1973-74 NBA season
Encyclopedia
The 1973–74 NBA season was the 28th season of the National Basketball Association
. The season ended with the Boston Celtics
winning the NBA Championship, beating the Milwaukee Bucks
4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals
.
' second-ever NBA title from a year ago. Much publicized, the team largely played this year as a victory lap, particularly after cornerstone Dave DeBusschere
announced his pending retirement halfway through the season. Their opponent in three of the last four NBA Finals
, the Los Angeles Lakers
, also went through some key changes. Wilt Chamberlain
had taken the money and run to San Diego of the ABA
, which came to mean the end of his colossal career. Jerry West
played just 31 games due to injury, and that likewise spelled the end to his nearly peerless career at guard. These two teams, which had led the league from two huge cities and carried the NBA to new media heights, were now poised to decline, which now gave strong runner-ups from a year ago their chance to ascend.
There were no 60-win monsters this season, but four teams did win over 50 games. Two of them, Milwaukee
and Boston
cast strong shadows all season long, each led by powerful individual forces determined to win.
Milwaukee won a league-high 59 of 82 NBA games, led again by superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
. Jabbar had not seen the NBA Finals
since the controversial changing of his name, but now had no Wilt Chamberlain
to prevent his return. He averaged 27 points per game, making more field goals, 948, than any player in the league. The Bucks were again the top shooting team in the NBA and led in average margin of points over opponents as well. Second in minutes played and in the new blocked shots category, Jabbar was a peerless presence all season long. One player, Atlanta
's high-scoring Pete Maravich
, tried more shots, but Jabbar sank his tries at a 53.9% clip, second best in the NBA. The rest of the Bucks lineup provided good support for Jabbar, but age and injuries remained a concern into the playoffs.
The Boston Celtics cast a very determined shadow across the East with 56 wins, willed by 33-year old captain John Havlicek
. The swingman star was again All-Defense while scoring 22.8 points per game. Hondo even leaked into the NBA's top assists category with six per game on average. More impressive than Havlicek, however, was the continued intensity and standout play of 6' 9 245-pound center Dave Cowens
. Cowens added 19 points per game and was second in the NBA in rebounds, leading the best board team in the league. Like Milwaukee's Jabbar, he was a fixture in minutes played. But he was a star with a solid team around him, including guard JoJo White. The Celtics did not have The Player, but very much looked like The Team.
Milwaukee's 59 wins won the Midwest Division, but not by much. The Chicago Bulls
and Detroit Pistons
each again posted strong campaigns to finish second and third in the division, with the third and fourth best records in the entire league.
Chicago, led again by coach Dick Motta
, followed the same tried and true formula of scoring from the forwards and strong defense overall. Forward Bob Love
rarely saw a shot he didn't like at 21.8 points per game. The Bulls impressed all season long in being able to deny opponents easy shots with strong, clean defense that did not often foul. Cliff Ray
stepped in for an injured Tom Boerwinkle
and performed solidly, the team not missing a beat. Jerry Sloan
and Norm Van Lier
each were in the top ten in the new steals category, Sloan ranking fourth in the NBA.
Detroit's hard luck team showed some of its potential this year. Former player Ray Scott
had taken over for Butch Van Breda Kolff's controversial mentorship and was now leading a winner. Bob Lanier
emerged as the solid center every team covets with 22.5 points per game on 50% shooting and 13.3 rebounds with four assists per game as well. Big Bob also averaged three blocks a game. Former scoring champion Dave Bing
was back, quarterbacking his club with seven assists per game and adding 18.8 per game in scoring. Vision problems still dogged him, hampering what had once looked like a sure Hall Of Fame career. Detroit's 52 wins would have won the Pacific Division. Third in the Midwest, they simply hoped to be allowed into the playoffs.
