# 1972–73 Seattle SuperSonics season

The 1972–73 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 6th season of the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team finished the regular season in 6th place in the Western Conference with a 26–56 record, 21 wins behind the one obtained in their previous season. Head coach Tom Nissalke was fired by the team in January after a 13–32 start and was replaced by his assistant Bucky Buckwalter.

## Offseason

The offseason trade that sent player-coach Lenny Wilkens to the Cleveland Cavaliers was received with shock from fans and the player himself. The trade also sent Barry Clemens to the Cavaliers and brought All-Star Butch Beard to the Sonics.
The signing of free agent John Brisker cost the SuperSonics a $10,000 fine and the resignation of their 1973 first round draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for violation of league rules that prohibited the team to approach Brisker without contacting the Sixers, who selected him in a supplemental draft in 1969 and held the rights to the player. However, Seattle regained its first round pick after an appeal and the Sonics' second round selection was given to the 76ers.

### Draft picks

Note: only draft picks who participated in at least one game in the NBA are listed.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 7 | Isaac Stallworth | Guard / forward | United States | Kansas |
| 2 | 18 | Joby Wright | Center / forward | United States | Indiana |
| 2 | 23 | Brian Taylor | Guard | United States | Princeton |
| 3 | 40 | Jim Creighton | Forward | United States | Colorado |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
| y-Los Angeles Lakers | 60 | 22 | .732 | – | 30–11 | 28–11 | 2–0 | 22–4 |
| x-Golden State Warriors | 47 | 35 | .573 | 13 | 27–14 | 18–20 | 2–1 | 14–12 |
| Phoenix Suns | 38 | 44 | .463 | 22 | 22–19 | 15–25 | 1–0 | 14–12 |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 26 | 56 | .317 | 34 | 16–25 | 10–29 | 0–2 | 9–17 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 21 | 61 | .256 | 39 | 13–28 | 8–32 | 0–1 | 6–20 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT |
| 1 | z-Milwaukee Bucks | 60 | 22 | .732 |
| 2 | y-Los Angeles Lakers | 60 | 22 | .732 |
| 3 | x-Chicago Bulls | 51 | 31 | .622 |
| 4 | x-Golden State Warriors | 47 | 35 | .573 |
| 5 | Detroit Pistons | 40 | 42 | .488 |
| 6 | Phoenix Suns | 38 | 44 | .463 |
| 7 | Kansas City–Omaha Kings | 36 | 46 | .439 |
| 8 | Seattle SuperSonics | 26 | 56 | .317 |
| 9 | Portland Trail Blazers | 21 | 61 | .256 |
* z – clinched division title
* y – clinched division title
* x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1972–73 NBA records :
| Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | KCO | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
| Atlanta | — | 3–4 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 |
| Baltimore | 4–3 | — | 1–5 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 8–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–0 |
| Boston | 5–1 | 5–1 | — | 7–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 7–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 |
| Buffalo | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–7 | — | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–6 | 7–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
| Chicago | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 5–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–1 |
| Cleveland | 4–3 | 0–8 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 1–3 | — | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–6 | 6–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 |
| Detroit | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | — | 2–4 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 2–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–4 |
| Golden State | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | — | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 4–3 |
| Houston | 4–4 | 2–5 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
| Kansas City-Omaha | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | — | 1–5 | 1–6 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 |
| Los Angeles | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 5–1 | — | 3–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 6–1 | 6–0 | 6–0 |
| Milwaukee | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 6–1 | 3–3 | — | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 |
| New York | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–4 | 6–1 | 1–3 | 6–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 6–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 |
| Philadelphia | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–7 | 1–7 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–6 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 |
| Phoenix | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–6 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 4–0 | — | 5–2 | 4–2 |
| Portland | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–5 | — | 3–4 |
| Seattle | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 4–3 | — |

