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1971–72 Seattle SuperSonics season

NBA professional basketball team season

Field	Value
team	Seattle SuperSonics
end_year	1972
wins	47
losses	35
division	Pacific
division_place	3
conf_place	6
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 1971–72 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 5th season of the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In their third season with Lenny Wilkens as head coach, the Sonics finished the regular season in sixth place in the Western Conference with a 47–35 record, their first winning record in franchise history. Wilkens quit as head coach at the end of the season and was replaced by former Dallas Chaparrals coach Tom Nissalke.

Offseason

With the sixth overall pick in the 1971 NBA draft, Seattle selected Fred Brown from the University of Iowa. After months of negotiation (the Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association also selected him in the 1971 ABA draft), the Sonics signed him to a multi-year contract Brown would go on to have a career spanning 13 seasons with the SuperSonics.

The Buffalo Braves selected Spencer Haywood with the 30th overall pick and intended to claim rights to the player from the SuperSonics. Matters were taken to court, with the judge ruling in favor of the Seattle franchise. Tensions prior to the trial rose to the point that Buffalo decided to pay expansion fees to every team in the league with the exception of the Sonics.

Draft

Main article: 1971 NBA draft

The Seattle SuperSonics signed their second round pick Jim McDaniels in February 1972. Since McDaniels was under contract with the Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association, both teams began a legal battle over the player's contract, with a judge in the King County Superior Court granting permission to McDaniels to play for the Sonics. The Cougars appealed to the Washington Supreme Court but McDaniels stayed in Seattle.

Seattle SuperSonics}}" width="10%"	Round	Seattle SuperSonics}}" width="10%"	Pick	Seattle SuperSonics}}" width="20%"	Player
1	6	Fred Brown	G	United States	Iowa
2	23	Jim McDaniels	F/C	United States	Western Kentucky
4	57	Pembrook Burrows	C	United States	Jacksonville
5	74	Jeff Smith	F	United States	New Mexico State
6	91	Mike Necaise	F	United States	William Carey
7	108	John Duncan	F	United States	Kentucky Wesleyan
8	125	Charlie Lowery	G	United States	Puget Sound
9	141	Larry Holliday	G	United States	Oregon
10	157	Ed Huston	G	United States	Puget Sound
11	173	Jerome Perry	G	United States	Western Kentucky

Roster

Lenny Wilkens
Rod Thorn

Standings

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

Game log

|- | 1 | October 12 | @ Buffalo | W 123–90 | Spencer Haywood (29) | | | Seattle Center Coliseum 10,723

1–0
2
October 15
@ Portland
W 119–88
Spencer Haywood, Lenny Wilkens (23)

| | | Memorial Coliseum 6,124

2–0
3
October 16
Milwaukee
L 91–98
Spencer Haywood (23)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,100

2–1
4
October 19
@ Cincinnati
W 101–100
Dick Snyder (24)

| | | Cincinnati Gardens 2,967

3–1
5
October 20
@ Philadelphia
L 93–100
Don Kojis (18)

| | | The Spectrum 10,365

3–2
6
October 22
Houston
W 110–91
Spencer Haywood (23)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 10,182

4–2
7
October 24
Cincinnati
W 119–101
Spencer Haywood (23)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 10,318

5–2
8
October 28
Buffalo
W 106–96
Barry Clemens (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 5,816

6–2
9
October 30
Los Angeles
W 115–106
Don Kojis (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,138

7–2
10
November 4
@ Golden State
L 96–98
Spencer Haywood (31)

| | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 5,814

7–3
11
November 5
New York
W 101–97
Lenny Wilkens (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,638

8–3
12
November 7
Golden State
L 102–109
Spencer Haywood (32)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,197

8–4
13
November 11
Cleveland
W 110–91
Spencer Haywood (20)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 5,808

9–4
14
November 12
@ Los Angeles
L 107–115
Spencer Haywood (26)

| | | The Forum 16,550

9–5
15
November 13
Boston
W 116–112
Lenny Wilkens (21)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,738

10–5
16
November 16
@ Chicago
L 87–95
Don Kojis (22)

| | | Chicago Stadium 8,907

10–6
17
November 17
@ Atlanta
W 112–104
Spencer Haywood (23)

| | | Alexander Memorial Coliseum 5,462

11–6
18
November 19
Milwaukee
L 107–108
Spencer Haywood (36)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,914

11–7
19
November 20
@ Portland
W 104–100
Spencer Haywood (25)

| | | Memorial Coliseum 6,634

12–7
20
November 21
Philadelphia
W 127–117
Don Smith (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 10,151

13–7
21
November 25
Los Angeles
L 115–139
Spencer Haywood (24)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,170

13–8
22
November 27
Detroit
W 124–102
Spencer Haywood (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,565

