Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

1971–72 Portland Trail Blazers season

1971–72 Portland Trail Blazers season
Head coachRolland Todd (12–44)
Stu Inman (6–20)
General managerHarry Glickman
Owners
ArenaMemorial Coliseum
Results
Record18–64 (.220)
PlaceDivision: 5th (Pacific)
Conference: 9th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKPTV
RadioKOIN
< 1970–71 1972–73 >

The 1971–72 Portland Trail Blazers season was the second season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Geoff Petrie missed 22 games due to injury. Petrie who averaged 24.8 points per game in his rookie season would drop nearly 6 points per game as the Blazers finished with an NBA worst record of 18–64.[1] One of the highlights of the season was Sidney Wicks. He would win the Rookie of the Year with a team best 24.5 points per game.[1]

Before the start of the season, Blazers guard Rick Adelman was named captain, making him the first in franchise history.[2]

Portland head coach Rolland Todd was fired on February 2, 1972, and replaced by Stu Inman, the Blazers director of player personnel.[3] Todd's dismissal came in the wake of a 129–117 loss to the Phoenix Suns the day before. Portland players were allegedly upset with team management for placing guard Willie McCarter on waivers. Sidney Wicks was accused by Todd and Inman of playing lackadaisical defense, allowing his opponent Paul Silas to take 30 shots against him. Charlie Yelverton sat on the bench during th U.S. national anthem and did not participate in pre-game warmups.[4][5]

Roster

Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
PG 12 Adelman, Rick 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1946-06-16 Loyola Marymount
SF 44 Gregor, Gary 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1945-08-13 South Carolina
C 30−35 Imhoff, Darrall 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1938-10-11 California
SF 38 Knight, Ron 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1947-08-04 Cal State LA
SF 41 Marsh, Jim 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1946-04-26 USC
SG 17 McCarter, Willie 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1946-07-26 Drake
SF 40 McKenzie, Stan 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1944-10-06 NYU
SG 45 Petrie, Geoff 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1948-04-17 Princeton
C 54 Schlueter, Dale 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1945-11-12 Colorado State
C 43 Smith, William 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1949-02-14 Syracuse
SG 15 Steele, Larry 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1949-05-05 Kentucky
PF 21 Wicks, Sidney 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1949-09-19 UCLA
SG 11 Yelverton, Charlie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1948-12-05 Fordham
Head coach

Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: February 3, 1972

Regular season

The Trail Blazers played their home games at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Season Standings

W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers 69 13 .841 36–5 31–7 2–1 21–3
x-Golden State Warriors 51 31 .622 18 27–8 21–20 3–3 14–10
Seattle SuperSonics 47 35 .573 22 28–12 18–22 1–1 12–12
Houston Rockets 34 48 .415 35 15–20 14–23 5–5 9–15
Portland Trail Blazers 18 64 .220 51 14–26 4–35 0–3 4–20
#
Team W L PCT
1 z-Los Angeles Lakers 69 13 .841
2 y-Milwaukee Bucks 63 19 .768
3 x-Chicago Bulls 57 25 .695
4 x-Golden State Warriors 51 31 .622
5 Phoenix Suns 49 33 .598
6 Seattle SuperSonics 47 35 .573
7 Houston Rockets 34 48 .415
8 Detroit Pistons 26 56 .317
9 Portland Trail Blazers 18 64 .220

