

Rookie of the YearMVPFinals MVP
Buck WilliamsMoses MaloneMagic Johnson
Coach of the YearComeback Player of the Year
Gene ShueGus Williams

All-NBA

All-NBA First TeamAll-NBA Second Team
Gus Williams
George Gervin
Julius Erving
Larry Bird
Moses Malone		Magic Johnson
Sidney Moncrief
Bernard King
Alex English
Robert Parish

All-Defensive

All-Defensive First TeamAll-Defensive Second Team
Dennis Johnson
Michael Cooper
Dan Roundfield
Bobby Jones
Caldwell Jones		Quinn Buckner
Sidney Moncrief
Lonnie Shelton
Larry Bird
Jack Sikma

All-Stars

Eastern All-StarsWestern All-Stars
Tiny Archibald
Larry Bird*
Julius Erving
Artis Gilmore
Bobby Jones
Bob Lanier
Sidney Moncrief
Robert Parish
Micheal Ray Richardson
Dan Roundfield
Isiah Thomas
Kelly Tripucka (IR)
Buck Williams		Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Adrian Dantley
Alex English
George Gervin
Dennis Johnson
Magic Johnson
Bernard King
Moses Malone
Norm Nixon
Lonnie Shelton
Jack Sikma
Gus Williams
East beats West, 120-118

All-Rookie

All-Rookie Team
Jeff Ruland
Isiah Thomas
Kelly Tripucka
Jay Vincent
Buck Williams

All-Time Championship Leaderboard

Notes
The Baltimore Bullets (1947-1954) won the championship in 1948, but are defunct. As a result, they are not listed.

TeamCountYears
Celtics141957, 1959
1960, 1961
1962, 1963
1964, 1965
1966, 1967
1969, 1974
1976, 1981
Lakers81949, 1950
1952, 1953
1954, 1972
1980, 1982
Warriors31947, 1956
1975
76ers21955, 1967
Knicks21970, 1973
Kings11951
Hawks11958
Bucks11971
Trail Blazers11977
Bullets11978
SuperSonics11979
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The NBA Time Machine: 1981

Posted on by in Sports, The NBA Time Machine

Published July 1, 2023

The NBA Time Machine:
1981

Cowboy Season

Done Deal, Dallas

The NBA had hit a point of significant growth, welcoming thirteen teams in the past fifteen years. Yet another owner was interested in expanding the league’s horizon – businessman Don Carter pitched a request to establish a franchise in Dallas, Texas. The primary inspiration for this decision was his wife, who loved basketball and encouraged the idea.

Voters officially admitted the Dallas Mavericks during the 1980 All-Star Game, preparing for a debut in the 1980-81 season. The name derived from the 50’s television series Maverick, which starred the successful actor – and now ownership member of the team – James Garner.

Kiki Vandeweghe, who led the UCLA Bruins to the 1980 NCAA Division I Finals, was selected by Dallas with the eleventh pick. The rookie refused to play for the team, largely influenced by his father’s disapproval of joining an non-established organization. As a result, he was traded to the Denver Nuggets a month into the season in return for a couple first-round draft picks.

The team, as expected, was largely awful in its inaugural run. Frequent losing – including fifteen straight dropped games from January to February – characterized their identity. Their sixty-seven losses was tied for the second-most in league history, only behind the pitiful 1973 Philadelphia 76ers.

Realignment

Due to the introduction of the Mavericks, the NBA reconsidered the construction of both conferences. Ultimately, the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs joined their new inter-state rival in the Midwest Division of the Western Conference.

Conversely, the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls joined nearby teams – such as the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers – in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.

Not So Magic

After a strong start to the season – in which the Los Angeles Lakers went 15-5 – Magic Johnson tore the cartilage in his left knee and was sidelined for the majority of the season. This caused the sophomore to miss the All-Star Game and entirely stripped him of All-NBA eligibility, despite his all-around statistical improvements.

The guard returned in time for the last month of the season, in which his quality play continued. He managed to check into enough games to qualify for the steals title, which he won with a whopping 3.4 a game. However, Johnson’s reinstation frustrated some of his teammates – the spotlight was immediately on him again, and their labor over his three-month absence went unrecognized.

Regardless, the Lakers finished on an 11-6 run and clinched a playoff berth yet again.

Pacific Exchange

In surprising fashion, two inter-divisional rivals traded their franchise cornerstones for each other. The Seattle SuperSonics sent former Finals M.V.P. Dennis Johnson to the Phoenix Suns, receiving four-time All-Star Paul Westphal in return.

On paper, the deal was quality – Seattle would gain a premier scorer to bolster their offense, and Phoenix’s backcourt would see an immense improvement on defense. However, only the Suns truly benefited – Johnson helped them win a franchise record fifty-seven games, also seeing their first divisional championship.

On the contrary, Westphal missed forty-six matches to injuries and posted his worst production since joining the Suns five years ago. Seattle also missed the playoffs entirely, seemingly ending a brief reign that included three straight Conference Finals appearances and a championship.

Turn-Arounds

The NBA introduced the Comeback Player of the Year award, which was designated to a talent who showed out after a subpar season. It became the third seasonal award, and was inaugurally presented to Bernard King.

Trouble had accompanied the former first-round pick during his one-year stint with the Utah Jazz – he was arrested and suspended by the league for cocaine possession, missing sixty-three games. He was then followed by sexual assault charges off-the-court, entirely tearing apart his reputation. His combination of improvement in character and returning to quality play influenced his receival of the honor.

Standout Players

Julius Erving

While Erving’s statistical season wasn’t any different than usual, the 76ers broke the sixty-win barrier for the first time since the days of Wilt Chamberlain. The Doctor was there every step of the way, playing all eighty-two games in preparation for his first league M.V.P. award.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Despite Magic Johnson missing over half of the year, Abdul-Jabbar maintained his composure. The reigning M.V.P. snatched his highest scoring average since 1977, and the Lakers still won fifty-eight games.

Larry Bird

A sophomore slump was not part of Bird’s plans. The Celtics superstar increased his assists average, stole the ball twice a game, and manifested a sixty-two win run. He finished in a narrow second place for the M.V.P. award.

Micheal Ray Richardson

Now in the media’s eye, Richardson continued fixing the damaged nature of New York City. Alongside Bill Cartwright, he brought the Knicks their first fifty-win campaign since 1973. The guard also led all players in steals once more.

Moses Malone

While the Rockets were subpar, Malone had the best statistical output of his career. He reached highs in scoring and blocks while also earning the rebounds title. Regardless of his supporting cast, the big man was unstoppable.

Artis Gilmore

Gilmore’s production regressed, but in good faith – he adjusted his role to make way for the breakout of teammate Reggie Theus. Gilmore’s sixty-seven percent from the field was the highest in the NBA, and he was still a top-tier shot blocker to boot. This contributed to Chicago’s first winning season and playoff berth in four years.

Around the League

Team Standings

Notes
An asterisk (*) indicates that the team qualified for the playoffs.

Eastern Conference
Atlantic DivisionWLCentral DivisionWL
Boston Celtics*6220Milwaukee Bucks*6022
Philadelphia 76ers*6220Chicago Bulls*4537
New York Knicks*5032Indiana Pacers*4438
Washington Bullets3943Atlanta Hawks3151
New Jersey Nets2458Cleveland Cavaliers2854
Detroit Pistons2161
Western Conference
Midwest DivisionWLPacific DivisionWL
San Antonio Spurs*5230Phoenix Suns*5725
Kansas City Kings*4042Los Angeles Lakers*5428
Houston Rockets*4042Portland Trail Blazers*4537
Denver Nuggets3745Golden State Warriors3943
Utah Jazz2854San Diego Clippers3646
Dallas Mavericks1567Seattle SuperSonics3448

Fun Facts

  • The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics tied for first place in the league, with sixty-two wins apiece.
    • Tiebreaker rules ultimately earned Boston leadership of the Atlantic Division.
  • Following the changes to the Midwest Division, it immediately became the weakest in the NBA.
    • Its only winning member was the San Antonio Spurs – no other team won over forty matches.
  • With Gus Williams holding out and injuries ravaging the roster, the Seattle SuperSonics worsened by twenty-two games and fell to the bottom of the Pacific Division.
  • The Milwaukee Bucks’ sixty wins was their most in eight years.
  • For the first time since joining the NBA, the Indiana Pacers achieved a winning record and became playoff eligible.
  • With David Thompson healthy, the Denver Nuggets posted the top-ranked offense in the league.
    • However, their defense was ranked at a pitiful twenty-second place, only above the expansion Dallas Mavericks team.

Notable Movement

Key

The player stats listed are based on their last tenure, whether it be with their former team or the previous season.
Name(s) under the “Top Draft Picks” section with a plus (+) opted to play in another league instead of the NBA this season.
p – points
r – rebounds
a – assists
s – steals
b – blocks

Top Draft Picks

#TeamPlayer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10		Golden State Warriors
Utah Jazz
Boston Celtics
Chicago Bulls
Denver Nuggets
New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
Philadelphia 76ers
San Diego Clippers
Portland Trail Blazers		Joe Barry Carroll
Darrell Griffith
Kevin McHale
Kelvin Ransey
James Ray
Mike O’Koren
Mike Gminski
Andrew Toney
Michael Brooks
Ronnie Lester

Players

DatePlayerTeamActionDestinationStats
June 4, 1980Paul WestphalPhoenix SunsTradedSeattle SuperSonics(21.9p/5.1a/1.5s)
June 4, 1980Dennis JohnsonSeattle SuperSonicsTradedPhoenix Suns(19p/5.1r/4.1a)
August 28, 1980Lloyd FreeSan Diego ClippersTradedGolden State Warriors(30.2p/3.5r/4.2a)

