Team: | Seattle SuperSonics |
End Year: | 1972 |
Wins: | 47 |
Losses: | 35 |
Division: | Pacific |
Division Place: | 3 |
Conf Place: | 6 |
Coach: | Lenny Wilkens |
Gm: | Bob Houbregs |
Arena: | Seattle Center Coliseum |
Television: | KTNT-TV |
Radio: | KOMO |
Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
Bbr Team: | SEA |
The 1971–72 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 5th season of the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In their third season with Lenny Wilkens as head coach, the Sonics finished the regular season in sixth place in the Western Conference with a 47–35 record, their first winning record in franchise history. Wilkens quit as head coach at the end of the season[1] and was replaced by former Dallas Chaparrals coach Tom Nissalke.[2]
With the sixth overall pick in the 1971 NBA draft, Seattle selected Fred Brown from the University of Iowa. After months of negotiation (the Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association also selected him in the 1971 ABA Draft), the Sonics signed him to a multi-year contract[3] Brown would go on to have a career spanning 13 seasons with the SuperSonics.
The Buffalo Braves selected Spencer Haywood with the 30th overall pick and intended to claim rights to the player from the SuperSonics. Matters were taken to court, with the judge ruling in favor of the Seattle franchise.[4] Tensions prior to the trial rose to the point that Buffalo decided to pay expansion fees to every team in the league with the exception of the Sonics.[5]
See main article: article and 1971 NBA draft.
Note: only draft picks who participated in at least one game in the NBA are listed.
The Seattle SuperSonics signed their second round pick Jim McDaniels in February 1972.[6] Since McDaniels was under contract with the Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association, both teams began a legal battle over the player's contract,[7] with a judge in the King County Superior Court granting permission to McDaniels to play for the Sonics.[8] The Cougars appealed to the Washington Supreme Court[9] but McDaniels stayed in Seattle.[10]
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 6 | Fred Brown | Guard | Iowa | ||
2 | 23 | Jim McDaniels | Forward / center | Western Kentucky | ||
8 | 125 | Charlie Lowery | Guard | Puget Sound |
Seattle SuperSonics Depth Chart - 1971-72 | |||||
Position | STARTER | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
PG | Jake Ford | Lenny Wilkens | Lee Winfield | ||
SG | Dick Snyder | Fred Brown | |||
SF | Don Kojis | Barry Clemens | |||
PF | Spencer Haywood | Gar Heard | |||
C | Jim McDaniels | Bob Rule | Zaid Abdul-Aziz | Pete Cross |
Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CIN | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atlanta | – | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–5 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–4 | |
Baltimore | 4–2 | – | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 | |
Boston | 4–0 | 2–2 | – | 6–0 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 | |
Buffalo | 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–6 | – | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 0–4 | |
Chicago | 5–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | – | 3–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–3 | |
Cincinnati | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–3 | – | 6–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–5 | |
Cleveland | 2–4 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 2–6 | – | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–4 | |
Detroit | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–1 | – | 0–5 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | |
Golden State | 2–3 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 5–0 | – | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | |
Houston | 4–1 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | – | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | |
Los Angeles | 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | – | 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | |
Milwaukee | 3–2 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | – | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 6–0 | |
New York | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 3–2 | – | 3–3 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 3–2 | |
Philadelphia | 3–3 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 3–3 | – | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–1 | |
Phoenix | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 4–1 | – | 6–0 | 3–2 | |
Portland | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–6 | – | 0–6 | |
Seattle | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 6–0 | — |
|- bgcolor=#cfc| 1| October 12| @ Buffalo| W 123–90| Spencer Haywood (29)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
10,723| 1–0|- bgcolor=#cfc| 2| October 15| @ Portland| W 119–88 | Spencer Haywood, Lenny Wilkens (23)||| Memorial Coliseum
6,124| 2–0|- bgcolor=#fcc| 3| October 16| Milwaukee| L 91–98 | Spencer Haywood (23)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
13,100| 2–1|- bgcolor=#cfc| 4| October 19| @ Cincinnati| W 101–100 | Dick Snyder (24)||| Cincinnati Gardens
2,967| 3–1|- bgcolor=#fcc| 5| October 20| @ Philadelphia| L 93–100 | Don Kojis (18)||| The Spectrum
10,365| 3–2|- bgcolor=#cfc| 6| October 22| Houston| W 110–91 | Spencer Haywood (23)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
10,182| 4–2|- bgcolor=#cfc| 7| October 24| Cincinnati| W 119–101 | Spencer Haywood (23)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
10,318| 5–2|- bgcolor=#cfc| 8| October 28| Buffalo| W 106–96| Barry Clemens (26)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
5,816| 6–2|- bgcolor=#cfc| 9| October 30| Los Angeles| W 115–106 | Don Kojis (26)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
13,138| 7–2
|- bgcolor=#fcc| 10| November 4| @ Golden State| L 96–98 | Spencer Haywood (31)||| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
5,814| 7–3|- bgcolor=#cfc| 11| November 5| New York| W 101–97 | Lenny Wilkens (26)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
12,638| 8–3|- bgcolor=#fcc| 12| November 7| Golden State| L 102–109 | Spencer Haywood (32)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
13,197| 8–4|- bgcolor=#cfc| 13| November 11| Cleveland| W 110–91 | Spencer Haywood (20)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
5,808| 9–4|- bgcolor=#fcc| 14| November 12| @ Los Angeles| L 107–115 | Spencer Haywood (26)||| The Forum
16,550| 9–5|- bgcolor=#cfc| 15| November 13| Boston| W 116 112 | Lenny Wilkens (21)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
12,738| 10–5|- bgcolor=#fcc| 16| November 16| @ Chicago| L 87 95 | Don Kojis (22)||| Chicago Stadium
8,907| 10–6|- bgcolor=#cfc| 17| November 17| @ Atlanta| W 112–104 | Spencer Haywood (23)||| Alexander Memorial Coliseum
5,462| 11–6|- bgcolor=#fcc| 18| November 19| Milwaukee| L 107–108 | Spencer Haywood (36)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
12,914| 11–7|- bgcolor=#cfc| 19| November 20| @ Portland| W 104–100 | Spencer Haywood (25)||| Memorial Coliseum
6,634| 12–7 |- bgcolor=#cfc| 20| November 21| Philadelphia| W 127–117 | Don Smith (26)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
10,151| 13–7|- bgcolor=#fcc| 21| November 25| Los Angeles| L 115–139 | Spencer Haywood (24)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
13,170| 13–8|- bgcolor=#cfc| 22| November 27| Detroit| W 124–102 | Spencer Haywood (26)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
12,565| 14–8|- bgcolor=#fcc| 23| November 28| @ Los Angeles| L 121–138 | Spencer Haywood (29)||| The Forum
15,544| 14–9|- bgcolor=#cfc| 24| November 30| @ New York| W 110–109 | Lenny Wilkens (29)||| Madison Square Garden
18,111| 15–9
|- bgcolor=#fcc| 25| December 1| @ Philadelphia| L 98–102 | Spencer Haywood (36)||| The Spectrum
4,507| 15–10|- bgcolor=#cfc| 26| December 3| @ Baltimore| W 117–106 | Spencer Haywood (35)||| Baltimore Civic Center