Record vs. opponents

1971–72 NBA Records
Team ATL BAL BOS BUF CHI CIN CLE DET GSW HOU LAL MIL NYK PHI PHO POR SEA
Atlanta 2–4 0–4 4–2 0–5 3–3 4–2 3–2 3–2 1–4 0–5 2–3 3–1 3–3 3–2 4–0 1–4
Baltimore 4–2 2–2 3–3 1–4 4–2 1–5 3–2 1–4 3–2 1–4 0–5 2–4 4–0 4–1 3–1 2–3
Boston 4–0 2–2 6–0 3–2 4–2 5–1 5–0 2–3 5–0 1–4 2–3 3–3 6–0 2–3 4–0 2–3
Buffalo 2–4 3–3 0–6 1–3 3–3 4–2 2–4 1–3 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–5 3–3 0–4 2–4 0–4
Chicago 5–0 4–1 2–3 3–1 3–1 4–0 5–1 3–3 5–1 1–3 2–4 3–2 4–1 5–1 6–0 2–3
Cincinnati 3–3 2–4 2–4 3–3 1–3 6–2 2–3 2–3 0–4 1–4 0–5 2–2 2–2 2–3 2–2 0–5
Cleveland 2–4 5–1 1–5 2–4 0–4 2–6 1–3 0–4 2–2 1–3 0–4 1–5 2–4 0–4 4–2 0–4
Detroit 2–3 2–3 0–5 4–2 1–5 3–2 3–1 0–5 3–3 1–4 1–5 1–4 1–4 2–4 2–2 0–4
Golden State 2–3 4–1 3–2 3–1 3–3 3–2 4–0 5–0 5–1 1–5 2–2 2–3 4–1 2–3 4–2 4–2
Houston 4–1 2–3 0–5 4–0 1–5 4–0 2–2 3–3 1–5 1–5 0–5 0–5 4–1 1–3 4–2 3–3
Los Angeles 5–0 4–1 4–1 4–0 3–1 4–1 3–1 4–1 5–1 5–1 4–1 4–1 5–0 4–2 6–0 5–1
Milwaukee 3–2 5–0 3–2 4–0 4–2 5–0 4–0 5–1 2–2 5–0 1–4 2–3 4–1 4–2 6–0 6–0
New York 1–3 4–2 3–3 5–1 2–3 2–2 5–1 4–1 3–2 5–0 1–4 3–2 3–3 1–4 3–1 3–2
Philadelphia 3–3 0–4 0–6 3–3 1–4 2–2 4–2 4–1 1–4 1–4 0–5 1–4 3–3 1–4 2–2 4–1
Phoenix 2–3 1–4 3–2 4–0 1–5 3–2 4–0 4–2 3–2 3–1 2–4 2–4 4–1 4–1 6–0 3–2
Portland 0–4 1–3 0–4 4–2 0–6 2–2 2–4 2–2 2–4 2–4 0–6 0–6 1–3 2–2 0–6 0–6
Seattle 4–1 3–2 3–2 4–0 3–2 5–0 4–0 4–0 2–4 3–3 1–5 0–6 2–3 1–4 2–3 6–0