Other Personnel

DatePersonTeamActionStats
May 20, 1980Coach Paul WestheadLos Angeles LakersHiredRecord: n/a
May 21, 1980Coach Paul SilasSan Diego ClippersHiredRecord: n/a
May 27, 1980Coach Dick MottaWashington BulletsResignedRecord: 39-43
May 27, 1980Coach Gene ShueWashington BulletsHiredRecord: n/a
June 2, 1980Coach Jack McKinneyIndiana PacersHiredRecord: n/a
June 5, 1980Coach Scotty RobertsonDetroit PistonsHiredRecord: n/a
June 11, 1980Coach Bill MusselmanCleveland CavaliersHiredRecord: n/a
July 16, 1980Coach Dick MottaDallas MavericksHiredRecord: n/a
December 17, 1980Coach Donnie WalshDenver NuggetsFiredRecord: 11-20
December 17, 1980Coach Doug MoeDenver NuggetsAppointed (Interim)Record: 26-25
December 22, 1980Coach Kevin LougheryNew Jersey NetsResignedRecord: 12-23
December 22, 1980Coach Bob MacKinnonNew Jersey NetsAppointed (Interim)Record: 12-35
March 13, 1981Coach Bill MusselmanCleveland CavaliersReassignedRecord: 25-46
March 13, 1981Coach Don DelaneyCleveland CavaliersHiredRecord: 3-8
March 18, 1981Coach Larry BrownNew Jersey NetsHiredRecord: n/a
March 26, 1981Coach Hubie BrownAtlanta HawksFiredRecord: 31-48
March 26, 1981Coach Mike FratelloAtlanta HawksAppointed (Interim)Record: 0-3

Retirements

PlayerTeam(s)Notable Accomplishments
Rick BarryGolden State Warriors
Houston Rockets		1x Champion
1x Finals MVP
6x All-NBA
8x All-Star
1x All-Star Game MVP
1966 Rookie of the Year
1966 All-Rookie Team
1x Scoring Leader
1x Steals Leader
Walt FrazierNew York Knicks
Cleveland Cavaliers		2x Champion
6x All-NBA
7x All-Star
1x All-Star Game MVP
7x All-Defensive
1968 All-Rookie Team
Pete MaravichAtlanta Hawks
Utah Jazz
Boston Celtics		4x All-NBA
5x All-Star
1971 All-Rookie Team
1x Scoring Leader
Earl MonroeBaltimore Bullets
New York Knicks		1x Champion
1x All-NBA
4x All-Star
1968 Rookie of the Year
1968 All-Rookie Team
Charlie ScottPhoenix Suns
Boston Celtics
Los Angeles Lakers
Denver Nuggets		1x Champion
3x All-Star
Paul SilasAtlanta Hawks
Phoenix Suns
Boston Celtics
Denver Nuggets
Seattle SuperSonics		3x Champion
2x All-Star
5x All-Defensive

League Leaders

Key

PPG – points per game
RPG – rebounds per game
APG – assists per game
SPG – steals per game
BPG – blocks per game
FG% – field goal percentage (percentage of shots that hit)
FT% – free throw percentage (percentage of foul shots that hit)
3P% – three-point field goal percentage (percentage of three-point shots that hit)

StatLeaders
PPGAdrian Dantley (30.6)
Moses Malone (27.8)
George Gervin (27.1)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (26.2)
David Thompson (25.5)
RPGMoses Malone (14.8)
Swen Nater (12.4)
Larry Smith (12.1)
Larry Bird (10.9)
Jack Sikma (10.4)
APGKevin Porter (9.1)
Norm Nixon (8.8)
Phil Ford (8.8)
Micheal Ray Richardson (7.9)
Tiny Archibald (7.7)
SPGMagic Johnson (3.4)
Micheal Ray Richardson (2.9)
Quinn Buckner (2.4)
Maurice Cheeks (2.4)
Ray Williams (2.3)
BPGGeorge Johnson (3.4)
Tree Rollins (2.9)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2.9)
Robert Parish (2.6)
Artis Gilmore (2.4)
FG%Artis Gilmore (67%)
Darryl Dawkins (60%)
Cedric Maxwell (58%)
Bernard King (58%)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (57%)
FT%Calvin Murphy (95%)
Ricky Sobers (93%)
Mike Newlin (88%)
Jim Spanarkel (88%)
Junior Bridgeman (88%)
3P%Brian Taylor (38%)
Freeman Williams (34%)
Joe Hassett (34%)
Mike Bratz (33%)
Henry Bibby (33%)

Playoffs

First Round

East / Chicago Bulls beat New York Knicks, 2-0
The guard-center tandem was predicted to be a significant selling point of this series. Reggie Theus vs. Micheal Ray Richardson, and Artis Gilmore vs. Bill Cartwright. This was also the first meeting between the two franchises, as Chicago was recently moved to the Eastern Conference.

An ugly scoring game was victorious for Chicago thanks to Ricky Sobers’ eighteen points off the bench. Cartwright seemed to be dealing with poor conditioning or a nagging injury, given his low minutes and usage. The New York center continued to struggle in Game 2, recording only nine points and five fouls in a one-point overtime loss. Conversely, Chicago’s Reggie Theus poured in thirty-seven points, eleven assists, and four steals to close out.
East / Philadelphia 76ers beat Indiana Pacers, 2-0
In Indiana’s first playoff appearance, they were faced with the tall ask of usurping the defending Eastern Conference Champions. It also proposed an interesting narrative of George McGinnis facing his former team for the first time in the playoffs.

The Pacers had no counter to Julius Erving’s bag of tricks, enabling him to average twenty-seven points in two blowout wins for the 76ers. Rookie Andrew Toney also had a phenomenal performance in Game 1, delivering fifteen points and eleven assists off the bench. Simply put, there was an unbreakable talent gap at play.
West / Houston Rockets beat Los Angeles Lakers, 2-1
On paper, this was easy pickings for Los Angeles. They were a deep, star-studded team that had outperformed Houston in the regular season. The Rockets may have had two great players in Moses Malone and Calvin Murphy, but that did not remotely compare to the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and more.

Unfazed by predictions, Houston pulled off a shocking upset loss on the road in which Malone dropped thirty-eight points. His heavy lifting – alongside some productive Murphy minutes – was enough to ward off a Lakers team with six double digit scorers. Los Angeles fought back with a road win of their own despite a near-perfect Malone game, only to flatten in Game 3.

Abdul-Jabbar, despite his high scoring, was inefficient and turnover-prone – Magic Johnson also had a terrible night, scoring ten points on two-for-fourteen shooting. What makes matters even more absurd is that the Rockets were just as putrid offensively – their win was truly because of Los Angeles’ complacency.

This was the biggest upset the post-season had seen in quite some time, and immediately opened up the Western Conference race.
West / Kansas City Kings beat Portland Trail Blazers, 2-1
Competition was tense from the start, with Game 1 going to overtime and ending in a one-point Kansas City victory. Otis Birdsong’s twenty-nine points was the catalyst for success, giving the Kings a promising advantage.

The second match saw yet another overtime, in which the Blazers rode Mychal Thompson’s forty-point outing. Portland’s offense was much less explosive in the tiebreaker – it was only sophomore Billy Ray Bates with a performance to remember, while the Kings benefited from five double-digit scorers.

Semifinals

East / Boston Celtics beat Chicago Bulls, 4-0
During their Eastern Conference conquest, the Bulls were up against the juggernaut Celtics next. They were outmatched in terms of depth, but Reggie Theus and Artis Gilmore entered the post-season with the right mentality to win.

Unfortunately, that bode out poorly for them. The Celtics demolished Chicago entirely, winning every match comfortably. They were simply too talented, and Larry Bird was unreal – he delivered a gaudy 24/17/10 stat-line in Game 3, and thirty-five points in the closing fourth match.
East / Philadelphia 76ers beat Milwaukee Bucks, 4-3
Two sixty-win teams guaranteed a fierce matchup. The 76ers and Bucks immediately ran to a 2-2 series tie, largely led by franchise stars Julius Erving and Marques Johnson. The latter was particularly lethal, averaging twenty-eight points per game in this stretch.

Philadelphia dished out a convincing blowout win in Game 5, and things finally looked to be in their favor. However, Mickey Johnson and Bob Lanier rooted Milwaukee in further success to prolong their year.

Despite Marques, Lanier, and Sidney Moncrief combining for seventy-nine points in Game 7, they still fell short to the 76ers. Twenty-eight points from Erving and twenty-one from Bobby Jones solidified their fourth Conference Finals appearance in the last five seasons.
West / Houston Rockets beat San Antonio Spurs, 4-3
In back-to-back years, San Antonio had to face their inter-state rival to advance in the playoffs. They seemed much more advantaged this time, coming off a great regular season – however, this Rockets team was clearly resilient. They had just knocked out the defending champions in the first round, and had an intoxicating amount of control over games.

The first four games were split even, with Game 2 featuring an uncanny duel between Houston’s Calvin Murphy and the Spurs’ Mark Olberding. Moses Malone was the more inconsistent of superstars between him and George Gervin – however, his thirty-four points and thirteen rebounds gave the Rockets a 3-2 series lead. San Antonio fought back in spite of his heroics in Game 6, which set up a seventh match.

Murphy was the star of the show, dropping forty-two efficient points to uphold Houston. They had now pulled off consecutive upsets, and it was beginning to look like they could take on anybody.
West / Kansas City Kings beat Phoenix Suns, 4-3
Coming off the best season in franchise history, Phoenix seemed primed for an easy series win. Kansas City was a good defensive team with some solid pieces all-around, but lacked the personnel quality of their foes.

Phoenix won Game 1 convincingly, profiting from an injury to Otis Birdsong that immediately dampened the Kings’ chances. However, they proceeded to drop three straight matches in baffling fashion as they fell to a 3-1 deficit. It was now up to them to compile an improbable comeback, which they inched towards with back-to-back wins.

Game 7 was anybody’s to take – Kansas City had proven their ability to win, but were also playing on the road. They took advantage of the Suns’ lifeless offense, jumping to a twelve-point lead by the fourth quarter. Dennis Johnson attempted to will his teammates into a late-game comeback, but they had already tapped out. The Kings closed out the series without their best player, setting up an unpredictable Conference Finals featuring them and the Houston Rockets.

Conference Finals

East / Boston Celtics beat Philadelphia 76ers, 4-3
In a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, the historic rivals were both looking to exploit a potentially weak Finals matchup. Both of the Western teams were sturdy, but flawed – this could be their greatest shot at a championship.

After splitting the first two meetings, the 76ers jumped to a 3-1 lead in preparation for another Finals appearance. However, Larry Bird had other ideas – in the face of defeat, he scored fifty-seven points over the next two matches to force Game 7.

This was the fourth Game 7 of this year’s post-season, and was expected to be a rigid slugfest that would come down to the wire. Both teams’ superstars delivered, with Bird and Julius Erving dropping twenty-three points each. Boston rallied in the late stages of the game, fueled by Bird’s jump shooting and tough defense from him, Cedric Maxwell, and Robert Parish. After Maurice Cheeks missed a vital free throw, the 76ers failed to execute a late-game play and settled with a one-point loss.

