1976–77 San Antonio Spurs season

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Wikipedia

1976–77 San Antonio Spurs season
Head coachDoug Moe
General managerJohn Begzos
OwnerAngelo Drossos
ArenaHemisFair Arena
Results
Record44–38 (.537)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Central)
Conference: 5th (Eastern)
Playoff finishFirst round
(lost to Celtics 0–2)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
TelevisionKMOL-TV
RadioWOAI
< 1975–76 1977–78 >

The 1976–77 San Antonio Spurs season was the Spurs first season in the NBA. Months earlier, the Spurs were part of the American Basketball Association (Six in Dallas and three in San Antonio). The ABA had ended its ninth and last campaign. Of the seven remaining ABA teams, four joined the NBA: the Denver Nuggets, New York Nets, Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs.[1] The Kentucky Colonels and Spirits of St. Louis agreed to take a cash settlement and cease operations. Immediately, the ABA players were dispersed across the new 22-team league.[1] The other ABA teams from the prior season were all folded prior to the ABA–NBA merger: the Baltimore Claws, Utah Stars, San Diego Sails and Virginia Squires.

The Spurs made their debut on October 22 stunning the 76ers in Philadelphia by a score of 121–118.[2] Afterwards, the Spurs would win just 1 of their next 7 games. In November, the Spurs would win 6 straight. By February the Spurs were 10 games over .500, and were the NBA's highest scoring team at 115 points per game.[2] Despite the offensive flash, the Spurs also had the league's worst defense at 114 points per game as they struggled to finish in 3rd place in the Central Division with a record of 44–38.[2] In the playoffs, the Spurs were swept in 2 straight by the defending world champion Boston Celtics.

Offseason

NBA draft

Neither the Spurs, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets or Denver Nuggets were allowed to participate in the 1976 NBA draft.

ABA Dispersal Draft

The American Basketball Association merged with the NBA in 1976. Of the teams remaining in the ABA, four joined the NBA. The two teams, the Kentucky Colonels and Spirits of St. Louis, which folded had their players assigned to a dispersal draft for draft purposes.

Pick Player Nationality NBA Team ABA Team Purchase Price
10 Louie Dampier (PG)  United States San Antonio Spurs Kentucky Colonels $20,000

Roster

San Antonio Spurs roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
F 30 Allan Bristow 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) August 23, 1951 Virginia Tech
PG 24 Mack Calvin 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 165 lb (75 kg) July 27, 1947 USC
SG 14 Mike D'Antoni 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) May 8, 1951 Marshall
G 10 Louie Dampier 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) November 20, 1944 Kentucky
F/C 25 Coby Dietrick 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) July 23, 1948 San José State
G 12 Mike Gale 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) July 18, 1950 Elizabeth City State
G/F 44 George Gervin 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 180 lb (82 kg) April 27, 1952 Eastern Michigan
G 22 George Karl 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) May 12, 1951 North Carolina
F 35 Larry Kenon 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 205 lb (93 kg) December 13, 1952 Memphis
SG 21 Louie Nelson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) May 28, 1951 Washington
F 53 Mark Olberding 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) April 21, 1956 Minnesota
F/C 5 Billy Paultz 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) July 30, 1948 St. John's
G 13 James Silas 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) February 11, 1949 Stephen F. Austin
G 15 Henry Ward 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) January 30, 1952 Jackson State
Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Houston Rockets 4933.598–34–715–2613–7
x-Washington Bullets 4834.585132–916–2511–9
x-San Antonio Spurs 4438.537531–1013–289–11
x-Cleveland Cavaliers 4339.524629–1214–278–12
New Orleans Jazz 3547.4271426–159–3210–10
Atlanta Hawks 3151.3781819–2212–299–11
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Philadelphia 76ers5032.610–
2 y-Houston Rockets4933.5981
3 x-Washington Bullets4834.5852
4 x-Boston Celtics4438.5376
5 x-San Antonio Spurs4438.5376
6 x-Cleveland Cavaliers4339.5247
7 New York Knicks4042.48810
8 New Orleans Jazz3547.42715
9 Atlanta Hawks3151.37819
10 Buffalo Braves3052.36620
11 New York Nets2260.26828

Game log

October

Record: 2–4; home: 1–1; road: 1–3

#DateVisitorScoreHomeRecord
1October 22, 1976San Antonio Spurs121–118Philadelphia 76ers1–0
2October 23, 1976San Antonio Spurs98–117New York Knicks1–1
3October 26, 1976San Antonio Spurs114–122Atlanta Hawks1–2
4October 27, 1976Phoenix Suns106–115San Antonio Spurs2–2
5October 29, 1976San Antonio Spurs102–130Kansas City Kings2–3
6October 30, 1976Boston Celtics126–117San Antonio Spurs2–4