### Game log

1972–73 game log Total: 26–56 (Home: 16–25; Road: 10–29; Neutral: 0–2) :
October: 4–5 (home: 2–3; road: 2–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 10
@ New York
L 89–113
John Brisker (16)
Madison Square Garden 19,447
0–1
2
October 11
@ Philadelphia
W 105–100
Spencer Haywood (22)
The Spectrum 6,257
1–1
3
October 13
@ Portland
W 92–84
Spencer Haywood (35)
Memorial Coliseum 8,573
2–1
4
October 20
Golden State
L 92–101
Spencer Haywood (22)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,950
2–2
5
October 21
@ Phoenix
L 117–129
John Brisker (34)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8,315
2–3
6
October 22
Portland
W 120–119 (OT)
John Brisker (30)
Seattle Center Coliseum 6,925
3–3
7
October 25
Atlanta
L 115–118
Spencer Haywood (33)
Seattle Center Coliseum 7,140
3–4
8
October 27
Phoenix
W 120–115
Dick Snyder (29)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,201
4–4
9
October 29
Chicago
L 94–95
Spencer Haywood (30)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,022
4–5 :
November
: 4–13 (home: 3–5; road: 1–8)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
10
November 1
Detroit
L 106–116
John Brisker (33)
Seattle Center Coliseum 6,005
4–6
11
November 3
New York
L 80–105
Spencer Haywood (18)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,031
4–7
12
November 5
Los Angeles
L 115–124
Spencer Haywood (30)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,250
4–8
13
November 8
@ Milwaukee
L 103–116
Spencer Haywood (29)
Milwaukee Arena 7,378
4–9
14
November 10
Kansas City–Omaha
L 106–111
Spencer Haywood (38)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,156
4–10
15
November 12
Cleveland
L 107–113
Spencer Haywood (28)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,174
4–11
16
November 14
@ Chicago
L 80–97
Spencer Haywood (20)
Chicago Stadium 7,894
4–12
17
November 15
@ Kansas City–Omaha
L 97–106
Spencer Haywood (27)
Municipal Auditorium 4,364
4–13
18
November 17
Philadelphia
W 105–92
Spencer Haywood (29)
Seattle Center Coliseum 7,762
5–13
19
November 18
@ Portland
W 102–100
Spencer Haywood (21)
Memorial Coliseum 9,639
6–13
20
November 19
Buffalo
W 107–84
Spencer Haywood (26)
Seattle Center Coliseum 6,587
7–13
21
November 21
@ Cleveland
L 88–98
Spencer Haywood (32)
Cleveland Arena 2,864
7–14
22
November 22
@ Baltimore
L 90–112
Dick Snyder (21)
Baltimore Civic Center 2,877
7–15
23
November 23
@ Atlanta
L 97–110
Spencer Haywood (29)
Omni Coliseum 6,523
7–16
24
November 25
@ Houston
L 109–114
Spencer Haywood (38)
Hofheinz Pavilion 2,912
7–17
25
November 26
Detroit
W 103–96
Spencer Haywood (39)
Seattle Center Coliseum 7,980
8–17
26
November 29
@ Boston
L 98–120
Spencer Haywood (29)
Boston Garden 5,263
8–18 :
December
: 4–11 (home: 3–3; road: 1–8)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
27
December 1
@ Buffalo
L 90–93
Spencer Haywood, Dick Snyder (15)
Seattle Center Coliseum 16,107
8–19
28
December 2
@ Chicago
L 80–89
Spencer Haywood (26)
Chicago Stadium 8,030
8–20
29
December 3
@ Cleveland
L 103–105 (OT)
Spencer Haywood (29)
Cleveland Arena 2,957
8–21
30
December 6
Milwaukee
W 95–91
Spencer Haywood (32)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,953
9–21
31
December 8
@ Los Angeles
L 100–119
Spencer Haywood (26)
The Forum 14,618
9–22
32
December 10
Phoenix
W 110–102
Spencer Haywood (32)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,628
10–22
33
December 13
Milwaukee
L 103–104 (OT)
Spencer Haywood (38)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,036
10–23
34
December 15
Portland
L 95–96
Spencer Haywood (37)
Seattle Center Coliseum 7,812
10–24
35
December 17
Boston
L 98–123
Spencer Haywood (34)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,633
10–25
36
December 19
@ Milwaukee
L 77–121
John Brisker (15)
Milwaukee Arena 7,407
10–26
37
December 20
@ Kansas City–Omaha
L 110–121
Isaac Stallworth (32)
Omaha, NE 4,067
10–27
38
December 22
@ Detroit
L 97–109
Fred Brown (21)
Cobo Arena 3,779
10–28
39
December 25
@ Portland
L 113–116
Spencer Haywood (35)
Memorial Coliseum 6,818
10–29
40
December 26
@ Golden State
W 97–95
Spencer Haywood (42)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 3,605
11–29
41
December 29
Cleveland
W 99–91
Spencer Haywood (31)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,738
12–29 :
January
