1970–71 Seattle SuperSonics season

1970–71 Seattle SuperSonics season
Head coach	Lenny Wilkens
General manager	Bob Houbregs
Arena	Seattle Center Coliseum
Results
Record	38–44 (.463)
Place	Division: 4th (Pacific) Conference: 8th (Western)
Playoff finish	DNQ
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com

The 1970–71 Seattle SuperSonics season was the Seattle SuperSonics 4th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In their second season with Lenny Wilkens as head coach, the Sonics finished in 8th place in the Western Conference with a 38–44 record. Trouble arose with the injury of top scorer Bob Rule, who tore his Achilles tendon three games into the season during a match against the Portland Trail Blazers and lost him for the remainder of the season.^[1]

Offseason

During the offseason, the SuperSonics traded 10-year veteran Bob Boozer and their first round selection from the 1969 NBA draft, Lucius Allen to the Milwaukee Bucks for Don Smith ^[2] (later known as Zaid Abdul-Aziz). Despite the early retirement announcement made by 24-year-old Smith to the Sonics' front office,^[3] he joined the team and played in 61 games in the regular season.

Draft picks

Note: only draft picks who participated in at least one game in the NBA are listed.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	6	Jim Ard	Forward / Center	United States	Cincinnati
2	20	Jake Ford	Guard	United States	Maryland Eastern Shore
2	22	Pete Cross	Forward / Center	United States	San Francisco
3	40	Gar Heard	Forward	United States	Oklahoma

Roster

1970–71 Seattle SuperSonics roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From F 43 Clemens, Barry 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1943–05–01 Ohio Wesleyan F/C 43 Cross, Pete 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1948–03–28 San Francisco G 33 Ford, Jake 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1946–04–29 Maryland Eastern Shore F/C 24 Haywood, Spencer 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1949–04–22 Detroit F 40 Heard, Gar 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 219 lb (99 kg) 1948–05–03 Oklahoma F 22 Kojis, Don 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1939–01–15 Marquette PF 14 Meschery, Tom 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1938–10–26 Saint Mary's F/C 45 Rule, Bob 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1944–06–29 Colorado State F/C 10 Smith, Don 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1946–04–07 Iowa State G/F 10 Snyder, Dick 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 207 lb (94 kg) 1944–02–01 West Virginia SG 44 Thorn, Rod 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1941–05–23 West Virginia G 19 Wilkens, Lenny 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1937–10–28 Providence G 11 Winfield, Lee 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 174 lb (79 kg) 1947–02–04 Providence	Head coach Lenny Wilkens Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Pacific Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Neutral	Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers	48	34	.585	–	30–11	17–22	1–1	15–7
x-San Francisco Warriors	41	41	.500	7	20–18	19–21	2–2	12–10
San Diego Rockets	40	42	.488	8	24–15	15–26	1–1	14–8
Seattle SuperSonics	38	44	.463	10	27–13	11–30	0–1	10–14
Portland Trail Blazers	29	53	.354	19	18–21	9–26	2–6	3–15

#	Western Conference
	Team	W	L	PCT
1	z-Milwaukee Bucks	66	16	.805
2	y-Los Angeles Lakers	48	34	.585
3	x-Chicago Bulls	51	31	.622
4	x-San Francisco Warriors	41	41	.500
5	Phoenix Suns	48	34	.585
6	Detroit Pistons	45	37	.549
7	San Diego Rockets	40	42	.488
8	Seattle SuperSonics	38	44	.463
9	Portland Trail Blazers	29	53	.354

