NBA professional basketball team season
NBA professional basketball team season
1971–72 Buffalo Braves season |
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Head coach | Dolph Schayes (0–1) Johnny McCarthy (22–59) |
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Arena | Buffalo Memorial Auditorium Maple Leaf Gardens |
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Results |
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Record | 22–60 (.268) |
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Place | Division: 4th (Atlantic) Conference: 8th (Eastern) |
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Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
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Stats at Basketball-Reference.com |
Local media |
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Television | WBEN-TV |
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Radio | WBEN |
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A pair of rookies named Smith gave Buffalo fans reason for a bright future. The Braves repeated their 22–60 record from their inaugural season, and occupied the Atlantic Division basement.[1] Elmore Smith and Randy Smith each had out standing rookie seasons with Elmore averaging 17.3 points per game and 15.2 rebounds per game, while Randy added 13.4 points per game.[1]
Draft picks
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
1 | 3 | Elmore Smith | Center | United States | Kentucky State |
2 | 19 | Fred Hilton | Guard | United States | Grambling |
2 | 26 | Amos Thomas | Forward | United States | Southwestern Oklahoma |
2 | 30 | Spencer Haywood | Forward | United States | Detroit Mercy |
4 | 53 | Jim O'Brien | Guard | United States | Boston College |
5 | 70 | Garry Nelson | Forward | United States | Duquesne |
6 | 87 | Glen Summors | Forward | United States | Gannon |
7 | 104 | Randy Smith | Guard | United States | Buffalo State |
8 | 121 | Craig Love | Center | United States | Ohio |
9 | 138 | Gary Stewart | Forward | United States | Canisius College |
10 | 154 | Don Ward | Guard | United States | Colgate University |
11 | 170 | Bill Warner | Forward | United States | Arizona |
12 | 184 | Butch Webster | Forward | United States | LSU |
13 | 197 | Pete Smith | Forward | United States | Valdosta |
14 | 209 | Ray Lavender | Center | United States | Drury College |
15 | 218 | William Chatmon | Forward | United States | Baylor |
16 | 226 | James Douglas | Guard | United States | Memphis |
17 | 230 | Nelson Isley | Guard | United States | LSU |
18 | 233 | Joey Meyer | Guard | United States | DePaul |
Roster
Buffalo Braves 1971–72 roster |
Players | Coaches |
Pos. | # | Name | Ht. | Wt. | From | G | 7 | Bryant, Emmette | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | | DePaul | F | 40 | Chambers, Jerry | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | | Utah | G | 13 | Davis, Mike | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | | Virginia Union | G | 20 | Garrett, Dick | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | | Southern Illinois | G | 42 | Hazzard, Walt | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | | UCLA | G | 32 | Hilton, Fred | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | | Grambling State | F | 25 | Hosket, Bill | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 228 lb (103 kg) | | Ohio State | F | 45 | Hummer, John | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 230 lb (104 kg) | | Princeton | F | 44 | Kauffman, Bob | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 240 lb (109 kg) | | Guilford | C | 3 | Smith, Elmore | 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) | 250 lb (113 kg) | | Kentucky State | F | 9 | Smith, Randy | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | | Buffalo State | F | 35 | Warner, Cornell | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | | Jackson State | | - Head coach
- Assistant coach(es)
- Legend
- (DP) Unsigned draft pick
- (FA) Free agent
