1974 NBA expansion draft
Selections
Table:
Player

Pos.

Nationality

Previous team

Years of NBA experience[a]

Career with the franchise

Ref.

Dennis Awtrey

C

United States

Chicago Bulls

4

—[b]

[7]

Jim Barnett

G/F

United States

Golden State Warriors

8

1974–1975

[8]

Walt Bellamy^

C

United States

Atlanta Hawks

13

1974

[9]

John Block+

F/C

United States

Kansas City–Omaha Kings

8

1974

[10]

Barry Clemens

F

United States

Cleveland Cavaliers

9

—[b]

[11]

E. C. Coleman

F

United States

Houston Rockets

1

1974–1977

[12]

Lamar Green

F/C

United States

Phoenix Suns

5

1974

[13]

Nate Hawthorne

G

United States

Los Angeles Lakers

1

—[b]

[14]

Ollie Johnson

F

United States

Portland Trail Blazers

2

1974–1975

[15]

Bob Kauffman+

F/C

United States

Buffalo Braves

6

—[b]

[16]

Toby Kimball

F/C

United States

Philadelphia 76ers

8

1974

[17]

Steve Kuberski

F/C

United States

Boston Celtics

5

—[b]

[18]

Stu Lantz

G

United States

Detroit Pistons

6

1974

[19]

Dean Meminger

G

United States

New York Knicks

3

—[b]

[20]

Louie Nelson

G

United States

Washington Bullets

1

1974–1976

[21]

Curtis Perry

F

United States

Milwaukee Bucks

4

—[b]

[22]

Isaac Stallworth

G/F

United States

Seattle SuperSonics

2

1974–1977

[23]

Considering the following table and the supplementary paragraphs listed below.

Respond to the question below: What is the nationality of the player who registered 7,106 total points and 3,965 rebounds in his career ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Use only the information given.

