1974–75 Portland Trail Blazers season

The 1974–75 season was the fifth season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After a 27–55 record the previous season, the Blazers earned the #1 pick in the 1974 NBA draft, and made perhaps the most important selection in franchise history: Hall of Famer Bill Walton out of UCLA.

1974–75 Portland Trail Blazers season
Head coachLenny Wilkens
General managerHarry Glickman
Owners
ArenaMemorial Coliseum
Results
Record38–44 (.463)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Pacific)
Conference: 6th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKOIN
RadioKOIN

In three years of varsity competition, Walton led UCLA to two NCAA championships and 88 consecutive wins, smashing the 60-game streak set by Bill Russell's teams at the University of San Francisco. Walton also set UCLA's career assists record, which left observers declaring him the best passing center in the history of the game.[1] [2]

Injuries would limit Walton to just 35 games in his rookie year, but nevertheless the Blazers challenged for a playoff spot for the first time in franchise history. The Blazers fell just two games short with a 38–44 record.[2]

Offseason
The Trail Blazers selected Bill Walton first overall in the 1974 NBA draft.

NBA draft
Main article: 1974 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 1 Bill Walton C  United States UCLA
2 20 Jan van Breda Kolff G/F  United States Vanderbilt
2 34 Phil Lumpkin G  United States Miami (OH)
2 36 Rubin Collins G  United States Maryland-Eastern Shore
4 56 Mickey Johnson F  United States Aurora
6 92 Daniel Anderson G  United States USC

Roster
Portland Trail Blazers roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
G 33 Anderson, Dan 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1951-01-01 USC
F 40 Clemens, Barry 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1943-05-01 Ohio Wesleyan
SF 27 Johnson, John 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1947-10-18 Iowa
PG 10 Lumpkin, Phil 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1951-12-20 Miami (OH)
C 25 Martin, LaRue 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 208 lb (94 kg) 1950-03-30 Loyola Chicago
PF 36 Neal, Lloyd 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1950-10-10 Tennessee State
SG 45 Petrie, Geoff 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1949-05-05 Princeton
SF 4 Smith, Greg 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1947-01-28 Western Kentucky
F 15 Steele, Larry 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1949-05-05 Kentucky
C 32 Walton, Bill 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1952-11-05 UCLA
PF 21 Wicks, Sidney (C) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1949-09-19 UCLA
PG 19 Wilkens, Lenny 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1937-10-28 Providence
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season
The Trail Blazers played their home games at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Season Standings
Pacific Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Golden State Warriors 4834.585–31–1017–2419–11
x-Seattle SuperSonics 4339.524524–1619–2318–12
Portland Trail Blazers 3844.4631029–139–3116–14
Phoenix Suns 3250.3901622–1910–3112–18
Los Angeles Lakers 3052.3661821–209–3210–20
#
Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Golden State Warriors4834.585–
2 y-Chicago Bulls4735.5731
3 x-Kansas City–Omaha Kings4438.5374
4 x-Seattle SuperSonics4339.5245
5 x-Detroit Pistons4042.4888
6 Portland Trail Blazers3844.46310
6 Milwaukee Bucks3844.46310
8 Phoenix Suns3250.39016
9 Los Angeles Lakers3052.36618
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents
1974–75 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS BUF CHI CLE DET GSW HOU KCO LAL MIL NOJ NYK PHI PHO POR SEA WAS
Atlanta –0–41–30–43–42–21–32–52–22–22–23–50–42–24–01–33–13–5
Boston 4–0–5–43–13–13–11–34–02–24–04–04–07–25–33–14–02–22–2
Buffalo 3–14–5–1–33–12–23–12–21–34–01–34–05–36–33–12–23–12–2
Chicago 4–01–33–1–2–24–53–12–24–53–13–54–03–12–22–22–24–01–3
Cleveland 4–31–31–32–2–2–22–24–42–22–21–36–11–33–12–22–22–23–5
Detroit 2–21–32–25–42–2–1–32–22–63–13–64–02–23–12–23–12–21–3
Golden State 3–13–11–31–32–23–1–2–22–25–23–12–23–13–15–35–34–31–3
Houston 5–20–42–22–24–42–22–2–4–02–23–15–31–32–22–22–21–32–5
Kansas City-Omaha 2–22–23–15–42–26–22–20–4–3–16–32–22–21–33–13–11–31–3
Los Angeles 2–20–40–41–32–21–32–52–21–3–4–03–10–43–14–42–52–61–3
Milwaukee 2–20–43–15–33–16–31–31–33–60–4–3–13–13–12–22–21–30–4
New Orleans 5–30–40–40–41–60–42–23–52–21–31–3–2–22–21–32–21–30–7
New York 4–02–73–51–33–12–21–33–12–24–01–32–2–4–53–12–22–21–3
Philadelphia 2–23–53–62–21–31–31–32–23–11–31–32–25–4–2–22–22–21–3
Phoenix 0–41–31–32–22–22–23–52–21–34–42–23–11–32–2–1–64–31–3
Portland 3–10–42–22–22–21–33–52–21–35–22–22–22–22–26–1–2–61–3
Seattle 1–32–21–30–42–22–23–43–13–16–23–13–12–22–23–46–2–1–3
Washington 5–32–22–23–15–33–13–15–23–13–14–07–03–13–13–13–13–1—

Awards and honors

References
  1. "NBA.com: Walton, Lucas Ignite 'Blazermania'". Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2008.
  2. Portland Trail Blazers (1970–Present)
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