1977–78 Buffalo Braves season

The 1977–78 NBA season was the Braves' eighth and final season in the NBA. Entering the season, the Braves were allowed an escape clause in their lease, because season ticket sales did not reach the set goal of 4,500. The Braves suffered another disappointment as Tiny Archibald (whom they acquired from the New Jersey Nets for George Johnson) was lost for the year due to an Achilles tendon injury in the preseason.[1][2]

1977–78 Buffalo Braves season
Head coachCotton Fitzsimmons
General managerNorm Sonju
PresidentNorm Sonju
Owners
ArenaBuffalo Memorial Auditorium
Results
Record27–55 (.329)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Atlantic)
Conference: 10th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWIVB-TV
RadioWBEN

The Braves played competitively in November with a respectable .500 record at 10–10. Despite the promising start, the Braves won just nine games over the next three months.[1] While the Braves were struggling on the court, owner John Y. Brown was brokering a deal to take over the legendary Boston Celtics franchise. Celtics owner Irv Levin wanted to move the historic franchise to California. However, the NBA would not allow him to take the cornerstone franchise out of Boston.[1]

NBA Lawyer David Stern offered a comprise in which Levin and Brown would swap franchises. The concept was that Levin would take over the Braves and move them to San Diego.[3] The Braves finished in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 27–55 (.329) record, and played their last game on April 9, ironically, in Boston.[1] Owners voted 21–1 to approve the deal, and the Braves moved from Buffalo to San Diego; the team was renamed the San Diego Clippers for the 1978–79 season.[1]

The deal also included a seven-player trade in which the Celtics acquired Archibald, Billy Knight, and Marvin Barnes.[1] The San Diego-bound Braves received Freeman Williams, back-up center Kevin Kunnert, and power forwards Kermit Washington and Sidney Wicks.[3] The team would not request a draft pick in the deal, allowing the Celtics to retain the draft rights to Larry Bird in 1979.

Offseason

NBA draft
Main article: 1977 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
224Larry JohnsonGuard United StatesKentucky
468Melvin WatkinsGuard United StatesUNC Charlotte
590Mike HanleyForward United StatesNiagara University
6112Curvan LewisForward United StatesVirginia Union
7133Mike JacksonGuard United StatesTennessee
8153Emery SammonsGuard United StatesPhiladelphia T&S

Roster
Buffalo Braves 1977–78 roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#Nat.NameHt.Wt.From
G 1 United States Archibald, Nate Injured (IN) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 165 lb (75 kg) UTEP
G 15 United States Averitt, Bird 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Pepperdine
F 8 United States Barnes, Marvin 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Providence
G 7 United States Brokaw, Gary 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Notre Dame
F 22 United States Gerard, Gus (to DET) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Virginia
G 14 United States Glenn, Mike 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Southern Illinois
G 10 United States Johnson, Larry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Kentucky
F 24 United States Jones, Wil 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Albany State
G 25 United States Knight, Billy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Pittsburgh
C 45 United States Lloyd, Scott 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Arizona State
G 12 United States McClain, Ted 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Tennessee State
C 44 United States McDaniels, Jim 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Western Kentucky
F 43 United States McNeil, Larry 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Marquette
C 31 Netherlands Nater, Swen 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) UCLA
F 40 United States Owens, Eddie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) UNLV
F 34 United States Shumate, John 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Notre Dame
G 9 United States Smith, Randy 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Buffalo State
G 11 United States Williams, Chuck 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Colorado
F 32 United States Willoughby, Bill 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Dwight Morrow HS (NJ)
Head coach
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 Div
y-Philadelphia 76ers 5527.671–37–418–2314–2
x-New York Knicks 4339.5241229–1214–277–9
Boston Celtics 3250.3902324–178–338–8
Buffalo Braves 2755.3292820–217–347–9
New Jersey Nets 2458.2933118–236–354–12
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Philadelphia 76ers5527.671–
2 y-San Antonio Spurs5230.6343
3 x-Washington Bullets4438.53711
4 x-Cleveland Cavaliers4339.52412
5 x-New York Knicks4339.52412
6 x-Atlanta Hawks4141.50014
7 New Orleans Jazz3943.47616
8 Boston Celtics3250.39023
9 Houston Rockets2854.34127
10 Buffalo Braves2755.32928
11 New Jersey Nets2458.29331

