1976–77 NBA season

1976–77 NBA season
League National Basketball Association
Sport Basketball
Number of games 82
Number of teams 22
TV partner(s) CBS
Regular season
Season MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (L.A. Lakers)
Top scorer Pete Maravich (New Orleans)
Playoffs
Eastern champions Philadelphia 76ers
  Eastern runners-up Houston Rockets
Western champions Portland Trail Blazers
  Western runners-up Los Angeles Lakers
Finals
Champions Portland Trail Blazers
  Runners-up Philadelphia 76ers
Finals MVP Bill Walton (Portland)

The 1976–77 NBA season was the 31st season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Portland Trail Blazers winning their first NBA Championship in franchise history, beating the Philadelphia 76ers in six games in the NBA Finals.

Prior to the season, the NBA merged with its primary rival league, the American Basketball Association (ABA). Four ABA teams joined the NBA, all four of which are still in the league today: the San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, and New York Nets. The Nets now play as the Brooklyn Nets. With these additions, the NBA expanded from eighteen teams to twenty-two.

Notable occurrences

Final standings

By division

Atlantic Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Philadelphia 76ers 50 32 .610 – 32–9 18–23 11–5
x-Boston Celtics 44 38 .537 6 28–13 16–25 9–7
New York Knicks 40 42 .488 10 26–15 14–27 8–8
Buffalo Braves 30 52 .366 20 23–18 7–34 6–10
New York Nets 22 60 .268 28 10–31 12–29 6–10
Central Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Houston Rockets 49 33 .598 – 34–7 15–26 13–7
x-Washington Bullets 48 34 .585 1 32–9 16–25 11–9
x-San Antonio Spurs 44 38 .537 5 31–10 13–28 9–11
x-Cleveland Cavaliers 43 39 .524 6 29-12 14-27 8–12
New Orleans Jazz 35 47 .427 14 26–15 9–32 10–10
Atlanta Hawks 31 51 .378 18 19–22 12–29 9–11
Midwest Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Denver Nuggets 50 32 .610 – 36–5 14–27 15–5
x-Detroit Pistons 44 38 .537 6 30–11 14–27 12–8
x-Chicago Bulls 44 38 .537 6 31-10 13-28 10–10
Kansas City Kings 40 42 .488 10 28–13 12–29 7–13
Indiana Pacers 36 46 .439 14 25–16 11–30 9–11
Milwaukee Bucks 30 52 .366 20 24–17 6–35 7–13
Pacific Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers 53 29 .646 – 37–4 16–25 11–5
x-Portland Trail Blazers 49 33 .598 4 35–6 14–27 10–6
x-Golden State Warriors 46 36 .561 7 29–12 17–24 8–8
Seattle SuperSonics 40 42 .488 13 27–14 13–28 6–10
Phoenix Suns 34 48 .415 19 26–15 8–33 5–11

By conference

# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Philadelphia 76ers 50 32 .610 –
2 y-Houston Rockets 49 33 .598 1
3 x-Washington Bullets 48 34 .585 2
4 x-Boston Celtics 44 38 .537 6
5 x-San Antonio Spurs 44 38 .537 6
6 x-Cleveland Cavaliers 43 39 .524 7
7 New York Knicks 40 42 .488 10
8 New Orleans Jazz 35 47 .427 15
9 Atlanta Hawks 31 51 .378 19
10 Buffalo Braves 30 52 .366 20
11 New York Nets 22 60 .268 28
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Los Angeles Lakers 53 29 .646 –
2 y-Denver Nuggets 50 32 .610 3
3 x-Portland Trail Blazers 49 33 .598 4
4 x-Golden State Warriors 46 36 .561 7
5 x-Detroit Pistons 44 38 .537 9
6 x-Chicago Bulls 44 38 .537 9
7 Kansas City Kings 40 42 .488 13
7 Seattle SuperSonics 40 42 .488 13
9 Indiana Pacers 36 46 .439 17
10 Phoenix Suns 34 48 .415 19
11 Milwaukee Bucks 30 52 .366 23

Notes

Playoffs

Main article: 1977 NBA Playoffs
  1st round Conference semifinals Conference finals NBA Finals
                                     
        
  1  Los Angeles 4  
    4  Golden State 3  
4  Golden State 2
5  Detroit 1  
  1  Los Angeles 0  
Western Conference
  3  Portland 4  
3  Portland 2  
6  Chicago 1  
  3  Portland 4
    2  Denver 2  
      
        
  W3  Portland 4
  E1  Philadelphia 2
        
        
  1  Philadelphia 4
    4  Boston 3  
4  Boston 2
5  San Antonio 0  
  1  Philadelphia 4
Eastern Conference
  2  Houston 2  
3  Washington 2  
6  Cleveland 1  
  3  Washington 2
    2  Houston 4  
      

Statistics leaders

Category Player Team Stat
Points per game Pete Maravich New Orleans Jazz 31.6
Rebounds per game Bill Walton Portland Trail Blazers 14.4
Assists per game Don Buse Indiana Pacers 8.5
Steals per game Don Buse Indiana Pacers 3.47
Blocks per game Bill Walton Portland Trail Blazers 3.25
FG% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Los Angeles Lakers .579
FT% Ernie DiGregorio Buffalo Braves .945

NBA awards

Note: All information on this page were obtained on the History section on NBA.com

References

  1. ↑ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCJ/is_7_28/ai_74437533
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