# 1970–71 NBA season

The 1970–71 NBA season was the 25th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Milwaukee Bucks winning the NBA Championship, beating the Baltimore Bullets 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals. Three new teams made their debut: the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Buffalo Braves.

## Notable occurrences

* For the first time, the league was divided into Conferences (East and West), each with two divisions. The Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks were shifted from the old Eastern Division to the Western Conference's Midwest Division, and the Atlanta Hawks were switched from the Western Division to the Eastern Conference's Central Division.
* Before the season, on June 18, 1970, the NBA owners voted 13–4, to seek approval from Congress for a merger with the 11-team American Basketball Association into a 28-team league that would retain the NBA name. The NBA players opposed the merger, and Oscar Robertson filed an antitrust lawsuit that prevented further proceedings.
* The 1971 NBA All-Star Game was played at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, California, with the West beating the East 108–107. Lenny Wilkens of the Seattle SuperSonics won the game's MVP award.
* The Rookie of the Year award was shared by two players for the first time in league history. They were Dave Cowens of the Boston Celtics and Geoff Petrie of the Portland Trail Blazers.
* In only their third year of existence, the Bucks won the NBA Championship, sweeping the Baltimore Bullets in four straight games. This was the first NBA finals to feature none of the NBA's foundation franchises; the Bullets franchise had joined the NBA as the Chicago Packers in 1961, and the Bucks franchise had joined in 1968. It was also the first NBA finals since 1956 to feature neither Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain.
* Among those who retired this season include Al Attles, Bob Boozer, Connie Dierking, Bailey Howell, Tom Meschery and Adrian Smith.* The NBA expanded to 17 teams as the Portland Trail Blazers, Buffalo Braves, and Cleveland Cavaliers began play.
Coaching changes :
| Offseason |||
| Team | 1969–70 coach | 1970–71 coach |
| Buffalo Braves | Expansion | Dolph Schayes |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Expansion | Bill Fitch |
| Portland Trail Blazers | Expansion | Rolland Todd |
| San Francisco Warriors | George C. Lee | Al Attles |
| In-season |||
| Team | Outgoing coach | Incoming coach |
| N/A |||

## Teams

1970-71 National Basketball Association :
| Eastern Conference |||||
| Division | Team | City | Arena | Capacity |
| Atlantic | Boston Celtics | Boston, Massachusetts | Boston Garden | 13,909 |
| Atlantic | Buffalo Braves * | Buffalo, New York | Buffalo Memorial Auditorium | 15,280 |
| Atlantic | New York Knicks | New York, New York | Madison Square Garden | 19,812 |
| Atlantic | Philadelphia 76ers | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | The Spectrum | 15,244 |
| Central | Atlanta Hawks | Atlanta, Georgia | Alexander Memorial Coliseum | 9,191 |
| Central | Baltimore Bullets | Baltimore, Maryland | Baltimore Civic Center | 11,271 |
| Central | Cincinnati Royals | Cincinnati, Ohio | Cincinnati Gardens | 11,000 |
| Central | Cleveland Cavaliers * | Cleveland, Ohio | Cleveland Arena | 10,000 |
| Western Conference |||||
| Midwest | Chicago Bulls | Chicago, Illinois | Chicago Stadium | 18,676 |
| Midwest | Detroit Pistons | Detroit, Michigan | Cobo Arena | 12,191 |
| Midwest | Milwaukee Bucks | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Milwaukee Arena | 10,783 |
| Midwest | Phoenix Suns | Phoenix, Arizona | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 14,870 |
| Pacific | Los Angeles Lakers | Inglewood, California | The Forum | 17,505 |
| Pacific | Portland Trail Blazers * | Portland, Oregon | Memorial Coliseum | 12,888 |
| Pacific | San Diego Rockets | San Diego, California | San Diego Sports Arena | 14,500 |
| Pacific | San Francisco Warriors | Daly City, California | Cow Palace | 12,953 |
| Pacific | Seattle SuperSonics | Seattle, Washington | Seattle Center Coliseum | 13,200 |
* Expansion team *

## Final standings
### By division

| Atlantic Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
| y-New York Knicks | 52 | 30 | .634 | – | 32–9 | 19–20 | 1–1 | 10–6 |
| x-Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 5 | 24–15 | 21–18 | 2–2 | 10–6 |
| Boston Celtics | 44 | 38 | .537 | 8 | 25–14 | 18–22 | 1–2 | 8–8 |
| Buffalo Braves | 22 | 60 | .268 | 30 | 14–23 | 6–30 | 2–7 | 2–10 |
| Central Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
| y-Baltimore Bullets | 42 | 40 | .512 | – | 24–13 | 16–25 | 2–2 | 10–6 |
| x-Atlanta Hawks | 36 | 46 | .439 | 6 | 21–20 | 14–26 | 1–0 | 9–7 |
| Cincinnati Royals | 33 | 49 | .402 | 9 | 17–16 | 11–28 | 5–5 | 16–6 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | .183 | 27 | 11–30 | 2–37 | 2–0 | 1–13 |
| Midwest Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
| y-Milwaukee Bucks | 66 | 16 | .805 | – | 34–2 | 28–13 | 4–1 | 14–4 |
| x-Chicago Bulls | 51 | 31 | .622 | 15 | 30–11 | 17–19 | 4–1 | 7–11 |
| Phoenix Suns | 48 | 34 | .585 | 18 | 27–14 | 19–20 | 2–0 | 9–9 |
| Detroit Pistons | 45 | 37 | .549 | 21 | 24–17 | 20–19 | 1–1 | 6–12 |
| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
| y-Los Angeles Lakers | 48 | 34 | .585 | – | 30–11 | 17–22 | 1–1 | 15–7 |
| x-San Francisco Warriors | 41 | 41 | .500 | 7 | 20–18 | 19–21 | 2–2 | 12–10 |
| San Diego Rockets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 8 | 24–15 | 15–26 | 1–1 | 14–8 |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 38 | 44 | .463 | 10 | 27–13 | 11–30 | 0–1 | 10–14 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 29 | 53 | .354 | 19 | 18–21 | 9–26 | 2–6 | 3–15 |