Record vs. opponents
1977–78 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS BUF CHI CLE DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NJN NOJ NYK PHI PHO POR SAS SEA WAS
Atlanta —2–23–11–31–31–32–21–33–13–12–13–12–23–12–22–22–23–11–31–32–11–3
Boston 2–2—3–11–31–31–31–32–22–22–12–21–23–13–12–22–20–42–21–30–40–41–3
Buffalo 1–31–3—3–11–31–31–30–33–11–31–21–31–32–22–23–11–30–41–31–31–31–3
Chicago 3–13–11–3—3–12–22–21–33–13–10–42–21–31–22–21–33–02–21–32–22–22–1
Cleveland 3–13–13–11–3—3–12–22–22–22–12–22–23–13–12–23–11–31–20–40–43–12–2
Denver 3–13–13–12–21–3—2–22–23–02–22–23–13–13–13–11–31–32–23–12–11–33–1
Detroit 2–23–13–12–22–22–2—2–23–11–31–32–22–23–13–00–40–42–21–31–31–32–2
Golden State 3–12–23–03–12–22–22–2—2–13–13–10–42–23–10–42–21–32–21–33–12–22–2
Houston 1–32–21–31–32–20–31–31–2—3–12–21–31–32–21–32–22–21–32–21–30–41–3
Indiana 1–31–23–11–31–22–23–11–31–3—2–21–30–42–22–21–32–21–31–31–31–33–1
Kansas City 1–22–22–14–02–22–23–11–32–22–2—2–20–42–22–20–41–30–40–40–41–32–2
Los Angeles 1–32–13–12–22–21–32–24–03–13–12–2—3–14–02–13–12–21–30–42–21–32–2
Milwaukee 2–21–33–13–11–31–32–22–23–14–04–01–3—3–12–13–11–21–31–32–21–33–1
New Jersey 1–31–32–22–11–31–31–31–32–22–22–20–41–3—0–41–30–42–20–30–42–22–2
New Orleans 2–22–22–22–22–21–31–34–03–12–22–21–21–24–0—1–32–21–33–11–32–20–4
New York 2–22–21–33–11–33–13–02–22–23–14–01–31–33–13–1—1–31–31–32–22–12–2
Philadelphia 2–24–03–11–33–13–14–03–12–22–23–12–22–14–02–23–1—2–12–23–13–12–2
Phoenix 1–32–24–02–22–12–22–22–23–13–14–03–13–12–23–13–11–2—1–32–22–22–2
Portland 3–13–13–13–14–01–33–13–12–23–14–04–03–13–11–33–02–23–1—2–23–12–1
San Antonio 3–14–03–12–24–01–22–11–33–13–14–02–22–24–03–12–21–32–22–2—2–22–2
Seattle 1–24–03–12–21–33–13–12–24–03–13–13–13–12–22–11–31–32–21–32–2—1–3
Washington 3–13–13–11–22–21–32–22–23–11–32–22–21–32–24–02–22–22–21–22–23–1—