Game log

1971–72 Game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 October 15 Seattle 119–88 Stan McKenzie (22) 0–1
2 October 17 Milwaukee 127–94 Sidney Wicks (23) 0–2
3 October 19 Detroit 101–99 Stan McKenzie (25) 0–3
4 October 23 Cincinnati 100–104 Sidney Wicks (34) 1–3
5 October 26 Chicago 123–111 Sidney Wicks (24) 1–4
6 October 29 Buffalo 120–119 Sidney Wicks (28) 1–5
7 November 4 @ Houston 112–110 Sidney Wicks (31) 2–5
8 November 6 @ Boston 109–124 Sidney Wicks (25) 2–6
9 November 7 @ Cleveland 99–120 Willie McCarter (13) 2–7
10 November 9 @ Buffalo 100–109 Sidney Wicks (34) 2–8
11 November 10 @ Detroit 122–139 Sidney Wicks (31) 2–9
12 November 12 Cleveland 106–104 Dale Schlueter (18) 2–10
13 November 13 Los Angeles 130–108 Sidney Wicks (33) 2–11
14 November 16 Milwaukee 125–105 Sidney Wicks (20) 2–12
15 November 18 @ Golden State 105–115 Sidney Wicks (29) 2–13
16 November 19 Cleveland 105–118 Stan McKenzie (31) 3–13
17 November 20 Seattle 104–100 Sidney Wicks (27) 3–14
18 November 23 @ Chicago 94–130 Sidney Wicks (27) 3–15
19 November 24 @ Cincinnati 112–114 Stan McKenzie (29) 3–16
20 November 26 @ Milwaukee 105–120 Sidney Wicks (30) 3–17
21 November 27 @ Philadelphia 93–116 Sidney Wicks (22) 3–18
22 November 30 Phoenix 121–111 (OT) Sidney Wicks (23) 3–19
23 December 1 @ Phoenix 103–139 Sidney Wicks (27) 3–20
24 December 3 Golden State 107–115 Geoff Petrie (35) 4–20
25 December 5 @ Los Angeles 107–123 Gary Gregor (20) 4–21
26 December 7 @ Detroit 131–130 (OT) Geoff Petrie (36) 5–21
27 December 8 @ Baltimore 97–115 Sidney Wicks (24) 5–22
28 December 10 @ Buffalo 101–100 (OT) Geoff Petrie (28) 6–22
29 December 11 @ New York 102–134 Willie McCarter (16) 6–23
30 December 14 Los Angeles 129–114 Sidney Wicks (31) 6–24
31 December 17 Philadelphia 126–127 Gary Gregor (28) 7–24
32 December 18 @ Seattle 105–107 Sidney Wicks (28) 7–25
33 December 19 Detroit 113–114 Sidney Wicks (26) 8–25
34 December 21 Houston 132–119 McKenzie, Wicks (24) 8–26
35 December 23 New York 120–117 Stan McKenzie (27) 8–27
36 December 25 Chicago 109–88 Sidney Wicks (24) 8–28
37 December 27 @ Atlanta 121–135 Geoff Petrie (23) 8–29
38 December 28 @ Cleveland 111–112 Geoff Petrie (26) 8–30
39 December 29 @ Milwaukee 84–123 Dale Schlueter (18) 8–31
40 December 30 @ Chicago 92–117 Sidney Wicks (23) 8–32
41 January 2 Buffalo 90–108 Sidney Wicks (30) 9–32
42 January 4 Atlanta 103–91 Sidney Wicks (22) 9–33
43 January 6 @ Golden State 115–119 Sidney Wicks (29) 9–34
44 January 7 Boston 120–114 Geoff Petrie (24) 9–35
45 January 8 Cleveland 102–125 Geoff Petrie (22) 10–35
46 January 11 Baltimore 106–114 Gary Gregor (25) 11–35
47 January 14 @ Buffalo 102–100 Sidney Wicks (28) 12–35
48 January 15 @ Chicago 100–120 Geoff Petrie (21) 12–36
49 January 16 @ Milwaukee 97–126 Sidney Wicks (25) 12–37
50 January 21 N Philadelphia 122–136 Sidney Wicks (30) 12–38
51 January 22 N Baltimore 99–116 Sidney Wicks (19) 12–39
52 January 23 @ Boston 105–115 Sidney Wicks (25) 12–40
53 January 25 @ Houston 104–118 Sidney Wicks (30) 12–41
54 January 28 Golden State 105–102 Sidney Wicks (25) 12–42
55 January 30 @ Los Angeles 131–153 Stan McKenzie (22) 12–43
56 February 1 Phoenix 129–117 Geoff Petrie (25) 12–44
57 February 4 Houston 113–114 Sidney Wicks (30) 13–44
58 February 5 Phoenix 118–117 (OT) Sidney Wicks (32) 13–45
59 February 6 @ Phoenix 94–107 Geoff Petrie (33) 13–46
60 February 8 Cincinnati 100–104 Geoff Petrie (30) 14–46
61 February 11 Philadelphia 106–110 Sidney Wicks (28) 15–46
62 February 12 @ Seattle 97–125 Sidney Wicks (21) 15–47
63 February 13 Seattle 127–117 (OT) Sidney Wicks (32) 15–48
64 February 15 Boston 111–104 Sidney Wicks (30) 15–49
65 February 18 @ Los Angeles 114–125 Rick Adelman (24) 15–50
66 February 19 Los Angeles 115–94 Sidney Wicks (23) 15–51
67 February 20 @ Seattle 105–109 Sidney Wicks (24) 15–52
68 February 22 @ New York 105–122 Petrie, Wicks (21) 15–53
69 February 23 @ Cincinnati 106–110 Sidney Wicks (30) 15–54
70 February 25 @ Cleveland 104–113 Geoff Petrie (29) 15–55
71 February 27 @ Atlanta 110–113 Sidney Wicks (32) 15–56
72 February 29 Chicago 116–92 Petrie, Wicks (20) 15–57
73 March 3 Baltimore 90–80 Sidney Wicks (28) 15–58
74 March 4 Atlanta 120–101 Sidney Wicks (24) 15–59
75 March 7 Buffalo 94–98 Sidney Wicks (24) 16–59
76 March 9 N Houston 111–114 Sidney Wicks (30) 16–60
77 March 14 Milwaukee 109–98 Sidney Wicks (28) 16–61
78 March 16 @ Golden State 94–107 Sidney Wicks (28) 16–62
79 March 17 Golden State 109–114 Geoff Petrie (39) 17–62
80 March 18 New York 86–133 Sidney Wicks (30) 18–62
81 March 21 @ Phoenix 128–160 Sidney Wicks (31) 18–63
82 March 26 @ Houston 109–131 Geoff Petrie (26) 18–64

Awards and honors

References

  1. ^ a b Portland Trail Blazers (1970–Present)
  2. ^ "Blazers tab Adelman as captain". Albany Democrat-Herald. Albany, Oregon. Associated Press. July 29, 1971. p. 21. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  3. ^ "Blazers fire Rolland Todd; Inman: Better defense". Albany Democrat-Herald. Albany, Oregon. Associated Press. February 3, 1972. p. 21. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  4. ^ Brandon, Steve (November 4, 1994). "The Blazers; The early years dissension, turmoil marked Blazers early years". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. p. N07.
  5. ^ "Trail Blazers Protest McCarter's Cut". Corvallis Gazette-Times. Corvallis, Oregon. February 2, 1972. p. 19. Retrieved February 7, 2021.