Dennis Wade Awtrey ( born February 22 , 1948 ) is a retired American professional basketball player . A 6'10 center from Santa Clara University , Awtrey was drafted by the NBA 's Philadelphia 76ers in 1970 . He played in the league for twelve seasons , spending time with the 76ers , Chicago Bulls , Phoenix Suns , Boston Celtics , Seattle SuperSonics , and Portland Trail Blazers . Awtrey had his finest season in 1974-1975 , when he averaged 9.9 points and 8.6 rebounds as a member of the Suns . Awtrey was also known for once having punched Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the jaw . In 2012 , Awtrey moved to Manzanita , Oregon , where he now operates a bed-and-breakfast .
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago . The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference Central Division . The team was founded on January 16 , 1966 and played its first game later that year . The Bulls play their home games at the United Center , an arena on Chicago 's west side shared with the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . The Bulls saw their greatest success during the 1990s when they played a major part in popularizing the NBA worldwide . They are known for having one of the NBA 's greatest dynasties , winning six NBA championships between 1991 and 1998 with two three-peats . All six of their championship teams were led by Hall of Famers Michael Jordan , Scottie Pippen and coach Phil Jackson . The Bulls are the only NBA franchise to win multiple championships while never losing an NBA Finals series in their history . The Bulls won 72 games during the 1995-96 NBA season , setting an NBA record that stood until the Golden State Warriors won 73 games during the 2015-16 NBA season . The Bulls were the first team in NBA history to win 70 games or more in a single season , and the only NBA franchise to do so until the 2015-16 Warriors . Michael Jordan and Derrick Rose have both won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award while playing for the Bulls , for a total of six MVP awards . The Bulls share rivalries with the Cleveland Cavaliers , Detroit Pistons , Miami Heat and the New York Knicks .
James Franklin Barnett ( born July 7 , 1944 ) is a former professional basketball player . He was the Golden State Warriors television analyst from 1985 to 2019 , and is currently the team 's radio color analyst on 95.7 The Game .
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco . The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as a member of the league 's Western Conference Pacific Division . Founded in 1946 in Philadelphia , the Warriors moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1962 and took the city 's name , before changing its geographic moniker to Golden State in 1971 . [ b ] They play their home games at the Chase Center . The Warriors won the inaugural Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) championship in 1947 , [ c ] and won again in 1956 , led by Hall of Fame trio Paul Arizin , Tom Gola , and Neil Johnston . After a brief rebuilding period after the trade of star Wilt Chamberlain , the team moved to San Francisco . In 1975 , star players Jamaal Wilkes and Rick Barry powered the Warriors to their third championship , largely considered one of the biggest upsets in NBA history . The team struggled in the 1980s , then became playoff regulars at the turn of the decade with stars Tim Hardaway , Mitch Richmond , and Chris Mullin , nicknamed Run TMC . The team returned to championship glory in 2015 , led by Stephen Curry , Klay Thompson , and Draymond Green ; they won again in 2017 and 2018 , with the help of former MVP Kevin Durant . Nicknamed the Dubs as a shortening of W 's , the Warriors hold several NBA records : best regular season , most wins in a season ( regular season and postseason combined ) , and best postseason run . Curry and Thompson are among the greatest backcourts of all time . Only the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics have more NBA championships .
The 1974-75 NBA season was the 29th season of the National Basketball Association . The season ended with the Golden State Warriors winning the NBA Championship , sweeping the Washington Bullets 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals .
Walter Jones Bellamy ( July 24 , 1939 - November 2 , 2013 ) was an American professional basketball player . A four-time NBA All-Star , he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame .
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta . The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference Southeast Division . The team plays its home games at State Farm Arena . The team 's origins can be traced to the establishment of the Buffalo Bisons in 1946 in Buffalo , New York , a member of the National Basketball League ( NBL ) owned by Ben Kerner and Leo Ferris . After 38 days in Buffalo , the team moved to Moline , Illinois , where they were renamed the Tri-Cities Blackhawks . In 1949 , they joined the NBA as part of the merger between the NBL and the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) , and briefly had Red Auerbach as coach . In 1951 , Kerner moved the team to Milwaukee , where they changed their name to the Hawks . Kerner and the team moved again in 1955 to St. Louis , where they won their only NBA Championship in 1958 and qualified to play in the NBA Finals in 1957 , 1960 and 1961 . The Hawks played the Boston Celtics in all four of their trips to the NBA Finals . The St. Louis Hawks moved to Atlanta in 1968 , when Kerner sold the franchise to Thomas Cousins and former Georgia Governor Carl Sanders . The Hawks currently own the second-longest drought ( behind the Sacramento Kings ) of not winning an NBA championship at 60 seasons . The franchise 's lone NBA championship , as well as all four NBA Finals appearances , occurred when the team was based in St. Louis .