- (S) Suspended
- Injured
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Regular season
Season standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
y-Boston Celtics | 56 | 26 | .683 | – | 32–9 | 21–16 | 3–1 | 15–3 |
x-New York Knicks | 48 | 34 | .585 | 8 | 27–14 | 20–19 | 1–1 | 11–7 |
Philadelphia 76ers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 26 | 14–23 | 14–26 | 2–3 | 6–12 |
Buffalo Braves | 22 | 60 | .268 | 34 | 13–27 | 8–31 | 1–2 | 4–14 |
- z – clinched division title
- y – clinched division title
- x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1971–72 NBA records |
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 | — |
Game log
1971–72 Game log |
# | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record |
1 | October 12 | Seattle | 123–90 | Chambers, Hazzard (14) | 0–1 |
2 | October 15 | @ Cleveland | 111–109 (OT) | Walt Hazzard (35) | 1–1 |
3 | October 16 | Cleveland | 93–89 | Bob Kauffman (24) | 1–2 |
4 | October 19 | Los Angeles | 123–106 | Elmore Smith (20) | 1–3 |
5 | October 22 | @ Milwaukee | 105–124 | Dick Garrett (19) | 1–4 |
6 | October 23 | Boston | 103–98 | Bob Kauffman (25) | 1–5 |
7 | October 26 | @ Golden State | 91–89 | Bob Kauffman (24) | 2–5 |
8 | October 28 | @ Seattle | 96–106 | Bob Kauffman (27) | 2–6 |
9 | October 29 | @ Portland | 120–119 | Fred Hilton (27) | 3–6 |
10 | October 31 | @ Houston | 87–102 | Bob Kauffman (15) | 3–7 |
11 | November 3 | Phoenix | 100–98 | Bob Kauffman (24) | 3–8 |
12 | November 5 | @ Atlanta | 122–117 (OT) | Randy Smith (35) | 4–8 |
13 | November 6 | Chicago | 99–130 | Bob Kauffman (28) | 5–8 |
14 | November 9 | Portland | 100–109 | Bob Kauffman (30) | 6–8 |
15 | November 13 | Milwaukee | 127–106 | Bob Kauffman (44) | 6–9 |
16 | November 16 | Cincinnati | 98–102 | Walt Hazzard (27) | 7–9 |
17 | November 19 | @ Baltimore | 105–126 | Jerry Chambers (19) | 7–10 |
18 | November 20 | Detroit | 105–96 | Walt Hazzard (23) | 7–11 |
19 | November 23 | Atlanta | 97–102 | Walt Hazzard (30) | 8–11 |
20 | November 24 | @ Boston | 100–108 | Fred Hilton (23) | 8–12 |
21 | November 27 | Golden State | 110–91 | Bob Kauffman (17) | 8–13 |
22 | November 30 | Houston | 115–101 | Walt Hazzard (26) | 8–14 |
23 | December 2 | N Baltimore | 109–105 | Mike Davis (25) | 9–14 |
24 | December 3 | Cleveland | 90–91 | Bob Kauffman (23) | 10–14 |
25 | December 4 | @ New York | 90–130 | Chambers, R. Smith (13) | 10–15 |
26 | December 7 | Cincinnati | 91–115 | Fred Hilton (26) | 11–15 |
27 | December 10 | Portland | 101–100 (OT) | Randy Smith (21) | 11–16 |
28 | December 14 | Philadelphia | 110–117 | Walt Hazzard (26) | 12–16 |
29 | December 15 | N Milwaukee | 122–108 | Bob Kauffman (29) | 12–17 |
30 | December 17 | New York | 115–95 | Randy Smith (19) | 12–18 |
31 | December 18 | @ Boston | 91–124 | Walt Hazzard (15) | 12–19 |
32 | December 21 | Los Angeles | 117–103 | Randy Smith (26) | 12–20 |
33 | December 25 | @ Atlanta | 117–140 | Randy Smith (24) | 12–21 |
34 | December 27 | Philadelphia | 121–112 | Randy Smith (24) | 12–22 |
35 | December 28 | @ Los Angeles | 87–105 | Elmore Smith (32) | 12–23 |
36 | December 30 | @ Phoenix | 102–123 | Walt Hazzard (25) | 12–24 |
37 | January 1 | @ Seattle | 83–97 | Elmore Smith (21) | 12–25 |
38 | January 2 | @ Portland | 90–108 | Fred Hilton (26) | 12–26 |
39 | January 4 | @ Golden State | 86–112 | Elmore Smith (22) | 12–27 |
40 | January 7 | Phoenix | 123–110 | Walt Hazzard (23) | 12–28 |
41 | January 8 | @ Cincinnati | 97–87 | Bob Kauffman (28) | 13–28 |
42 | January 9 | @ Detroit | 96–101 | Elmore Smith (22) | 13–29 |
43 | January 11 | Cincinnati | 109–107 (OT) | Bob Kauffman (25) | 13–30 |
44 | January 12 | @ Philadelphia | 111–109 | Elmore Smith (26) | 14–30 |
45 | January 14 | Portland | 102–100 | Bob Kauffman (28) | 14–31 |
46 | January 21 | Chicago | 113–93 | Walt Hazzard (15) | 14–32 |
47 | January 25 | Atlanta | 123–110 | Fred Hilton (21) | 14–33 |
48 | January 26 | @ Baltimore | 114–115 (OT) | Walt Hazzard (30) | 14–34 |