: 5–9 (home: 3–5; road: 2–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
42
January 1
Los Angeles
L 103–108
Spencer Haywood (28)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,751
12–30
43
January 3
Kansas City–Omaha
W 107–100
Spencer Haywood (51)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,266
13–30
44
January 5
Golden State
L 96–128
Fred Brown (20)
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,087
13–31
45
January 7
Philadelphia
L 82–85
Spencer Haywood (18)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,150
13–32
46
January 10
Baltimore
L 86–98
Spencer Haywood (17)
Seattle Center Coliseum 7,570
13–33
47
January 12
Detroit
W 113–104
Spencer Haywood (36)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,420
14–33
48
January 14
New York Knicks
L 84–86
Spencer Haywood (18)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,538
14–34
49
January 16
@ Kansas City–Omaha
W 125–122
Jim Fox, Spencer Haywood (23)
Municipal Auditorium 4,468
15–34
50
January 17
@ Detroit
W 106–104
Spencer Haywood (28)
Cobo Arena 2,630
16–34
51
January 19
@ Boston
L 104–124
Spencer Haywood (25)
Boston Garden 14,190
16–35
52
January 20
Baltimore
L 106–126
Spencer Haywood (28)
College Park, MD 12,084
16–36
53
January 25
@ Phoenix
L 109–112
Spencer Haywood (27)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 5,701
16–37
54
January 28
@ Los Angeles
L 94–130
Spencer Haywood (29)
The Forum 17,107
16–38
55
January 31
Houston
W 118–109
Spencer Haywood (37)
Seattle Center Coliseum 6,257
17–38 :
February
: 4–11 (home: 3–5; road: 1–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
56
February 2
Chicago
W 118–104
John Brisker (24)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,818
18–38
57
February 3
@ Golden State
L 101–123
Spencer Haywood (34)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 3,261
18–39
58
February 4
Kansas City–Omaha
L 98–120
Spencer Haywood (27)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,140
18–40
59
February 6
@ Portland
W 118–117
Spencer Haywood (41)
Memorial Coliseum 4,755
19–40
60
February 8
@ Phoenix
L 112–125
Spencer Haywood (31)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,084
19–41
61
February 11
Buffalo
L 125–128
Spencer Haywood (40)
Seattle Center Coliseum 6,960
19–42
62
February 13
@ Los Angeles
L 98–101
Spencer Haywood (35)
The Forum 13,127
19–43
63
February 14
Baltimore
L 106–107
Spencer Haywood (37)
Seattle Center Coliseum 6,034
19–44
64
February 16
Golden State
W 114–108 (OT)
Fred Brown (33)
Seattle Center Coliseum 9,070
20–44
65
February 18
Boston
L 105–106
Spencer Haywood (32)
Seattle Center Coliseum 12,905
20–45
66
February 21
Houston
L 107–139
Spencer Haywood (27)
San Antonio, TX 4,179
20–46
67
February 23
Atlanta
W 124–120
Spencer Haywood (29)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,735
21–46
68
February 25
Chicago
L 85–88
Spencer Haywood (29)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,103
21–47
69
February 27
@ Atlanta
L 130–131
Spencer Haywood (33)
Omni Coliseum 8,295
21–48
70
February 28
@ Milwaukee
L 110–124
Spencer Haywood (36)
Milwaukee Arena 10,292
21–49 :
March
: 5–9 (home: 2–4; road: 3–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
71
March 2
@ Buffalo
W 139–120
Spencer Haywood (35)
Seattle Center Coliseum 5,563
22–49
72
March 3
@ Detroit
W 115–113
Spencer Haywood (33)
Cobo Arena 5,044
23–49
73
March 6
@ New York
L 94–106
Spencer Haywood (25)
Madison Square Garden 19,644
23–50
74
March 10
@ Philadelphia
W 106–96
Spencer Haywood (27)
The Spectrum 4,942
24–50
75
March 13
@ Chicago
L 89–104
Spencer Haywood (31)
Chicago Stadium 9,270
24–51
76
March 16
Golden State
W 116–106
Spencer Haywood (35)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,512
25–51
77
March 18
Houston
W 121–112
Spencer Haywood (38)
Seattle Center Coliseum 8,956
26–51
78
March 20
@ Golden State
L 106–114
Spencer Haywood (39)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 2,992
26–52
79
March 21
Milwaukee
L 96–119
Spencer Haywood (29)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,407
26–53
80
March 23
Portland
L 112–118
Kennedy McIntosh (25)
Seattle Center Coliseum 10,305
26–54
81
March 25
Los Angeles
L 93–109
Spencer Haywood (25)
Seattle Center Coliseum 13,180
26–55
82
March 28
Phoenix
L 125–127
John Brisker (39)
Seattle Center Coliseum 11,246
26–56 :
1972–73 season schedule :

