1971–72 Buffalo Braves season

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]

1971–72 Buffalo Braves season
Head coachDolph Schayes (0–1)
Johnny McCarthy (22–59)
ArenaBuffalo Memorial Auditorium
Maple Leaf Gardens
Results
Record22–60 (.268)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Atlantic)
Conference: 8th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWBEN-TV
RadioWBEN

Draft picks
Main article: 1971 NBA draft
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
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#Nat.NameHt.Wt.From
G 7 United States Bryant, Emmette 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) DePaul
F 40 United States Chambers, Jerry 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Utah
G 13 United States Davis, Mike 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Virginia Union
G 20 United States Garrett, Dick 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Southern Illinois
G 42 United States Hazzard, Walt 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) UCLA
G 32 United States Hilton, Fred 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Grambling State
F 25 United States Hosket, Bill 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 228 lb (103 kg) Ohio State
F 45 United States Hummer, John 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Princeton
F 44 United States Kauffman, Bob 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Guilford
C 3 United States Smith, Elmore 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Kentucky State
F 9 United States Smith, Randy 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Buffalo State
F 35 United States Warner, Cornell 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Jackson State
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings
Atlantic Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
y-Boston Celtics 5626.683–32–921–163–115–3
x-New York Knicks 4834.585827–1420–191–111–7
Philadelphia 76ers 3052.3662614–2314–262–36–12
Buffalo Braves 2260.2683413–278–311–24–14
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT
1 z-Boston Celtics5626.683
2 y-Baltimore Bullets3844.463
3 x-New York Knicks4834.585
4 x-Atlanta Hawks3646.439
5 Philadelphia 76ers3052.366
5 Cincinnati Royals3052.366
7 Cleveland Cavaliers2359.280
8 Buffalo Braves2260.268
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 –2–40–44–20–53–34–23–23–21–40–52–33–13–33–24–01–4
Baltimore 4–2–2–23–31–44–21–53–21–43–21–40–52–44–04–13–12–3
Boston 4–02–2–6–03–24–25–15–02–35–01–42–33–36–02–34–02–3
Buffalo 2–43–30–6–1–33–34–22–41–30–40–40–41–53–30–42–40–4
Chicago 5–04–12–33–1–3–14–05–13–35–11–32–43–24–15–16–02–3
Cincinnati 3–32–42–43–31–3–6–22–32–30–41–40–52–22–22–32–20–5
Cleveland 2–45–11–52–40–42–6–1–30–42–21–30–41–52–40–44–20–4
Detroit 2–32–30–54–21–53–23–1–0–53–31–41–51–41–42–42–20–4
Golden State 2–34–13–23–13–33–24–05–0–5–11–52–22–34–12–34–24–2
Houston 4–12–30–54–01–54–02–23–31–5–1–50–50–54–11–34–23–3
Los Angeles 5–04–14–14–03–14–13–14–15–15–1–4–14–15–04–26–05–1
Milwaukee 3–25–03–24–04–25–04–05–12–25–01–4–2–34–14–26–06–0
New York 1–34–23–35–12–32–25–14–13–25–01–43–2–3–31–43–13–2
Philadelphia 3–30–40–63–31–42–24–24–11–41–40–51–43–3–1–42–24–1
Phoenix 2–31–43–24–01–53–24–04–23–23–12–42–44–14–1–6–03–2
Portland 0–41–30–44–20–62–22–42–22–42–40–60–61–32–20–6–0–6
Seattle 4–13–23–24–03–25–04–04–02–43–31–50–62–31–42–36–0—