Five other NBA teams won half their games to make a total of nine out of 17 total teams. Thankfully, there were no Philadelphia 76er
disasters like there had been a year ago. The playoff format took a closer look at records this year to answers criticisms of recent years past that had strongly tied playoff selections to the league's four divisions. It allowed some deserving teams to participate, which many were glad to see.
in Round One, the Braves finishing as a third-place team in the Atlantic Division
. The Braves were led by self-promoting superstar Bob McAdoo, the NBA's most dangerous shooter at 30.6 points per game and 54.7% accuracy, both tops in the NBA. The Big Mac was also among the NBA's top five rebound
ers and shot blockers, an impressive feat. Jack Ramsay
's club was well-balanced and deep, with Ernie DiGregorio
as the pure point guard to lead his offense. The six-game series was very close, with the last three games decided by three points or less. But Boston's defense gave them a series win four games to two.
The aging Knicks had dropped to 49 wins to finish second in the Atlantic, and again drew the Bullets as their first playoff opponents --- the Capital City Bullets
. Washington D.C. was slyly and slowly taking over Baltimore's team. But the 47-win Bullets were still largely the same bunch. Elvin Hayes
and Phil Chenier
were the team stars this year, with Wes Unseld
battling knee injuries. Hayes had stepped up to lead the NBA in rebounds. The 6'10 240-pounder was also a leading shot blocker, while Chenier proved to be one of the league's best all around guards at both ends of the floor. The team, now coached by former Celtic K.C. Jones, gave the Knicks a tough full-seven game series, but the outcome was the same. Game Four went to overtime and Game Five ended 106-105, both Knick wins. Boston and New York were now set for another huge East final.
Milwaukee met the 47-win Los Angeles Lakers, winners of the Pacific, in the first round, but these were now different Lakers. Elmore Smith
had come over from Buffalo to lead the league in blocks. Connie Hawkins
had come over from Phoenix, and Happy Hairston
was back on the boards. Gail Goodrich
continued to bewilder critics with a 25.3 scoring average, trying and making more free throws than any other NBA player at an 86% clip. Like the Knicks, the Lakers were deep and smart. And old. The Bucks blew them out for a 4-1 series win which signaled a clear change between the two teams in their rich rivalry.
Chicago got to meet Detroit in a seven game war, using their fourth home game to barely survive the Pistons. Five of the seven games were decided by five points or less, all hotly competitive. Bob Lanier tried mightily to make up for his forwards, but the all-star fell just short. Milwaukee and Chicago kept that Midwest theme alive in the second round for the West final.
Boston made it plain they would not play around with New York this year, with two big double-digit romps to start the series. The Knicks, clearly now led by their stellar backcourt of Walt Frazier
and Earl Monroe
, showed some heart by beating Boston in Boston in Game Three. But that proved a final parting shot for the New Yorkers who had been in three of the last four NBA Finals. Havlicek made sure of that almost single-handedly, leading a 4-1 series win.
Chicago's forwards and guards appeared to outplay Milwaukee for four games. But Ray was no match for Jabbar at center, and coach Larry Costello's team got a good bench boost as well to pound the Bulls in four straight. Only Game Two in Chicago had been close. Jabbar was just as determined as Havlicek.
Milwaukee was favored in the NBA Finals
, with Cowens looking up at the 7' 2 Jabbar. But the Boston center conceded nothing, averaging 20 points and 13 rebounds in courageous play. The series would be a classic, going the full seven games. Jabbar got some solid help in the shooting of Bobby Dandridge and the passing of 35-year-old wore-out Oscar Robertson
. But the Celtics hung tough, even after losing 102-101 in a legendary double-overtime affair at Boston Garden
that saw Jabbar throw in a 15-foot hook shot to win the game at the buzzer.
Game Seven in Milwaukee saw the Bucks poised to win their second title in four years. But Cowens turned in a huge 28-point game with aggressive defense to push the Celtics to 102-87 upset. Havlicek had averaged 27 points and six assists in 18 playoff games to win his first NBA title ring without Bill Russell. But it was Cowens, who had saved his best game for last, who stood out most in proving he was in fact center-enough to lead an NBA champion past the taller giants of the league.