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1970–71 NBA records
Team	ATL	BAL	BOS	BUF	CHI	CIN	CLE	DET	LAL	MIL	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SDR	SFW	SEA
Atlanta	—	3–3	2–4	3–1	1–4	2–4	4–0	0–5	3–2	1–4	3–3	4–2	1–4	2–2	2–3	2–3	3–2
Baltimore	3–3	—	3–3	3–1	2–3	3–3	4–0	2–3	2–3	1–4	2–4	3–3	3–2	2–2	4–1	2–3	3–2
Boston	4–2	3–3	—	4–0	4–1	4–2	3–1	2–3	3–2	0–5	0–6	4–2	2–3	2–2	3–2	3–2	3–2
Buffalo	1–3	1–3	0–4	—	0–4	0–4	5–7	1–5	2–2	0–4	2–2	0–4	1–3	6–6	1–3	1–3	1–3
Chicago	4–1	3–2	1–4	4–0	—	4–0	4–0	3–3	2–4	1–5	3–2	3–2	3–3	3–1	6–0	4–2	3–2
Cincinnati	4–2	3–3	2–4	4–0	0–4	—	5–1	1–4	1–4	1–4	2–4	1–5	1–4	4–0	1–3	2–3	1–4
Cleveland	0–4	0–4	1–3	7–5	0–4	1–5	—	2–2	0–4	0–4	0–4	1–3	0–4	2–10	0–4	1–3	0–4
Detroit	5–0	3–2	3–2	5–1	3–3	4–1	2–2	—	2–3	1–5	2–3	2–3	2–4	3–1	4–2	1–4	3–1
Los Angeles	2–3	3–2	2–3	2–2	4–2	4–1	4–0	3–2	—	1–4	3–2	3–2	2–4	4–0	3–3	4–2	4–2
Milwaukee	4–1	4–1	5–0	4–0	5–1	4–1	4–0	5–1	4–1	—	1–4	4–1	4–2	3–1	4–1	6–0	5–1
New York	3–3	4–2	6–0	2–2	2–3	4–2	4–0	3–2	2–3	4–1	—	2–4	4–1	3–1	4–1	3–2	2–3
Philadelphia	2–4	3–3	2–4	4–0	2–3	5–1	3–1	3–2	2–3	1–4	4–2	—	3–2	4–0	3–2	3–2	3–2
Phoenix	4–1	2–3	3–2	3–1	3–3	4–1	4–0	4–2	4–2	2–4	1–4	2–3	—	4–0	2–4	3–2	3–2
Portland	2–2	2–2	2–2	6–6	1–3	0–4	10–2	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	0–4	0–4	—	0–4	1–3	2–4
San Diego	3–2	1–4	2–3	3–1	0–6	3–1	4–0	2–4	3–3	1–4	1–4	2–3	4–2	4–0	—	2–4	5–1
San Francisco	3–2	3–2	2–3	3–1	2–4	3–2	3–1	4–1	2–4	0–6	2–3	2–3	2–3	3–1	4–2	—	3–3
Seattle	2–3	2–3	2–3	3–1	2–3	4–1	4–0	1–3	2–4	1–5	3–2	2–3	2–3	4–2	1–5	3–3	—

