1970–71 Philadelphia 76ers season

The 1970–71 NBA season was the 76ers 22nd season in the NBA and 8th season in Philadelphia. They improved to a record of 47–35. In the playoffs, they lost a hard-fought series with the Baltimore Bullets 4–3, who represented the Eastern Conference in the Finals. This was the final season for forward Bailey Howell, who was signed by Philadelphia & was a vital part in 2 Celtics championships in 1968 and 1969.

1970–71 Philadelphia 76ers season
Head coachJack Ramsay
ArenaThe Spectrum
Results
Record47–35 (.573)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Atlantic)
Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishEast Conference Semifinals
(eliminated 3–4)

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWTAF-TV
RadioWCAU
< 1969–70 1971–72 >

The Sixers also tried a new uniform style. Instead of the traditional PHILA in block lettering, they used a design that wrote out Seventy Sixers in cursive writing. These uniforms did not last the entire year.[1]

Offseason

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Draft picks

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This table only displays picks through the second round.

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 12 Al Henry C   United States Wisconsin

Roster

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Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
C 20 Awtrey, Dennis 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Santa Clara
G 21 Clark, Archie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Minnesota
SG 11 Crawford, Freddie 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 189 lb (86 kg) St. Bonaventure
F 32 Cunningham, Billy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) North Carolina
C 24 Dierking, Connie 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 222 lb (101 kg) Cincinnati
G 15 Greer, Hal 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Marshall
C 26 Henry, Al 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Wisconsin
SF 16 Howell, Bailey 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Mississippi State
F 54 Jackson, Luke 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Texas–Pan American
G 24 Jones, Wali 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Villanova
F 12 Washington, Jim 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Villanova
Head coach

Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  •   Injured

Regular season

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Season standings

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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
#
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
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

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1970–71 NBA Records
Team ATL BAL BOS BUF CHI CIN CLE DET LAL MIL NYK PHI PHO POR SDR SFW SEA
Atlanta 3–3 2–4 3–1 1–4 2–4 4–0 0–5 3–2 1–4 3–3 4–2 1–4 2–2 2–3 2–3 3–2
Baltimore 3–3 3–3 3–1 2–3 3–3 4–0 2–3 2–3 1–4 2–4 3–3 3–2 2–2 4–1 2–3 3–2
Boston 4–2 3–3 4–0 4–1 4–2 3–1 2–3 3–2 0–5 0–6 4–2 2–3 2–2 3–2 3–2 3–2
Buffalo 1–3 1–3 0–4 0–4 0–4 5–7 1–5 2–2 0–4 2–2 0–4 1–3 6–6 1–3 1–3 1–3
Chicago 4–1 3–2 1–4 4–0 4–0 4–0 3–3 2–4 1–5 3–2 3–2 3–3 3–1 6–0 4–2 3–2
Cincinnati 4–2 3–3 2–4 4–0 0–4 5–1 1–4 1–4 1–4 2–4 1–5 1–4 4–0 1–3 2–3 1–4
Cleveland 0–4 0–4 1–3 7–5 0–4 1–5 2–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 0–4 2–10 0–4 1–3 0–4
Detroit 5–0 3–2 3–2 5–1 3–3 4–1 2–2 2–3 1–5 2–3 2–3 2–4 3–1 4–2 1–4 3–1
Los Angeles 2–3 3–2 2–3 2–2 4–2 4–1 4–0 3–2 1–4 3–2 3–2 2–4 4–0 3–3 4–2 4–2
Milwaukee 4–1 4–1 5–0 4–0 5–1 4–1 4–0 5–1 4–1 1–4 4–1 4–2 3–1 4–1 6–0 5–1
New York 3–3 4–2 6–0 2–2 2–3 4–2 4–0 3–2 2–3 4–1 2–4 4–1 3–1 4–1 3–2 2–3
Philadelphia 2–4 3–3 2–4 4–0 2–3 5–1 3–1 3–2 2–3 1–4 4–2 3–2 4–0 3–2 3–2 3–2
Phoenix 4–1 2–3 3–2 3–1 3–3 4–1 4–0 4–2 4–2 2–4 1–4 2–3 4–0 2–4 3–2 3–2
Portland 2–2 2–2 2–2 6–6 1–3 0–4 10–2 1–3 0–4 1–3 1–3 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 2–4
San Diego 3–2 1–4 2–3 3–1 0–6 3–1 4–0 2–4 3–3 1–4 1–4 2–3 4–2 4–0 2–4 5–1
San Francisco 3–2 3–2 2–3 3–1 2–4 3–2 3–1 4–1 2–4 0–6 2–3 2–3 2–3 3–1 4–2 3–3
Seattle 2–3 2–3 2–3 3–1 2–3 4–1 4–0 1–3 2–4 1–5 3–2 2–3 2–3 4–2 1–5 3–3