In a fashion reminiscent of the 1968 Eastern Division Finals, the Celtics had overcome a 3-1 deficit to defeat Philadelphia and continue their search for a title.
West / Houston Rockets beat Kansas City Kings, 4-1
For the first time since 1957, two teams with losing records faced off in the final four. The outcome of this series was unforeseeable – the Rockets had upset two divisional champions, but Kansas City displayed the ability to win in spite of their biggest star’s absence.

The first two games were split, but Houston caught some much-needed victories to take a sizable lead. Moses Malone totaled forty-two points and twenty-three rebounds in Game 4, which was an offensive masterclass the Kings could not mirror. A healthy Birdsong was dearly missed, and it showed.

In Game 5, Malone served a thirty-six-point whooping to send Houston to their very first NBA Finals. The former M.V.P. was achieving the impossible, left with only one more adversary in his way.

Finals

Boston Celtics beat Houston Rockets, 4-2
The Celtics and Rockets had met in the past, but only in Semifinals rounds – as Houston was now a Western Conference team, this was the first Finals meet between the two. Boston was heavily favored, given their all-around better roster and interior presence. That could spell trouble for Moses Malone, who would have to fight especially hard to reach his typical production.

A near triple-double from Larry Bird opened up the series as Boston secured Game 1. Thirty-one Malone points tied the series, forcing the Celtics to respond on the road. Bird was quite awful offensively – only managing to score eight points – but a balanced team effort saved the green team. Houston refused to give up, backpacking off Mike Dunleavy’s twenty-eight points to establish a 2-2 tie.

Game 5 was all about Cedric Maxwell, who masked yet another mediocre exhibit from Bird with twenty-eight points and fifteen rebounds of his own. Houston could stay in the race with a win at home, which they failed to accomplish. Fifty combined points from Robert Reid and Malone was not enough to spoil Bird’s resurgence – the Celtics forward bounced back with twenty-seven points and thirteen rebounds, sealing the championship run in clutch fashion.

Maxwell was rendered as the Finals MVP favorite, stepping up big in moments where Bird failed to deliver. His scoring average of nineteen in Boston’s wins outshined Bird’s sixteen, which influenced voters.

Regardless of media awards, though, one thing was true – the Celtics’ historical dominance was unparalleled, managing their fourteenth championship in thirty-five years of existence.
The Boston Celtics win the 1981 NBA championship!
Cedric Maxwell was named the Finals Most Valuable Player.

Awards

Notes
Name(s) under the “All-Stars” section with an asterisk (*) were listed as the MVP of the All-Star Game that year. Those with “(IR)” next to their name were chosen to replace an injured star.

Major Awards

Rookie of the YearMVPFinals MVP
Darrell GriffithJulius ErvingCedric Maxwell
Coach of the YearComeback Player of the Year
Jack McKinneyBernard King

All-NBA

All-NBA First TeamAll-NBA Second Team
Dennis Johnson
George Gervin
Julius Erving
Larry Bird
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar		Tiny Archibald
Otis Birdsong
Adrian Dantley
Marques Johnson
Moses Malone

All-Defensive

All-Defensive First TeamAll-Defensive Second Team
Dennis Johnson
Micheal Ray Richardson
Bobby Jones
Caldwell Jones
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar		Quinn Buckner
Dudley Bradley
Michael Cooper
Dan Roundfield
Kermit Washington
George Johnson

All-Stars

Eastern All-StarsWestern All-Stars
Tiny Archibald*
Larry Bird
Julius Erving
Artis Gilmore
Eddie Johnson
Marques Johnson
Bobby Jones
Mike Mitchell (IR)
Robert Parish
Micheal Ray Richardson
Dan Roundfield
Reggie Theus		Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Otis Birdsong
Adrian Dantley
Walter Davis
George Gervin
Dennis Johnson
Moses Malone
Truck Robinson
Jack Sikma
Paul Westphal
Jamaal Wilkes
East beats West, 123-120

All-Rookie

All-Rookie Team
Joe Barry Carroll
Darrell Griffith
Kevin McHale
Kelvin Ransey
Larry Smith

All-Time Championship Leaderboard

Notes
The Baltimore Bullets (1947-1954) won the championship in 1948, but are defunct. As a result, they are not listed.

TeamCountYears
Celtics141957, 1959
1960, 1961
1962, 1963
1964, 1965
1966, 1967
1969, 1974
1976, 1981
Lakers71949, 1950
1952, 1953
1954, 1972
1980
Warriors31947, 1956
1975
76ers21955, 1967
Knicks21970, 1973
Kings11951
Hawks11958
Bucks11971
Trail Blazers11977
Bullets11978
SuperSonics11979

The NBA Time Machine: 1980

Posted on by in Sports, The NBA Time Machine

Published June 26, 2023

The NBA Time Machine:
1980

New Beginnings

Rookie Takeover

It had been years since the league received a duo of elite rookie prospects. The last time was perhaps in 1969, when Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld – who ironically won a championship together years later – were drafted by the San Diego Rockets and Baltimore Bullets.

This new era of the NBA was now slated to watch the uprising of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, two great college players that had coincidentally clashed in the NCAA championship game. Johnson’s Michigan State Spartans defeated Bird’s Indiana State Sycamores, which set the tone for what could be a long-term superstar feud in the future. To make destiny feel even more clear, they were drafted to historic rivals in the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, respectively.

Larry Bird

Bird’s impact stunned the basketball world, as the Celtics transformed from being a bottom feeder to possessing the league’s best overall record. His combination of scoring prowess, crafty playmaking and good defense revitalized the team, most notably former superstars Dave Cowens and Tiny Archibald.

He was a runaway favorite for the Rookie of the Year award, joining Cowens and Tom Heinsohn as the only Celtics recipients. He also finished fourth in M.V.P. voting.

Magic Johnson

Expectations for Johnson were a bit different – projections casted him as a possible future cornerstone, but not the Lakers’ surefire leader. They still had a five-time M.V.P. in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and providing the superstar with another great piece was the goal of the draft.

His integration to the roster was absurd, continuing to play as a guard despite media declaring him as a forward. A backcourt duo of Norm Nixon and Johnson was a playmaking delight, and helped Abdul-Jabbar achieve the highest field goal percentage of his career.

However, Johnson’s impact may have been larger than the stat sheet implied. The late-70’s Lakers were characterized by sluggish, deliberate halfcourt play that was over-reliant on Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring. This made them incredibly efficient, but also predictable in playoff situations.

The rookie’s affinity for fast-paced ball movement and abusing the fast break made the team play with greater energy overall, becoming the top-ranked offense league-wide. Such a style also established them as must-watch television, a reputation the charismatic Johnson only solidified more.

Up in Utah

While the New Orleans Jazz were beloved by Louisianan citizens, their existence in the southern state was unsustainable due to financial concerns. Not only was their facility situation awful – with the Louisiana Superdome charging absurd prices for home games – but they could not withstand the atrocious amusement tax in the state either.

Bad decisions also plagued the organization. After signing Gail Goodrich in 1976, they sent draft capital to the Los Angeles Lakers as compensation. Part of this was their highest pick in the 1979 draft – the Lakers used that pick this season to select Magic Johnson, who was already an All-Star as a rookie. The Jazz had also given up the rights to Moses Malone in exchange for one of those draft picks, leaving them with few valuable assets. Malone was voted as the league’s M.V.P. in 1979 and blossomed into a legitimate superstar.

The front office eventually opted for a hard reset, moving to Salt Lake City and becoming the Utah Jazz. They could at least bank on the idea that the small market had a dedicated fanbase, considering the presence of the ABA’s Utah Stars not too long ago.

At the very least, Lakers forward Adrian Dantley was traded to the franchise and surprisingly developed into a lethal scorer. He finished top three in points per game, scoring twenty-eight on excellent shooting splits.

From Way Downtown!

The concept of an extra-valuable, long-distance field goal had existed since the mid-40’s. Colleges experimented with it in spurts for a very long time, and other professional leagues – including the American Basketball League, Eastern Professional Basketball League, and American Basketball Association – had incorporated it into their rulebook.

After witnessing the popularity of the three-point shot in the ABA, the NBA was eager to give it a chance. They adopted it on a one-year trial, initially met with significant friction. Many viewed the mechanic as a cheap gimmick to garner fan interest, but there was not enough resistance to denounce the decision entirely.

Three-pointers were seldom used, only accounting for about three of a team’s ninety field goals on average. It was also considered inefficient, with the league finishing at about twenty-eight percent overall.

Regardless, there were a few specialists. Fred Brown of the Seattle SuperSonics led the league on a blistering hot forty-four percent a game, and Rick Barry of the Houston Rockets finished first in three-point attempts on above-average efficiency as well.

The best overall three-point shooting team was the Boston Celtics by a large margin – Chris Ford and Larry Bird were both great from outside. The former also delivered the first ever recorded three-point field goal on opening night, helping Boston secure a win against the Houston Rockets.

Big Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks had already secured a gem of a player in Marques Johnson, who was entering his third year. However, a mid-season trade brought Bob Lanier of the Detroit Pistons to the team, which had exciting implications.

Milwaukee had a 20-6 record after acquiring Lanier, which translated to a sixty-win pace. Their overall points per game increased by eight in this stretch, confirming the big man’s ability to impact any roster.

Cable

The Madison Square Garden Network had televised a handful of NBA events, including the 1969 playoffs and some New York Knicks games. The league signed a deal with the network – which rebranded as The USA Network in April of 1980 – to earn its first ever cable television partnership.

Standout Players

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

While averaging a career high in efficiency – at a whopping sixty percent from the floor – Abdul-Jabbar was selected for his sixth M.V.P. award. This broke Bill Russell’s previous record of M.V.P. selections at five. Los Angeles also had their first sixty win season since 1973, long before the Captain arrived in Los Angeles.

Larry Bird

The 1978 top ten draft pick finally arrived to play for the Boston Celtics, compiling one of the greatest rookie seasons of all-time. The team improved by a staggering thirty-two games, and he led them in scoring, rebounding, and steals.

Julius Erving

While Dr. J had always been a superstar in the late-70’s, his play this year resembled his ABA days more. He averaged NBA career highs in scoring, steals, blocks, and field goal percentage. Philadelphia’s final record of fifty-nine wins was also their highest since 1968.

