The 1976-77 season was the seventh for the 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...

 7th season in the National Basketball Association

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...

 (NBA). The revamped Blazers would end up getting off to a terrific start winning 22 of their first 29 games.
The Blazers won their last 5 games to post a record of 49-33. The Blazers made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and proceeded to stampede through the postseason. By the time the Blazers had made it to the 1977 NBA Finals

1977 NBA Finals

The 1977 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1976-77 NBA season. The Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference played against the Philadelphia 76ers of the Eastern Conference, with the 76ers holding home-court advantage. Their 4 regular season meetings had been...

, the city of Portland was truly in the grips of "Blazermania". After losing the first two games of the championship series at Philadelphia, the Trail Blazers won four in a row to bring the trophy to Portland. The championship capped the team's first winning season.

As of 2011, this remains the only NBA Championship in Blazers franchise history, though they did make Finals appearances in 1990

1990 NBA Finals

The 1990 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1989-90 NBA season. The series pitted the Detroit Pistons against the Portland Trail Blazers...

 and 1992

1992 NBA Finals

The 1992 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1991–92 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference took on the Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference for the title, with Chicago having home court advantage, as they had the best record in the NBA.The two teams appeared...

.

NBA Draft

Note: This is not a complete list; only the first two rounds are covered, as well as any other picks by the franchise who played at least one NBA game.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	5	Wally Walker Wally Walker Walter Frederick Walker is an American former professional basketball player. Walker is best known for his National Basketball Association career - both as a player and as a front office executive - for the Seattle SuperSonics....	F		Virginia Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball program represents the University of Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the NCAA's Division I. The team is coached by Tony Bennett.-Statistics:-Retired numbers:-Retired jerseys:...
2	20	Major Jones Major Jones Major James Brooks Jones is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA. He attended and played collegiately at Albany State University....	F		Albany State Albany State University Albany State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Albany, Georgia, United States. It is one of three HBCU's in the University System of Georgia.-History:-Establishment:...
2	22	Gus Gerard Gus Gerard Gus Gerard is a retired American professional basketball player who played for the Carolina Cougars and Spirits of St...	G		Dayton Dayton Flyers men's basketball The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Ten Conference representing the University of Dayton. They are known for a rivalry with Xavier University, playing for the Blackburn/McCafferty Trophy each year.-History:The...

ABA Dispersal Draft

	= All-Star
	= Hall of Fame

The American Basketball Association

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:...

 joined the NBA with the ABA-NBA merger

ABA-NBA merger

The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...

 in 1976. Of the teams remaining in the ABA, four joined the NBA. The two teams, the Kentucky Colonels

Kentucky Colonels

The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...

 and Spirits of St. Louis

Spirits of St. Louis

The Spirits of St. Louis were one of two teams still in existence at the end of the American Basketball Association that did not survive the ABA-NBA merger. They were a member of the ABA in its last two seasons, 1974–75 and 1975–76, while playing their home games at the St...

, which folded had their players assigned to a dispersal draft for draft purposes.

Pick	Player	Nationality	NBA Team	ABA Team	Purchase Price
2	Maurice Lucas Maurice Lucas Maurice Lucas was an American professional basketball player. The first two years of his postcollegiate career were spent in the American Basketball Association with the Spirits of St. Louis and Kentucky Colonels...  (PF)		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...	Spirits of St. Louis Spirits of St. Louis The Spirits of St. Louis were one of two teams still in existence at the end of the American Basketball Association that did not survive the ABA-NBA merger. They were a member of the ABA in its last two seasons, 1974–75 and 1975–76, while playing their home games at the St...	$300,000
5	Moses Malone Moses Malone Moses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association...  (C)		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...	Spirits of St. Louis Spirits of St. Louis The Spirits of St. Louis were one of two teams still in existence at the end of the American Basketball Association that did not survive the ABA-NBA merger. They were a member of the ABA in its last two seasons, 1974–75 and 1975–76, while playing their home games at the St...	$350,000

