1970–71 Baltimore Bullets season
The 1970–71 season was the 10th season of the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA. This would be its first year in the newly created Central Division inside the Eastern Conference.[1] Despite playing close to .500 basketball all season, the Bullets would capture the Central Division with a 42–40 record.[2]
1970–71 Baltimore Bullets season | |
---|---|
Conference champions | |
Division champions | |
Head coach | Gene Shue |
Arena | Baltimore Civic Center |
Results | |
Record | 42–40 (.512) |
Place | Division: 1st (Central) Conference: 2nd (Eastern) |
Playoff finish | NBA Finals (Lost to Bucks 0–4) |
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | WBAL-TV |
Radio | WBAL |
Draft picks
The Baltimore Bullets made seventeen selections in the 1970 NBA Draft.[3]
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College/Club team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 9 | George E. Johnson | United States | Stephen F. Austin | |
3 | 49 | Seaburn Hill | United States | Arizona State | |
4 | 54 | Bill Stricker | United States | Pacific | |
4 | 66 | Billy Jones | United States | Louisiana College | |
5 | 83 | Gary Zeller | United States | Drake | |
6 | 100 | Marvin Polnick | United States | Stephen F. Austin | |
7 | 117 | Charlie Wallace | United States | Oklahoma City | |
8 | 134 | Tom Dyksera | United States | Wheaton (IL) | |
9 | 151 | Will Hetzel | United States | Maryland | |
10 | 168 | Ron Becker | United States | New Mexico Lobos | |
11 | 183 | Mel Bell | United States | Houston | |
12 | 193 | Ben McGilmer | United States | Iowa | |
13 | 203 | Dan Debardabi | United States | Northern Arizona | |
14 | 213 | Mike Williams | United States | Northern Arizona | |
15 | 222 | Ted Rose | United States | Northern Michigan | |
16 | 229 | Don Rather | United States | Northern Arizona | |
17 | 233 | Vince Fritz | United States | Oregon State |
Roster
Baltimore Bullets roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regular season
Season standings
Central Division | 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 |
# | Eastern Conference | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
Record vs. opponents
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 | — |
Playoffs
In the playoffs the Bullets would get off to a quick start as they grabbed a 3–1 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers. However, the Bullets would find themselves in a 7th game and that game the Bullets would emerge victorious 128–120.[2] The Bullets would face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bullets would finally break through in Game 5 and break the tie in the series by beating the Knicks at Madison Square Garden 89–84.[2] The Bullets would have a chance to close the series out at home, but the Knicks would bounce back with a 113–96 win to force a 7th and deciding game in New York. In the seventh game, the Bullets would triumph, winning in New York by 2 points to reach the NBA Finals.However, the Bullets would be swept in 4 straight games by the Milwaukee Bucks.[1]
East Conference Semifinals
(C1) Baltimore Bullets vs. (A2) Philadelphia 76ers: Bullets win series 4–3
- Game 1 @ Baltimore: Philadelphia 126, Baltimore 112
- Game 2 @ Philadelphia: Baltimore 119, Philadelphia 107
- Game 3 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 111, Philadelphia 103
- Game 4 @ Philadelphia: Baltimore 120, Philadelphia 105
- Game 5 @ Baltimore: Philadelphia 104, Baltimore 103
- Game 6 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 98, Baltimore 84
- Game 7 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 128, Philadelphia 120
East Conference Finals
(A1) New York Knicks vs. (C1) Baltimore Bullets: Bullets win series 4–3
- Game 1 @ New York: New York 112, Baltimore 111
- Game 2 @ New York: New York 107, Baltimore 88
- Game 3 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 114, New York 88
- Game 4 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 101, New York 80
- Game 5 @ New York: New York 89, Baltimore 84
- Game 6 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 113, New York 96
- Game 7 @ New York: Baltimore 93, New York 91
NBA Finals
Game | Date | Home Team | Result | Road Team |
---|---|---|---|---|
Game 1 | April 21 | Milwaukee | 98–88 | Baltimore |
Game 2 | April 25 | Baltimore | 83–102 | Milwaukee |
Game 3 | April 28 | Milwaukee | 107–99 | Baltimore |
Game 4 | April 30 | Baltimore | 106–118 | Milwaukee |
Bucks win series 4–0
Awards and honors
- Gus Johnson, All-NBA Second Team
- Gus Johnson, NBA All-Defensive First Team
References
- Baltimore Bullets
- Washington Wizards (1963–Present)
- "1970 NBA Draft". Basketball Reference. Retrieved August 28, 2020.