Micheal Ray Richardson

The Knicks sophomore had an enormous breakout year after being elected as a starter. Richardson led all players in assists and steals, and the Knicks improved by eight games. They won enough to be playoff-eligible, but lost the record tiebreaker to the Washington Bullets.

Gus Williams

Averaging career highs in every major statistic besides blocks, the Seattle guard was entering his prime. He was firmly the best offensive talent on the SuperSonics, and their fifty-six win finish was the best in franchise history.

Moses Malone

While not quite an M.V.P. favorite this time around, Malone still had a great year. He finished top five in scoring and only second to Swen Nater in rebounding. The Rockets were unfortunately much less imposing this season, but still boasted an elite offense under his lead.

Around the League

Team Standings

Notes
An asterisk (*) indicates that the team qualified for the playoffs.

Eastern Conference
Atlantic DivisionWLCentral DivisionWL
Boston Celtics*6121Atlanta Hawks*5032
Philadelphia 76ers*5923Houston Rockets*4141
Washington Bullets*3943San Antonio Spurs*4141
New York Knicks3943Indiana Pacers3745
New Jersey Nets3448Cleveland Cavaliers3745
Detroit Pistons1666
Western Conference
Midwest DivisionWLPacific DivisionWL
Milwaukee Bucks*4933Los Angeles Lakers*6022
Kansas City Kings*4735Seattle SuperSonics*5626
Denver Nuggets3052Phoenix Suns*5527
Chicago Bulls3052Portland Trail Blazers*3844
Utah Jazz2458San Diego Clippers3547
Golden State Warriors2458

Fun Facts

  • The Boston Celtics executed the best single-season turnaround in NBA history, improving by thirty-two wins behind the play of Larry Bird.
  • The Detroit Pistons’ sixteen wins was among the lowest totals ever, and was the least by a team since the nine-win Philadelphia 76ers in 1973.
  • Swarmed by injuries and sudden roster changes, the Denver Nuggets managed their first losing season since joining the NBA.
  • This was the Atlanta Hawks’ first fifty-win campaign since leaving St. Louis.
  • This was the first time an NBA team reached sixty wins in a season since 1975.
    • Both the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers boasted this achievement.
  • Defense continued to be the motto of the young Kansas City Kings, who tied the Philadelphia 76ers for the top-ranked defense league-wide.
  • This was the Washington Bullets’ first losing season in the Wes Unseld-Elvin Hayes era.

Notable Movement

Key

The player stats listed are based on their last tenure, whether it be with their former team or the previous season.
Name(s) under the “Top Draft Picks” section with a plus (+) opted to play in another league instead of the NBA this season.
p – points
r – rebounds
a – assists
s – steals
b – blocks

Top Draft Picks

#TeamPlayer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10		Los Angeles Lakers
Chicago Bulls
New York Knicks
Detroit Pistons
Milwaukee Bucks
Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
New Jersey Nets
New York Knicks
Detroit Pistons		Magic Johnson
David Greenwood
Bill Cartwright
Greg Kelser
Sidney Moncrief
James Bailey
Vinnie Johnson
Calvin Natt
Larry Demic
Roy Hamilton

Players

DatePlayerTeamActionDestinationStats
July 12, 1979Kevin PorterDetroit PistonsSignedWashington Bullets(15.4p/13.4a/1.9s)
July 24, 1979M.L. CarrDetroit PistonsSignedBoston Celtics(18.7p/7.4r/2.5s)
January 17, 1980Pete MaravichUtah JazzSignedBoston Celtics(17.1p/2.4r/3.2a)
February 1, 1980George McGinnisDenver NuggetsTradedIndiana Pacers(15.6p/10.3r/4.9a)
February 4, 1980Bob LanierDetroit PistonsTradedMilwaukee Bucks(21.7p/10.1r/3.3a)
February 8, 1980Maurice LucasPortland Trail BlazersTradedNew Jersey Nets(14.3p/7.9r/3a)

Other Personnel

DatePersonTeamActionStats
June 18, 1979Coach Tom NissalkeHouston RocketsResignedRecord: 47-34
June 18, 1979Coach Del HarrisHouston RocketsHiredRecord: n/a
June 19, 1979Coach Tom NissalkeUtah JazzHiredRecord: n/a
June 30, 1979Coach Jack McKinneyLos Angeles LakersHiredRecord: n/a
July 23, 1979Coach Stan AlbeckCleveland CavaliersHiredRecord: n/a
November 8, 1979Coach Dick VitaleDetroit PistonsFiredRecord: 4-8
November 8, 1979Coach Richie AdubatoDetroit PistonsAppointed (Interim)Record: 12-58
November 8, 1979Coach Paul WestheadLos Angeles LakersAppointed (Interim)Record: 50-18
March 1, 1980Coach Doug MoeSan Antonio SpursFiredRecord: 33-33
March 1, 1980Coach Bob BassSan Antonio SpursAppointed (Interim)Record: 8-8
May 1, 1980Coach Gene ShueSan Diego ClippersResignedRecord: 35-47

Retirements

PlayerTeam(s)Notable Accomplishments
Gail GoodrichLos Angeles Lakers
Phoenix Suns
New Orleans Jazz		1x Champion
1x All-NBA
5x All-Star
Lou HudsonAtlanta Hawks
Los Angeles Lakers		1x All-NBA
6x All-Star
1967 All-Rookie Team
Norm Van LierCincinnati Royals
Chicago Bulls
Milwaukee Bucks		1x All-NBA
3x All-Star
8x All-Defensive
1x Assists Leader

League Leaders

Key

PPG – points per game
RPG – rebounds per game
APG – assists per game
SPG – steals per game
BPG – blocks per game
FG% – field goal percentage (percentage of shots that hit)
FT% – free throw percentage (percentage of foul shots that hit)
3P% – three-point field goal percentage (percentage of three-point shots that hit)

StatLeaders
PPGGeorge Gervin (33.1)
Lloyd Free (30.2)
Adrian Dantley (28)
Julius Erving (26.9)
Moses Malone (25.8)
RPGSwen Nater (15)
Moses Malone (14.5)
Wes Unseld (13.3)
Caldwell Jones (11.9)
Jack Sikma (11.1)
APGMicheal Ray Richardson (10.1)
Tiny Archibald (8.4)
Foots Walker (8)
Norm Nixon (7.8)
John Lucas (7.5)
SPGMicheal Ray Richardson (3.2)
Eddie Jordan (2.7)
Dudley Bradley (2.6)
Gus Williams (2.4)
Magic Johnson (2.4)
BPGKareem Abdul-Jabbar (3.4)
George Johnson (3.2)
Tree Rollins (3)
Terry Tyler (2.7)
Elvin Hayes (2.3)
FG%Cedric Maxwell (60%)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (60%)
Artis Gilmore (59%)
Adrian Dantley (57%)
Tom Boswell (56%)
FT%Rick Barry (93%)
Calvin Murphy (89%)
Ron Boone (89%)
James Silas (88%)
Mike Newlin (88%)
3P%Fred Brown (44%)
Chris Ford (42%)
Larry Bird (40%)
John Roche (38%)
Brian Taylor (37%)

Playoffs

First Round

East / Houston Rockets beat San Antonio Spurs, 2-1
This was the first instance of the two Texan teams facing off in the post-season, and both were incredibly average this year. Given they split their season series, the Rockets gained homecourt advantage because of a better record within their division.

Game 1 was ugly on both ends, but Calvin Murphy’s shot creation brought the Rockets over the edge. A scorching forty-four points from George Gervin saved the Spurs’ season, but it was not enough. Houston blew out San Antonio by twenty-one points in the tiebreaker, thanks to seventy combined points from Murphy and Moses Malone.
East / Philadelphia 76ers beat Washington Bullets, 2-0
The defending Eastern Conference Champions had hit a low point, struggling to win without star forward Bob Dandridge. He was still unavailable for the playoffs, which deprived Washington of scoring opportunities and a reliable defender for Julius Erving.

Philadelphia embarrassed the Bullets in Game 1, and their shallow wing depth showed in the second. Erving scored thirty-one points in that match, granting the 76ers a quick first round sweep.
West / Phoenix Suns beat Kansas City Kings, 2-1
After bowing out to Phoenix in an anticlimactic five games last year, the Kings looked to rectify their mistakes. They lacked homecourt advantage and were facing an even better Suns roster, but always had a chance behind their stiff defense.

The teams split the first couple matches, with Otis Birdsong and Scott Wedman securing a Game 2 victory for Kansas City. However, the Kings struggled mightily in the third game – they shot terribly from the floor and lacked bench production, which sent them home early for the second consecutive season.
West / Seattle SuperSonics beat Portland Trail Blazers, 2-1
The infamous northwest matchup returned early this time around, with neither club eligible for a “bye” round. The SuperSonics were expected to dismantle Portland as defending champions, especially given the Blazers had a very mediocre season.

Seattle lost in surprisng fashion during Game 2’s overtime period, with Blazers players Calvin Natt and Ron Brewer leading the charge. However, a powerful offensive showing from the SuperSonics – including seventeen Fred Brown points – kept them in the tournament.

Semifinals

East / Boston Celtics beat Houston Rockets, 4-0
Houston may have escaped the first round, but were slated for a grueling matchup against the Celtics. Boston had prowess on both ends of the ball and the interior defenders necessary to disrupt Moses Malone.

Practically every game ended in blowout fashion – the Rockets could not keep up with the balance of Boston’s offense, and Malone wasn’t getting enough help from his supporting cast. It didn’t help that Larry Bird delivered a 34/10/7 stat-line in Game 4, sealing the lossless run on the road.
East / Philadelphia 76ers beat Atlanta Hawks, 4-1
The Hawks were a well-rounded scoring team with good depth, but there were doubts regarding their ability to match Philadelphia’s top-end talent. The 76ers won both of the first two games convincingly, largely thanks to big games from Bobby Jones off the bench. Twenty points and thirteen rebounds from Atlanta’s Steve Hawes saved their season, but to no avail.

Jones’ scorching sixth man performances continued to uplift Philadelphia in Game 4, giving the team a cushioned lead. Sixty combined points from Julius Erving and Darryl Dawkins ended business, bringing the 76ers back to the Conference Finals.
West / Los Angeles Lakers beat Phoenix Suns, 4-1
Phoenix and Los Angeles, despite their relative closeness, had not met in the playoffs since 1970. In that series, the Lakers completed a rare 3-1 comeback to advance. Neither roster was the same, meaning the resentment from that altercation was long gone – however, the potential for a new generation of west coast battles was there.