Roster

Depth chart

Pos.	Starter	Bench	Reserve	Inactive
C Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...	Bill Walton Bill Walton William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...	Lloyd Neal Lloyd Neal Lloyd Neal is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'7" center/forward from Tennessee State University, Neal spent his entire professional career with the National Basketball Association's Portland Trail Blazers...
PF Power forward (basketball) Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low...	Maurice Lucas Maurice Lucas Maurice Lucas was an American professional basketball player. The first two years of his postcollegiate career were spent in the American Basketball Association with the Spirits of St. Louis and Kentucky Colonels...	Robin Jones Robin Jones Robin Dale Jones , is an American former professional basketball player.Jones was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He spent two seasons in the NBA, signing as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers in 1976. There he came off the bench, playing in 63 games, to help the team to their first ever...	Wally Walker Wally Walker Walter Frederick Walker is an American former professional basketball player. Walker is best known for his National Basketball Association career - both as a player and as a front office executive - for the Seattle SuperSonics....
SF Small forward The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...	Bob Gross Bob Gross Robert Edwin Gross is a retired American basketball player formerly in the NBA. A 6'6" 200 lb forward, he attended Seattle University and California State University, Long Beach, and was selected in the 1975 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He was also selected in the 1975 ABA Draft by...	Herm Gilliam Herm Gilliam Herman L. Gilliam Jr. was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.-1965-1969:...	Corky Calhoun Corky Calhoun David "Corky" Calhoun is an American former professional basketball player.Calhoun played college basketball for the University of Pennsylvania. Calhoun was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the 1972 NBA Draft with the 4th overall pick and by the Kentucky Colonels in the 1972 American Basketball...
SG Shooting guard The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...	Johnny Davis	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....
PG Point guard Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...	Lionel Hollins Lionel Hollins -External links:***...	Dave Twardzik Dave Twardzik David John Twardzik is a former professional basketball player, a player he was a point guard in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association . He is best known for being a starter on the Portland Trail Blazers team that won the 1977 NBA Finals...

Regular season

Just months earlier, the American Basketball Association had ended its ninth and last campaign and the two leagues combined. Despite the changes, it would become the season of Bill Walton and the Portland Trail Blazers. Walton’s college performance led to predictions that Walton would be pro basketball's next great player. Yet those dreams went largely unfulfilled because of a series of foot injuries that hampered him. In the 1977 playoffs, Walton and his teammates found a chemistry that enabled them to beat one of the most talented pro teams ever assembled.
For Walton, it wasn't a question of wanting to play but of being able to. Injuries repeatedly interrupted his progress as a pro player. On the court, when he was healthy, he was a key contributor. He missed 17 games over the 1976-77 season; the Blazers lost 12 of them. With Walton in the lineup, the Blazers were 44-21, and their .677 winning percentage during those games was the best in the league.
The dispersal of ABA players had been particularly beneficial to the Blazers. Maurice Lucas

Maurice Lucas

Maurice Lucas was an American professional basketball player. The first two years of his postcollegiate career were spent in the American Basketball Association with the Spirits of St. Louis and Kentucky Colonels...

 was simply the most dominating power forward in the game, and his arrival only boosted Walton's effectiveness in the frontcourt. Lucas led the team in scoring at 20.2 points per game and averaged better than 11 rebounds. Coming over with Lucas from the ABA was lead guard Dave Twardzik

Dave Twardzik

David John Twardzik is a former professional basketball player, a player he was a point guard in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association . He is best known for being a starter on the Portland Trail Blazers team that won the 1977 NBA Finals...

. He had four pro seasons with the Virginia Squires

Virginia Squires

The Virginia Squires were a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association from 1970 until just before the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-In Oakland :...

 of the ABA and was a starter in Ramsay's system. Another key contributor was Lionel Hollins, a second-year player out of Arizona State who averaged nearly 15 points per game.