Game log
1971–72 Game log
#DateOpponentScoreHigh pointsRecord
1October 12Seattle123–90Chambers, Hazzard (14)0–1
2October 15@ Cleveland111–109 (OT)Walt Hazzard (35)1–1
3October 16Cleveland93–89Bob Kauffman (24)1–2
4October 19Los Angeles123–106Elmore Smith (20)1–3
5October 22@ Milwaukee105–124Dick Garrett (19)1–4
6October 23Boston103–98Bob Kauffman (25)1–5
7October 26@ Golden State91–89Bob Kauffman (24)2–5
8October 28@ Seattle96–106Bob Kauffman (27)2–6
9October 29@ Portland120–119Fred Hilton (27)3–6
10October 31@ Houston87–102Bob Kauffman (15)3–7
11November 3Phoenix100–98Bob Kauffman (24)3–8
12November 5@ Atlanta122–117 (OT)Randy Smith (35)4–8
13November 6Chicago99–130Bob Kauffman (28)5–8
14November 9Portland100–109Bob Kauffman (30)6–8
15November 13Milwaukee127–106Bob Kauffman (44)6–9
16November 16Cincinnati98–102Walt Hazzard (27)7–9
17November 19@ Baltimore105–126Jerry Chambers (19)7–10
18November 20Detroit105–96Walt Hazzard (23)7–11
19November 23Atlanta97–102Walt Hazzard (30)8–11
20November 24@ Boston100–108Fred Hilton (23)8–12
21November 27Golden State110–91Bob Kauffman (17)8–13
22November 30Houston115–101Walt Hazzard (26)8–14
23December 2N Baltimore109–105Mike Davis (25)9–14
24December 3Cleveland90–91Bob Kauffman (23)10–14
25December 4@ New York90–130Chambers, R. Smith (13)10–15
26December 7Cincinnati91–115Fred Hilton (26)11–15
27December 10Portland101–100 (OT)Randy Smith (21)11–16
28December 14Philadelphia110–117Walt Hazzard (26)12–16
29December 15N Milwaukee122–108Bob Kauffman (29)12–17
30December 17New York115–95Randy Smith (19)12–18
31December 18@ Boston91–124Walt Hazzard (15)12–19
32December 21Los Angeles117–103Randy Smith (26)12–20
33December 25@ Atlanta117–140Randy Smith (24)12–21
34December 27Philadelphia121–112Randy Smith (24)12–22
35December 28@ Los Angeles87–105Elmore Smith (32)12–23
36December 30@ Phoenix102–123Walt Hazzard (25)12–24
37January 1@ Seattle83–97Elmore Smith (21)12–25
38January 2@ Portland90–108Fred Hilton (26)12–26
39January 4@ Golden State86–112Elmore Smith (22)12–27
40January 7Phoenix123–110Walt Hazzard (23)12–28
41January 8@ Cincinnati97–87Bob Kauffman (28)13–28
42January 9@ Detroit96–101Elmore Smith (22)13–29
43January 11Cincinnati109–107 (OT)Bob Kauffman (25)13–30
44January 12@ Philadelphia111–109Elmore Smith (26)14–30
45January 14Portland102–100Bob Kauffman (28)14–31
46January 21Chicago113–93Walt Hazzard (15)14–32
47January 25Atlanta123–110Fred Hilton (21)14–33
48January 26@ Baltimore114–115 (OT)Walt Hazzard (30)14–34
49January 28Seattle104–93Elmore Smith (23)14–35
50January 30@ Cleveland99–98Walt Hazzard (26)15–35
51February 1Cleveland104–99Walt Hazzard (26)15–36
52February 2@ Philadelphia104–119Bob Kauffman (24)15–37
53February 4New York103–84Walt Hazzard (17)15–38
54February 5@ Chicago96–130Elmore Smith (24)15–39
55February 6@ Cleveland121–108Walt Hazzard (38)16–39
56February 8Milwaukee126–108Fred Hilton (30)16–40
57February 9@ Boston112–139Bob Kauffman (23)16–41
58February 11Detroit88–95Bob Kauffman (21)17–41
59February 12@ Detroit87–113Elmore Smith (17)17–42
60February 13@ Atlanta119–133Mike Davis (28)17–43
61February 15Golden State103–100Mike Davis (23)17–44
62February 18Houston108–96Bob Kauffman (19)17–45
63February 19@ New York95–100Elmore Smith (27)17–46
64February 22Baltimore98–99Bob Kauffman (26)18–46
65February 24N Cincinnati108–97Elmore Smith (23)18–47
66February 25Boston117–115Elmore Smith (40)18–48
67February 29Atlanta99–89Elmore Smith (23)18–49
68March 1@ Philadelphia99–108Kauffman, E. Smith (19)18–50
69March 3New York97–105Fred Hilton (31)19–50
70March 5@ Phoenix103–131Randy Smith (24)19–51
71March 7@ Portland94–98Elmore Smith (24)19–52
72March 11@ Houston100–121Dick Garrett (17)19–53
73March 12@ Los Angeles102–141Walt Hazzard (25)19–54
74March 14Philadelphia105–108Elmore Smith (33)20–54
75March 17@ Chicago103–126Randy Smith (19)20–55
76March 18Detroit103–116Elmore Smith (32)21–55
77March 19@ Cincinnati105–136Randy Smith (22)21–56
78March 21Baltimore100–114Elmore Smith (29)22–56
79March 22@ New York99–123Randy Smith (19)22–57
80March 24@ Detroit105–112Randy Smith (33)22–58
81March 25Boston121–116Elmore Smith (27)22–59
82March 26@ Baltimore101–119Hilton, 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 Kauffman7741.6.497.79510.23.918.9
Elmore Smith7840.8.454.53415.21.417.3
Walt Hazzard7233.2.451.7823.05.615.8
Randy Smith7627.6.482.6224.82.513.4
Dick Garrett7326.1.442.8663.12.310.8
Em Bryant5422.6.459.6002.43.85.1
Fred Hilton6122.1.389.7382.61.911.6
John Hummer5521.6.390.4684.21.35.2
Cornell Warner6220.0.443.7446.10.96.2
Mike Davis6217.2.425.7671.91.39.1
Jerry Chambers2614.2.433.6882.60.96.8
Bill Hosket4413.5.492.8082.80.95.0

[2]

Awards and honors

Transactions

The Braves were involved in the following transactions during the 1971–72 season.

Coaching Change
In-season
Outgoing coach Date Removed 1971–72 Record Incoming coach
Dolph Schayes Fired, October 13, 1971 0–1 Johnny McCarthy

Trades
July 26, 1971 To Buffalo Braves
 To Atlanta Hawks

Free agents

References
  1. Buffalo Braves (1970–1978)
  2. "1971-72 Buffalo Braves Roster and Stats".
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