Los Angeles shredded the Suns en route to a 3-0 lead, fully comfortable with over-utilizing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s scoring. Phoenix lacked the personnel to contain him, and he averaged thirty-three points over that stretch.

The Suns played desperately in their Game 4 victory, improving their defense on Abdul-Jabbar and limiting Magic Johnson to only four field goal attempts. A home victory from the Lakers destroyed any chance of a comeback though, setting up their first Conference Finals appearance since 1977.
West / Seattle SuperSonics beat Milwaukee Bucks, 4-3
The intensity of this series was shocking from the jump. Game 1 ended in unbelievable fashion when Dennis Johnson recorded the first ever three-point game winning shot, giving Seattle a one point lead at the end of overtime. The second match reached an overtime period as well, with Milwaukee tying the series.

Both clubs continued to trade victories, which excited fans. Game 5 broke the NBA record for in-game attendance, with over 40,000 Seattle fans witnessing their team lose at home. A one-point victory from the SuperSonics in Game 6 forced a tiebreaker, which was bound to be intense.

Gus Williams translated his regular season dominance to the playoffs, dropping thirty-three points to run away with the series. This resulted in Seattle’s third consecutive final four appearance, keeping their hopes alive for a title repeat.

Conference Finals

East / Philadelphia 76ers beat Boston Celtics, 4-1
This was expected to be the most competitive playoff duel yet, as both teams were loaded with talent and split their regular season series. Boston held a significant advantage offensively, but the 76ers’ experience and defense was undeniable.

The first two games were split one apiece, but Philadelphia pushed to a 3-1 lead behind some phenomenal play from Julius Erving. A comeback was not unfathomable, but Boston was in a bad position – this next home game was imperative to their success.

Lionel Hollins and Bobby Jones were the unsung heroes of Game 5, helping the 76ers gentleman’s sweep their rivals and head back to the Finals stage. Philadelphia’s defense on Larry Bird was also magnificent, holding him to twelve points on five-for-nineteen shooting.
West / Los Angeles Lakers beat Seattle SuperSonics, 4-1
Los Angeles had a lot to prove here – could they dethrone Seattle and fight at the Finals stage for the first time in seven years? The possibility was there, but a one-point loss in Game 1 at home didn’t exactly look promising.

The Lakers responded aggressively, winning the next four games straight to dismantle the defending champions. The SuperSonics were largely hurt by a lack of typical homecourt advantage – neither of their usual arenas were available, and they were instead forced to play at the small Hec Edmundson Pavilion.

As expected, absolutely nothing could stop Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. His status as the best player in the world was uncontested, and the Eastern Conference Finals winner needed to gameplan immaculately to even have a chance.

Finals

Los Angeles Lakers beat Philadelphia 76ers, 4-2
A Lakers-76ers Finals matchup was rare for the league, but exciting given the big market pull. The last time these franchises met this late in the playoffs was 1954 – back then, they were based in Minneapolis and Syracuse, respectively.

Philadelphia was clueless guarding Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but managed to grab a road win in Game 2 to keep the record even. Their defense on the reigning M.V.P. improved, eventually paving the way for a 2-2 series tie. Darryl Dawkins delivered a statement twenty-six points to win the fourth match, and fans at the Spectrum witnessed Julius Erving perform an unbelievable up-and-under layup from behind the backboard. This move was regarded as an instant classic highlight, truly summarizing the magical scoring of Dr. J.

An electric third quarter from Los Angeles in Game 5 gave them a strong lead that the 76ers could not dissolve. Abdul-Jabbar’s determination was inspiring, dropping forty points and a clutch end-game dunk on a bad ankle to confirm the win.

Game 6 could have been a predictable loss for the Lakers, who were now without their superstar center – however, Magic Johnson had other plans. The rookie decided to start the game at the center position, which was an unbelievable display of versatility from the typical shooting guard. He dropped forty-two points, fifteen rebounds, seven assists, and three steals to will Los Angeles to a series-clinching victory.

Johnson’s performance was immediately regarded as one of the greatest in NBA history, especially when considering his poise for a first-year player. Despite Abdul-Jabbar generally being better throughout the series, the twenty-year-old’s showing won him the Finals MVP award. He became the first rookie to receive it, which certainly made up for losing the Rookie of the Year race.
The Los Angeles Lakers win the 1980 NBA championship!
Magic Johnson was named the Finals Most Valuable Player.

Awards

Notes
Name(s) under the “All-Stars” section with an asterisk (*) were listed as the MVP of the All-Star Game that year. Those with “(IR)” next to their name were chosen to replace an injured star.

Major Awards

Rookie of the YearMVPFinals MVPCoach of the Year
Larry BirdKareem Abdul-JabbarMagic JohnsonBill Fitch

All-NBA

All-NBA First TeamAll-NBA Second Team
Paul Westphal
George Gervin
Julius Erving
Larry Bird
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar		Gus Williams
Dennis Johnson
Marques Johnson
Dan Roundfield
Moses Malone

All-Defensive

All-Defensive First TeamAll-Defensive Second Team
Don Buse
Dennis Johnson
Micheal Ray Richardson
Bobby Jones
Dan Roundfield
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar		Quinn Buckner
Eddie Johnson
Scott Wedman
Kermit Washington
Dave Cowens

All-Stars

Eastern All-StarsWestern All-Stars
Tiny Archibald
Larry Bird
Bill Cartwright (IR)
Dave Cowens
John Drew
Julius Erving
George Gervin*
Elvin Hayes
Eddie Johnson
Moses Malone
Micheal Ray Richardson
Dan Roundfield		Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Otis Birdsong
Adrian Dantley
Walter Davis
Lloyd Free
Dennis Johnson
Marques Johnson
Magic Johnson
Jack Sikma
Kermit Washington (IR)
Scott Wedman
Paul Westphal
East beats West, 144-136

All-Rookie

All-Rookie Team
Larry Bird
Bill Cartwright
Dave Greenwood
Magic Johnson
Calvin Natt

All-Time Championship Leaderboard

Notes
The Baltimore Bullets (1947-1954) won the championship in 1948, but are defunct. As a result, they are not listed.

TeamCountYears
Celtics131957, 1959
1960, 1961
1962, 1963
1964, 1965
1966, 1967
1969, 1974
1976
Lakers71949, 1950
1952, 1953
1954, 1972
1980
Warriors31947, 1956
1975
76ers21955, 1967
Knicks21970, 1973
Kings11951
Hawks11958
Bucks11971
Trail Blazers11977
Bullets11978
SuperSonics11979

The NBA Time Machine: 1974

Posted on by in Sports, The NBA Time Machine

Published May 19, 2023

The NBA Time Machine:
1974

No Roadblocks

Re-Divide

Criticism of the divisional format adopted during this decade led to some significant changes. The league no longer tied playoff appearances to divisional placement, instead rewarding the top four teams from each Conference. This allowed teams in competitive divisions to have a better chance, while others could not coast their way through a weak group of rivals.

This most notably benefited the Detroit Pistons, who had been absent from the post-season for over half a decade. Having two regular season juggernauts like the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls in their way made affairs tough, but their fifty-two-win crusade paid off this time around.

Wilting

Wilt Chamberlain got involved in controversy with the Los Angeles Lakers due to contract miscommunications. The front office failed to contact him in a reasonable timeframe, which upset the center and prompted him to sign with the San Diego Conquistadors of the ABA instead. He had intentions to be a player-coach in the rival league, awaiting six-hundred-thousand dollars – it was expected be the largest salary in professional basketball history.

The Lakers sued Chamberlain, as he still owed them another year of play due to specifications in his contract. He was still permitted to coach the Conquistadors, but could not suit up by any means – the idea of only doing the former bored him, and he left coaching duties to assistant Stan Albeck as a result. Dissatisfaction with the ABA’s poor attendance numbers and the overall frustration of the situation brought Chamberlain to a personal ultimatum – he would retire from basketball, after just experiencing back-to-back Finals appearances and a championship.

Rewarding Defense

The NBA began to officially recognize two new statistics – steals and blocks. The former was achieved by taking the ball from the opponent, thus forcing a turnover – the latter’s registration stemmed from altering a player’s shot, therefore preventing it from entering the basket.

Many analysts had recorded these categories unofficially for years, but it took the league much longer to embrace the trend. The rival ABA may have influenced this choice, as it begun acknowledging the two figures a year prior.

Larry Steele of the Portland Trail Blazers became the first official steals leader, registering 2.7 per game. On the other hand, the Los Angeles Lakers’ starting center – Elmore Smith – led his contemporaries with a whopping 4.9 blocks a match.

Offensive rebounds were also officially recognized as a subset of rebounds. These were obtained by rebounding the ball on your team’s own offensive possession, therefore extending your opportunity to score. Defensive rebounds were gained through acquiring the ball on the opponent’s offensive possession. Washington’s Elvin Hayes dominated both categories.

The Fall-Off

The Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks had been carrying the NBA’s reputation, as two large-market teams that had formed a traceable rivalry. However, their dominance suddenly seemed a lot less insurable – the loss of Wilt Chamberlain was significant for Los Angeles, and Jerry West only totaled thirty-one games.

New York was also littered with injuries – Earl Monroe missed the first couple months of the season, and Willis Reed went out for nearly the entire year. Gail Goodrich and Walt Frazier each kept their clubs afloat, but championship aspirations seemed a tad optimistic for both sides.

Claiming the Capital

The Baltimore Bullets relocated to Landover, Maryland in the off-season. Such a shift led to them claiming a new moniker, the Capital Bullets.

Standout Players

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

While the Bucks did not reach sixty wins like the previous few seasons, they were still convincingly the best team in the NBA. Their leader, Abdul-Jabbar, finished top four in scoring, rebounding, and blocks, which encouraged the gifting of his third M.V.P. award.

Bob McAdoo

The sophomore became the first true superstar to represent one of the ’71 expansion teams. Not only did McAdoo lead the league in scoring, but he finished top three in both rebounds and blocks. The Braves saw their first playoff berth behind his developments.

Bob Lanier

Detroit had not seen a winning record for a few years, but Lanier had an answer for that. His leadership and prowess on both ends of the ball resulted in a fifty-two-win campaign and the first Pistons playoff appearance since the late-60’s.

Elvin Hayes

Not only did Hayes lead the league in rebounds, but he helped the newly-relocated Capital Bullets claim forty-seven victories. With teammate Wes Unseld dealing with nagging injury issues, Hayes provided a defensive continuity that saved the franchise’s year.