Season standings

Pacific Division

Team	W	L	PCT.	GB
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...	53	29	.646	-
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...  C	49	33	.598	4
Golden State Warriors Golden State Warriors The 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...	46	36	.561	7
Seattle SuperSonics Seattle SuperSonics The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...	40	42	.488	13
Phoenix Suns Phoenix Suns The 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...	34	48	.415	19

C - NBA Champions

Season schedule

Date	Opponent	Score	Result	Record	Streak
Sat, Oct 23, 1976	New York Nets	114-104	Win	1-0	Won 1

Western Conference Semifinals

Portland Trail Blazers defeated Denver Nuggets (4-2)

Game	Date	Home team	Result	Road team
Game 1	April 20	Portland	101-100	Denver
Game 2	April 22	Portland	121-110	Denver
Game 3	April 24	Denver	110-106	Portland
Game 4	April 26	Denver	105-96	Portland
Game 5	May 1	Portland	114-105	Denver
Game 6	May 2	Denver	108-92	Portland

Western Conference Finals

Portland Trail Blazers swept Los Angeles Lakers (4-0)

The Western Conference final was ballyhooed as a matchup of two outstanding centers from UCLA: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton. Walton, finally healthy after being hampered by foot injuries during his first two NBA seasons, had led the league in rebounds and blocked shots. The match-up turned out to be a mismatch as Portland swept the Lakers in four games.

Game	Date	Home team	Result	Road team
Game 1	May 6	Portland	121-109	LA
Game 2	May 8	Portland	99-97	LA
Game 3	May 10	LA	102-97	Portland
Game 4	May 13	LA	105-101	Portland

NBA Finals

Portland Trail Blazers defeated Philadelphia 76ers (4-2)

The Finals opened in the Spectrum on Sunday, May 22. The 76ers seemed unbeatable after the first two games. Erving opened Game 1 with a stupendous dunk off the opening tip. He finished with 33 points and Collins had 30 as Philadelphia won 107-101. The Blazers were rattled enough to commit 34 turnovers. Walton finished with 28 points and 20 rebounds.

In Game 2 four nights later, the Sixers won handily, 107-89. Jones and Dawkins handled Walton easily, while the Sixers dominated in the second quarter, scoring 14 points in one three-minute stretch on their way to a 61-43 halftime lead. The game became very physical with about five minutes left. First, Portland's Lloyd Neal and McGinnis squared off, followed by Lucas and Erving trading elbows.

In Game 3, played on Sunday, May 29, Lucas strode directly to the Philadelphia bench, then startled everybody, including Dawkins, by sticking out his hand for a shake. The Blazers had a high scoring attack to win the game. Lucas contributed 27 points and 12 rebounds. Walton had nine assists, 20 points, and 18 rebounds. Twardzik, too, had returned to speed, driving the Portland offense along to a 42-point fourth quarter. They won 129-107, closing the series gap to 2-1.

In Game 4, Portland opened up a quick 17-point lead, then cruised to a 130-98 win. Walton was sent to the bench with five fouls in the third. With a little more than eight minutes left in Game 5, Portland led 91-69 and the crowd was headed home. Erving rallied the Sixers to make it respectable at the end, 110-104. He had managed 37 points in the game. Gross scored 25 points to lead the Blazers, while Lucas had 20 with 13 rebounds. Walton finished with 24 rebounds and 14 points.

In the sixth and deciding game, Walton had 20 points, 23 rebounds, eight blocks and seven assists. The Portland lead was still 12 with half of the fourth quarter left when Erving led his teammates on one final run. At the four-minute mark, the lead was cut to four, 102-98. McGinnis hit a jumper, and the lead was only two points with 18 seconds left. The Sixers needed a turnover, and they finally got it from McGinnis, who was able to force a jump ball with Gross. With eight seconds remaining, Erving put up a jumper in the lane but missed. Free got the ball and lofted a baseline shot and missed too. With a second left, McGinnis tried to force a seventh and deciding game but he missed. Walton knocked the loose ball away and ripped off his jersey, and hurled it into the crowd.

Game	Date	Home team	Result	Road team
Game 1	May 22	Philadelphia	107-101	Portland
Game 2	May 26	Philadelphia	107-89	Portland
Game 3	May 29	Portland	129-107	Philadelphia
Game 4	May 31	Portland	130-98	Philadelphia
Game 5	June 3	Philadelphia	104-110	Portland
Game 6	June 5	Portland	109-107	Philadelphia