1976–77 Chicago Bulls season

The 1976–77 NBA season was the Bulls' 11th season in the NBA.

1976–77 Chicago Bulls season
Head coach	Ed Badger
General manager	Jon Kovler
Owner(s)	Arthur Wirtz and Jonathan Kovler
Arena	Chicago Stadium
Results
Record	44–38 (.537)
Place	Division: 3rd (Midwest) Conference: 6th (Western)
Playoff finish	First round (lost to Trail Blazers 1–2)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	WGN-TV (Lorn Brown, Johnny “Red” Kerr)
Radio	WIND (Jim Durham, Bill Berg)

Offseason

Draft picks

Main article: 1976 NBA draft

Roster

1976–77 Chicago Bulls roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From C 18 Boerwinkle, Tom 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 265 lb (120 kg) 1945-08-23 Tennessee F/C 41 Fernsten, Eric 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1953-11-01 San Francisco C 53 Gilmore, Artis 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1949-09-21 Jacksonville F 33 Hicks, Phil 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1953-01-31 Tulane G 12 Holland, Wilbur 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1951-11-08 New Orleans F 8 Johnson, Mickey 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1952-08-31 Aurora G 44 Kropp, Tom 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1953-02-12 Nebraska–Kearney G 31 Laskowski, John 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1953-06-07 Indiana F 24 Marin, Jack 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1944-10-12 Duke F 42 May, Scott 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1954-03-19 Indiana G 15 Mengelt, John 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1949-10-16 Auburn G 30 Starr, Keith 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1954-03-14 Pittsburgh G 2 Van Lier, Norm 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 173 lb (78 kg) 1947-04-01 Saint Francis (PA)

Head coach Ed Badger Assistant coach(es) Bumper Tormohlen Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Last transaction: February 2, 1977

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Denver Nuggets	50	32	.610	–	36–5	14–27	15–5
x-Detroit Pistons	44	38	.537	6	30–11	14–27	12–8
x-Chicago Bulls	44	38	.537	6	31–10	13–28	10–10
Kansas City Kings	40	42	.488	10	28–13	12–29	7–13
Indiana Pacers	36	46	.439	14	25–16	11–30	9–11
Milwaukee Bucks	30	52	.366	20	24–17	6–35	7–13

#	Western Conference
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Los Angeles Lakers	53	29	.646	–
2	y-Denver Nuggets	50	32	.610	3
3	x-Portland Trail Blazers	49	33	.598	4
4	x-Golden State Warriors	46	36	.561	7
5	x-Detroit Pistons	44	38	.537	9
6	x-Chicago Bulls	44	38	.537	9
7	Kansas City Kings	40	42	.488	13
8	Seattle SuperSonics	40	42	.488	13
9	Indiana Pacers	36	46	.439	17
10	Phoenix Suns	34	48	.415	19
11	Milwaukee Bucks	30	52	.366	23

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1976–77 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	BUF	CHI	CLE	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	KCK	LAL	MIL	NOJ	NYK	NYN	PHI	PHO	POR	SAS	SEA	WAS
Atlanta	—	0–4	4–0	2–2	2–2	2–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	0–4	1–2	2–2	2–2	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–3	0–4	3–1	4–0	1–2	1–3
Boston	4–0	—	3–1	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–2	3–1	2–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	4–0	2–2	0–4
Buffalo	0–4	1–3	—	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	0–3	1–3	1–3	0–3	1–3	3–1	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	0–4	3–1	0–4
Chicago	2–2	2–2	3–1	—	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	4–0	2–2	2–1	2–2	2–2	0–4	3–1	2–2	1–2
Cleveland	2–2	3–1	2–2	1–3	—	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–1	3–1	2–2	4–0	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3
Denver	2–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	2–2	—	3–1	2–2	3–0	3–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	2–2	1–2	4–0	2–2
Detroit	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	—	3–1	2–2	2–2	4–0	1–3	3–1	3–1	1–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–2	1–3	1–3
Golden State	4–0	3–1	3–0	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–3	—	2–1	4–0	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	3–1	3–1	4–0	1–3	2–2	1–3	3–1
Houston	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–1	0–3	2–2	1–2	—	4–0	2–2	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1
Indiana	4–0	2–1	3–1	2–2	1–2	1–3	2–2	0–4	0–4	—	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–2	4–0	2–2	2–2	0–4	2–2	2–2	0–4
Kansas City	2–1	1–3	3–0	2–2	1–3	1–3	0–4	3–1	2–2	2–2	—	1–3	2–2	2–2	4–0	4–0	1–3	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–3	2–2
Los Angeles	2–2	1–2	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	—	3–1	3–0	1–3	4–0	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	4–0
Milwaukee	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–3	—	1–2	1–3	3–1	1–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3
New Orleans	3–1	2–2	1–3	0–4	2–2	1–3	1–3	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	0–3	2–1	—	3–1	2–2	0–4	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–3	2–2
N.Y. Knicks	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	0–4	3–1	3–1	1–3	—	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–2	2–2
N.Y. Nets	1–3	1–3	2–2	1–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	2–2	0–4	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–2	2–2	—	1–3	2–2	0–3	1–3	1–3	1–3
Philadelphia	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	2–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–2	2–1	4–0	3–1	3–1	—	1–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	3–1
Phoenix	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–2	1–3	2–2	0–4	1–3	2–2	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–1	—	1–3	1–3	3–1	1–3
Portland	1–3	3–1	3–1	4–0	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	4–0	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–0	2–2	3–1	—	2–2	3–1	1–2
San Antonio	0–4	0–4	4–0	1–3	2–2	2–1	2–1	2–2	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	3–1	2–2	—	3–1	2–2
Seattle	2–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–3	0–4	3–1	3–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	3–1	2–1	3–1	2–2	1–3	1–3	1–3	—	3–1
Washington	3–1	4–0	4–0	2–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–3	4–0	2–2	0–4	3–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	2–1	2–2	1–3	—

Playoffs

1977 playoff game log
First Round: 1–2 (home: 1–0; road: 0–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 12 @ Portland L 83–96 Mickey Johnson (19) Artis Gilmore (14) Norm Van Lier (8) Memorial Coliseum 12,774 0–1 2 April 15 Portland W 107–104 Mickey Johnson (29) Mickey Johnson (15) Norm Van Lier (11) Chicago Stadium 20,000 1–1 3 April 17 @ Portland L 98–106 Mickey Johnson (14) Johnson, Gilmore (14) Norm Van Lier (10) Memorial Coliseum 12,520 1–2
1977 schedule

Awards and records

• Norm Van Lier, NBA All-Defensive First Team
• Scott May, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team
• Norm Van Lier, NBA All-Star Game