14–8
23
November 28
@ Los Angeles
L 121–138
Spencer Haywood (29)

| | | The Forum 15,544

14–9
24
November 30
@ New York
W 110–109
Lenny Wilkens (29)

| | | Madison Square Garden 18,111

15–9
25
December 1
@ Philadelphia
L 98–102
Spencer Haywood (36)

| | | The Spectrum 4,507

15–10
26
December 3
@ Baltimore
W 117–106
Spencer Haywood (35)

| | | Baltimore Civic Center 3,480

16–10
27
December 4
@ Cincinnati
W 100–98
Spencer Haywood (25)

| | | Cincinnati Gardens 2,643

17–10
28
December 5
@ Cleveland
W 99–91
Lenny Wilkens (27)

| | | Cleveland Arena 5,029

18–10
29
December 7
@ Milwaukee
L 83–116
Don Smith (21)

| | | Milwaukee Arena 9,061

18–11
30
December 10
Golden State
W 105–94
Spencer Haywood, Lenny Wilkens (21)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,928

19–11
31
December 12
@ Houston
L 98–100
Dick Snyder (23)

| | | Hofheinz Pavilion 2,751

19–12
32
December 14
@ Detroit
W 103–86
Spencer Haywood (31)

| | | Cobo Arena 3,465

20–12
33
December 15
@ Boston
L 100–112
Spencer Haywood (20)

| | | Boston Garden 9,225

20–13
34
December 17
@ Milwaukee
L 113–120
Spencer Haywood (36)

| | | Milwaukee Arena 9,360

20–14
35
December 18
Portland
W 107–105
Spencer Haywood (32)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 7,532

21–14
36
December 19
Phoenix
W 130–127 (OT)
Spencer Haywood (35)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 9,189

22–14
37
December 22
New York
L 104–120
Don Smith (17)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 11,953

22–15
38
December 25
@ Phoenix
L 86–116
Lenny Wilkens (19)

| | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 6,565

22–16
39
December 26
Chicago
L 102–103
Spencer Haywood (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 10,240

22–17
40
December 30
Los Angeles
L 106–122
Spencer Haywood (34)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,106

22–18
41
January 1
Buffalo
W 97–83
Don Smith (23)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 8,676

23–18
42
January 4
@ Houston
L 110–119
Spencer Haywood, Lee Winfield (22)

| | | Hofheinz Pavilion 2,786

23–19
43
January 5
Atlanta
W 127–116
Lee Winfield (24)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 8,120

24–19
44
January 7
Cleveland
W 125–111
Spencer Haywood (48)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 8,169

25–19
45
January 9
Boston
W 125–119
Spencer Haywood (33)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 11,108

26–19
46
January 11
Houston
W 141–126
Spencer Haywood (35)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 6,404

27–19
47
January 13
Baltimore
W 112–107
Spencer Haywood (35)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 9,868

28–19
48
January 15
Phoenix
W 118–110
Spencer Haywood (34)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,693

29–19
49
January 21
Phoenix
L 113–128
Spencer Haywood (32)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,751

29–20
50
January 23
New York
L 99–101
Dick Snyder (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,261

29–21
51
January 25
@ Milwaukee
L 91–123
Spencer Haywood (15)

| | | Milwaukee Arena 9,046

29–22
52
January 26
@ Atlanta
W 131–119
Spencer Haywood (28)

| | | Alexander Memorial Coliseum 6,249

30–22
53
January 28
@ Buffalo
W 104–93
Don Smith (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 4,589

31–22
54
January 29
@ New York
L 106–110
Spencer Haywood (30)

| | | Madison Square Garden 19,588

31–23
55
February 1
@ Chicago
W 121–103
Spencer Haywood (27)

| | | Chicago Stadium 7,886

32–23
56
February 2
Houston
L 88–111
Spencer Haywood (27)

| | | San Antonio, TX 6,074

32–24
57
February 4
@ Cleveland
W 118–112
Lenny Wilkens (25)

| | | Cleveland Arena 3,038

33–24
58
February 6
@ Boston
L 123–128
Spencer Haywood (32)

| | | Boston Garden 7,246

33–25
59
February 8
Houston
W 127–119
Spencer Haywood (28)

| | | Portland, OR 9,000

34–25
60
February 10
Cincinnati
W 118–96
Spencer Haywood (28)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 7,523

35–25
61
February 12
Portland
W 125–97
Spencer Haywood (28)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 11,348

36–25
62
February 13
@ Portland
W 127–117 (OT)
Spencer Haywood (44)

| | | Memorial Coliseum 6,034

37–25
63
February 16
Boston
W 113–112
Spencer Haywood (26)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,120

38–25
64
February 18
Golden State
W 110–108
Lenny Wilkens (30)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,097

39–25
65
February 20
Portland
W 109–105
Dick Snyder (28)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,115

40–25
66
February 22
@ Golden State
L 104–120
Lenny Wilkens (26)

| | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 7,063

40–26
67
February 23
Detroit
W 97–96
Spencer Haywood (38)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 8,359

41–26
68
February 26
Cincinnati
W 122–106
Spencer Haywood (38)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,089