Game log

1970–71 game log Total: 38–44 (Home: 27–13; Road: 11–30; Neutral: 0–1)
October : 5–5 (Home: 4–1; Road: 1–4) Game Date Time Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 October 14 Detroit L 117–123 Bob Rule (37) Seattle Center Coliseum 8,153 0–1 2 October 17 Boston W 126–114 Bob Rule (36) Seattle Center Coliseum 11,617 1–1 3 October 21 Phoenix W 110–106 Bob Rule (25) Seattle Center Coliseum 6,923 2–1 4 October 23 Portland W 141–111 Dick Snyder (25) Seattle Center Coliseum 9,201 3–1 5 October 25 @ Milwaukee L 107–126 Dick Snyder (24) Milwaukee Arena 9,340 3–2 6 October 26 @ Detroit L 111–142 Don Smith (19) Cobo Arena 2,835 3–3 7 October 27 @ New York L 104–117 Lenny Wilkens (24) Madison Square Garden 14,471 3–4 8 October 28 @ Cincinnati L 118–131 Don Smith (25) Cincinnati Gardens 1,623 3–5 9 October 30 @ Portland W 115–104 Lenny Wilkens (35) Memorial Coliseum 4,344 4–5 10 October 31 Chicago W 122–119 Lenny Wilkens (26) Seattle Center Coliseum 5,727 5–5
November : 7–8 (Home: 5–2; Road: 2–6) Game Date Time Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 11 November 3 @ Chicago L 101–113 Lenny Wilkens (18) Chicago Stadium 8,244 5–6 12 November 4 @ Buffalo W 126–101 Tom Meschery (22) Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 2,093 6–6 13 November 6 @ Boston L 94–116 Dick Snyder (28) Boston Garden 5,852 6–7 14 November 7 @ Philadelphia L 128–134 Lenny Wilkens (32) The Spectrum 7,623 6–8 15 November 8 @ Cleveland W 111–105 Dick Snyder (30) Cleveland Arena 2,448 7–8 16 November 10 New York W 93–91 Dick Snyder (26) Seattle Center Coliseum 11,022 8–8 17 November 13 Cleveland W 111–91 Dick Snyder (26) Seattle Center Coliseum 6,961 9–8 18 November 16 Buffalo L 103–112 Dick Snyder (20) Portland, OR 3,189 9–9 19 November 19 Los Angeles W 111–110 Don Kojis (26) Seattle Center Coliseum 9,717 10–9 20 November 20 @ San Diego L 106–121 Three players (17) San Diego Sports Arena 4,211 10–10 21 November 21 San Diego L 114–115 Lee Winfield (36) Seattle Center Coliseum 11,316 10–11 22 November 22 @ Los Angeles L 124–149 snyuder (29) The Forum 11,763 10–12 23 November 26 @ Phoenix L 115–126 Lee Winfield (19) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,192 10–13 24 November 27 San Francisco W 101–96 Lenny Wilkens (31) Seattle Center Coliseum 10,024 11–13 25 November 29 Atlanta W 130–107 Lenny Wilkens (41) Seattle Center Coliseum 12,965 12–13
December : 6–9 (Home: 4–4; Road: 2–5) Game Date Time Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 26 December 1 @ New York L 109–114 Lenny Wilkens (29) Madison Square Garden 17,449 12–14 27 December 2 @ Cincinnati W 119–111 Don Kojis (30) Cincinnati Gardens 1,823 13–14 28 December 4 @ Baltimore L 116–131 Don Kojis, Dick Snyder (22) Baltimore Civic Center 3,050 13–15 29 December 5 @ Atlanta L 100–106 Lenny Wilkens (17) Alexander Memorial Coliseum 5,922 13–16 30 December 8 @ Philadelphia W 107–104 Three players (21) The Spectrum 3,584 14–16 31 December 9 @ Boston L 121–136 Dick Snyder (28) Boston Garden 4,608 14–17 32 December 11 Los Angeles L 118–126 Don Kojis (24) Seattle Center Coliseum 10,685 14–18 33 December 13 Milwaukee L 107–124 Don Kojis (29) Seattle Center Coliseum 12,627 14–19 34 December 16 @ San Francisco L 91–108 Lenny Wilkens (28) Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 2,218 14–20 35 December 17 Philadelphia L 117–125 Lee Winfield (25) Seattle Center Coliseum 4,739 14–21 36 December 19 Phoenix W 135–131 Don Kojis (36) Seattle Center Coliseum 6,443 15–21 37 December 20 San Diego L 108–110 Lenny Wilkens (28) Seattle Center Coliseum 5,702 15–22 38 December 22 New York W 119–108 Tom Meschery, Lenny Wilkens (20) Seattle Center Coliseum 8,827 16–22 39 December 26 Boston W 124–117 Dick Snyder (29) Seattle Center Coliseum 10,806 17–22 40 December 30 Chicago W 128–109 Dick Snyder (25) Seattle Center Coliseum 12,935 18–22
January : 7–8 (Home: 4–2; Road: 3–6) Game Date Time Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 41 January 1 Portland W 121–118 Lenny Wilkens (24) Seattle Center Coliseum 9,012 19–22 42 January 4 @ Milwaukee L 110–124 Don Kojis (24) Milwaukee Arena 8,835 19–23 43 January 5 @ Baltimore L 101–109 Lenny Wilkens (27) Baltimore Civic Center 4,631 19–24 44 January 6 @ Boston L 112–137 Dick Snyder (26) Boston Garden 4,152 19–25 45 January 8 @ Buffalo W 110–102 Lenny Wilkens (30) Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 3,024 20–25 46 January 9 @ Cincinnati W 114–110 Don Kojis (29) Cincinnati Gardens 3,879 21–25 47 January 14 Baltimore W 114–110 Lenny Wilkens (34) Clarence S. "Hec" Edmundson Pavilion 7,093 22–25 48 January 17 Baltimore L 96–111 Lenny Wilkens (20) Clarence S. "Hec" Edmundson Pavilion 7,557 22–26 49 January 19 @ Detroit L 102–106 Spencer Haywood (24) Cobo Arena 5,287 22–27 50 January 20 @ Atlanta W 112–108 Lenny Wilkens (24) Alexander Memorial Coliseum 4,661 23–27 51 January 22 Cincinnati W 132–131 (OT) Spencer Haywood (30) Seattle Center Coliseum 12,657 24–27 52 January 24 Philadelphia L 119–145 Spencer Haywood (30) Seattle Center Coliseum 12,841 24–28 53 January 28 Buffalo W 120–110 Dick Snyder (35) Seattle Center Coliseum 7,452 25–28 54 January 29 @ Los Angeles L 115–122 Dick Snyder (26) The Forum 12,547 25–29 55 January 30 @ Phoenix L 116–134 Spencer Haywood (29) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10,412 25–30
February : 6–9 (Home: 5–4; Road: 1–5) Game Date Time Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 56 February 2 @ Chicago L 101–118 Dick Snyder (24) Chicago Stadium 8,813 25–31 57 February 3 @ Cleveland W 98–95 Lenny Wilkens (30) Cleveland Arena 2,515 26–31 58 February 5 Atlanta L 120–121 (OT) Lenny Wilkens (30) Seattle Center Coliseum 13,136 26–32 59 February 7 San Diego L 107–124 Spencer Haywood (25) Seattle Center Coliseum 8,259 26–33 60 February 9 @ San Diego L 115–132 Spencer Haywood (22) San Diego Sports Arena 4,192 26–34 61 February 10 @ San Francisco L 122–133 Spencer Haywood (26) Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 2,913 26–35 62 February 11 Cincinnati W 119–101 Dick Snyder (31) Seattle Center Coliseum 13,013 27–35 63 February 12 @ Portland L 125–137 Lee Winfield (23) Memorial Coliseum 7,313 27–36 64 February 14 San Francisco W 146–101 Spencer Haywood (25) Seattle Center Coliseum 10,529 28–36 65 February 17 Portland W 130–126 Dick Snyder (25) Seattle Center Coliseum 6,679 29–36 66 February 19 Milwaukee L 112–128 Dick Snyder (31) Seattle Center Coliseum 12,685 29–37 67 February 21 Philadelphia W 135–128 Lenny Wilkens (28) Seattle Center Coliseum 8,003 30–37 68 February 24 Cleveland W 123–101 Dick Snyder (24) Seattle Center Coliseum 5,631 31–37 69 February 26 @ Los Angeles L 121–145 Tom Meschery (24) The Forum 14,294 31–38 70 February 27 Chicago L 114–129 Don Kojis, Lee Winfield (20) Seattle Center Coliseum 10,801 31–39
March : 7–5 (Home: 5–1; Road: 2–4) Game Date Time Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 71 March 2 Atlanta L 116–128 Dick Snyder (22) Seattle Center Coliseum 9,810 31–40 72 March 5 @ San Diego W 111–110 Dick Snyder (28) San Diego Sports Arena 10,138 32–40 73 March 6 Los Angeles W 121–109 Don Smith (21) Seattle Center Coliseum 12,949 33–40 74 March 8 @ Milwaukee L 99–104 Spencer Haywood (30) Milwaukee Arena 10,746 33–41 75 March 9 @ New York W 114–99 Don Smith (37) Madison Square Garden 19,500 34–41 76 March 11 Detroit W 130–97 Don Smith (29) Clarence S. "Hec" Edmundson Pavilion 5,681 35–41 77 March 12 @ San Francisco L 98–111 Spencer Haywood (23) Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 5,122 35–42 78 March 14 Baltimore W 124–121 Spencer Haywood (35) Clarence S. "Hec" Edmundson Pavilion 5,810 36–42 79 March 18 Milwaukee W 122–121 Don Smith (28) Clarence S. "Hec" Edmundson Pavilion 8,970 37–42 80 March 19 @ Portland L 128–135 Spencer Haywood (32) Memorial Coliseum 11,140 37–43 81 March 20 @ Phoenix L 107–114 Jake Ford, Gar Heard (17) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,134 37–44 82 March 21 San Francisco W 119–106 Dick Snyder (23) Clarence S. "Hec" Edmundson Pavilion 7,634 38–44
1970–71 season schedule

