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1971-72 NBA Season Summary

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Season Summary / Expanded Leaders / Player Statistics / Debuts / Final Season / Game Results

League Standings

Playoff teams are marked with an asterisk (*) / Click column headers to sort
Eastern Conference W L W-L% GB PS/G PA/G W Pyth L Pyth SRS
Atlantic Division         
Boston Celtics* 56 26 .683 — 115.6 110.8 53 29 4.38
New York Knickerbockers* 48 34 .585 8.0 107.1 104.7 48 34 2.28
Philadelphia 76ers 30 52 .366 26.0 112.2 115.9 32 50 -3.44
Buffalo Braves 22 60 .268 34.0 102.0 111.3 19 63 -9.44
Central Division         
Baltimore Bullets* 38 44 .463 — 107.1 108.3 38 44 -1.26
Atlanta Hawks* 36 46 .439 2.0 109.5 111.3 36 46 -1.94
Cincinnati Royals 30 52 .366 8.0 107.8 111.8 31 51 -4.13
Cleveland Cavaliers 23 59 .280 15.0 105.8 113.4 22 60 -7.90
Western Conference W L W-L% GB PS/G PA/G W Pyth L Pyth SRS
Midwest Division         
Milwaukee Bucks* 63 19 .768 — 114.6 103.5 66 16 10.70
Chicago Bulls* 57 25 .695 6.0 111.2 102.9 61 21 7.91
Phoenix Suns 49 33 .598 14.0 116.3 110.8 54 28 5.57
Detroit Pistons 26 56 .317 37.0 109.1 115.9 25 57 -6.11
Pacific Division         
Los Angeles Lakers* 69 13 .841 — 121.0 108.7 67 15 11.65
Golden State Warriors* 51 31 .622 18.0 108.2 107.4 43 39 0.92
Seattle Supersonics 47 35 .573 22.0 109.2 108.8 42 40 0.86
Houston Rockets 34 48 .415 35.0 109.7 111.2 37 45 -1.22
Portland Trail Blazers 18 64 .220 51.0 106.8 116.5 19 63 -8.84

League Playoffs

Finals (4-1): Los Angeles Lakers over New York Knickerbockers
 
Eastern Conference Finals (4-1): New York Knickerbockers over Boston Celtics
 
Western Conference Finals (4-2): Los Angeles Lakers over Milwaukee Bucks
 
Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-2): Boston Celtics over Atlanta Hawks
Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-2): New York Knickerbockers over Baltimore Bullets
 
Western Conference Semifinals (4-0): Los Angeles Lakers over Chicago Bulls
Western Conference Semifinals (4-1): Milwaukee Bucks over Golden State Warriors

Team Statistics

Glossary / Playoff teams are marked with an asterisk (*) / Convert to CSV / Convert to PRE / Click column headers to sort
Rk Team G MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
1 Los Angeles Lakers* 82 19755 3920 7998 .490 2080 2833 .734 4628 2232 1636 9920
2 Phoenix Suns 82 19880 3599 7877 .457 2336 2999 .779 4301 1976 2026 9534
3 Boston Celtics* 82 19730 3819 8431 .453 1839 2367 .777 4462 2230 2030 9477
4 Milwaukee Bucks* 82 19780 3813 7653 .498 1774 2399 .739 4269 2160 1862 9400
5 Philadelphia 76ers 82 19780 3577 8057 .444 2049 2825 .725 4318 1920 2203 9203
6 Chicago Bulls* 82 19780 3539 7853 .451 2039 2700 .755 4371 2087 1964 9117
7 Houston Rockets 82 19730 3590 8277 .434 1813 2424 .748 4433 1777 1992 8993
8 Atlanta Hawks* 82 19730 3482 7570 .460 2018 2725 .741 4080 1897 1967 8982
9 Seattle Supersonics 82 19755 3461 7457 .464 2035 2659 .765 4123 1976 1738 8957
10 Detroit Pistons 82 19805 3482 7665 .454 1981 2653 .747 3970 1687 1954 8945
11 Golden State Warriors* 82 19705 3477 7923 .439 1917 2500 .767 4450 1854 1840 8871
12 Cincinnati Royals 82 19780 3444 7496 .459 1948 2578 .756 3754 2020 2079 8836
13 New York Knickerbockers* 82 19805 3521 7673 .459 1743 2303 .757 3909 1985 1899 8785
14 Baltimore Bullets* 82 19780 3490 7748 .450 1804 2378 .759 4159 1816 1858 8784
15 Portland Trail Blazers 82 19805 3462 7840 .442 1835 2494 .736 3996 2090 1873 8759
16 Cleveland Cavaliers 82 19755 3458 8074 .428 1758 2390 .736 4098 2060 1936 8674
17 Buffalo Braves 82 19805 3409 7560 .451 1549 2219 .698 3978 1759 2110 8367
League Average 82 19774 3561 7832 .455 1913 2556 .748 4194 1972 1939 9036