3,480| 16–10|- bgcolor=#cfc| 27| December 4| @ Cincinnati| W 100–98 | Spencer Haywood (25)||| Cincinnati Gardens
2,643| 17–10|- bgcolor=#cfc| 28| December 5| @ Cleveland| W 99–91 | Lenny Wilkens (27)||| Cleveland Arena
5,029| 18–10|- bgcolor=#fcc| 29| December 7| @ Milwaukee| L 83–116| Don Smith (21)||| Milwaukee Arena
9,061| 18–11|- bgcolor=#cfc| 30| December 10| Golden State| W 105–94 | Spencer Haywood, Lenny Wilkens (21)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
12,928| 19–11|- bgcolor=#fcc| 31| December 12| @ Houston| L 98–100 | Dick Snyder (23)||| Hofheinz Pavilion
2,751| 19–12|- bgcolor=#cfc| 32| December 14| @ Detroit| W 103–86 | Spencer Haywood (31)||| Cobo Arena
3,465| 20–12|- bgcolor=#fcc| 33| December 15| @ Boston| L 100–112 | Spencer Haywood (20)||| Boston Garden
9,225| 20–13|- bgcolor=#fcc| 34| December 17| @ Milwaukee| L 113–120 | Spencer Haywood (36)||| Milwaukee Arena
9,360| 20–14|- bgcolor=#cfc| 35| December 18| Portland| W 107–105 | Spencer Haywood (32)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
7,532| 21–14|- bgcolor=#cfc| 36| December 19| Phoenix| W 130–127 (OT)| Spencer Haywood (35)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
9,189| 22–14|- bgcolor=#fcc| 37| December 22| New York| L 104–120| Don Smith (17)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
11,953| 22–15|- bgcolor=#fcc| 38| December 25| @ Phoenix| L 86–116 | Lenny Wilkens (19)||| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
6,565| 22–16|- bgcolor=#fcc| 39| December 26| Chicago | L 102–103| Spencer Haywood (26)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
10,240| 22–17|- bgcolor=#fcc| 40| December 30| Los Angeles| L 106–122 | Spencer Haywood (34)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
13,106| 22–18
|- bgcolor=#cfc| 41| January 1| Buffalo| W 97–83| Don Smith (23)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
8,676| 23–18|- bgcolor=#fcc| 42| January 4| @ Houston| L 110–119| Spencer Haywood, Lee Winfield (22)||| Hofheinz Pavilion
2,786| 23–19|- bgcolor=#cfc| 43| January 5| Atlanta| W 127–116 | Lee Winfield (24)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
8,120| 24–19|- bgcolor=#cfc| 44| January 7| Cleveland| W 125–111| Spencer Haywood (48)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
8,169| 25–19|- bgcolor=#cfc| 45| January 9| Boston| W 125–119| Spencer Haywood (33)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
11,108| 26–19|- bgcolor=#cfc| 46| January 11| Houston| W 141–126| Spencer Haywood (35)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
6,404| 27–19|- bgcolor=#cfc| 47| January 13| Baltimore| W 112–107| Spencer Haywood (35)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
9,868| 28–19|- bgcolor=#cfc| 48| January 15| Phoenix| W 118–110| Spencer Haywood (34)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
12,693| 29–19|- bgcolor=#fcc| 49| January 21| Phoenix| L 113–128| Spencer Haywood (32)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
12,751| 29–20|- bgcolor=#fcc| 50| January 23| New York| L 99–101| Dick Snyder (26)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
12,261| 29–21|- bgcolor=#fcc| 51| January 25| @ Milwaukee| L 91–123| Spencer Haywood (15)||| Milwaukee Arena
9,046| 29–22|- bgcolor=#cfc| 52| January 26| @ Atlanta| W 131–119| Spencer Haywood (28)||| Alexander Memorial Coliseum
6,249| 30–22|- bgcolor=#cfc| 53| January 28| @ Buffalo| W 104–93| Don Smith (26)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
4,589| 31–22|- bgcolor=#fcc| 54| January 29| @ New York| L 106–110| Spencer Haywood (30)||| Madison Square Garden
19,588| 31–23
|- bgcolor=#cfc| 55| February 1| @ Chicago| W 121–103| Spencer Haywood (27)||| Chicago Stadium
7,886| 32–23|- bgcolor=#fcc| 56| February 2| Houston| L 88–111| Spencer Haywood (27)||| San Antonio, TX
6,074| 32–24|- bgcolor=#cfc| 57| February 4| @ Cleveland| W 118–112| Lenny Wilkens (25)||| Cleveland Arena
3,038| 33–24|- bgcolor=#fcc| 58| February 6| @ Boston| L 123–128| Spencer Haywood (32)||| Boston Garden
