From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

1970–71 Seattle SuperSonics season

NBA professional basketball team season

Field	Value
team	Seattle SuperSonics
end_year	1971
wins	38
losses	44
division	Pacific
division_place	4
conf_place	8
coach	Lenny Wilkens
gm	Bob Houbregs
owners	Sam Schulman
arena	Seattle Center Coliseum
television	KTNT-TV
radio	KOMO
playoffs	Did not qualify
bbr_team	SEA

The 1970–71 Seattle SuperSonics season was the Seattle SuperSonics 4th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In their second season with Lenny Wilkens as head coach, the Sonics finished in 8th place in the Western Conference with a 38–44 record.

Trouble arose with the injury of top scorer Bob Rule, who tore his Achilles tendon three games into the season during a game against the Portland Trail Blazers and lost him for the remainder of the season.

Offseason

During the offseason, the SuperSonics traded 10-year veteran Bob Boozer and their first round selection from the 1969 NBA draft, Lucius Allen to the Milwaukee Bucks for Don Smith (later known as Zaid Abdul-Aziz). Despite the early retirement announcement made by 24-year-old Smith to the Sonics' front office, he joined the team and played in 61 games in the regular season.

Draft

Main article: 1970 NBA draft

Seattle SuperSonics}}" width="10%"	Round	Seattle SuperSonics}}" width="10%"	Pick	Seattle SuperSonics}}" width="20%"	Player
1	6	Jim Ard	F/C	United States	Cincinnati
2	20	Jake Ford	G	United States	Maryland State
2	23	Pete Cross	F/C	United States	San Francisco
3	40	Gar Heard	F	United States	Oklahoma
5	74	Boyd Lynch	F	United States	Eastern Kentucky
6	91	Samuel Robinson	SF	United States	Long Beach State
7	108	James Morgan	F	United States	Maryland
8	125	George Irvine	SF	United States	Washington
9	142	Claude Virden	SF	United States	Murray State
10	159	Chuck Lloyd	PF/C	United States	Yankton
11	174	Andy Owens	F	United States	Florida
12	187	Joe Brunson	F	United States	Furman
13	197	Allen McManus	G	United States	Winston-Salem State
14	207	Dan Beeson	F	United States	Linfield

Roster

Lenny Wilkens

Standings

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

Game log

|- | 1 | October 14 | Detroit | L 117–123 | Bob Rule (37) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum 8,153

0–1
2
October 17
Boston
W 126–114
Bob Rule (36)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 11,617

1–1
3
October 21
Phoenix
W 110–106
Bob Rule (25)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 6,923

2–1
4
October 23
Portland
W 141–111
Dick Snyder (25)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 9,201

3–1
5
October 25
@ Milwaukee
L 107–126
Dick Snyder (24)

| | | Milwaukee Arena 9,340

3–2
6
October 26
@ Detroit
L 111–142
Don Smith (19)

| | | Cobo Arena 2,835

3–3
7
October 27
@ New York
L 104–117
Lenny Wilkens (24)

| | | Madison Square Garden 14,471

3–4
8
October 28
@ Cincinnati
L 118–131
Don Smith (25)

| | | Cincinnati Gardens 1,623

3–5
9
October 30
@ Portland
W 115–104
Lenny Wilkens (35)

| | | Memorial Coliseum 4,344

4–5
10
October 31
Chicago
W 122–119
Lenny Wilkens (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 5,727

5–5
11
November 3
@ Chicago
L 101–113
Lenny Wilkens (18)

| | | Chicago Stadium 8,244

5–6
12
November 4
@ Buffalo
W 126–101
Tom Meschery (22)

| | | Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 2,093

6–6
13
November 6
@ Boston
L 94–116
Dick Snyder (28)

| | | Boston Garden 5,852

6–7
14
November 7
@ Philadelphia
L 128–134
Lenny Wilkens (32)

| | | The Spectrum 7,623

6–8
15
November 8
@ Cleveland
W 111–105
Dick Snyder (30)

| | | Cleveland Arena 2,448

7–8
16
November 10
New York
W 93–91
Dick Snyder (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 11,022

8–8
17
November 13
Cleveland
W 111–91
Dick Snyder (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 6,961

9–8
18
November 16
Buffalo
L 103–112
Dick Snyder (20)

| | | Portland, OR 3,189

9–9
19
November 19
Los Angeles
W 111–110
Don Kojis (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 9,717

10–9
20
November 20
@ San Diego
L 106–121
Three players (17)

| | | San Diego Sports Arena 4,211

10–10
21
November 21
San Diego
L 114–115
Lee Winfield (36)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 11,316

10–11
22
November 22
@ Los Angeles
L 124–149
snyuder (29)

| | | The Forum 11,763

10–12
23
November 26
@ Phoenix
L 115–126
Lee Winfield (19)

| | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,192

10–13
24
November 27
San Francisco
W 101–96
Lenny Wilkens (31)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 10,024