Opponent Statistics

Glossary / Playoff teams are marked with an asterisk (*) / Convert to CSV / Convert to PRE / Click column headers to sort
Rk Team G MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
1 Chicago Bulls* 82 19780 3263 7189 .454 1914 2617 .731 3928 1853 2041 8440
2 Milwaukee Bucks* 82 19780 3370 8025 .420 1745 2358 .740 3922 1843 1788 8485
3 New York Knickerbockers* 82 19805 3332 7513 .443 1920 2565 .749 4169 1626 1892 8584
4 Golden State Warriors* 82 19705 3560 8082 .440 1688 2265 .745 4381 1968 1912 8808
5 Baltimore Bullets* 82 19780 3545 7842 .452 1790 2412 .742 4244 1844 1869 8880
6 Los Angeles Lakers* 82 19755 3699 8553 .432 1515 1972 .768 4290 1994 1997 8913
7 Seattle Supersonics 82 19755 3619 8029 .451 1681 2248 .748 4183 2037 1975 8919
8 Phoenix Suns 82 19880 3568 7896 .452 1947 2658 .733 4009 1929 2182 9083
9 Boston Celtics* 82 19730 3498 7886 .444 2089 2766 .755 4179 1798 1842 9085
10 Houston Rockets 82 19730 3542 7817 .453 2037 2737 .744 4298 1945 1944 9121
11 Buffalo Braves 82 19805 3479 7557 .460 2167 2842 .762 4187 1918 1728 9125
12 Atlanta Hawks* 82 19730 3601 7744 .465 1925 2530 .761 4004 1890 1996 9127
13 Cincinnati Royals 82 19780 3537 7588 .466 2093 2829 .740 4228 2028 1971 9167
14 Cleveland Cavaliers 82 19755 3653 7537 .485 1994 2611 .764 4034 2322 1937 9300
15 Philadelphia 76ers 82 19780 3614 7882 .459 2276 3063 .743 4427 2005 2059 9504
16 Detroit Pistons 82 19805 3822 8106 .472 1862 2474 .753 4377 2214 1931 9506
17 Portland Trail Blazers 82 19805 3841 7906 .486 1875 2499 .750 4439 2312 1903 9557
League Average 82 19774 3561 7832 .455 1913 2556 .748 4194 1972 1939 9036

League Awards

Most Valuable Player:Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Rookie of the Year:Sidney Wicks

League Leaders

Glossary / Rate statistic requirements

Minutes Played

1.John Havlicek*-BOS3698
2.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL3583
3.Wilt Chamberlain*-LAL3469
4.Elvin Hayes*-HOU3461
5.Nate Thurmond*-GSW3362

Field Goals

1.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL1159
2.John Havlicek*-BOS897
3.Bob Lanier*-DET834
4.Elvin Hayes*-HOU832
5.Gail Goodrich*-LAL826

Field Goal Attempts

1.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL2019
2.John Havlicek*-BOS1957
3.Elvin Hayes*-HOU1918
4.Bob Love-CHI1854
5.Sidney Wicks-POR1837

Field Goal Pct

1.Wilt Chamberlain*-LAL.649
2.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL.574
3.Walt Bellamy*-ATL.544
4.Dick Snyder-SEA.529
5.Jerry Lucas*-NYK.512

Free Throws

1.Tiny Archibald*-CIN677
2.Dick Van Arsdale-PHO529
3.Jerry West*-LAL515
4.Archie Clark-TOT514
5.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL504

Free Throw Attempts

1.Tiny Archibald*-CIN824
2.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL732
3.Archie Clark-TOT667
4.Jerry West*-LAL633
5.Dick Van Arsdale-PHO626