Note: All information on this page were obtained on the History section on NBA.com
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. The season ended with the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
winning the NBA Championship, beating the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals
1974 NBA Finals
-Series Summary:Celtics win series 4-3-Game 1:Before the series started, Bucks point guard Lucius Allen would be lost for the series with a knee injury. In Game 1, the Celtics took advantage, harassing a 35-year old Oscar Robertson and Allen's replacement, Ron Williams, into frequent turnovers...
.
Notable occurrences
- The 1974 NBA All-Star Game1974 NBA All-Star GameGAME 24: at the Seattle Center Coliseum, Jan. 15, 1974.MVP: Bob LanierCoaches: East: Tom Heinsohn, West: Larry Costello.-Eastern Conference: -Western Conference: -Score by periods: *Halftime— West, 66-47*Third Quarter— West, 101-85...
was played at the Coliseum at Seattle CenterSeattle CenterSeattle Center is a park and arts and entertainment center in Seattle, Washington. The campus is the site used in 1962 by the Century 21 Exposition. It is located just north of Belltown in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood.-Attractions:...
in Seattle, Washington, with the West beating the East 134-123. Bob LanierBob Lanier (basketball)Robert Jerry "Bob" Lanier, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played for the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA.Lanier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992....
of the Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
wins the game's MVP award. - The Baltimore Bullets relocate to the Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
suburb of Landover, MarylandLandover, MarylandLandover is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, within the census-designated place of Greater Landover. The Prince Georges County Sports and Learning Complex is in Landover...
and become the Capital Bullets. - NBA on CBS began. CBS' partnership with the NBA lasted 17 consecutive years, and ended in 1990, when NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
took over as the NBA's broadcast partner. - Shot BlockingBlock (basketball)In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
and stealsSteal (basketball)In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...
became official stats in the league.
Season recap
The NBA opened the year still very impressed with the New York KnickerbockersNew York Knickerbockers
The New York Knickerbockers were one of the first organized baseball teams which played under a set of rules similar to the game today. The team was founded by Alexander Cartwright, considered one of the original developers of modern baseball....
' second-ever NBA title from a year ago. Much publicized, the team largely played this year as a victory lap, particularly after cornerstone Dave DeBusschere
Dave DeBusschere
David Albert DeBusschere was an American NBA and major league baseball player and coach in the NBA. In 1996, DeBusschere was named as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history....
announced his pending retirement halfway through the season. Their opponent in three of the last four NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
, the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, also went through some key changes. Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
had taken the money and run to San Diego of the ABA
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
, which came to mean the end of his colossal career. Jerry West
Jerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
played just 31 games due to injury, and that likewise spelled the end to his nearly peerless career at guard. These two teams, which had led the league from two huge cities and carried the NBA to new media heights, were now poised to decline, which now gave strong runner-ups from a year ago their chance to ascend.
There were no 60-win monsters this season, but four teams did win over 50 games. Two of them, Milwaukee
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
and Boston
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
cast strong shadows all season long, each led by powerful individual forces determined to win.
Milwaukee won a league-high 59 of 82 NBA games, led again by superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
. Jabbar had not seen the NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
since the controversial changing of his name, but now had no Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
to prevent his return. He averaged 27 points per game, making more field goals, 948, than any player in the league. The Bucks were again the top shooting team in the NBA and led in average margin of points over opponents as well. Second in minutes played and in the new blocked shots category, Jabbar was a peerless presence all season long. One player, Atlanta
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
's high-scoring Pete Maravich
Pete Maravich
Peter "Pistol Pete" Press Maravich was an American professional basketball player. Born and raised in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University and played for three NBA teams until injuries induced him to retire in 1980...
, tried more shots, but Jabbar sank his tries at a 53.9% clip, second best in the NBA. The rest of the Bucks lineup provided good support for Jabbar, but age and injuries remained a concern into the playoffs.
The Boston Celtics cast a very determined shadow across the East with 56 wins, willed by 33-year old captain John Havlicek
John Havlicek
John J. "Hondo" Havlicek is a retired American professional basketball player who competed for 16 seasons with the Boston Celtics, winning eight NBA titles, half of them coming in his first four seasons....