7,246| 33–25|- bgcolor=#cfc| 59| February 8| Houston| W 127–119| Spencer Haywood (28)||| Portland, OR
9,000| 34–25|- bgcolor=#cfc| 60| February 10| Cincinnati| W 118–96| Spencer Haywood (28)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
7,523| 35–25|- bgcolor=#cfc| 61| February 12| Portland| W 125–97| Spencer Haywood (28)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
11,348| 36–25|- bgcolor=#cfc| 62| February 13| @ Portland| W 127–117 (OT)| Spencer Haywood (44)||| Memorial Coliseum
6,034| 37–25|- bgcolor=#cfc| 63| February 16| Boston| W 113–112| Spencer Haywood (26)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
12,120| 38–25|- bgcolor=#cfc| 64| February 18| Golden State| W 110–108| Lenny Wilkens (30)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
13,097| 39–25|- bgcolor=#cfc| 65| February 20| Portland| W 109–105| Dick Snyder (28)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
13,115| 40–25|- bgcolor=#fcc| 66| February 22| @ Golden State| L 104–120| Lenny Wilkens (26)||| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
7,063| 40–26|- bgcolor=#cfc| 67| February 23| Detroit| W 97–96| Spencer Haywood (38)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
8,359| 41–26|- bgcolor=#cfc| 68| February 26| Cincinnati| W 122–106| Spencer Haywood (38)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
13,089| 42–26|- bgcolor=#cfc| 69| February 29| @ Baltimore| W 118–117 (OT)| Spencer Haywood (38)||| Baltimore Civic Center
6,187| 43–26
|- bgcolor=#cfc| 70| March 1| @ Detroit| W 116–102| Lenny Wilkens (28)||| Cobo Arena
2,954| 44–26|- bgcolor=#cfc| 71| March 3| Chicago| W 112–103| Spencer Haywood (35)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
13,005| 45–26|- bgcolor=#fcc| 72| March 4| @ Golden State| L 96–114| Spencer Haywood (20)||| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,502| 45–27|- bgcolor=#cfc| 73| March 5| Atlanta| W 112–110| Lee Winfield (18)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
13,021| 46–27|- bgcolor=#fcc| 74| March 7| Baltimore| L 98–105| Lenny Wilkens (19)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
12,507| 46–28|- bgcolor=#fcc| 75| March 9| Philadelphia| L 123–128| Lenny Wilkens (24)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
12,971| 46–29|- bgcolor=#fcc| 76| March 12| Milwaukee| L 99–109| Gar Heard (17)||| Seattle Center Coliseum
13,129| 46–30|- bgcolor=#cfc| 77| March 14| @ Chicago| W 115–111| Lee Winfield (38)||| Chicago Stadium
11,910| 47–30|- bgcolor=#fcc| 78| March 15| @ Atlanta| L 96–134| Lenny Wilkens (17)||| Alexander Memorial Coliseum
5,091| 47–31|- bgcolor=#fcc| 79| March 17| @ Baltimore| L 107–112| Lee Winfield (29)||| Baltimore Civic Center
4,346| 47–32|- bgcolor=#fcc| 80| March 19| @ Philadelphia| L 100–115| Lee Winfield (26)||| The Spectrum
9,828| 47–33|- bgcolor=#fcc| 81| March 25| @ Phoenix| L 99–118| Lee Winfield (28)||| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
10,189| 47–34|- bgcolor=#fcc| 82| March 26| @ Los Angeles| L 98–124| Gar Heard (21)||| The Forum
17,505| 47–35
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
33 | – | 10.9 | .328 | – | .759 | 1.1 | 1.8 | – | – | 4.2 | ||
82 | – | 17.6 | .521 | – | .844 | 3.5 | .8 | – | – | 7.1 | ||
74 | – | 19.2 | .428 | – | .736 | 6.9 | .9 | – | – | 5.5 | ||
26 | – | 7.0 | .500 | – | .788 | .4 | 1.0 | – | – | 3.5 | ||
73 | – | 43.4 | .461 | – | .819 | 12.7 | 2.0 | – | – | 26.2 | ||
58 | – | 25.8 | .401 | – | .617 | 7.6 | .9 | – | – | 7.9 | ||
73 | – | 25.4 | .469 | – | .793 | 4.6 | 1.1 | – | – | 11.4 | ||
12 | – | 19.6 | .415 | – | .611 | 6.8 | .8 | – | – | 9.4 | ||
16 | – | 15.2 | .363 | – | .535 | 3.4 | .4 | – | – | 7.1 | ||
58 | – | 30.7 | .429 | – | .720 | 11.3 | 2.1 | – | – | 13.8 | ||
73 | – | 34.7 | .529 | – | .842 | 3.1 | 3.9 | – | – | 16.6 | ||
80 | – | 37.4 | .466 | – | .774 | 4.2 | 9.6 | – | – | 18.0 | ||
81 | – | 25.2 | .496 | – | .668 | 2.7 | 3.6 | – | – | 10.6 |
November 25, 1971 | To Seattle SuperSonics | To Philadelphia 76ers |
---|---|---|
1972 second round pick (became Joby Wright) Future second round pick | Bob Rule |