1970–71 Buffalo Braves season
The 1970–71 NBA season was the Buffalo Braves inaugural season in the NBA. With a roster made up primarily of castoffs, the Braves got off on the right foot by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 107–92 at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium on October 14.[1] However, the Braves would drop their next nine as they took on established NBA teams on the way to finishing in last place in the Atlantic Division. The Braves' record was 22–60, which was 7 games better than the Cleveland Cavaliers, their partners in expansion.[1]
Offseason
NBA Draft
Expansion Draft
[2]
Roster
Buffalo Braves 1970–71 roster |
Players | Coaches |
Pos. | # | Nat. | Name | Ht. | Wt. | From |
6.0 !C |
17 |
USA ! |
Bowman, Nate |
7000208279999999999♠6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
230 lb (104 kg) |
|
Wichita State |
1.5 !G |
7 |
USA ! |
Bryant, Emmette |
7000185420000000000♠6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
175 lb (79 kg) |
|
DePaul |
1.5 !G |
15 |
USA ! |
Crawford, Freddie |
7000193040000000000♠6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
190 lb (86 kg) |
|
St. Bonaventure |
1.5 !G |
13 |
USA ! |
Davis, Mike |
7000190500000000000♠6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
185 lb (84 kg) |
|
Virginia Union |
1.5 !G |
20 |
USA ! |
Garrett, Dick |
7000190500000000000♠6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
185 lb (84 kg) |
|
Southern Illinois |
1.5 !G |
9 |
USA ! |
Gilliam, Herm |
7000190500000000000♠6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
190 lb (86 kg) |
|
Purdue |
4.0 !F |
25 |
USA ! |
Hosket, Bill |
7000200659999999999♠6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
228 lb (103 kg) |
|
Ohio State |
6.0 !C |
45 |
USA ! |
Hummer, John |
7000205740000000000♠6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
230 lb (104 kg) |
|
Princeton |
4.0 !F |
44 |
USA ! |
Kauffman, Bob |
7000203200000000000♠6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
240 lb (109 kg) |
|
Guilford College |
1.5 !G |
5 |
USA ! |
Long, Paul |
7000187960000000000♠6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
180 lb (82 kg) |
|
Wake Forest |
4.0 !F |
25 |
USA ! |
Lynn, Mike |
7000200659999999999♠6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
215 lb (98 kg) |
|
UCLA |
1.5 !G |
22 |
USA ! |
May, Don |
7000193040000000000♠6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
220 lb (100 kg) |
|
Dayton |
4.0 !F |
4 |
USA ! |
Silliman, Mike |
7000198120000000000♠6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
225 lb (102 kg) |
|
USMA |
6.0 !C |
35 |
USA ! |
Warner, Cornell |
7000205740000000000♠6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
220 lb (100 kg) |
|
Jackson State |
4.0 !F |
33 |
USA ! |
Wilson, George |
7000203200000000000♠6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
225 lb (102 kg) |
|
Cincinnati |
|
- Head coach
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (DP) Unsigned draft pick
- (FA) Free agent
- (S) Suspended
- Injured
|
Regular season
Season standings
[3]
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 | — |
Awards and honors
References