1973–74 Seattle SuperSonics season
The 1973–74 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 7th season of the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Following the resignation of Lenny Wilkens as a head coach after the 1971–72 season and a poor campaign in the 1972–73 season that saw the departure of general manager Bob Houbregs,[1] the Sonics hired Boston Celtics' stalwart Bill Russell as head coach and general manager.[2] With Russell at the helm, the team finished in 6th place in the Western Conference with a 36–46 record. The Sonics' home court, Seattle Center Coliseum, was the venue for the 1974 NBA All-Star Game.
1973–74 Seattle SuperSonics season | |
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Head coach | Bill Russell |
General manager | Bill Russell |
Arena | Seattle Center Coliseum |
Results | |
Record | 36–46 (.439) |
Place | Division: 3rd (Pacific) Conference: 6th (Western) |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | KTNT-TV |
Radio | KOMO (Bob Blackburn) |
Offseason
The Sonics made only one trade during the offseason that sent All-Star Butch Beard to the Golden State Warriors and brought back a member of the original SuperSonics team, Walt Hazzard to Seattle.[3]
Draft picks
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 | Mike Green | Center / Forward | Louisiana Tech |
Roster
1973–74 Seattle SuperSonics roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regular season
Season standings
Pacific Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-Los Angeles Lakers | 47 | 35 | .573 | – | 30–11 | 17–24 | – | 14–12 |
Golden State Warriors | 44 | 38 | .537 | 3 | 23–18 | 20–20 | 1–0 | 15–11 |
Seattle SuperSonics | 36 | 46 | .439 | 11 | 22–19 | 14–27 | – | 12–14 |
Phoenix Suns | 30 | 52 | .366 | 17 | 24–17 | 6–34 | 0–1 | 11–15 |
Portland Trail Blazers | 27 | 55 | .329 | 20 | 22–19 | 5–34 | 0–2 | 13–13 |
# | Western Conference | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
1 | z-Milwaukee Bucks | 59 | 23 | .720 | – |
2 | x-Chicago Bulls | 54 | 28 | .659 | 5 |
3 | x-Detroit Pistons | 52 | 30 | .634 | 7 |
4 | y-Los Angeles Lakers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 12 |
5 | Golden State Warriors | 44 | 38 | .537 | 15 |
6 | Seattle SuperSonics | 36 | 46 | .439 | 23 |
7 | Kansas City–Omaha Kings | 33 | 49 | .402 | 26 |
8 | Phoenix Suns | 30 | 52 | .366 | 29 |
9 | Portland Trail Blazers | 27 | 55 | .329 | 32 |
- z – clinched division title
- y – clinched division title
- x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1973–74 NBA records | |||||||||||||||||
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Team | ATL | BOS | BUF | CAP | CHI | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | KCO | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
Atlanta | — | 1–5 | 2–4 | 4–4 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 5–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 |
Boston | 5–1 | — | 5–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 7–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 |
Buffalo | 4–2 | 2–5 | — | 3–3 | 1–3 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 6–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
Capital | 4–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 1–3 | 6–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
Chicago | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | — | 4–0 | 5–2 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 5–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 4–2 |
Cleveland | 3–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–6 | 0–4 | — | 2–2 | 0–4 | 4–4 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 |
Detroit | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–5 | 2–2 | — | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 5–1 |
Golden State | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 1–5 | — | 4–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 3–4 | 3–3 |
Houston | 2–5 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 0–4 | 4–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 |
Kansas City-Omaha | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–2 | — | 1–5 | 0–7 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 |
Los Angeles | 0–4 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 5–1 | — | 4–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 4–3 | 4–3 |
Milwaukee | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 4–3 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 7–0 | 2–4 | — | 2–2 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 4–2 |
New York | 5–1 | 2–5 | 4–4 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 4–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 |
Philadelphia | 3–3 | 1–7 | 1–6 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 3–4 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 |
Phoenix | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — | 3–3 | 4–3 |
Portland | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 4–3 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 0–6 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–3 | — | 3–3 |
Seattle | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 3–4 | 3–3 | — |
Game log
1973–74 game log Total: 36–46 (Home: 22–19; Road: 14–27) | |
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October: 3–9 (Home: 3–4; Road: 0–5)
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November
: 6–8 (Home: 4–3; Road: 2–5)
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December
: 8–10 (Home: 4–4; Road: 4–6)
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January
: 7–6 (Home: 3–2; Road: 4–4)
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February
: 6–6 (Home: 6–2; Road: 0–4)
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March
: 6–9 (Home: 2–4; Road: 4–5)
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1973–74 season schedule |
Player statistics
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Brisker | 35 | – | 20.5 | .449 | – | .820 | 4.2 | 1.6 | .8 | .2 | 12.5 |
Fred Brown | 82 | – | 30.5 | .471 | – | .863 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 1.7 | .2 | 16.5 |
Jim Fox | 78 | – | 27.9 | .478 | – | .823 | 9.2 | 2.9 | .7 | .3 | 11.3 |
Dick Gibbs | 71 | – | 21.5 | .431 | – | .806 | 3.1 | 1.1 | .5 | .3 | 10.8 |
Spencer Haywood | 75 | – | 40.5 | .457 | – | .814 | 13.4 | 3.2 | .9 | 1.4 | 23.5 |
Walt Hazzard | 49 | – | 11.7 | .422 | – | .756 | 1.2 | 2.5 | .5 | .1 | 3.8 |
John Hummer | 35 | – | 26.7 | .467 | – | .469 | 7.0 | 2.7 | .7 | .6 | 8.2 |
Vester Marshall | 13 | – | 13.4 | .241 | – | .429 | 2.8 | .3 | .3 | .2 | 1.3 |
Jim McDaniels | 27 | – | 16.3 | .364 | – | .535 | 4.7 | .9 | .3 | .6 | 5.5 |
Kennedy McIntosh | 69 | – | 29.8 | .389 | – | .607 | 5.2 | 1.4 | .8 | .4 | 7.4 |
Dick Snyder | 74 | – | 36.1 | .481 | – | .866 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 1.2 | .4 | 18.1 |
Isaac Stallworth | 67 | – | 15.2 | .392 | – | .623 | 2.6 | .5 | .3 | .2 | 6.3 |
Slick Watts | 62 | – | 23.0 | .388 | – | .645 | 2.9 | 5.7 | 1.9 | .2 | 8.0 |
Milt Williams | 53 | – | 9.5 | .416 | – | .651 | .9 | 1.9 | .5 | .0 | 3.1 |
Awards and records
- Spencer Haywood was selected to the All-NBA Second Team and represented the West in the 1974 NBA All-Star Game.
Transactions
Overview
Players Added Via trade Via free agency |
Players Lost Via trade Waived |
Trades
May 15, 1973 | To Seattle SuperSonics Dick Gibbs |
To Kansas City–Omaha Kings Completion of the trade for Pete Cross and Don Kojis |
July 25, 1973 | To Seattle SuperSonics Walt Hazzard |
To Golden State Warriors Butch Beard |
January 7, 1974 | To Seattle SuperSonics John Hummer |
To Chicago Bulls 1974 second round pick Cash considerations |
References
- Houbregs Quits Post at Seattle, The Milwaukee Journal. May 4, 1973. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
- Russell Accepts Offer To Coach SuperSonics, Times-Daily. May 12, 1973. Retrieved June 14, 1974.
- Hazzard Traded to Seattle, Spartanburg Herald-Journal. July 26, 1973. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
- Sonics Waive McDaniels, Milwaukee Journal. December 29, 1973. Retrieved June 18, 2012.