11–13
25
November 29
Atlanta
W 130–107
Lenny Wilkens (41)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,965

12–13
26
December 1
@ New York
L 109–114
Lenny Wilkens (29)

| | | Madison Square Garden 17,449

12–14
27
December 2
@ Cincinnati
W 119–111
Don Kojis (30)

| | | Cincinnati Gardens 1,823

13–14
28
December 4
@ Baltimore
L 116–131
Don Kojis, Dick Snyder (22)

| | | Baltimore Civic Center 3,050

13–15
29
December 5
@ Atlanta
L 100–106
Lenny Wilkens (17)

| | | Alexander Memorial Coliseum 5,922

13–16
30
December 8
@ Philadelphia
W 107–104
Three players (21)

| | | The Spectrum 3,584

14–16
31
December 9
@ Boston
L 121–136
Dick Snyder (28)

| | | Boston Garden 4,608

14–17
32
December 11
Los Angeles
L 118–126
Don Kojis (24)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 10,685

14–18
33
December 13
Milwaukee
L 107–124
Don Kojis (29)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,627

14–19
34
December 16
@ San Francisco
L 91–108
Lenny Wilkens (28)

| | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 2,218

14–20
35
December 17
Philadelphia
L 117–125
Lee Winfield (25)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 4,739

14–21
36
December 19
Phoenix
W 135–131
Don Kojis (36)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 6,443

15–21
37
December 20
San Diego
L 108–110
Lenny Wilkens (28)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 5,702

15–22
38
December 22
New York
W 119–108
Tom Meschery, Lenny Wilkens (20)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 8,827

16–22
39
December 26
Boston
W 124–117
Dick Snyder (29)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 10,806

17–22
40
December 30
Chicago
W 128–109
Dick Snyder (25)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,935

18–22
41
January 1
Portland
W 121–118
Lenny Wilkens (24)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 9,012

19–22
42
January 4
@ Milwaukee
L 110–124
Don Kojis (24)

| | | Milwaukee Arena 8,835

19–23
43
January 5
@ Baltimore
L 101–109
Lenny Wilkens (27)

| | | Baltimore Civic Center 4,631

19–24
44
January 6
@ Boston
L 112–137
Dick Snyder (26)

| | | Boston Garden 4,152

19–25
45
January 8
@ Buffalo
W 110–102
Lenny Wilkens (30)

| | | Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 3,024

20–25
46
January 9
@ Cincinnati
W 114–110
Don Kojis (29)

| | | Cincinnati Gardens 3,879

21–25
47
January 14
Baltimore
W 114–110
Lenny Wilkens (34)

| | | Clarence S. "Hec" Edmundson Pavilion 7,093

22–25
48
January 17
Baltimore
L 96–111
Lenny Wilkens (20)

| | | Clarence S. "Hec" Edmundson Pavilion 7,557

22–26
49
January 19
@ Detroit
L 102–106
Spencer Haywood (24)

| | | Cobo Arena 5,287

22–27
50
January 20
@ Atlanta
W 112–108
Lenny Wilkens (24)

| | | Alexander Memorial Coliseum 4,661

23–27
51
January 22
Cincinnati
W 132–131 (OT)
Spencer Haywood (30)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,657

24–27
52
January 24
Philadelphia
L 119–145
Spencer Haywood (30)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,841

24–28
53
January 28
Buffalo
W 120–110
Dick Snyder (35)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 7,452

25–28
54
January 29
@ Los Angeles
L 115–122
Dick Snyder (26)

| | | The Forum 12,547

25–29
55
January 30
@ Phoenix
L 116–134
Spencer Haywood (29)

| | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10,412

25–30
56
February 2
@ Chicago
L 101–118
Dick Snyder (24)

| | | Chicago Stadium 8,813

25–31
57
February 3
@ Cleveland
W 98–95
Lenny Wilkens (30)

| | | Cleveland Arena 2,515

26–31
58
February 5
Atlanta
L 120–121 (OT)
Lenny Wilkens (30)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,136

26–32
59
February 7
San Diego
L 107–124
Spencer Haywood (25)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 8,259

26–33
60
February 9
@ San Diego
L 115–132
Spencer Haywood (22)

| | | San Diego Sports Arena 4,192

26–34
61
February 10
@ San Francisco
L 122–133
Spencer Haywood (26)

| | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 2,913

26–35
62
February 11
Cincinnati
W 119–101
Dick Snyder (31)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,013

27–35
63
February 12
@ Portland
L 125–137
Lee Winfield (23)

| | | Memorial Coliseum 7,313

27–36
64
February 14
San Francisco
W 146–101
Spencer Haywood (25)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 10,529