Game log

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1970–71 Game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 October 14 Chicago 107–110 Billy Cunningham (24) 1–0
2 October 16 San Diego 119–127 Archie Clark (28) 2–0
3 October 17 @ Cincinnati 123–105 Archie Clark (24) 3–0
4 October 20 @ Buffalo 98–89 Hal Greer (20) 4–0
5 October 21 Los Angeles 141–117 Billy Cunningham (22) 4–1
6 October 23 @ Los Angeles 127–122 Billy Cunningham (31) 5–1
7 October 24 @ San Diego 111–116 Billy Cunningham (33) 5–2
8 October 28 @ San Francisco 111–108 Billy Cunningham (27) 6–2
9 October 30 Baltimore 123–110 Archie Clark (24) 6–3
10 October 31 Boston 133–102 Billy Cunningham (19) 6–4
11 November 2 Cleveland 87–141 Archie Clark (21) 7–4
12 November 4 @ Boston 113–115 Billy Cunningham (25) 7–5
13 November 6 Atlanta 112–118 Billy Cunningham (38) 8–5
14 November 7 Seattle 128–134 Bailey Howell (27) 9–5
15 November 10 @ Atlanta 104–109 Hal Greer (25) 9–6
16 November 11 @ Baltimore 119–107 Archie Clark (30) 10–6
17 November 13 Buffalo 111–119 Cunningham, Greer, Howell (20) 11–6
18 November 14 @ New York 94–126 Billy Cunningham (18) 11–7
19 November 17 @ Detroit 113–91 Archie Clark (24) 12–7
20 November 18 New York 106–113 Billy Cunningham (29) 13–7
21 November 20 Detroit 120–112 Hal Greer (31) 13–8
22 November 21 Phoenix 125–119 Billy Cunningham (34) 13–9
23 November 22 @ Atlanta 115–125 Cunningham, Greer (26) 13–10
24 November 24 San Francisco 104–96 Archie Clark (26) 13–11
25 November 25 N Buffalo 99–92 Billy Cunningham (27) 14–11
26 November 27 Cincinnati 113–109 Billy Cunningham (22) 14–12
27 November 30 Baltimore 98–104 Billy Cunningham (19) 15–12
28 December 1 @ Chicago 91–107 Dennis Awtrey (17) 15–13
29 December 4 @ Milwaukee 122–128 (OT) Billy Cunningham (33) 15–14
30 December 5 @ Cincinnati 131–106 Archie Clark (29) 16–14
31 December 8 Seattle 107–104 Billy Cunningham (27) 16–15
32 December 11 San Francisco 102–101 Clark, Cunningham (18) 16–16
33 December 12 @ New York 101–118 Archie Clark (21) 16–17
34 December 15 San Diego 98–122 Jim Washington (20) 17–17
35 December 17 @ Seattle 125–117 Archie Clark (29) 18–17
36 December 19 @ San Francisco 108–99 Hal Greer (33) 19–17
37 December 20 @ Portland 134–132 (OT) Cunningham, Greer (31) 20–17
38 December 22 @ Phoenix 133–129 (OT) Archie Clark (26) 21–17
39 December 25 Detroit 100–105 Hal Greer (28) 22–17
40 December 27 @ Cleveland 101–114 Clark, Cunningham (25) 22–18
41 December 29 @ Buffalo 124–113 Archie Clark (35) 23–18
42 December 30 Milwaukee 107–119 Billy Cunningham (35) 24–18
43 January 2 Boston 125–120 Billy Cunningham (29) 24–19
44 January 5 San Francisco 92–97 Archie Clark (22) 25–19
45 January 8 Los Angeles 123–117 Archie Clark (29) 25–20
46 January 9 Phoenix 112–123 Archie Clark (33) 26–20
47 January 10 @ Boston 115–107 Billy Cunningham (31) 27–20
48 January 14 @ Chicago 103–108 Bailey Howell (22) 27–21
49 January 15 Chicago 96–99 Hal Greer (22) 28–21
50 January 16 Cleveland 96–115 Hal Greer (29) 29–21
51 January 17 @ San Diego 106–105 Bailey Howell (28) 30–21
52 January 19 @ Los Angeles 114–134 Archie Clark (38) 30–22
53 January 22 @ Phoenix 117–116 Billy Cunningham (31) 31–22
54 January 24 @ Seattle 145–119 Billy Cunningham (33) 32–22
55 January 26 Atlanta 122–129 Hal Greer (36) 33–22
56 January 29 Milwaukee 142–118 Clark, Greer (21) 33–23
57 January 30 @ New York 106–105 Jim Washington (24) 34–23
58 January 31 @ Boston 126–132 Archie Clark (32) 34–24
59 February 2 Boston 105–108 Billy Cunningham (31) 35–24
60 February 5 @ Chicago 102–114 Archie Clark (30) 35–25
61 February 6 @ Cincinnati 118–109 Hal Greer (29) 36–25
62 February 7 New York 99–127 Archie Clark (33) 37–25
63 February 12 @ Detroit 109–118 Billy Cunningham (26) 37–26
64 February 14 N Baltimore 103–112 Billy Cunningham (35) 37–27
65 February 17 N Milwaukee 114–119 Billy Cunningham (26) 37–28
66 February 19 @ Los Angeles 118–104 Jim Washington (28) 38–28
67 February 20 @ Portland 118–105 Archie Clark (30) 39–28
68 February 21 @ Seattle 128–135 Billy Cunningham (34) 39–29
69 February 23 Portland 113–119 Billy Cunningham (35) 40–29
70 February 26 Phoenix 108–94 Billy Cunningham (27) 40–30
71 February 28 Cincinnati 121–131 Billy Cunningham (28) 41–30
72 March 1 @ Milwaukee 103–127 Archie Clark (20) 41–31
73 March 2 San Diego 111–103 Billy Cunningham (22) 41–32
74 March 3 N Portland 104–120 Archie Clark (28) 42–32
75 March 5 New York 116–121 Billy Cunningham (34) 43–32
76 March 6 Detroit 115–121 Clark, Greer (28) 44–32
77 March 9 @ Cleveland 124–113 Billy Cunningham (23) 45–32
78 March 14 @ Atlanta 101–108 Archie Clark (29) 45–33
79 March 16 Atlanta 130–125 Clark, Jackson (26) 45–34
80 March 19 Cincinnati 127–147 Archie Clark (24) 46–34
81 March 20 @ Baltimore 112–124 Bailey Howell (28) 46–35
82 March 21 Baltimore 108–120 Hal Greer (23) 47–35