Player stats
Legend
GP Games played MPG Minutes per game FG Field-goals per game FGA Field-goals attempted per Game
FG% Field-goal percentage FT Free-throws per game FTA Free-throws attempted per Game FT% Free-throw percentage
ORPG Offensive rebounds per game DRPG Defensive rebounds per game RPG Rebounds per game APG Assists per game
SPG Steals per game BPG Blocks per game PFPG Personal fouls per game PPG Points per game
Player GP MPG FG FGA FG% FT FTA FT% ORPG DRPG RPG APG SPG BPG PFPG PPG
Billy Knight5340.78.617.50.4945.77.00.8092.44.87.23.01.50.22.622.9
Randy Smith8240.49.620.70.4655.46.80.8001.32.43.85.62.10.12.724.6
Swen Nater7835.66.412.70.5042.73.50.7653.69.613.22.80.50.63.515.5
John Shumate1832.84.28.40.4974.15.50.7471.85.37.13.20.80.53.212.4
Marvin Barnes4828.74.711.30.4162.43.20.7452.25.07.32.41.21.54.111.8
Chuck Williams7327.42.86.00.4771.61.90.8260.41.51.94.30.70.11.97.3
Larry McNeill3723.64.29.10.4623.54.20.8332.13.05.11.20.50.32.711.9
Wil Jones7921.72.96.50.4401.11.50.7061.32.94.21.50.90.53.26.8
Bird Averitt3419.93.88.70.4361.92.80.6670.31.21.53.80.60.22.59.5
Bill Willoughby5619.32.86.50.4301.11.40.8001.42.63.90.70.40.82.36.7
Ted McClain4117.72.04.50.4401.21.50.7940.31.61.83.01.00.02.15.2
Mike Glenn5616.93.56.60.5270.91.20.7850.31.21.41.40.60.11.87.9
Jim McDaniels4216.52.45.60.4270.91.00.8571.13.24.31.00.10.92.75.6
Scott Lloyd5610.11.22.90.4250.81.00.7410.81.32.10.60.20.21.53.2
Gary Brokaw1310.01.43.30.4191.41.80.7500.20.70.91.50.20.40.84.2
Larry Johnson49.50.83.30.2310.00.50.0000.31.01.31.81.30.50.81.5
Gus Gerard108.51.64.00.4001.11.50.7330.60.81.40.90.20.31.34.3
Eddie Owens87.91.12.60.4290.40.80.5000.60.61.30.60.10.00.41.1

Awards and honors

Transactions

The Braves were involved in the following transactions during the 1977–78 season.

Coaching Change
Offseason
Outgoing Coach Date Removed 1976-77 Record Incoming Coach
Joe Mullaney (interim) Fired, August 5, 1977 11–18 Cotton Fitzsimmons

Trades
June 7, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
 To Milwaukee Bucks
  • The 3rd pick in the 1977 NBA Draft
June 10, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
  • A 1977 2nd round draft pick
 To Chicago Bulls
  • The 13th pick in the 1977 NBA Draft
June 10, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
 To Los Angeles Lakers
  • A 1977 3rd round draft pick
August 5, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
  • A 1978 3rd round draft pick as compensation
 To Detroit Pistons
  • The right to sign Don Adams as a veteran free agent
September 1, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
 To New Jersey Nets
  • George Johnson, a 1978 1st round draft pick & a 1979 1st round draft pick.
September 1, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
 To New Jersey Nets
  • A future 4th round draft pick as compensation
September 1, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
 To Indiana Pacers
September 2, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
  • A 1979 1st round draft pick
 To Milwaukee Bucks
September 7, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
  • Cash considerations
 To Los Angeles Lakers
September 13, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
 To Atlanta Hawks
  • A 1978 2nd round draft pick
October 3, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
  • The right to sign Wil Jones as a veteran free agent
 To Indiana Pacers
  • A 1980 2nd round draft pick as compensation
October 6, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
 To Denver Nuggets
  • A 1978 3rd round draft pick as compensation
October 17, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
 To Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Future considerations
October 18, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
  • A 1978 3rd round draft pick
 To Indiana Pacers
November 23, 1977 To Buffalo Braves
 To Detroit Pistons
January 31, 1978 To Buffalo Braves
  • A 1978 3rd round draft pick
 To Philadelphia 76ers

Free agents

References
  1. Buffalo Braves (1970-1978)
  2. "Archibald may be out for season". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. Associated Press. October 15, 1977. p. 7C.
  3. "Celts, Buffalo swap owners; Braves move". Toledo Blade. Ohio. Associated Press. July 8, 1978. p. 15.
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