. The swingman star was again All-Defense while scoring 22.8 points per game. Hondo even leaked into the NBA's top assists category with six per game on average. More impressive than Havlicek, however, was the continued intensity and standout play of 6' 9 245-pound center Dave Cowens
Dave Cowens
David William Cowens is a retired American professional basketball player and NBA head coach. At 6'9", he played the center and occasionally the power forward position. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991...
. Cowens added 19 points per game and was second in the NBA in rebounds, leading the best board team in the league. Like Milwaukee's Jabbar, he was a fixture in minutes played. But he was a star with a solid team around him, including guard JoJo White. The Celtics did not have The Player, but very much looked like The Team.
Milwaukee's 59 wins won the Midwest Division, but not by much. The Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
and Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
each again posted strong campaigns to finish second and third in the division, with the third and fourth best records in the entire league.
Chicago, led again by coach Dick Motta
Dick Motta
John Richard "Dick" Motta is a former basketball coach whose career in the National Basketball Association spanned 25 years, and he continues to rank among the NBA's all-time top 10 in coaching victories....
, followed the same tried and true formula of scoring from the forwards and strong defense overall. Forward Bob Love
Bob Love
Robert ' Earl “Butterbean” Love is a retired American professional basketball player who spent the prime of his career with the NBA's Chicago Bulls...
rarely saw a shot he didn't like at 21.8 points per game. The Bulls impressed all season long in being able to deny opponents easy shots with strong, clean defense that did not often foul. Cliff Ray
Clifford Ray
Clifford Ray is an American basketball coach and former professional basketball player. A 6–9 center, he played three of his ten seasons in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls and the other seven with the Golden State Warriors .-Career:Ray has won a NBA championship as a player and as a coach...
stepped in for an injured Tom Boerwinkle
Tom Boerwinkle
Thomas F. Boerwinkle is a retired National Basketball Association center who spent his entire career with the Chicago Bulls....
and performed solidly, the team not missing a beat. Jerry Sloan
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
and Norm Van Lier
Norm Van Lier
Norman Allen Van Lier III was an NBA basketball player and television broadcaster who spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls.-Biography:...
each were in the top ten in the new steals category, Sloan ranking fourth in the NBA.
Detroit's hard luck team showed some of its potential this year. Former player Ray Scott
Ray Scott (basketball)
John Raymond Scott is a retired American professional basketball player and former head coach of the Detroit Pistons...
had taken over for Butch Van Breda Kolff's controversial mentorship and was now leading a winner. Bob Lanier
Bob Lanier (basketball)
Robert Jerry "Bob" Lanier, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played for the Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA.Lanier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992....
emerged as the solid center every team covets with 22.5 points per game on 50% shooting and 13.3 rebounds with four assists per game as well. Big Bob also averaged three blocks a game. Former scoring champion Dave Bing
Dave Bing
David "Dave" Bing is the mayor of Detroit, Michigan, a businessman, and a retired American professional basketball player who played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association , primarily for the Detroit Pistons...
was back, quarterbacking his club with seven assists per game and adding 18.8 per game in scoring. Vision problems still dogged him, hampering what had once looked like a sure Hall Of Fame career. Detroit's 52 wins would have won the Pacific Division. Third in the Midwest, they simply hoped to be allowed into the playoffs.
Five other NBA teams won half their games to make a total of nine out of 17 total teams. Thankfully, there were no Philadelphia 76er
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
disasters like there had been a year ago. The playoff format took a closer look at records this year to answers criticisms of recent years past that had strongly tied playoff selections to the league's four divisions. It allowed some deserving teams to participate, which many were glad to see.
Playoffs
Boston met 42-40 BuffaloLos Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in Round One, the Braves finishing as a third-place team in the Atlantic Division
Atlantic Division (NBA)
The Atlantic Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Boston Celtics, the New Jersey Nets, the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors...
. The Braves were led by self-promoting superstar Bob McAdoo, the NBA's most dangerous shooter at 30.6 points per game and 54.7% accuracy, both tops in the NBA. The Big Mac was also among the NBA's top five rebound
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
ers and shot blockers, an impressive feat. Jack Ramsay
Jack Ramsay
Jack T. Ramsay is an American former basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" . He is best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA Title, and for his broadcasting work with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio...
