1976–77 NBA season

The 1976–77 NBA season was the 31st season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Portland Trail Blazers winning their first NBA Championship in franchise history, beating the Philadelphia 76ers in six games in the NBA Finals.

1976–77 NBA season
LeagueNational Basketball Association
SportBasketball
DurationOctober 21, 1976 – April 10, 1977
April 12 – May 17, 1977 (Playoffs)
May 22 – June 5, 1977 (Finals)
Number of games82
Number of teams22
TV partner(s)CBS
Draft
Top draft pickJohn Lucas
Picked byHouston Rockets
Regular season
Top seedLos Angeles Lakers
Season MVPKareem Abdul-Jabbar (Los Angeles)
Top scorerPete Maravich (New Orleans)
Playoffs
Eastern championsPhiladelphia 76ers
  Eastern runners-upHouston Rockets
Western championsPortland Trail Blazers
  Western runners-upLos Angeles Lakers
Finals
ChampionsPortland Trail Blazers
  Runners-upPhiladelphia 76ers
Finals MVPBill Walton (Portland)

Prior to the season, the NBA merged with its primary rival league, the American Basketball Association (ABA). Four ABA teams joined the NBA, all four of which are still in the league today: the San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, and New York Nets. The Nets became the New Jersey Nets the following season, and now play as the Brooklyn Nets. With these additions, the NBA expanded from eighteen teams to twenty-two.

Notable occurrences

Coaching changes
Offseason
Team 1975–76 coach 1976–77 coach
Atlanta Hawks Bumper Tormohlen Hubie Brown
Buffalo Braves Jack Ramsay Tates Locke
Chicago Bulls Dick Motta Ed Badger
Houston Rockets Johnny Egan Tom Nissalke
Los Angeles Lakers Bill Sharman Jerry West
Portland Trail Blazers Lenny Wilkens Jack Ramsay
Washington Bullets K. C. Jones Dick Motta
In-season
Team Outgoing coach Incoming coach
Buffalo Braves Tates Locke
Bob MacKinnon (interim)
Joe Mullaney (interim)
Milwaukee Bucks Larry Costello Don Nelson
New Orleans Jazz Butch Van Breda Kolff Elgin Baylor

Final standings

By division

W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Philadelphia 76ers 5032.61032–918–2311–5
x-Boston Celtics 4438.537628–1316–259–7
New York Knicks 4042.4881026–1514–278–8
Buffalo Braves 3052.3662023–187–346–10
New York Nets 2260.2682810–3112–296–10
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Houston Rockets 4933.59834–715–2613–7
x-Washington Bullets 4834.585132–916–2511–9
x-San Antonio Spurs 4438.537531–1013–289–11
x-Cleveland Cavaliers 4339.524629–1214–278–12
New Orleans Jazz 3547.4271426–159–3210–10
Atlanta Hawks 3151.3781819–2212–299–11
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Denver Nuggets 5032.61036–514–2715–5
x-Detroit Pistons 4438.537630–1114–2712–8
x-Chicago Bulls 4438.537631–1013–2810–10
Kansas City Kings 4042.4881028–1312–297–13
Indiana Pacers 3646.4391425–1611–309–11
Milwaukee Bucks 3052.3662024–176–357–13
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers 5329.64637–416–2511–5
x-Portland Trail Blazers 4933.598435–614–2710–6
x-Golden State Warriors 4636.561729–1217–248–8
Seattle SuperSonics 4042.4881327–1413–286–10
Phoenix Suns 3448.4151926–158–335–11

By conference

#
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Philadelphia 76ers5032.610
2 y-Houston Rockets4933.5981
3 x-Washington Bullets4834.5852
4 x-Boston Celtics4438.5376
5 x-San Antonio Spurs4438.5376
6 x-Cleveland Cavaliers4339.5247
7 New York Knicks4042.48810
8 New Orleans Jazz3547.42715
9 Atlanta Hawks3151.37819
10 Buffalo Braves3052.36620
11 New York Nets2260.26828
#
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Los Angeles Lakers5329.646
2 y-Denver Nuggets5032.6103
3 x-Portland Trail Blazers4933.5984
4 x-Golden State Warriors4636.5617
5 x-Detroit Pistons4438.5379
6 x-Chicago Bulls4438.5379
7 Kansas City Kings4042.48813
8 Seattle SuperSonics4042.48813
9 Indiana Pacers3646.43917
10 Phoenix Suns3448.41519
11 Milwaukee Bucks3052.36623

Notes

  • z, y – division champions
  • x – clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
E1 Philadelphia* 4
E4 Boston 2 E4 Boston 3
E5 San Antonio 0 Eastern ConferenceE1 Philadelphia* 4
E2 Houston* 2
E3 Washington 2
E3 Washington 2 E2 Houston* 4
E6 Cleveland 1 E1 Philadelphia* 2
W3 Portland 4
W1 Los Angeles* 4
W4 Golden State 2 W4 Golden State 3
W5 Detroit 1 Western ConferenceW1 Los Angeles* 0
W3 Portland 4
W3 Portland 4
W3 Portland 2 W2 Denver* 2
W6 Chicago 1
  • * Division winner
  • Bold Series winner
  • Italic Team with home-court advantage

Statistics leaders

CategoryPlayerTeamStat
Points per gamePete MaravichNew Orleans Jazz31.6
Rebounds per gameBill WaltonPortland Trail Blazers14.4
Assists per gameDon BuseIndiana Pacers8.5
Steals per gameDon BuseIndiana Pacers3.47
Blocks per gameBill WaltonPortland Trail Blazers3.25
FG%Kareem Abdul-JabbarLos Angeles Lakers.579
FT%Ernie DiGregorioBuffalo Braves.945

NBA awards

References

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