### By conference

| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT |
| 1 | z-New York Knicks | 52 | 30 | .634 |
| 2 | y-Baltimore Bullets | 42 | 40 | .512 |
| 3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | .573 |
| 4 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 36 | 46 | .439 |
| 5 | Boston Celtics | 44 | 38 | .537 |
| 6 | Cincinnati Royals | 33 | 49 | .402 |
| 7 | Buffalo Braves | 22 | 60 | .268 |
| 8 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | .183 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT |
| 1 | z-Milwaukee Bucks | 66 | 16 | .805 |
| 2 | y-Los Angeles Lakers | 48 | 34 | .585 |
| 3 | x-Chicago Bulls | 51 | 31 | .622 |
| 4 | x-San Francisco Warriors | 41 | 41 | .500 |
| 5 | Phoenix Suns | 48 | 34 | .585 |
| 6 | Detroit Pistons | 45 | 37 | .549 |
| 7 | San Diego Rockets | 40 | 42 | .488 |
| 8 | Seattle SuperSonics | 38 | 44 | .463 |
| 9 | Portland Trail Blazers | 29 | 53 | .354 |
Notes
* z, y – division champions
* x – clinched playoff spot

## Playoffs

| Conference Semifinals | Conference Semifinals | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | NBA Finals | NBA Finals | NBA Finals |
| A1 | New York* | 4 | | | | | | |
| C2 | Atlanta | 1 | | | | | | |
| C2 | Atlanta | 1 | A1 | New York* | 3 | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | A1 | New York* | 3 | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | C1 | Baltimore* | 4 | | | |
| C1 | Baltimore* | 4 | C1 | Baltimore* | 4 | | | |
| A2 | Philadelphia | 3 | | | | | | |
| A2 | Philadelphia | 3 | | | | C1 | Baltimore* | 0 |
| | | | | | | M1 | Milwaukee* | 4 |
| M1 | Milwaukee* | 4 | | | | | | | M1 | Milwaukee* | 4 |
| P2 | San Francisco | 1 | | | | | | |
| P2 | San Francisco | 1 | M1 | Milwaukee* | 4 | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | M1 | Milwaukee* | 4 | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | P1 | Los Angeles* | 1 | | | |
| P1 | Los Angeles* | 4 | P1 | Los Angeles* | 1 | | | |
| M2 | Chicago | 3 | | | | | | |
* * Division winner
* Bold Series winner
* Italic Team with home-court advantage

## Statistics leaders

| Category | Player | Team | Stat |
| Points per game | Lew Alcindor | Milwaukee Bucks | 31.7 |
| Rebounds per game | Wilt Chamberlain | Los Angeles Lakers | 18.2 |
| Assists per game | Norm Van Lier | Cincinnati Royals | 10.1 |
| FG% | Johnny Green | Cincinnati Royals | .587 |
| FT% | Chet Walker | Chicago Bulls | .859 |

## NBA awards

* Most Valuable Player: Lew Alcindor, Milwaukee Bucks
* Co-Rookies of the Year: Geoff Petrie, Portland Trail Blazers and Dave Cowens, Boston Celtics
* Coach of the Year: Dick Motta, Chicago Bulls
* All-NBA First Team:
** G – Dave Bing, Detroit Pistons
** G – Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers
** C – Lew Alcindor, Milwaukee Bucks
** F – Billy Cunningham, Philadelphia 76ers
** F – John Havlicek, Boston Celtics
* All-NBA Second Team:
** F – Gus Johnson, Baltimore Bullets
** F – Bob Love, Chicago Bulls
** C – Willis Reed, New York Knicks
** G – Walt Frazier, New York Knicks
** G – Oscar Robertson, Milwaukee Bucks
* All-NBA Rookie Team:
** Geoff Petrie, Portland Trail Blazers
** Bob Lanier, Detroit Pistons
** Calvin Murphy, San Diego Rockets
** Dave Cowens, Boston Celtics
** Pete Maravich, Atlanta Hawks
* NBA All-Defensive First Team:
** Dave DeBusschere, New York Knicks
** Gus Johnson, Baltimore Bullets
** Nate Thurmond, San Francisco Warriors
** Walt Frazier, New York Knicks
** Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers
* NBA All-Defensive Second Team:
** John Havlicek, Boston Celtics
** Paul Silas, Phoenix Suns
** Lew Alcindor, Milwaukee Bucks
** Jerry Sloan, Chicago Bulls
** Norm Van Lier, Cincinnati Royals