's club was well-balanced and deep, with Ernie DiGregorio
Ernie DiGregorio
Ernest DiGregorio is a retired American National Basketball Association player.DiGregorio played on the 1968 Rhode Island champions at North Providence High School....
as the pure point guard to lead his offense. The six-game series was very close, with the last three games decided by three points or less. But Boston's defense gave them a series win four games to two.
The aging Knicks had dropped to 49 wins to finish second in the Atlantic, and again drew the Bullets as their first playoff opponents --- the Capital City Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
. Washington D.C. was slyly and slowly taking over Baltimore's team. But the 47-win Bullets were still largely the same bunch. Elvin Hayes
Elvin Hayes
Elvin Ernest Hayes is a retired American basketball player and radio analyst for Houston Cougars men's basketball, where he played college basketball...
and Phil Chenier
Phil Chenier
Philip Chenier is a former professional basketball player. He is presentlya television sports broadcaster for the NBA's Washington Wizards.-NBA playing career:...
were the team stars this year, with Wes Unseld
Wes Unseld
Westley Sissel "Wes" Unseld is an American former basketball player. He spent his entire NBA career with the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988.-Early life and college career:Unseld starred on a Seneca High School team...
battling knee injuries. Hayes had stepped up to lead the NBA in rebounds. The 6'10 240-pounder was also a leading shot blocker, while Chenier proved to be one of the league's best all around guards at both ends of the floor. The team, now coached by former Celtic K.C. Jones, gave the Knicks a tough full-seven game series, but the outcome was the same. Game Four went to overtime and Game Five ended 106-105, both Knick wins. Boston and New York were now set for another huge East final.
Milwaukee met the 47-win Los Angeles Lakers, winners of the Pacific, in the first round, but these were now different Lakers. Elmore Smith
Elmore Smith
Elmore Smith is a retired American professional basketball player. A 7'0" center from Kentucky State University, he played in the National Basketball Association from 1971 to 1979...
had come over from Buffalo to lead the league in blocks. Connie Hawkins
Connie Hawkins
Cornelius L. Hawkins is a former National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player, Harlem Globetrotter and New York City playground legend...
had come over from Phoenix, and Happy Hairston
Happy Hairston
Harold "Happy" Hairston was an American professional basketball player who played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. He was a member of 1971–72 NBA championship Lakers team that won 33 games in a row, a record not duplicated in any other American professional sport. Hairston was a 6'7" ...
was back on the boards. Gail Goodrich
Gail Goodrich
Gail Charles Goodrich Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He is best-known for scoring a then record 42 points in the 1965 NCAA championship game vs. Michigan, and his part in the Los Angeles Lakers' 1971–72 season...
continued to bewilder critics with a 25.3 scoring average, trying and making more free throws than any other NBA player at an 86% clip. Like the Knicks, the Lakers were deep and smart. And old. The Bucks blew them out for a 4-1 series win which signaled a clear change between the two teams in their rich rivalry.
Chicago got to meet Detroit in a seven game war, using their fourth home game to barely survive the Pistons. Five of the seven games were decided by five points or less, all hotly competitive. Bob Lanier tried mightily to make up for his forwards, but the all-star fell just short. Milwaukee and Chicago kept that Midwest theme alive in the second round for the West final.
Boston made it plain they would not play around with New York this year, with two big double-digit romps to start the series. The Knicks, clearly now led by their stellar backcourt of Walt Frazier
Walt Frazier
Walter "Clyde" Frazier is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He was blessed with a unique combination of court vision, quickness, and size for a guard...
and Earl Monroe
Earl Monroe
Vernon Earl Monroe is an American former professional basketball player known for his flamboyant dribbling, passing, and play-making. His nicknames is "Earl the Pearl".-Early years:...
, showed some heart by beating Boston in Boston in Game Three. But that proved a final parting shot for the New Yorkers who had been in three of the last four NBA Finals. Havlicek made sure of that almost single-handedly, leading a 4-1 series win.