John William Block , Jr. ( born April 16 , 1944 ) is a retired American basketball player born in Glendale , California . A 6'10 forward/center from the University of Southern California , Block spent 10 seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers ( 1966-1967 ) , San Diego Rockets ( 1967-1971 ) , Milwaukee Bucks ( 1971-1972 ) , Philadelphia 76ers ( 1972-1973 ) , Kansas City-Omaha Kings ( 1973-1974 ) , New Orleans Jazz ( 1974 ) , and Chicago Bulls ( 1974-1976 ) . Block had his strongest season in 1967-68 , when he averaged 20.2 points and 11.0 rebounds for the Rockets , who had just entered the NBA as an expansion team . Block appeared in the 1973 NBA All-Star Game , and registered 7,106 total points and 3,965 rebounds in his career .
The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento , California . The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the Western Conference 's Pacific Division . The Kings are the only team in the major professional North American sports leagues located in Sacramento . The team plays its home games at the Golden 1 Center . Their best seasons to date in the city were in the early 2000s , including the 2001-02 season when they had the best record in the NBA at 61-21 ( a winning percentage of .744 ) . The Sacramento Kings are the latest and current version of one of the oldest continuously operating professional basketball franchises in the nation . They originated in Rochester , New York , as the Rochester Seagrams ( a semi-professional team ) in 1923 , hosting a number of teams there over the next 20 years . They joined the National Basketball League in 1945 as the renamed Rochester Royals , winning that league 's championship in their first season , 1945-46 . They later jumped with three other NBL teams to the Basketball Association of America , forerunner of the NBA , in 1948 . As the Royals , the team was often successful on the court , winning the NBA championship in 1951 . The team , however , found it increasingly difficult to turn a profit in the comparatively small market of Rochester and relocated to Cincinnati in 1957 , becoming the Cincinnati Royals . In 1972 the team relocated again , this time to Kansas City , Missouri , and was renamed the Kansas City-Omaha Kings because it initially split its home games between Kansas City and Omaha , Nebraska .
John Barry Clemens ( born May 1 , 1943 ) is a former professional basketball player . The 6 ' 6 Clemens attended Xenia High School and Ohio Wesleyan University before being drafted by the NBA 's New York Knicks in the 1965 NBA Draft , and he went on to have a productive 11-year career with five teams : the Knicks , the Chicago Bulls , the Seattle SuperSonics , the Cleveland Cavaliers , and the Portland Trail Blazers . He retired in 1976 with career totals of 5,312 points and 2,532 rebounds . Clemens surprised many observers by making it all the way to the final round in ABC television 's one-on-one NBA basketball tournament in 1973 . Portland All-Star guard Geoff Petrie defeated ex-Knick Clemens in the championship game at Madison Square Garden on May 6 , 1973 . ( www.apbr.org/forum/viewtopic.php ? =1935 ) In 2009 , Clemens was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame .
The Cleveland Cavaliers , often referred to as the Cavs , are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland . The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference Central Division . The team began play as an expansion team in 1970 , along with the Portland Trail Blazers and Buffalo Braves . Home games were first held at Cleveland Arena from 1970 to 1974 , followed by the Richfield Coliseum from 1974 to 1994 . Since 1994 , the Cavs have played home games at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in downtown Cleveland , which is shared with the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League and the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League . Dan Gilbert has owned the team since March 2005 . The Cavaliers opened their inaugural season losing their first 15 games and struggled in their early years , placing no better than sixth in the Eastern Conference during their first five seasons . The team won their first Central Division title in 1976 , which also marked the first winning season and playoff appearance in franchise history , where they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals . The franchise was purchased by Ted Stepien in 1980 . Stepien 's tenure as owner was marked by six coaching changes , questionable trades and draft decisions , and poor attendance , leading to $ 15 million in financial losses . The Cavs went 66-180 in that time and endured a 24-game losing streak spanning the 1981-82 and 1982-83 seasons . George and Gordon Gund purchased the franchise in 1983 .