28–36
65
February 17
Portland
W 130–126
Dick Snyder (25)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 6,679

29–36
66
February 19
Milwaukee
L 112–128
Dick Snyder (31)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,685

29–37
67
February 21
Philadelphia
W 135–128
Lenny Wilkens (28)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 8,003 | 30–37

|- | 68 | February 24 | Cleveland | W 123–101 |Dick Snyder (24) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum 5,631

31–37
69
February 26
@ Los Angeles
L 121–145
Tom Meschery (24)

| | | The Forum 14,294

31–38
70
February 27
Chicago
L 114–129
Don Kojis, Lee Winfield (20)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 10,801

31–39
71
March 2
Atlanta
L 116–128
Dick Snyder (22)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 9,810

31–40
72
March 5
@ San Diego
W 111–110
Dick Snyder (28)

| | | San Diego Sports Arena 10,138

32–40
73
March 6
Los Angeles
W 121–109
Don Smith (21)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,949

33–40
74
March 8
@ Milwaukee
L 99–104
Spencer Haywood (30)

| | | Milwaukee Arena 10,746

33–41
75
March 9
@ New York
W 114–99
Don Smith (37)

| | | Madison Square Garden 19,500

34–41
76
March 11
Detroit
W 130–97
Don Smith (29)

| | | Clarence S. "Hec" Edmundson Pavilion 5,681

35–41
77
March 12
@ San Francisco
L 98–111
Spencer Haywood (23)

| | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 5,122

35–42
78
March 14
Baltimore
W 124–121
Spencer Haywood (35)

| | | Clarence S. "Hec" Edmundson Pavilion 5,810

36–42
79
March 18
Milwaukee
W 122–121
Don Smith (28)

| | | Clarence S. "Hec" Edmundson Pavilion 8,970

37–42
80
March 19
@ Portland
L 128–135
Spencer Haywood (32)

| | | Memorial Coliseum 11,140

37–43
81
March 20
@ Phoenix
L 107–114
Jake Ford, Gar Heard (17)

| | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 7,134

37–44
82
March 21
San Francisco
W 119–106
Dick Snyder (23)

| | | Clarence S. "Hec" Edmundson Pavilion 7,634 | 38–44

Player statistics

Player	Seattle SuperSonics}}" width="6%"	GP	Seattle SuperSonics}}" width="6%"	GS	Seattle SuperSonics}}" width="6%"	MPG	Seattle SuperSonics}}" width="6%"	FG%	Seattle SuperSonics}}" width="6%"	3FG%
55	–	14.1	.414	–	.699	4.1	.8	–	–	5.0
78	–	16.5	.470	–	.728	3.1	1.2	–	–	7.4
79	–	27.8	.442	–	.690	12.0	1.4	–	–	8.0
4	–	35.5	.480	–	.833	11.5	1.8	–	–	29.8
5	–	13.6	.360	–	.727	1.8	1.8	–	–	6.8
33	–	35.2	.449	–	.734	12.0	1.5	–	–	20.6
65	–	15.8	.381	–	.656	5.0	.7	–	–	5.9
79	–	27.1	.446	–	.778	5.5	1.6	–	–	14.6
79	–	23.1	.463	–	.750	6.1	1.4	–	–	9.3
61	–	20.9	.441	–	.739	7.7	.7	–	–	10.9
82	–	34.4	.531	–	.837	3.1	4.3	–	–	19.4
63	–	12.2	.472	–	.676	1.6	2.9	–	–	5.6
71	–	37.2	.419	–	.803	4.5	9.2	–	–	19.8
79	–	20.3	.466	–	.664	2.4	2.8	–	–	10.5

Statistics with the Seattle SuperSonics.

Awards and records

Lenny Wilkens was named Most Valuable Player at the 1971 NBA All-Star Game.

Transactions

Overview

Players Added	Players Lost

The Sonics signed Haywood as a free agent after he spent a season with the American Basketball Association's Denver Rockets, who signed Haywood after his sophomore year at the University of Detroit Mercy under a hardship clause. Because eligibility rules of the National Basketball Association at the time required a span of four years after high school graduation for a player to be picked by any team, a legal battle ensued, with the federal court ruling in favor of Haywood.

Trades

September 17, 1970	To Seattle SuperSonicsDon Smith
Cash considerations	To Milwaukee BucksLucius Allen
Bob Boozer

References

(October 23, 1970). "Boston Minutemen on Time". The Evening News.
(September 18, 1970). "Boozer to Bucks". [[Evening Independent]].
(September 20, 1970). "Smith Claims Retirement". Florence Times.
(March 2, 1971). "Spencer Haywood Wins Court Permission to Play With Supersonics". [[The Day (New London).

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

1970–71-nba-season seattle-supersonics-seasons

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about 1970–71 Seattle SuperSonics season — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report