## Player statistics

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Butch Beard | 73 | – | 19.2 | .439 | – | .714 | 2.4 | 3.4 | – | – | 6.6 |
| John Brisker | 70 | – | 23.3 | .435 | – | .822 | 4.6 | 2.1 | – | – | 12.8 |
| Fred Brown | 79 | – | 29.4 | .455 | – | .818 | 4.0 | 5.5 | – | – | 13.5 |
| Pete Cross | 26 | – | 5.1 | .286 | – | .444 | 2.2 | .4 | – | – | .8 |
| Charles Dudley | 12 | – | 8.3 | .435 | – | .875 | .5 | 1.3 | – | – | 2.8 |
| Jim Fox | 74 | – | 33.0 | .515 | – | .808 | 11.2 | 2.4 | – | – | 11.4 |
| Spencer Haywood | 77 | – | 42.3 | .476 | – | .839 | 12.9 | 2.5 | – | – | 29.2 |
| Gar Heard | 3 | – | 5.7 | .444 | – | 1.000 | 2.0 | .7 | – | – | 3.0 |
| Jim McDaniels | 68 | – | 16.1 | .399 | – | .700 | 5.1 | 1.1 | – | – | 5.6 |
| Kennedy McIntosh | 56 | – | 19.7 | .326 | – | .615 | 4.0 | .9 | – | – | 4.5 |
| Dick Snyder | 82 | – | 37.3 | .463 | – | .861 | 3.9 | 3.8 | – | – | 13.8 |
| Isaac Stallworth | 77 | – | 15.9 | .379 | – | .754 | 2.9 | .8 | – | – | 6.3 |
| Lee Winfield | 53 | – | 20.0 | .431 | – | .574 | 2.4 | 3.5 | – | – | 6.6 |
| Joby Wright | 77 | – | 12.1 | .478 | – | .416 | 2.8 | .5 | – | – | 3.9 |

## Awards and records

* Spencer Haywood was selected to the All-NBA First Team for the second time.

## Transactions
### Overview

| Players Added | Players Lost |
| Via draft Isaac Stallworth Joby Wright Via trade Butch Beard Kennedy McIntosh Via free agency John Brisker Charles Dudley | Via trade Barry Clemens Pete Cross (later claimed on waivers) Gar Heard Don Smith Lenny Wilkens |

### Trades

| August 23, 1972 | To Seattle SuperSonics | To Cleveland Cavaliers |
| August 23, 1972 | Butch Beard | Lenny Wilkens Barry Clemens |
| September 18, 1972 | To Seattle SuperSonics | To Houston Rockets |
| September 18, 1972 | Cash considerations | Don Smith |
| October 20, 1972 | To Seattle SuperSonics | To Chicago Bulls |
| October 20, 1972 | Kennedy McIntosh | Gar Heard 1973 third round pick |