1971–72 Utah Stars season
The 1971–72 Utah Stars season was the 2nd season of the Stars in Utah and 5th overall in the American Basketball Association. The Stars went 31–11 in the first half of the season, while going 29–13 in the second half of the season, with a ten-game winning streak near the end of the season. Their biggest losing streak was three, which happened four times during the season. They finished 3rd in points scored at 117.8 per game, and 4th in points allowed at 112.0 per game. The Stars swept the Dallas Chaparrals in the Semifinals but lost to the Indiana Pacers in seven games, denying them a repeat ABA Finals appearance.[1]
| 1971–72 Utah Stars season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | LaDell Andersen |
| Arena | Salt Palace |
| Results | |
| Record | 60–24 (.714) |
| Place | Division: 1st (ABA) |
| Playoff finish | Lost in Division Finals |
Roster
- 44 John Beasley - Power forward
- 31 Zelmo Beaty - Center
- 24 Ron Boone - Shooting guard
- 12 Mike Butler - Shooting guard
- 40 Glen Combs - Shooting guard
- 23 Bobby Fields - Guard
- 22 Rick Fisher - Forward
- 33 Ira Harge - Center
- 10 Mervin Jackson - Point guard
- 15 Jimmy Jones - Point guard
- 35 Manny Leaks - Center
- 14 Roderick McDonald - Small forward
- 21 Red Robbins - Power forward
- 33 George Stone - Small forward
- 42 Willie Wise - Small forward
Final standings
Western Division
| Team | W | L | % | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Stars | 60 | 24 | .714 | - |
| Indiana Pacers | 47 | 37 | .560 | 13 |
| Dallas Chaparrals | 42 | 42 | .500 | 18 |
| Denver Rockets | 34 | 50 | .405 | 26 |
| Memphis Pros | 26 | 58 | .310 | 34 |
Playoffs
Western Division Semifinals vs. Dallas Chaparrals[2]
| Game | Date | Location | Score | Record | Attendance |
| 1 | April 1 | Utah | 106–96 | 1–0 | 8,783 |
| 2 | April 3 | Utah | 113–107 | 2–0 | 9,121 |
| 3 | April 5 | Dallas | 96–89 | 3–0 | 4,076 |
| 4 | April 7 | Dallas | 103–99 | 4–0 | 3,918 |
Stars win series 4–0
Western Division Finals vs. Indiana Pacers
| Game | Date | Location | Result | Record | Attendance |
| 1 | April 15 | Utah | 108–100 | 1–0 | 9,854 |
| 2 | April 17 | Utah | 117–109 | 2–0 | 11,780 |
| 3 | April 19 | Indiana | 111–116 | 2–1 | 7,489 |
| 4 | April 22 | Indiana | 108–118 | 2–2 | 13,007 |
| 5 | April 24 | Utah | 139–130 | 3–2 | 12,526 |
| 6 | April 26 | Indiana | 99–105 | 3–3 | 8,103 |
| 7 | May 1 | Utah | 113–117 | 3–4 | 12,724 |
Stars lose series, 4–3
Awards and honors
1972 ABA All-Star Game selections (game played on January 29, 1972)
- Willie Wise
- Zelmo Beaty
- Glen Combs
- All-ABA Second Team selections: Willie Wise and Zelmo Beaty.
References
- https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/UTS/1972.html
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-10-28. Retrieved 2016-07-25.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)