E. C. Coleman Jr. ( born September 25 , 1950 ) is a retired American basketball player . Born in Flora , Mississippi , Coleman played collegiately for Houston Baptist , and was selected by the Houston Rockets in the 3rd round ( 51st pick overall ) of the 1973 NBA draft . In the NBA , Coleman played for the Rockets ( 1973-74 , 1978-79 ) , New Orleans Jazz ( 1974-77 ) and Golden State Warriors ( 1977-78 ) in the NBA for a total of 357 games . Coleman was named to the 1st NBA All-Defensive Team in 1976-77 and to the 2nd NBA All-Defensive Team in 1977-78 .
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston . They compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member team of the league 's Western Conference Southwest Division . The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center , located in Downtown Houston . The Rockets have won two NBA championships and four Western Conference titles . The team was established in 1967 as the San Diego Rockets , an expansion team originally based in San Diego . In 1971 , the Rockets moved to Houston . The Rockets won only 15 games in their debut season as a franchise in 1967 . In the 1968 NBA draft , the Rockets were awarded the first overall pick and selected power forward Elvin Hayes , who would lead the team to its first playoff appearance in his rookie season . The Rockets did not finish a season with a winning record for almost a decade until the 1976-77 season , when they traded for All-Star center Moses Malone . Malone went on to win the NBA Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) award twice while playing with the Rockets and led Houston to the Eastern Conference Finals in his first year with the team . During the 1980-81 season , the Rockets finished the regular season with a 40-42 record . Despite their losing record , they qualified for the playoffs .
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 . 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 .
Lamar Anthony Green ( born March 22 , 1947 ) is a retired American professional basketball player . A 6 ' 7 power forward from Morehead State University , Green played six seasons ( 1969-1975 ) in the National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association . He spent five years as a backup power forward for the Phoenix Suns , averaging 5.2 points , 6.3 rebounds in 17.9 minutes a game . His most productive season came in 1972-73 , when he averaged 6.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in 25.6 minutes a game . His 2,186 rebounds are the 17th most in Suns franchise history , while his 345 games are the 18th most in franchise history . Left unprotected by the Suns , Green was drafted by the New Orleans Jazz in the 1974 NBA Expansion Draft , where he played 15 games before being waived . He then signed with the Virginia Squires of the ABA , where he appeared in 51 games in the 1974-75 season . Green was waived by the Squires on September 30 , 1975 .
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix , Arizona . The Suns compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as a member of the league 's Western Conference Pacific Division , and are the only team in their division not based in California . The Suns play their home games at the Talking Stick Resort Arena . The franchise began play in 1968 as an expansion team , and their early years were shrouded in mediocrity , but their fortunes changed in the 1970s , where , after partnering long-term guard Dick Van Arsdale and center Alvan Adams with Paul Westphal , the Suns reached the 1976 NBA Finals , in what is considered to be one of the biggest upsets in NBA history . However , after failing to capture a championship , the Suns would rebuild around Walter Davis for a majority of the 1980s , until the acquisition of Kevin Johnson in 1988 . Under Johnson , and after trading for perennial NBA All-Star Charles Barkley , and combined with the output of Tom Chambers and Dan Majerle , the Suns reached the playoffs for a franchise-record thirteen consecutive appearances and remained a regular title contender throughout the 1990s , and reached the 1993 NBA Finals . However , the team would again fail to win a championship , and entered into another period of mediocrity until the early part of the 2000s . In 2004 , the Suns reacquired Steve Nash , and immediately returned into playoff contention . With Nash , Shawn Marion , and Amar ' e Stoudemire , and under head coach Mike D'Antoni , the Suns became renowned worldwide for their quick , dynamic offense , which led them to tie a franchise record in wins in the 2004-05 season . Two more top two Conference placements followed , but the Suns again failed to attain an NBA championship , and were forced into another rebuild . The Suns own the NBA 's seventh-best all-time winning percentage , and have the second highest winning percentage of any teams to have never won an NBA championship . 10 Hall of Famers have played for Phoenix , while two Suns , Barkley and Nash , have won the NBA Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) award while playing for the team .