42–26
69
February 29
@ Baltimore
W 118–117 (OT)
Spencer Haywood (38)

| | | Baltimore Civic Center 6,187

43–26
70
March 1
@ Detroit
W 116–102
Lenny Wilkens (28)

| | | Cobo Arena 2,954

44–26
71
March 3
Chicago
W 112–103
Spencer Haywood (35)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,005

45–26
72
March 4
@ Golden State
L 96–114
Spencer Haywood (20)

| | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 13,502

45–27
73
March 5
Atlanta
W 112–110
Lee Winfield (18)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,021

46–27
74
March 7
Baltimore
L 98–105
Lenny Wilkens (19)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,507

46–28
75
March 9
Philadelphia
L 123–128
Lenny Wilkens (24)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 12,971

46–29
76
March 12
Milwaukee
L 99–109
Gar Heard (17)

| | | Seattle Center Coliseum 13,129

46–30
77
March 14
@ Chicago
W 115–111
Lee Winfield (38)

| | | Chicago Stadium 11,910

47–30
78
March 15
@ Atlanta
L 96–134
Lenny Wilkens (17)

| | | Alexander Memorial Coliseum 5,091

47–31
79
March 17
@ Baltimore
L 107–112
Lee Winfield (29)

| | | Baltimore Civic Center 4,346

47–32
80
March 19
@ Philadelphia
L 100–115
Lee Winfield (26)

| | | The Spectrum 9,828

47–33
81
March 25
@ Phoenix
L 99–118
Lee Winfield (28)

| | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10,189

47–34
82
March 26
@ Los Angeles
L 98–124
Gar Heard (21)

| | | The Forum 17,505 | 47–35

Player statistics

Seattle SuperSonics}}" width="10%"	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%"
33	–	10.9	.328	–	.759	1.1	1.8	–	–	4.2
82	–	17.6	.521	–	.844	3.5	.8	–	–	7.1
74	–	19.2	.428	–	.736	6.9	.9	–	–	5.5
26	–	7.0	.500	–	.788	.4	1.0	–	–	3.5
73	–	43.4	.461	–	.819	12.7	2.0	–	–	26.2
58	–	25.8	.401	–	.617	7.6	.9	–	–	7.9
73	–	25.4	.469	–	.793	4.6	1.1	–	–	11.4
12	–	19.6	.415	–	.611	6.8	.8	–	–	9.4
16	–	15.2	.363	–	.535	3.4	.4	–	–	7.1
58	–	30.7	.429	–	.720	11.3	2.1	–	–	13.8
73	–	34.7	.529	–	.842	3.1	3.9	–	–	16.6
80	–	37.4	.466	–	.774	4.2	9.6	–	–	18.0
81	–	25.2	.496	–	.668	2.7	3.6	–	–	10.6

Awards and records

Spencer Haywood was selected to the All-NBA First Team and made his first All-Star appearance at the 1972 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles.

Injuries

Spencer Haywood suffered a leg injury at the beginning of March and was out for the season.

Transactions

Overview

Players Added	Players Lost
Via draft	Via trade

Trades

To Seattle SuperSonics	To Philadelphia 76ers
November 25, 1971
[1972](1972-nba-draft) second round pick (became Joby Wright)
Future second round pick	Bob Rule

References

The Rock Hill Herald]]''. March 27, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
Nashua Telegraph]]''. April 21, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
The Press-Courier]]''. July 7, 1971. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=H_hJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xB0NAAAAIBAJ&dq=supersonics&pg=1112%2C1548362 Haywood Stays With Seattle], ''[[The Modesto Bee]]''. July 7, 1971. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Uz0sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MswEAAAAIBAJ&dq=supersonics&pg=3006%2C2211579 Braves Not Paying Fee to Seattle], ''[[Spartanburg Herald-Journal]]''. May 12, 1971. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=s0dHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nS0NAAAAIBAJ&dq=supersonics&pg=5065%2C821876 Jim McDaniels: No Longer No. 1 Theft! Sonics Sign McDaniels], ''[[The Palm Beach Post]]''. February 18, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yckpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6OwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6420,1108805&dq=supersonics&hl=en Sonics Swap Court Writs With Cougs], ''[[The Spokesman-Review]]''. February 19, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
The Milwaukee Sentinel]]''. February 29, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vdkvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0ewDAAAAIBAJ&dq=cougars%20mcdaniels&pg=1699%2C3361840 Carolina Gets Full Hearing], ''[[The Spokesman-Review]]''. March 10, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
The Milwaukee Sentinel]]''. September 6, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=98EsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wAkEAAAAIBAJ&dq=supersonics&pg=5375%2C2051086 Haywood Out for Season], ''[[Star-News]]''. March 10, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ar00AAAAIBAJ&sjid=IocFAAAAIBAJ&dq=supersonics&pg=3821%2C135238 Meschery to Teach], ''[[Tri-City Herald]]''. April 1, 1971. Retrieved June 11, 2012.

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