John Havlicek

This was Havlicek’s worst statistical season of the decade, but he was still integral to Boston’s success. He led the squad in both scoring and assists, and hardly missed any games as per usual. It’s also worth mentioning that when he was out, they struggled.

Ernie DiGregorio

The eventual Rookie of the Year had one of the league’s most impressive first-year runs in a long time. He led all players in assists, and it would be unwise to deny that his presence didn’t help the Buffalo Braves improve from the previous year.

Around the League

Team Standings

Notes
An asterisk (*) indicates that the team qualified for the playoffs.

Eastern Conference
Atlantic DivisionWLCentral DivisionWL
Boston Celtics*5626Capital Bullets*4735
New York Knicks*4933Atlanta Hawks3547
Buffalo Braves*4240Houston Rockets3250
Philadelphia 76ers2557Cleveland Cavaliers2953
Western Conference
Midwest DivisionWLPacific DivisionWL
Milwaukee Bucks*5923Los Angeles Lakers*4735
Chicago Bulls*5428Golden State Warriors4438
Detroit Pistons*5230Seattle SuperSonics3646
Kansas City-Omaha Kings3349Phoenix Suns3052
Portland Trail Blazers2755

Fun Facts

  • Parity was this season’s theme – for the first time since 1969, no team won sixty or more games.
    • This was also the first instance since 1970 where no team finished below twenty wins.
  • Partially thanks to the new divisional system, certain teams were no longer penalized for being among tough company.
    • The Detroit Pistons made the playoffs for the first time in six seasons, and the Buffalo Braves experienced their first trip to the post-season as well.
  • This was the Milwaukee Bucks‘ fifth consecutive season of over fifty wins.
    • This streak had been alive since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s drafting in 1969.
  • The Boston Celtics’ defensive identity saw a minor decline – this was their first placement outside the top five defenses since 1970.
  • With Jerry West absent for most of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers‘ offense unsurprisingly collapsed. They dropped by nine places in the NBA’s offensive ranks.

Notable Movement

Key

The player stats listed are based on their last tenure, whether it be with their former team or the previous season.
Name(s) under the “Top Draft Picks” section with a plus (+) opted to play in another league instead of the NBA this season.
p – points
r – rebounds
a – assists
s – steals
b – blocks

Top Draft Picks

#TeamPlayer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10		Philadelphia 76ers
Cleveland Cavaliers
Buffalo Braves
Seattle SuperSonics
Los Angeles Lakers
Houston Rockets
Kansas City-Omaha Kings
Phoenix Suns
Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks		Doug Collins
Jim Brewer
Ernie DiGregorio
Mike Green+
Kermit Washington
Ed Ratleff
Ron Behagen
Mike Bantom
Dwight Jones
John Brown

Players

DatePlayerTeamActionDestinationStats
October 30, 1973Connie HawkinsPhoenix SunsTradedLos Angeles Lakers(11.3p/5.4r/3.5a)

Other Personnel

DatePersonTeamActionStats
May 11, 1973Coach Bill RussellSeattle SuperSonicsHiredRecord: n/a
June 15, 1973Coach K.C. JonesCapital BulletsHiredRecord: n/a
November 22, 1973Coach Bob CousyKansas City-Omaha KingsResignedRecord: 6-14
November 22, 1973Coach Draff YoungKansas City-Omaha KingsAppointed (Interim)Record: 0-4
November 29, 1973Coach Phil JohnsonKansas City-Omaha KingsHiredRecord: 27-31

Retirements

PlayerTeam(s)Notable Accomplishments
Wilt ChamberlainSan Francisco Warriors
Philadelphia 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers		2x Champion
1x Finals MVP
4x MVP
10x All-NBA
13x All-Star
1x All-Star Game MVP
2x All-Defensive
1960 Rookie of the Year
7x Scoring Leader
11x Rebounds Leader
Terry DischingerBaltimore Bullets
Detroit Pistons
Portland Trail Blazers		3x All-Star
1963 Rookie of the Year
1963 All-Rookie Team
Johnny GreenNew York Knicks
Baltimore Bullets
San Diego Rockets
Philadelphia 76ers
Kansas City-Omaha Kings		4x All-Star
Hal GreerPhiladelphia 76ers1x Champion
7x All-NBA
10x All-Star
1x All-Star Game MVP
Gus JohnsonBaltimore Bullets
Phoenix Suns		4x All-NBA
5x All-Star
2x All-Defensive
1964 All-Rookie Team

League Leaders

Key

PPG – points per game
RPG – rebounds per game
APG – assists per game
SPG – steals per game
BPG – blocks per game
FG% – field goal percentage (percentage of shots that hit)
FT% – free throw percentage (percentage of foul shots that hit)

StatLeaders
PPGBob McAdoo (30.6)
Pete Maravich (27.7)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (27)
Gail Goodrich (25.3)
Rick Barry (25.1)
RPGElvin Hayes (18.1)
Dave Cowens (15.7)
Bob McAdoo (15.1)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14.5)
Happy Hairston (13.5)
APGErnie DiGregorio (8.2)
Calvin Murphy (7.4)
Lenny Wilkens (7.1)
Walt Frazier (6.9)
Dave Bing (6.9)
SPGLarry Steele (2.7)
Steve Mix (2.6)
Randy Smith (2.5)
Jerry Sloan (2.4)
Rick Barry (2.1)
BPGElmore Smith (4.9)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (3.5)
Bob McAdoo (3.3)
Bob Lanier (3)
Elvin Hayes (3)
FG%Bob McAdoo (54%)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (53%)
Rudy Tomjanovich (53%)
Calvin Murphy (52%)
Butch Beard (51%)
FT%Ernie DiGregorio (90%)
Rick Barry (89%)
Jeff Mullins (87%)
Chet Walker (87%)
Bill Bradley (87%)

Playoffs

Semifinals

East / Boston Celtics beat Buffalo Braves, 4-2
For the first time since the Bill Russell era, the Boston Celtics were facing an opponent other than Atlanta in the first round. Their typical rivals had a down year, which allowed the comparatively young Buffalo Braves to sneak their way into the playoffs. Playing the number-one team in the Eastern Conference would be a tough task, but nothing M.V.P. runner-up Bob McAdoo was afraid of.

The teams split wins initially, with McAdoo putting up an absurd twenty-three points and twenty rebounds to help Buffalo win Game 2. Forty-three points from John Havlicek overshadowed a dominant McAdoo outing in Game 3, but the Braves responded afterwards in the fourth match. McAdoo went on a scoring barrage, and a buzzer beater tip-in shot from Jim McMillian tied the series two apiece.

With an understanding that this may be a harder-fought series than expected, the Celtics ramped up their intensity. They managed to close up with consecutive wins – thirty-four bench points saved them in Game 6, considering McAdoo could not be contained.
East / New York Knicks beat Capital Bullets, 4-3
Moved to Landover? Doesn’t matter. Three things are guaranteed in life – death, taxes, and an early-70’s Knicks vs. Bullets series.

New York had thoroughly owned this matchup over the past half a decade, only falling short in ’71. Considering they were the defending champions, it would be foolish to doubt their capabilities – however, the Bullets’ roster only continued improving annually. They could also take advantage of a hobbled and unconditioned Willis Reed, who missed the majority of the season to reoccurring injuries.

The Knicks largely failed to contain Elvin Hayes, but still ended up taking a 3-2 lead behind well-rounded team efforts. The Bullets forced a tiebreaker thanks to big Hayes and Archie Clark performances, but ended up bowing out in Game 7 after a cold second half. Hayes scored only twelve points on five-for-fifteen shooting, and was no help to his team’s pre-existing turnover problem.
West / Chicago Bulls beat Detroit Pistons, 4-3
This version of the Pistons were a new face in the post-season. Want a better understanding of how long it had been? The last time Detroit made the playoffs, Dave DeBusschere was their secondary star. Dave Bing led the league in total points. It was THAT long ago.

Facing a stiff Bulls defense, they could not let their guard down by any means. The two teams saw an immediate 1-1 outcome, with the two Bobs – Love and Lanier – amidst some fierce duels. They both cooled off afterwards, but the interdivisional rivals entered Game 5 tied once more.

Love finally outplayed Lanier, a breakthrough that helped Chicago win by four points. Roles were reversed in the sixth contest, which resulted in a scheduled Game 7. The Bulls opened up matters with a strong lead at halftime, and staved off a hungry Pistons comeback attempt. Such efforts made history for the franchise – this was their first time winning a playoff series since their conception in 1967.
West / Milwaukee Bucks beat Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1
Bucks-Lakers was a classic rivalry at this point, but it was perhaps less exciting this time around – the lack of a great center like Wilt Chamberlain to duel with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar resulted in a somewhat lop-sided dynamic. To make matters even worse, Jerry West was still expected to be out with his persistent groin injury.

The Bucks expectedly took both games at home, reveling in Abdul-Jabbar’s unstoppable scoring. Upset with his team’s shortcomings, Jerry West attempted to play in Game 3 – he could only log in fourteen minutes and four points, but his presence was great for morale. The Lakers won by two thanks to a big-time outing from Elmore Smith.

Frustrated that they gave away such a winnable match, Milwaukee proceeded to close the series out and write a gentleman’s sweep in the history books. Such composure earned them their fourth Conference Finals appearance in the past five seasons.

Conference Finals

East / Boston Celtics beat New York Knicks, 4-1
If the Celtics had one painful adversary, it was the Knicks. They had lost to them in the Eastern Conference Finals for the past two years, even after their historic sixty-eight-win run. They once again looked like the better team on paper, but history had a tendency to repeat itself.

Boston’s depth was on full display in the opening two blowout wins, as they cruised to success while containing New York’s offense. Thanks to Walt Frazier’s thirty-eight points, the Knicks managed a road win to avoid going down 3-0 – however, John Havlicek responded with two huge scoring nights to wrap up the series. The Celtics finally had the upper edge in roster construction and star power – they let out a sigh of relief after a relatively low-intensity matchup, now focused on their first Finals appearance since 1969.
West / Milwaukee Bucks beat Chicago Bulls, 4-0
The Bucks and Bulls were the two top dogs of the Midwest Division, but had never met in the playoffs before. The most enticing narrative was how Chicago would contain Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – the undersized Clifford Ray was a subpar one-on-one matchup, but the Bulls owned the highest-quality defense in the league.