Nathaniel Nate Hawthorne ( January 19 , 1951 - November 23 , 2005 ) was an American former pro basketball player . He spent three seasons in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , one with the Los Angeles Lakers ( 1973-74 ) and two with the Phoenix Suns ( 1974-76 ) . The Mount Vernon , Illinois , native attended Southern Illinois University prior to his NBA stint . He died at age 54 outside his home in Tempe , Arizona , suffering a massive heart attack .
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles . The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as a member of the league 's Western Conference in the Pacific Division . The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center , an arena shared with the NBA 's Los Angeles Clippers , the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women 's National Basketball Association , and the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . The Lakers are one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA , and have won 16 NBA championships , the second-most behind the Boston Celtics . The franchise began with the 1947 purchase of a disbanded team , the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League ( NBL ) . The new team began playing in Minneapolis , calling themselves the Minneapolis Lakers . Initially a member of the NBL , the Lakers won the 1948 NBL championship before joining the rival Basketball Association of America , where they would win five of the next six championships , led by star George Mikan . After struggling financially in the late 1950s following Mikan 's retirement , they relocated to Los Angeles before the 1960-61 season . Led by Hall of Famers Elgin Baylor and Jerry West , Los Angeles made the NBA Finals six times in the 1960s , but lost each series to the Celtics , beginning their long and storied rivalry . In 1968 , the Lakers acquired four-time NBA Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Wilt Chamberlain , and won their sixth NBA title - and first in Los Angeles - in 1972 , led by new head coach Bill Sharman . After the retirement of West and Chamberlain , the team acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , who also won multiple MVP awards , but was unable to make the Finals in the late 1970s . The 1980s Lakers were nicknamed Showtime due to their fast break-offense led by Magic Johnson .
Ollie Johnson ( born May 11 , 1949 ) is an American former professional basketball player . A 6 ' 6 forward from Temple University , Johnson played ten seasons ( 1972-1982 ) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers , New Orleans Jazz , Kansas City Kings , Atlanta Hawks , Chicago Bulls , and Philadelphia 76ers . He averaged 7.7 points per game in his NBA career . He became director of athletics at the Community College of Philadelphia , retiring in 2011 .
The Portland Trail Blazers , commonly known as the Blazers , are an American professional basketball team based in Portland , Oregon . The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Western Conference Northwest Division . The team played its home games in the Memorial Coliseum before moving to Moda Center in 1995 ( called the Rose Garden until 2013 ) . The franchise entered the league as an expansion team in 1970 , and has enjoyed a strong following : from 1977 through 1995 , the team sold out 814 consecutive home games , the longest such streak in American major professional sports at the time , and only since surpassed by the Boston Red Sox . The Trail Blazers are the only NBA team based in the bi-national Pacific Northwest , after the Vancouver Grizzlies relocated to Memphis and became the Memphis Grizzlies in 2001 and the Seattle SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City and became the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2008 . The team has advanced to the NBA Finals three times , winning the NBA championship once in 1977 . Their other NBA Finals appearances were in 1990 and 1992 . The team has qualified for the playoffs in 34 seasons of their 48-season existence , including a streak of 21 straight appearances from 1983 through 2003 , tied for the second longest streak in NBA history . The Trail Blazers ' 34 playoff appearances rank third in the NBA only behind the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs since the team 's inception in 1970 . Six Hall of Fame players have played for the Trail Blazers ( Lenny Wilkens , Bill Walton , Clyde Drexler , Dražen Petrović , Arvydas Sabonis , and Scottie Pippen ) . Bill Walton is the franchise 's most decorated player ; he was the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in 1977 , and the regular season MVP the following year . Four Blazers ' rookies ( Geoff Petrie , Sidney Wicks , Brandon Roy and Damian Lillard ) have won the NBA Rookie of the Year award .
Robert Kauffman ( July 13 , 1946 - July 25 , 2015 ) was an American professional basketball player and coach . Kaufmann was a three time NBA All-Star .
