1976–77 NBA season

31st NBA season August 2023 February 2024 1976–77 NBA season National Basketball Association Basketball October 21, 1976 – April 10, 1977April 12 – May 17, 1977 (Playoffs)May 22 – June 5, 1977 (Finals) 82 22 CBS Draft 1976 NBA Draft List of first overall NBA draft picks John Lucas Houston Rockets Regular season Los Angeles Lakers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Los Angeles) NBA MVP Pete Maravich (New Orleans) Playoffs 1977 NBA Playoffs Eastern Eastern Conference (NBA) Philadelphia 76ers Houston Rockets Western Western Conference (NBA) Portland Trail Blazers Los Angeles Lakers Finals 1977 NBA Finals Portland Trail Blazers Philadelphia 76ers Bill Walton (Portland) NBA Finals MVP List of NBA seasons NBA 1975–76 NBA season 1975–76 1977–78 NBA season 1977–78 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.Koppett Leonard Blazers Win Title, Beating 76ers by 109‐107 https://www.nytimes.com/1977/06/06/archives/blazers-win-title-beating-76ers-by-109107-fourth-victory-in-a-row-a.html 2 February 2024 The New York Times 6 June 1977 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. Notable occurrences The NBA's rival league, the American Basketball Association, joined with the NBA in the ABA–NBA merger. Four ABA franchises joined the NBA: the New York Nets, the Indiana Pacers, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Denver Nuggets. The other ABA teams had folded prior to the merger, except for the Kentucky Colonels and Spirits of St. Louis, both of whose players were picked up by NBA teams in the 1976 ABA dispersal draft. The league adopts a balanced schedule. Each team plays 19 of the 21 other clubs four times each, while playing two from the opposite conference three times each. This scheduling format remains in place for 1977-78 and 1978-79. The NBA Playoffs were expanded from 5 teams per conference to 6, resulting in division winners getting a first round bye. The 1977 NBA All-Star Game was played at The MECCA in Milwaukee, with the West beating the East 125–124. Julius Erving (one of the new arrivals from the ABA) of the Philadelphia 76ers wins the game's MVP award. 5 of the 10 All-Star starters and 10 of the 24 All-Star participants were former ABA players, and former ABA players filled 4 of the 10 slots on the All-NBA first and second teams. Five former ABA players competed in the NBA Finals: the Philadelphia 76ers' Julius Erving, George McGinnis and Caldwell Jones, and the Portland Trail Blazers' Maurice Lucas and Dave Twardzik. The Portland Trail Blazers made their first playoff appearance, winning their first and, to date, only NBA championship. They also become the second team in history (after the 1969 Celtics) to win the NBA Finals after dropping the first two games. This season saw the introducing of new championship trophy which would later become known as the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy replacing the Walter A. Brown Trophy +Coaching changesOffseason Team 1975–76 NBA/ABA coach 1976–77 NBA coach Atlanta Hawks Bumper Tormohlen Hubie Brown Buffalo Braves Jack Ramsay Tates Locke Chicago Bulls Dick Motta Ed Badger Houston Rockets Johnny Egan Tom Nissalke Los Angeles Lakers Bill Sharman Jerry West Portland Trail Blazers Lenny Wilkens Jack Ramsay San Antonio Spurs Bob Bass (ABA) Doug Moe Washington Bullets K. C. Jones Dick MottaIn-season Team Outgoing coach Incoming coach Buffalo Braves Tates LockeBob MacKinnon (interim) Bob MacKinnon (interim)Joe Mullaney (interim) Milwaukee Bucks Larry Costello Don Nelson New Orleans Jazz Butch van Breda Kolff Elgin Baylor Final standings By division By conference Notes z, y – division champions x – clinched playoff spot Playoffs 1977 NBA playoffs 1977 NBA playoffs Bracket yes no Statistics leaders + Category Player Team Stat Points per game Pete Maravich New Orleans Jazz 31.6 Rebounds per game Bill Walton Portland Trail Blazers 14.4 Assists per game Don Buse Indiana Pacers 8.5 Steals per game Don Buse Indiana Pacers 3.47 Blocks per game Bill Walton Portland Trail Blazers 3.25 FG% Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Los Angeles Lakers .579 FT% Ernie DiGregorio Buffalo Braves .945 NBA awards Most Valuable Player: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers Rookie of the Year: Adrian Dantley, Buffalo Braves Coach of the Year: Tom Nissalke, Houston Rockets 66% 33% All-NBA First Team: F – Elvin Hayes, Washington Bullets F – David Thompson, Denver Nuggets C – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers G – Pete Maravich, New Orleans Jazz G – Paul Westphal, Phoenix Suns 33% All-NBA Second Team: F – Julius Erving, Philadelphia 76ers F – George McGinnis, Philadelphia 76ers C – Bill Walton, Portland Trail Blazers G – George Gervin, San Antonio Spurs G – Jo Jo White, Boston Celtics 33% 33% All-NBA Rookie Team: John Lucas, Houston Rockets Mitch Kupchak, Washington Bullets Scott May, Chicago Bulls Adrian Dantley, Buffalo Braves Ron Lee, Phoenix Suns 66% 33% NBA All-Defensive First Team: Bobby Jones, Denver Nuggets E.C. Coleman, New Orleans Jazz Bill Walton, Portland Trail Blazers Don Buse, Indiana Pacers Norm Van Lier, Chicago Bulls 33% NBA All-Defensive Second Team: Jim Brewer, Cleveland Cavaliers Jamaal Wilkes, Golden State Warriors Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers Brian Taylor, Kansas City Kings Don Chaney, Los Angeles Lakers See also List of NBA regular season records References