Abdul-Jabbar faced little resistance throughout the series, averaging thirty-four points on great efficiency. Meanwhile, Chicago’s Bob Love struggled mightily on offense – he only shot thirty-five-percent from the field, a large drop-off from his regular season efficiency. The only game that was even remotely close was the second, where Chicago nearly pulled off a comeback win – however, they simply lacked the personnel to limit the best player in the NBA.

Thanks to these triumphant performances, Milwaukee joined Los Angeles as the only franchise to pull off multiple series sweeps in the 70’s. Their first was in the 1971 Finals, against the Baltimore Bullets.

Finals

Boston Celtics beat Milwaukee Bucks, 4-3
With the Lakers and Knicks dethroned, the stage was set for a brand new Finals matchup. The Bucks were looking for their second title of the decade, and the Celtics coveted their first championship in the post-Bill Russell era. The outcome was quite unpredictable – the two were 7-6 (in Milwaukee’s favor) over the past three seasons.

The teams split games on the Bucks’ turf – Boston had no clear answer for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but the Celtics were a much more well-rounded and deep team. Game 2 ended up going to overtime, in which Milwaukee pulled away by nine points to win.

Through four matches, Abdul-Jabbar was averaging thirty-two points. After a Game 5 win on the road from Boston, the Bucks were in serious trouble – they had to head to the Garden, one of the most hostile environments in basketball, to force a tiebreaker. They had a solid lead for the majority of the game, but a game-tying shot from Dave Cowens led to an overtime period.

The overtime was a grueling, tense stretch where the two teams only scored eight points combined – Milwaukee looked ready to pull away, but John Havlicek made a game-tying goal with five seconds left to force a double overtime. This was the first instance of such since the 1957 Finals, in which the Celtics experienced two separate double overtimes against the St. Louis Hawks.

The second overtime was far more electric, with the teams – most notably John Havlicek on Boston’s end – trading baskets until the very end. Down one point, Abdul-Jabbar hit a running hook shot – which extended to thirteen feet in the air – to bring the Bucks up one point. This moment was the mainstream breakthrough of his signature “skyhook”, which just saved his franchise’s season.

With homecourt advantage, Milwaukee had a bit of momentum heading into the final game of the season. Despite this, Boston broke through with a powerful eleven-point lead by halftime and never quite looked back. Cowens won the center battle between him and Abdul-Jabbar – he tied or exceeded the three-time M.V.P. in all statistical categories, and such heroics grabbed the Celtics their twelfth world title.
The Boston Celtics win the 1974 NBA championship!
John Havlicek was named the Finals Most Valuable Player.

Awards

Notes
Name(s) under the “All-Stars” section with an asterisk (*) were listed as the MVP of the All-Star Game that year. Those with “(IR)” next to their name were chosen to replace an injured star.

Major Awards

Rookie of the YearMVPFinals MVPCoach of the Year
Ernie DiGregorioKareem Abdul-JabbarJohn HavlicekRay Scott

All-NBA

All-NBA First TeamAll-NBA Second Team
Walt Frazier
Gail Goodrich
John Havlicek
Rick Barry
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar		Norm Van Lier
Dave Bing
Spencer Haywood
Elvin Hayes
Bob McAdoo

All-Defensive

All-Defensive First TeamAll-Defensive Second Team
Walt Frazier
Norm Van Lier
Jerry Sloan
John Havlicek
Dave DeBusschere
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar		Jim Price
Dick Van Arsdale
Don Chaney
Bob Love
Elvin Hayes
Nate Thurmond

All-Stars

Eastern All-StarsWestern All-Stars
Austin Carr
Phil Chenier
Dave Cowens
Dave DeBusschere
Walt Frazier
John Havlicek
Elvin Hayes
Lou Hudson
Pete Maravich
Bob McAdoo
Rudy Tomjanovich
Jo Jo White		Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Rick Barry
Dave Bing
Gail Goodrich
Spencer Haywood
Bob Lanier*
Geoff Petrie
Charlie Scott (IR)
Nate Thurmond
Norm Van Lier
Chet Walker
Jerry West
Sidney Wicks
West beats East, 134-123

All-Rookie

All-Rookie Team
Mike Bantom
Ron Behagen
John Brown
Ernie DiGregorio
Nick Weatherspoon

All-Time Championship Leaderboard

Notes
The Baltimore Bullets (1947-1954) won the championship in 1948, but are defunct. As a result, they are not listed.

TeamCountYears
Celtics121957, 1959
1960, 1961
1962, 1963
1964, 1965
1966, 1967
1969, 1974
Lakers61949, 1950
1952, 1953
1954, 1972
Warriors21947, 1956
76ers21955, 1967
Knicks21970, 1973
Kings11951
Hawks11958
Bucks11971

The NBA Time Machine: 1973

Posted on by in Sports, The NBA Time Machine

Published May 15, 2023

The NBA Time Machine:
1973

Relocating Royalty

Moving west

Since 1968, Cincinnati Royals personnel had been eyeing game opportunities in Omaha, Nebraska. They had played plenty of “home” matches in the city over the past half a decade, ranging from twelve to forty-two in a season.

This was the year the franchise permanently committed, dubbing themselves the Kansas City-Omaha Kings and splitting their home schedule between the two cities. They adopted the “Kings” surname to avoid confusion with the Kansas City Royals MLB team.

Due to this relocation, there were divisional re-assignments:

  • The Kansas City-Omaha Kings were moved from the Central Division to the Midwest Division, also placing them in the Western Conference.
  • The Houston Rockets were moved from the Pacific Division to the Central Division, also placing them in the Eastern Conference.
  • The Phoenix Suns were moved from the Midwest Division to the Pacific Division.

In other good news for the squad, they improved by six games and saw starting guard Tiny Archibald receive his first All-Star Game invitation.

9-and-73ers?

During the off-season, Philadelphia 76ers superstar Billy Cunningham jumped ship to the ABA. This was already seen as a catastrophic loss for the team, who were coming off an underwhelming thirty-win run – to make matters worse, coach Jack Ramsay departed to coach the Buffalo Braves. This left the 76ers’ locker room in disrepair, hinting towards an inevitably messy year.

After starting the season 0-15, the pitiful club finally managed a narrow two-point win against the Houston Rockets in early November. They won a couple of contests on occasion, but were largely amidst pathetic losing streaks. They lost fourteen straight from December to early January, and then completed a separate spell of twenty consecutive defeats from January to February.

While the roster was already awful, coach Roy Rubin was also heavily criticized for his lack of aptitude, being deemed fraudulent. He lacked insight and failed to encourage players during practice, which instilled bad habits in them. Rubin was replaced with 76ers guard Kevin Loughery, who neglected his playing duties to coach instead. They managed a grand five wins in February under his lead, but finished the season with the worst winning percentage of all-time.

E For “Exit”

A shocking trade during the off-season sent Houston Rockets star Elvin Hayes to the Baltimore Bullets in exchange for Jack Marin. Statistically speaking, this swap was incredibly lop-sided. Hayes was an absolute two-way behemoth, anchoring elite defenses while ranking sixth all-time in points per game. Marin was a talented forward coming off of his first All-Star selection, but the gap in talent was clear.

This generated skepticism regarding Hayes’ place in Houston culture. It was known that he frequently argued with coach Tex Winter, which was perhaps a breaking point for the front office – they were not interested in tantrums from a superstar, and opted to build around somebody else. Funnily enough, Winter was fired by the team seven months later.

The Bullets ultimately benefitted from the newfound acquirement, improving by fourteen games and finishing with a top five defense. Hayes’ impact on the glass was also profound, as Baltimore improved to the fifth spot league-wide in rebounds per game.

Barry’s Back!

During the summer of 1972, ABA star Rick Barry was prohibited by law from playing for any team besides the Golden State Warriors once his current contract ended. This was a byproduct of the various disputes the forward had with the franchise when he initially left them in 1967.

Upon his return, Barry posted a noticeably different style in comparison to his two first seasons. He was far less geared towards scoring, now adopting an unfamiliar “point forward” role in which he would often orchestrate his team’s offense. He led Golden State in assists, and his average of 4.9 was the highest of his NBA career.

Despite the return of their former superstar, the Warriors seemed to decline slightly. It’s hard to deduce whether this is his wrongdoing – their overall defense took a slight dip, and star Cazzie Russell had a down year.

Almost There

On their fifth game of the season, the Boston Celtics faced the Buffalo Braves. They had a field day dominating their divisional rival, leading by a thick forty-three points by the fourth quarter.

Buffalo shocked the Massachusetts audience in the fourth, scoring a record-breaking fifty-eight points to attempt a comeback. This was well over twice the amount scored by Boston, who truly only won because of the enormous cushion they built prior. The Braves’ sophomore guard Randy Smith was the star of the show, with an efficient twenty-nine points anchoring the failed comeback.

Standout Players

Dave Cowens

In light of the Celtics having their best season in franchise history, Cowens became Boston’s first M.V.P. winner since Bill Russell. He showed up in every game, averaging career highs in points, rebounds, and assists on the way.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Despite Cowens’ marvelous run, Abdul-Jabbar was still the league’s best player. His scoring declined slightly, but he still finished top two in points average despite that. His career high mark of five assists is perhaps the most notable breakthrough, establishing him among the best playmaking bigs in the NBA.

Tiny Archibald

Archibald made history by becoming the first player to lead the league in both points and assists in the same season – Oscar Robertson had done so prior with averages, but the league identified leaders off of totals at the time. Tiny’s acrobatics catapulted the Kings to the top ranked league offense.

Wilt Chamberlain

At the age of thirty-six, Chamberlain remained a force. While he saw a career low in scoring – only supplying a little over ten points a game – his defensive impact was still near-untouchable. Once again, he played every night and averaged over forty minutes en route to another sixty-win Lakers campaign.

Pete Maravich

The Hawks returned to the win column thanks to Pistol Pete’s best year-long performance yet. He averaged career highs in all three major categories, also putting together four forty-point games.

John Havlicek

Hondo’s eleventh season was yet another great one. Cowens got a lot of media attention and favoritism for the M.V.P. award – and rightfully so – but Havlicek was arguably just as vital to the Celtics’ success. He was the team’s offensive engine, leading them in both points and assists.

Around the League

Team Standings

Notes
An asterisk (*) indicates that the team qualified for the playoffs.