The Buffalo Braves were an American professional basketball franchise based in Buffalo , New York . The Braves competed in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member club of the league 's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division from 1970 until 1978 . In 1978 , Braves owner John Y . Brown Jr. swapped franchises with then-Boston Celtics owner Irv Levin , who then moved the team to San Diego , where it was renamed the San Diego Clippers . The franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1984 , and is now known as the Los Angeles Clippers .
Thomas Kimball ( September 7 , 1942 - May 2 , 2017 ) was an American professional basketball player from Framingham , Massachusetts . As 6 ' 8 power forward/center at the University of Connecticut , Kimball averaged 18.4 points and 17.9 rebounds over three seasons . He played in the NBA from 1966 to 1975 as a member of the Boston Celtics , San Diego Rockets , Milwaukee Bucks , Kansas City Kings , Philadelphia 76ers and New Orleans Jazz . Kimball averaged 6.1 points and 6.8 rebounds over his NBA career . His best season was his second , in which he averaged a double double ( 11.0 points and 11.7 rebounds ) . Kimball was inducted into the University of Connecticut 's Huskies of Honor in 2006 . His son confirmed via social media that Kimball died on May 2 , 2017 .
The Philadelphia 76ers ( also commonly known as the Sixers ) are an American professional basketball team based in Philadelphia . The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division and play at Wells Fargo Center . Founded in 1946 and originally known as the Syracuse Nationals , they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA , and one of only eight ( out of 23 ) to survive the league 's first decade . The 76ers have had a prominent history , with many of the greatest players in NBA history having played for the organization , including Wilt Chamberlain , Hal Greer , Billy Cunningham , Julius Erving , Andrew Toney , Moses Malone , Charles Barkley , and Allen Iverson . They have won three NBA championships , with their first coming as the Syracuse Nationals in 1955 . The second title came in 1967 , a team which was led by Chamberlain . The third title came in 1983 , won by a team led by Erving and Malone . The 76ers have only been back to the NBA Finals once since then : in 2001 , where they were led by Iverson and lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games .
Stephen Phil Kuberski ( born November 6 , 1947 ) is an American former professional basketball player . Kuberski won two NBA titles with the Boston Celtics , in 1974 and 1976 and had a nine-year National Basketball Association ( NBA ) career . Kuberski was the last Celtic to wear number 33 before Larry Bird .
The Boston Celtics ( /ˈsɛltɪks/ SEL-tiks ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston . The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division . Founded in 1946 as one of the league 's original eight teams , the Celtics play their home games at TD Garden , which they share with the National Hockey League ( NHL ) 's Boston Bruins . The Celtics are regarded as the most successful basketball team in NBA history ; the franchise has won the most championships in the NBA with 17 ( accounting for 23.9 percent of all NBA championships since the league 's founding ) , and currently hold the record for the most recorded wins of any NBA team . The Celtics have a notable rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers , who have won 16 NBA championships , second behind the Celtics . The rivalry was heavily highlighted throughout the 1960s and 1980s . The franchise has played the Lakers a record 12 times in the NBA Finals ( including their most recent appearances in 2008 and 2010 ) , of which the Celtics have won nine . Four Celtics players ( Bob Cousy , Bill Russell , Dave Cowens and Larry Bird ) have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for an NBA record total of 10 MVP awards . Both the nickname Celtics and their mascot Lucky the Leprechaun are a nod to Boston 's historically large Irish population . The Celtics ' rise to dominance began in the late 1950s , after acquiring center Bill Russell in a draft day trade in 1956 , who would become the cornerstone of the Celtics dynasty . Led by Russell and superstar point guard Bob Cousy , the Celtics won their first NBA championship in 1957 . Russell , along with a talented supporting cast of future Hall of Famers including John Havlicek , Tom Heinsohn , K. C. Jones , Sam Jones , Satch Sanders , and Bill Sharman , would usher the Celtics into the greatest period in franchise history , winning eight consecutive NBA championships throughout the 1960s .
Stuart Burrell Lantz ( born July 13 , 1946 ) is an American former basketball player who is a television commentator for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) on Spectrum SportsNet . He has been the Lakers ' color commentator since 1987 , sharing the microphone with Chick Hearn , Paul Sunderland , Joel Meyers and now Bill Macdonald . Lantz has won numerous awards for his work along the way . The Southern California Sports Broadcasters Association has named Lantz best radio commentator in six of the last seven years . Lantz played in the National Basketball Association from 1968 until 1976 . He was drafted by the San Diego Rockets in the third round ( 1st Pick , 23rd Overall ) of the 1968 NBA draft and by the Oakland Oaks in the 1968 ABA Draft after attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln .
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit , Michigan . The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference Central Division and plays its home games at Little Caesars Arena , located in Midtown . The team was founded in Fort Wayne , Indiana as the Fort Wayne ( Zollner ) Pistons in 1941 , a member of the National Basketball League ( NBL ) where it won two NBL championships : in 1944 and 1945 . The Pistons later joined the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) in 1948 . The NBL and BAA merged to become the NBA in 1949 , and the Pistons became part of the merged league . In 1957 , the franchise moved to Detroit . The Pistons have won three NBA championships : in 1989 , 1990 and 2004 .
Dean Peter Meminger ( May 13 , 1948 - August 23 , 2013 ) was an American basketball player and coach .
The New York Knickerbockers , more commonly referred to as the Knicks , are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan . The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference . The team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden , an arena they share with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . They are one of two NBA teams located in New York City ; the other team is the Brooklyn Nets . Alongside the Boston Celtics , the Knicks are one of two original NBA teams still located in its original city . The team , established by Ned Irish in 1946 , was one of the founding members of the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) , which became the NBA after merging with the rival National Basketball League ( NBL ) in 1949 . The Knicks were successful during their early years and were constant playoff contenders under the franchise 's first head coach Joe Lapchick . Beginning in 1950 , the Knicks made three consecutive appearances in the NBA Finals , all of which were losing efforts . Lapchick resigned in 1956 and the team subsequently began to falter . It was not until the late 1960s when Red Holzman became the head coach that the Knicks began to regain their former dominance . Holzman successfully guided the Knicks to two NBA championships , in 1970 and 1973 . The Knicks of the 1980s had mixed success that included six playoff appearances ; however , they failed to participate in the NBA Finals .
Louie Nelson ( born May 28 , 1951 ) is an American former National Basketball Association ( NBA ) player . Nelson was drafted with the first pick in the second round of the 1973 NBA draft by the Baltimore Bullets . Before the 1974-75 NBA season , Nelson was taken by the New Orleans Jazz in the NBA Expansion Draft . After playing two seasons with the Jazz , the Jazz waived him . Nelson was signed by the San Antonio Spurs before the 1976-77 NBA season , but was waived after four games . In the 1977-78 NBA season , Nelson 's final NBA season , he played for the Kansas City Kings and New Jersey Nets . In his NBA career , Nelson averaged 9.4 points , 2.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game . Louie is now a math teacher in LA Jordan High School . He coaches the girls basketball team .
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington , D.C . The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference Southeast Division . The team plays its home games at the Capital One Arena , in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington , D.C . The franchise was established in 1961 as the Chicago Packers based in Chicago , Illinois , and were renamed to Chicago Zephyrs the following season . In 1963 , they relocated to Baltimore , Maryland , and became the Baltimore Bullets , taking the name from a previous team of the same name . In 1973 , the team changed its name to the Capital Bullets to reflect their move to the Washington metropolitan area , and then to Washington Bullets in the following season . In 1997 , they rebranded themselves as the Wizards . The Wizards have appeared in four NBA Finals , and won in 1978 . They have had a total of 28 playoff appearances , won four conference titles ( 1971 , 1975 , 1978 , 1979 ) , and seven division titles ( 1971 , 1972 , 1973 , 1974 , 1975 , 1979 , 2017 ) . Their best season came in 1975 with a record of 60-22 . Wes Unseld is the only player in franchise history to become the MVP ( 1969 ) , and win the Finals MVP award ( 1978 ) . Four players ( Walt Bellamy , Terry Dischinger , Earl Monroe and Wes Unseld ) have won the Rookie of the Year award .
The 1975-76 NBA season was the 30th season of the National Basketball Association . The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship , beating the Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals .
Curtis R. Perry ( born September 13 , 1948 ) is a retired American basketball player . Born in Washington , D.C. , he attended Southwest Missouri State University and played at forward . Perry was selected by the San Diego Rockets in the third round of the 1970 NBA draft and by the Virginia Squires in the 1970 ABA Draft . Perry played for the NBA 's San Diego Rockets/Houston Rockets ( 1970-71 ) , Milwaukee Bucks ( 1971-74 ) and Phoenix Suns ( 1974-78 ) . He helped the Bucks win the 1971-72 and 1972-73 NBA Midwest Division titles , and the 1973-74 NBA Western Conference championship , as well as helping the Phoenix Suns win the 1975-76 NBA Western Conference championship . In the 1976 Finals , Perry was a key player in the greatest game ever played in NBA history . In 8 seasons he played in 480 games and had 13,656 minutes played , a .455 field goal percentage ( 1,904 for 4,188 ) , .699 free throw percentage ( 770 for 1,101 ) , 4,239 rebounds , 906 assists , 1,670 personal fouls and 4,578 points . He averaged 9.5 points , 8.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game .
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee . The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Eastern Conference Central Division . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team , and play at the Fiserv Forum . Former U.S . Senator Herb Kohl was the long-time owner of the team , but on April 16 , 2014 , a group led by billionaire hedge fund managers Wes Edens and Marc Lasry agreed to purchase a majority interest in the team from Kohl , a sale which was approved by the owners of the NBA and its Board of Governors one month later on May 16 . The team is managed by Jon Horst , the team 's former director of basketball operations , who took over for John Hammond in May 2017 . The Bucks have won one league title ( 1971 ) , two conference titles ( 1971 and 1974 ) , and 14 division titles ( 1971-1974 , 1976 , 1980-1986 , 2001 , 2019 ) . They have featured such notable players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Sidney Moncrief , Oscar Robertson , Bob Dandridge , Bob Lanier , Glenn Robinson , Ray Allen , Sam Cassell , Junior Bridgeman , Michael Redd , Terry Cummings , Vin Baker , Jon McGlocklin , Marques Johnson , and Brian Winters . Abdul-Jabbar and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named the NBA 's Most Valuable Player while playing for the Bucks , for a total of four MVP awards .
Isaac Bud Stallworth ( born January 18 , 1950 ) is a retired American basketball player . He was a 6 ' 5 ( 1.96 m ) and 190 lb ( 86 kg ) shooting guard and played college basketball at the University of Kansas ( KU ) where he was named 1972 All-Big Eight Player of the Year . He had a professional career in the NBA from 1972-1977 . Stallworth was selected 7th overall by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1972 NBA draft , and by the Denver Rockets in the 1972 ABA Draft . After two seasons with the Sonics , he was made available in the 1974 expansion draft to be selected by the New Orleans Jazz , for whom he played for three seasons . His playing career was cut short due to a back injury sustained in an automobile accident in 1977 . In 1978 , Stallworth graduated from KU with a bachelor of social work degree . In 1972 while at KU , Stallworth scored 50 points in a win against Missouri .
The Seattle SuperSonics , commonly known as the Sonics , were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle , Washington . The SuperSonics played in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member club of the league 's Western Conference Pacific and Northwest divisions from 1967 until 2008 . After the 2007-08 season ended , the team relocated to Oklahoma City , Oklahoma , and now plays as the Oklahoma City Thunder . Sam Schulman owned the team from its 1967 inception until 1983 . It was then owned by Barry Ackerley ( 1983-2001 ) , and then Basketball Club of Seattle , headed by Starbucks chairman emeritus , former president and CEO Howard Schultz ( 2001-2006 ) . On July 18 , 2006 , the Basketball Club of Seattle sold the SuperSonics and its Women 's National Basketball Association ( WNBA ) sister franchise Seattle Storm to the Professional Basketball Club LLC , headed by Oklahoma City businessman Clay Bennett . The sale was approved by the NBA Board of Governors on October 24 , 2006 , and finalized on October 31 , 2006 , at which point the new ownership group took control . After failing to find public funding to construct a new arena in the Seattle area , the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City before the 2008-09 season , following a $ 45 million settlement with the city of Seattle to pay off the team 's existing lease at KeyArena at Seattle Center in advance of its 2010 expiration . Home games were played at KeyArena , originally known as Seattle Center Coliseum , for 33 of the franchise 's 41 seasons in Seattle . In 1978 , the team moved to the Kingdome , which was shared with the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) and the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League ( NFL ) . They returned to the Coliseum full-time in 1985 , moving temporarily to the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma , Washington , for the 1994-95 season while the Coliseum was renovated and rebranded as KeyArena . The SuperSonics won the NBA championship in 1979 .