Playoffs

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1971 playoff game log
Conference Semifinals: 3–4 (home: 1–2; road: 2–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Series
1 March 24 @ Baltimore W 126–112 Hal Greer (30) Luke Jackson (13) Archie Clark (7) Baltimore Civic Center
6,707
1–0
2 March 26 Baltimore L 107–119 Archie Clark (26) Billy Cunningham (11) Archie Clark (6) Spectrum
10,369
1–1
3 March 28 @ Baltimore L 103–111 Hal Greer (30) Billy Cunningham (19) Billy Cunningham (10) Baltimore Civic Center
5,589
1–2
4 March 30 Baltimore L 105–120 Archie Clark (24) Billy Cunningham (17) Billy Cunningham (8) Spectrum
8,909
1–3
5 April 1 @ Baltimore W 104–103 Billy Cunningham (32) Billy Cunningham (20) Hal Greer (6) Baltimore Civic Center
10,998
2–3
6 April 3 Baltimore W 98–94 Billy Cunningham (33) Billy Cunningham (16) Billy Cunningham (5) Spectrum
7,059
3–3
7 April 4 @ Baltimore L 120–128 Archie Clark (37) Billy Cunningham (19) Clark, Greer (5) Baltimore Civic Center
6,662
3–4
1971 schedule

Awards and records

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References

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