Player statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Black, TomTom Black ^[a]	55	–	14.1	.414	–	.699	4.1	.8	–	–	5.0
Clemens, BarryBarry Clemens	78	–	16.5	.470	–	.728	3.1	1.2	–	–	7.4
Cross, PetePete Cross	79	–	27.8	.442	–	.690	12.0	1.4	–	–	8.0
Rule, BobBob Rule	4	–	35.5	.480	–	.833	11.5	1.8	–	–	29.8
Ford, JakeJake Ford	5	–	13.6	.360	–	.727	1.8	1.8	–	–	6.8
Haywood, SpencerSpencer Haywood	33	–	35.2	.449	–	.734	12.0	1.5	–	–	20.6
Heard, GarGar Heard	65	–	15.8	.381	–	.656	5.0	.7	–	–	5.9
Kojis, DonDon Kojis	79	–	27.1	.446	–	.778	5.5	1.6	–	–	14.6
Meschery, TomTom Meschery	79	–	23.1	.463	–	.750	6.1	1.4	–	–	9.3
Smith, DonDon Smith	61	–	20.9	.441	–	.739	7.7	.7	–	–	10.9
Snyder, DickDick Snyder	82	–	34.4	.531	–	.837	3.1	4.3	–	–	19.4
Thorn, RodRod Thorn	63	–	12.2	.472	–	.676	1.6	2.9	–	–	5.6
Wilkens, LennyLenny Wilkens	71	–	37.2	.419	–	.803	4.5	9.2	–	–	19.8
Winfield, LeeLee Winfield	79	–	20.3	.466	–	.664	2.4	2.8	–	–	10.5