49 | January 28 | Seattle | 104–93 | Elmore Smith (23) | 14–35 |
50 | January 30 | @ Cleveland | 99–98 | Walt Hazzard (26) | 15–35 |
51 | February 1 | Cleveland | 104–99 | Walt Hazzard (26) | 15–36 |
52 | February 2 | @ Philadelphia | 104–119 | Bob Kauffman (24) | 15–37 |
53 | February 4 | New York | 103–84 | Walt Hazzard (17) | 15–38 |
54 | February 5 | @ Chicago | 96–130 | Elmore Smith (24) | 15–39 |
55 | February 6 | @ Cleveland | 121–108 | Walt Hazzard (38) | 16–39 |
56 | February 8 | Milwaukee | 126–108 | Fred Hilton (30) | 16–40 |
57 | February 9 | @ Boston | 112–139 | Bob Kauffman (23) | 16–41 |
58 | February 11 | Detroit | 88–95 | Bob Kauffman (21) | 17–41 |
59 | February 12 | @ Detroit | 87–113 | Elmore Smith (17) | 17–42 |
60 | February 13 | @ Atlanta | 119–133 | Mike Davis (28) | 17–43 |
61 | February 15 | Golden State | 103–100 | Mike Davis (23) | 17–44 |
62 | February 18 | Houston | 108–96 | Bob Kauffman (19) | 17–45 |
63 | February 19 | @ New York | 95–100 | Elmore Smith (27) | 17–46 |
64 | February 22 | Baltimore | 98–99 | Bob Kauffman (26) | 18–46 |
65 | February 24 | N Cincinnati | 108–97 | Elmore Smith (23) | 18–47 |
66 | February 25 | Boston | 117–115 | Elmore Smith (40) | 18–48 |
67 | February 29 | Atlanta | 99–89 | Elmore Smith (23) | 18–49 |
68 | March 1 | @ Philadelphia | 99–108 | Kauffman, E. Smith (19) | 18–50 |
69 | March 3 | New York | 97–105 | Fred Hilton (31) | 19–50 |
70 | March 5 | @ Phoenix | 103–131 | Randy Smith (24) | 19–51 |
71 | March 7 | @ Portland | 94–98 | Elmore Smith (24) | 19–52 |
72 | March 11 | @ Houston | 100–121 | Dick Garrett (17) | 19–53 |
73 | March 12 | @ Los Angeles | 102–141 | Walt Hazzard (25) | 19–54 |
74 | March 14 | Philadelphia | 105–108 | Elmore Smith (33) | 20–54 |
75 | March 17 | @ Chicago | 103–126 | Randy Smith (19) | 20–55 |
76 | March 18 | Detroit | 103–116 | Elmore Smith (32) | 21–55 |
77 | March 19 | @ Cincinnati | 105–136 | Randy Smith (22) | 21–56 |
78 | March 21 | Baltimore | 100–114 | Elmore Smith (29) | 22–56 |
79 | March 22 | @ New York | 99–123 | Randy Smith (19) | 22–57 |
80 | March 24 | @ Detroit | 105–112 | Randy Smith (33) | 22–58 |
81 | March 25 | Boston | 121–116 | Elmore Smith (27) | 22–59 |
82 | March 26 | @ Baltimore | 101–119 | Hilton, Warner (18) | 22–60 |
Player statistics
Note: GP= Games played; MPG = Minutes per game; FG% = Field goal percentage; FT% = Free throw percentage; RPG = Rebounds per game; APG = Assists per game; PPG = Points per game
Player | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | PPG |
Bob Kauffman | 77 | 41.6 | .497 | .795 | 10.2 | 3.9 | 18.9 |
Elmore Smith | 78 | 40.8 | .454 | .534 | 15.2 | 1.4 | 17.3 |
Walt Hazzard | 72 | 33.2 | .451 | .782 | 3.0 | 5.6 | 15.8 |
Randy Smith | 76 | 27.6 | .482 | .622 | 4.8 | 2.5 | 13.4 |
Dick Garrett | 73 | 26.1 | .442 | .866 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 10.8 |
Em Bryant | 54 | 22.6 | .459 | .600 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 5.1 |
Fred Hilton | 61 | 22.1 | .389 | .738 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 11.6 |
John Hummer | 55 | 21.6 | .390 | .468 | 4.2 | 1.3 | 5.2 |
Cornell Warner | 62 | 20.0 | .443 | .744 | 6.1 | 0.9 | 6.2 |
Mike Davis | 62 | 17.2 | .425 | .767 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 9.1 |
Jerry Chambers | 26 | 14.2 | .433 | .688 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 6.8 |
Bill Hosket | 44 | 13.5 | .492 | .808 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 5.0 |
[2]
Awards and honors
Transactions
The Braves were involved in the following transactions during the 1971–72 season.
Coaching Change
Trades
Free agents
Additions Player | Signed | Former team | | | | | Subtractions |
References
- ^ a b Buffalo Braves (1970–1978)
- ^ "1971-72 Buffalo Braves Roster and Stats".
- Braves on Database Basketball
- Braves on Basketball Reference
Buffalo Braves seasons |
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1970s | |
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