Free Throw Pct

1.Jack Marin-BAL.894
2.Calvin Murphy*-HOU.890
3.Gail Goodrich*-LAL.850
4.Chet Walker-CHI.847
5.Dick Van Arsdale-PHO.845

Total Rebounds

1.Wilt Chamberlain*-LAL1572
2.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL1346
3.Wes Unseld*-BAL1336
4.Nate Thurmond*-GSW1252
5.Dave Cowens*-BOS1203

Assists

1.Lenny Wilkens*-SEA766
2.Jerry West*-LAL747
3.Tiny Archibald*-CIN701
4.John Havlicek*-BOS614
5.Archie Clark-TOT613

Personal Fouls

1.Dave Cowens*-BOS314
2.Jerry Sloan-CHI309
3.Elmore Smith-BUF306
4.Nate Williams-CIN300
5.Calvin Murphy*-HOU298

Points

1.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL2822
2.John Havlicek*-BOS2252
3.Tiny Archibald*-CIN2145
4.Gail Goodrich*-LAL2127
5.Elvin Hayes*-HOU2063

Minutes Per Game

1.John Havlicek*-BOS45.1
2.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL44.2
3.Spencer Haywood-SEA43.4
4.Nate Thurmond*-GSW43.1
5.Tiny Archibald*-CIN43.1

Points Per Game

1.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL34.8
2.Tiny Archibald*-CIN28.2
3.John Havlicek*-BOS27.5
4.Spencer Haywood-SEA26.2
5.Gail Goodrich*-LAL25.9

Rebounds Per Game

1.Wilt Chamberlain*-LAL19.2
2.Wes Unseld*-BAL17.6
3.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL16.6
4.Nate Thurmond*-GSW16.1
5.Dave Cowens*-BOS15.2

Assists Per Game

1.Jerry West*-LAL9.7
2.Lenny Wilkens*-SEA9.6
3.Tiny Archibald*-CIN9.2
4.Archie Clark-TOT8.0
5.John Havlicek*-BOS7.5

Player Efficiency Rating

1.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL29.9
2.Bob Lanier*-DET23.1
3.Jerry West*-LAL23.1
4.Tiny Archibald*-CIN23.0
5.Chet Walker-CHI21.8

True Shooting Pct

1.Wilt Chamberlain*-LAL.610
2.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-MIL.603
3.Chet Walker-CHI.583
4.Dale Schlueter-POR.581
5.Johnny Green-CIN.580

Total Rebound Pct

1.Clifford Ray-CHI22.1
2.Tom Boerwinkle-CHI21.1
3.Wilt Chamberlain*-LAL20.1
4.Wes Unseld*-BAL19.8
5.Clyde Lee-GSW18.9

Assist Pct

1.Lenny Wilkens*-SEA35.8
2.Jerry West*-LAL33.7
3.Tiny Archibald*-CIN33.2
4.Norm Van Lier-TOT29.8
5.Archie Clark-TOT28.0
  

All-NBA Teams

1st Team
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Walt Frazier
John Havlicek
Spencer Haywood
Jerry West
 2nd Team
Tiny Archibald
Wilt Chamberlain
Archie Clark
Billy Cunningham
Bob Love

All-Defensive Teams

1st Team
Wilt Chamberlain
Dave DeBusschere
Walt Frazier
John Havlicek
Jerry Sloan
Jerry West
 2nd Team
Don Chaney
Bob Love
Paul Silas
Nate Thurmond
Norm Van Lier

All-Rookie Teams

1st Team
Austin Carr
Phil Chenier
Clifford Ray
Elmore Smith
Sidney Wicks

All-Star Teams

East
Butch Beard*
Archie Clark*
Dave Cowens*
Billy Cunningham*
Dave DeBusschere*
Walt Frazier*
John Havlicek*
Lou Hudson*
John Johnson*
Bob Kauffman*
Jack Marin*
Wes Unseld*
Tom Van Arsdale*
Jo Jo White*
 West
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*
Wilt Chamberlain*
Gail Goodrich*
Connie Hawkins*
Elvin Hayes*
Spencer Haywood*
Bob Lanier*
Bob Love*
Oscar Robertson*
Cazzie Russell*
Paul Silas*
Jimmy Walker*
Jerry West*
Sidney Wicks*
Players who played in the game are marked with an asterisk (*).