• ^a Statistics with the Seattle SuperSonics.

Awards and records

• Lenny Wilkens was named Most Valuable Player at the 1971 NBA All-Star Game.

Transactions

Overview

Players Added Via draft Jake Ford Gar Heard Via trade Don Kojis Don Smith Via free agency Tom Black (later waived) Spencer Haywood ^[^]

Players Lost Via trade Bob Boozer Lucius Allen

^{^} The Sonics signed Haywood as a free agent after he spent a season with the American Basketball Association's Denver Rockets, who signed Haywood after his sophomore year at the University of Detroit Mercy under a hardship clause. Because eligibility rules of the National Basketball Association at the time required a span of four years after high school graduation for a player to be picked by any team, a legal battle ensued, with the federal court ruling in favor of Haywood.^[4]

Trades

September 17, 1970

To Seattle SuperSonics Don Smith Cash considerations

To Milwaukee Bucks Lucius Allen Bob Boozer

References

1. Boston Minutemen on Time, The Evening News. October 23, 1970. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
2. Boozer to Bucks, Evening Independent. September 18, 1970. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
3. Smith Claims Retirement, Florence Times. September 20, 1970. Retrieved June 10, 2012.
4. Spencer Haywood Wins Court Permission to Play With Supersonics, The Day. March 2, 1971. Retrieved June 11, 2012.