Chicago's forwards and guards appeared to outplay Milwaukee for four games. But Ray was no match for Jabbar at center, and coach Larry Costello's team got a good bench boost as well to pound the Bulls in four straight. Only Game Two in Chicago had been close. Jabbar was just as determined as Havlicek.
Milwaukee was favored in the NBA Finals
1974 NBA Finals
-Series Summary:Celtics win series 4-3-Game 1:Before the series started, Bucks point guard Lucius Allen would be lost for the series with a knee injury. In Game 1, the Celtics took advantage, harassing a 35-year old Oscar Robertson and Allen's replacement, Ron Williams, into frequent turnovers...
, with Cowens looking up at the 7' 2 Jabbar. But the Boston center conceded nothing, averaging 20 points and 13 rebounds in courageous play. The series would be a classic, going the full seven games. Jabbar got some solid help in the shooting of Bobby Dandridge and the passing of 35-year-old wore-out Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
. But the Celtics hung tough, even after losing 102-101 in a legendary double-overtime affair at Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
that saw Jabbar throw in a 15-foot hook shot to win the game at the buzzer.
Game Seven in Milwaukee saw the Bucks poised to win their second title in four years. But Cowens turned in a huge 28-point game with aggressive defense to push the Celtics to 102-87 upset. Havlicek had averaged 27 points and six assists in 18 playoff games to win his first NBA title ring without Bill Russell. But it was Cowens, who had saved his best game for last, who stood out most in proving he was in fact center-enough to lead an NBA champion past the taller giants of the league.
By division
By conference
Notes- z, y – division champions
- x – clinched playoff spot
Statistics leaders
| Category | Player | Team | Stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points per game | Bob McAdoo | Buffalo Braves Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association... |
30.6 |
| Rebounds per game | Elvin Hayes Elvin Hayes Elvin Ernest Hayes is a retired American basketball player and radio analyst for Houston Cougars men's basketball, where he played college basketball... |
Capital Bullets Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:... |
18.1 |
| Assists per game | Ernie DiGregorio Ernie DiGregorio Ernest DiGregorio is a retired American National Basketball Association player.DiGregorio played on the 1968 Rhode Island champions at North Providence High School.... |
Buffalo Braves | 8.2 |
| Steals per game | Larry Steele Larry Steele Larry Nelson Steele is a former professional basketball player, best known for being on the Portland Trail Blazers team that won the 1977 NBA Finals.... |
Portland Trail Blazers Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the... |
2.7 |
| Blocks per game | Elmore Smith Elmore Smith Elmore Smith is a retired American professional basketball player. A 7'0" center from Kentucky State University, he played in the National Basketball Association from 1971 to 1979... |
Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
4.9 |
| FG% | Bob McAdoo | Buffalo Braves | .547 |
| FT% | Ernie DiGregorio | Buffalo Braves | .902 |
NBA awards
- Most Valuable Player: Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
, Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center.... - Rookie of the Year: Ernie DiGregorioErnie DiGregorioErnest DiGregorio is a retired American National Basketball Association player.DiGregorio played on the 1968 Rhode Island champions at North Providence High School....
, Buffalo BravesBuffalo BravesThe Buffalo Braves were a team in the National Basketball Association. They later moved to San Diego, California to become the San Diego Clippers then subsequently the Los Angeles Clippers.... - Coach of the Year: Ray ScottRay Scott (basketball)John Raymond Scott is a retired American professional basketball player and former head coach of the Detroit Pistons...
, Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where... - All-NBA First Team:
- Walt FrazierWalt FrazierWalter "Clyde" Frazier is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He was blessed with a unique combination of court vision, quickness, and size for a guard...
, New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association... - Rick BarryRick BarryRichard Francis Dennis Barry III , better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision,...
, Golden State WarriorsGolden State WarriorsThe Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... - Gail GoodrichGail GoodrichGail Charles Goodrich Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He is best-known for scoring a then record 42 points in the 1965 NCAA championship game vs. Michigan, and his part in the Los Angeles Lakers' 1971–72 season...
, Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... - John HavlicekJohn HavlicekJohn J. "Hondo" Havlicek is a retired American professional basketball player who competed for 16 seasons with the Boston Celtics, winning eight NBA titles, half of them coming in his first four seasons....
, Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... - Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
, Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
- Walt Frazier
- All-NBA Rookie Team:
- Ernie DiGregorioErnie DiGregorioErnest DiGregorio is a retired American National Basketball Association player.DiGregorio played on the 1968 Rhode Island champions at North Providence High School....
, Buffalo BravesLos Angeles ClippersThe Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association... - Nick WeatherspoonNick WeatherspoonNick Levoter Weatherspoon was an American professional basketball player. He was a 6' 7" small forward....
, Capital BulletsWashington WizardsThe Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:... - Mike BantomMike BantomMichael Allen Bantom is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'9" power forward/center from Saint Joseph's University, Bantom won a silver medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics as a member of the United States national basketball team, who lost a controversial final game to the Soviet...
, Phoenix SunsPhoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US... - John BrownJohn Brown (basketball)John Young Brown is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. A forward, he played collegiately at the University of Missouri. He was a graduate of Dixon High School in Dixon, Missouri...
, Atlanta HawksAtlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:... - Ron BehagenRon BehagenRonald Michael Behagen is a retired American basketball player.A 6'9" center from DeWitt Clinton High School in New York City, Behagen played basketball in junior college and at the University of Minnesota during the early 1970s. One of his teammates was future Baseball Hall-of-Famer Dave Winfield...
, Kansas City-Omaha KingsSacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
- Ernie DiGregorio
- NBA All-Defensive Team:
- First Team:
- Dave DeBusschereDave DeBusschereDavid Albert DeBusschere was an American NBA and major league baseball player and coach in the NBA. In 1996, DeBusschere was named as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history....
, New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association... - John HavlicekJohn HavlicekJohn J. "Hondo" Havlicek is a retired American professional basketball player who competed for 16 seasons with the Boston Celtics, winning eight NBA titles, half of them coming in his first four seasons....
, Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... - Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
, Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center.... - Norm Van LierNorm Van LierNorman Allen Van Lier III was an NBA basketball player and television broadcaster who spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls.-Biography:...
, Chicago BullsChicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center... - Walt FrazierWalt FrazierWalter "Clyde" Frazier is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He was blessed with a unique combination of court vision, quickness, and size for a guard...
, New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(tie) - Jerry SloanJerry SloanGerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
, Chicago BullsChicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
(tie)
- Dave DeBusschere
- Second Team:
- Elvin HayesElvin HayesElvin Ernest Hayes is a retired American basketball player and radio analyst for Houston Cougars men's basketball, where he played college basketball...
, Capital Bullets - Bob LoveBob LoveRobert ' Earl “Butterbean” Love is a retired American professional basketball player who spent the prime of his career with the NBA's Chicago Bulls...
, Chicago BullsChicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center... - Nate ThurmondNate ThurmondNathaniel "Nate" Thurmond is a retired American basketball player. Dominant at both center and power forward, he was a seven-time All-Star and the first player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double....
, Golden State WarriorsGolden State WarriorsThe Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... - Don ChaneyDon ChaneyDonald Ray Chaney is an American former professional basketball player and coach, most notable for his long stints as a player on the Boston Celtics.-Career as a player:...
, Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... - Dick Van ArsdaleDick Van ArsdaleRichard Albert Van Arsdale is a former professional basketball player and coach, and a current NBA executive. A graduate of Indianapolis Emmerich Manual High School, the 6'5" guard played collegiately at Indiana University, Van Arsdale was selected by the New York Knickerbockers in the 2nd round...
, Phoenix SunsPhoenix SunsThe Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
(tie) - Jim PriceJim Price (basketball)James E. "Jim" Price is a retired American professional basketball player. After starring at the University of Louisville, the 6' 3" Price was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 1972 NBA Draft...
, Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(tie)
- Elvin Hayes
Note: All information on this page were obtained on the History section on NBA.com