Eastern Conference
Atlantic DivisionWLCentral DivisionWL
Boston Celtics*6814Baltimore Bullets*5230
New York Knicks*5725Atlanta Hawks*4636
Buffalo Braves2161Houston Rockets3349
Philadelphia 76ers973Cleveland Cavaliers3250
Western Conference
Midwest DivisionWLPacific DivisionWL
Milwaukee Bucks*6022Los Angeles Lakers*6022
Chicago Bulls*5131Golden State Warriors*4735
Detroit Pistons4042Phoenix Suns3844
Kansas City-Omaha Kings3646Seattle SuperSonics2656
Portland Trail Blazers2161

Fun Facts

  • Yet another headline-worthy campaign was completed by the Boston Celtics, who won a colossal sixty-eight games.
    • This winning percentage was good for the third-best in NBA history, and the highest of the franchise to date.
    • The gritty identity they claimed in their last couple seasons finally reached its maximum potential, with them ranking first in defense league-wide.
  • The Philadelphia 76ers finished with the lowest win total and worst winning percentage professional basketball had seen to date.
  • For the first time since its conception, the new divisional system seemed balanced – all eight teams in the win column made the playoffs, and all nine with a losing record missed it.
  • While the Kansas City-Omaha Kings managed to boast the number-one-ranked offense, they settled with a pathetic seventeenth-place finish on the other end of the ball – good for last in the league.
  • The Milwaukee Bucks ended the year in the top five for both offense and defense – this was their third consecutive year of doing such.

Notable Movement

Key

The player stats listed are based on their last tenure, whether it be with their former team or the previous season.
Name(s) under the “Top Draft Picks” section with a plus (+) opted to play in another league instead of the NBA this season.
p – points
r – rebounds
a – assists

Top Draft Picks

#TeamPlayer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10		Portland Trail Blazers
Buffalo Braves
Cleveland Cavaliers
Phoenix Suns
Philadelphia 76ers
Milwaukee Bucks
Seattle SuperSonics
New York Knicks
Detroit Pistons
Boston Celtics		LaRue Martin
Bob McAdoo
Dwight Davis
Corky Calhoun
Freddie Boyd
Russ Lee
Bud Stallworth
Tom Riker
Bob Nash
Paul Westphal

Players

DatePlayerTeamActionDestinationStats
June 23, 1972Elvin HayesHouston RocketsTradedBaltimore Bullets(25.2p/14.6r/3.3a)
June 23, 1972Jack MarinBaltimore BulletsTradedHouston Rockets(22.3p/6.8r/2.2a)
July 1, 1972Rick BarryNew York Americans (ABA)SignedGolden State Warriors(31.5p/7.5r/4.1a)
August 1, 1972Jimmy WalkerDetroit PistonsTradedHouston Rockets(21.3/4r/3a)
August 2, 1972John BriskerPittsburgh Condors (ABA)SignedSeattle SuperSonics(28.9p/9.1r/4.1a)
August 23, 1972Butch BeardCleveland CavaliersTradedSeattle SuperSonics(15.4p/4.1r/6.7a)
August 23, 1972Lenny WilkensSeattle SuperSonicsTradedCleveland Cavaliers(18p/4.2r/9.6a)
January 26, 1973Tom Van ArsdaleKansas City-Ohama KingsTradedPhiladelphia 76ers(12.4p/3.5r/1.8a)
January 26, 1973John BlockPhiladelphia 76ersTradedKansas City-Ohama Kings(17.9p/9.2r/2a)

Other Personnel

DatePersonTeamActionStats
June 15, 1972Coach Roy RubinPhiladelphia 76ersHiredRecord: n/a
January 10, 1973Coach Tom NissalkeSeattle SuperSonicsFiredRecord: 13-32
January 10, 1973Coach Bucky BuckwalterSeattle SuperSonicsAppointed (Interim)Record: 13-24
January 21, 1973Coach Tex WinterHouston RocketsFiredRecord: 17-30
January 21, 1973Coach Johnny EganHouston RocketsHiredRecord: 16-19
January 23, 1973Coach Roy RubinPhiladelphia 76ersFiredRecord: 4-47
January 23, 1973Coach Kevin LougheryPhiladelphia 76ersAppointed (Interim)Record: 5-26
March 30, 1973Coach John MacLeodPhoenix SunsHiredRecord: n/a

Retirements

PlayerTeam(s)Notable Accomplishments
Elgin BaylorLos Angeles Lakers10x All-NBA
11x All-Star
1x All-Star Game MVP
1959 Rookie of the Year
Billy Cunningham
(jumped to ABA)		Philadelphia 76ers1x Champion
4x All-NBA
4x All-Star
1966 All-Rookie Team

League Leaders

If a stat is not listed, it was not recorded at the time. As time goes on, this section will begin to include steals per game, blocks per game, etc.

Key

PPG – points per game
RPG – rebounds per game
APG – assists per game
FG% – field goal percentage (percentage of shots that hit)
FT% – free throw percentage (percentage of foul shots that hit)

StatLeaders
PPGTiny Archibald (34)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (30.2)
Spencer Haywood (29.2)
Lou Hudson (27.1)
Pete Maravich (26.1)
RPGWilt Chamberlain (18.6)
Nate Thurmond (17.1)
Dave Cowens (16.2)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (16.1)
Wes Unseld (15.9)
APGTiny Archibald (11.4)
Lenny Wilkens (8.4)
Dave Bing (7.8)
Oscar Robertson (7.5)
Norm Van Lier (7.1)
FG%Wilt Chamberlain (72%)
Matt Guokas (57%)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (55%)
Curtis Rowe (51%)
Jim Fox (51%)
FT%Rick Barry (90%)
Calvin Murphy (88%)
Mike Newlin (88%)
Jimmy Walker (88%)
Bill Bradley (87%)

Playoffs

Semifinals

East / Boston Celtics beat Atlanta Hawks, 4-2
Boston and Atlanta were slated for their second straight first round matchup. The Hawks went home in six last time, and entered the Boston Garden seeking a different outcome.

John Havlicek immediately made a statement, powering the Celtics with fifty-four points in Game 1 – the fourth-highest single scoring game in playoffs history. Both this and the succeeding Game 2 were blowout wins for the home team, who had hopes to extend their lead back down south.

The Hawks protected their turf, winning two hard-fought matches under Lou Hudson and Pete Maravich’s lead. Matters were now up to the final three games, which Boston dominated – two shooting clinics from Jo Jo White sealed the deal, while M.V.P. Dave Cowens owned the glass.

New year, same old outcome.
East / New York Knicks beat Baltimore Bullets, 4-1
At this point, the Knicks-Bullets duel was disturbingly guaranteed – this was their FIFTH straight head-to-head in the post-season. Historically speaking, New York had the upper edge, with three of the last four rounds won.

While the Bullets’ roster seemed better than in previous years – largely thanks to having two of the game’s best big men – they immediately fell into a 3-0 deficit. They had no reliable perimeter defense, struggling to contain the Knicks’ new backcourt of Walt Frazier and former Bullet Earl Monroe. They finally managed a Game 4 win at home, holding their foes to only eighty-nine points – Elvin Hayes also put together his second-straight thirty-point outing.

However, a statement closing from the Knicks was inevitable – three of their starters exceeded twenty points to ensure their fifth consecutive Conference Finals appearance.
West / Golden State Warriors beat Milwaukee Bucks, 4-2
The Bucks and Warriors now met for the third year in a row, establishing yet another tense inter-conference rivalry. Golden State had never beaten Milwaukee, but were looking to change tides with the re-acquisition of Rick Barry.

Surprisingly, the two clubs split victories in Milwaukee Arena. Game 1 was a landslide win from the home team, but stiff defense left the series tied. What makes Golden State’s feat even more impressive was that Rick Barry went out two minutes into the first quarter – Cazzie Russell responded with a twenty-five point heater off the bench.

Milwaukee won in yet another blowout behind thirty-four points from Oscar Robertson, but an overwhelming takeover game from Rick Barry resulted in yet another series tie. Golden State shockingly took a road win afterwards – Nate Thurmond was instrumental in their success, limiting Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to nineteen points on terrible efficiency. The two-time M.V.P. also shot three-for-ten at the foul line, a blunder that cost them the game.

With momentum on their side, the Warriors handled business at home with a blowout victory. This was their first time beating the Bucks in a playoff series, and the franchise’s first Conference Finals trip since 1968.
West / Los Angeles Lakers beat Chicago Bulls, 4-3
As per usual, repeated first round matchups were this post-season’s narrative. The Lakers and Bulls were scheduled for their third straight first-round series, of which Chicago had never emerged triumphant.

The pedigree of the defending champions was on full display during their 2-0 series lead, of which Gail Goodrich was the clear leader. Surprisingly, Chicago responded head-on with two wins of their own, citing big games from Chet Walker and Bob Love for their resilience.

After a dominant Lakers Game 5 victory – in which Chamberlain had a 21/29/4 stat-line – it seemed easy for the Californian club to advance. However, Chicago simply refused to let down their fans – yet another home victory followed the Bulls, who were determined to upset their rivals. They nearly achieved such in the tiebreaker, which they only lost by three – Wilt Chamberlain was an unstoppable force, totaling over twenty points and rebounds again.

The Bulls had fallen short once more, still unable to advance past the first round. Fans at least had Norm Van Lier to be excited for, though – the 6’1″ guard was truly sensational, with twenty-eight points and fourteen (!) rebounds in the deflating loss.

Conference Finals

East / New York Knicks beat Boston Celtics, 4-3
The Eastern Conference playoffs were a direct mirror of last year thus far, with yet another Atlantic Division clash. New York got the best of Boston last time, but the sixty-eight-win Celtics looked like a different beast. This was especially true after winning by twenty-six points in the opener, with Jo Jo White and John Havlicek compiling masterclasses.

Simply put, that sort of defeat enraged the Knicks. They proceeded to win the next three matches in convincing fashion, including a fierce double overtime in Game 4. A lot of New York’s victories were balanced efforts, but Walt Frazier’s thirty-seven points defined that night.

On the brink of elimination, the Celtics managed to take Game 5 by a single point. The M.V.P. solidified his selection in a must-win moment, with thirty-two points and sixteen rebounds. Boston proceeded to force Game 7 two nights later, putting their foes under immense pressure to deliver.

A hard-fought, defensively-inclined final contest was controlled by the Knicks, who had five double-digit scorers. Frazier continued to assert himself, being only three assists short of a triple-double. The defending Eastern Conference Champions had now upset one of the best regular season teams ever, avoiding the scrutiny tied to blowing a 3-1 lead.
West / Los Angeles Lakers<