[3]

November

Record: 9–5; home: 8–0; road: 1–5

#DateVisitorScoreHomeRecord
7November 3, 1976San Antonio Spurs97–113Indiana Pacers2–5
8November 5, 1976San Antonio Spurs119–127New Orleans Jazz2–6
9November 6, 1976Indiana Pacers94–113San Antonio Spurs3–6
10November 9, 1976Seattle SuperSonics114–138San Antonio Spurs4–6
11November 11, 1976New York Nets104–108San Antonio Spurs5–6
12November 13, 1976Portland Trail Blazers101–113San Antonio Spurs6–6
13November 16, 1976Buffalo Braves112–114San Antonio Spurs7–6
14November 18, 1976Kansas City Kings104–129San Antonio Spurs8–6
15November 20, 1976San Antonio Spurs103–109Washington Bullets8–7
16November 23, 1976San Antonio Spurs122–115Buffalo Braves9–7
17November 24, 1976San Antonio Spurs91–99New York Nets9–8
18November 26, 1976Golden State Warriors121–123San Antonio Spurs10–8
19November 27, 1976San Antonio Spurs89–75Houston Rockets10–9
20November 30, 1976Detroit Pistons129–130San Antonio Spurs11–9

[3]

December

Record: 7–7; home: 4–1; road: 3–6

#DateVisitorScoreHomeRecord
21December 2, 1976San Antonio Spurs116–124Golden State Warriors11–10
22December 3, 1976San Antonio Spurs105–114Los Angeles Lakers11–11
23December 5, 1976San Antonio Spurs98–103Phoenix Suns11–12
24December 8, 1976Atlanta Hawks117–106San Antonio Spurs11–13
25December 10, 1976San Antonio Spurs136–120Milwaukee Bucks12–13
26December 11, 1976New Orleans Jazz106–121San Antonio Spurs13–13
27December 14, 1976New York Knicks98–111San Antonio Spurs14–13
28December 15, 1976San Antonio Spurs102–116Indiana Pacers14–14
29December 17, 1976San Antonio Spurs101–103Chicago Bulls14–15
30December 19, 1976San Antonio Spurs105–106Cleveland Cavaliers14–16
31December 21, 1976Golden State Warriors123–120San Antonio Spurs15–16
32December 23, 1976Washington Bullets116–118San Antonio Spurs16–16
33December 26, 1976San Antonio Spurs110–105Kansas City Kings17–16
34December 28, 1976Philadelphia 76ers116–127San Antonio Spurs18–16

[3]

Playoffs

1977 playoff game log
First Round: 0–2 (home: 0–1; road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 April 12 @ Boston L 94–104 Kenon, Gervin (20) Billy Paultz (10) Louie Dampier (5) Boston Garden
13,505		 0–1
2 April 15 Boston L 109–113 George Gervin (30) three players tied (7) Mike Gale (7) HemisFair Arena
12,067		 0–2
1977 schedule

Player statistics

Ragular season

Player POS GP GS MP REB AST STL BLK PTS MPG RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
George GervinSF 82822,7054542381051041,89533.05.52.91.31.323.1
Billy PaultzC 82822,694687223551731,28032.98.42.7.72.115.6
Mike GaleSG 822,5982734731915084331.73.35.82.3.610.3
Allan BristowSF 822,01734824089293624.64.22.91.1.011.4
Mark OlberdingPF 821,949449119592985323.85.51.5.7.410.4
Coby DietrickC 821,772372148885768921.64.51.81.1.78.4
Louie DampierPG 801,63476234491553020.41.02.9.6.26.6
Larry KenonPF 782,936879229167601,70537.611.32.92.1.821.9
Mack Calvin†PG 356063110423130917.3.93.0.7.08.8
George KarlPG 292511746100798.7.61.6.3.02.7
Henry WardSG 2717133665836.31.2.2.2.23.1
James SilasPG 22356325013320916.21.52.3.6.19.5
Louie NelsonSG 45773201814.31.8.8.5.04.5
Mike D'AntoniSG 29220034.51.01.0.0.01.5
  • † Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Spurs only.

Playoffs

Player POS GP GS MP REB AST STL BLK PTS MPG RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Larry KenonPF 279156513439.57.53.02.5.517.0
Billy PaultzC 274175213437.08.52.51.0.517.0
Mike GaleSG 2671010422233.55.05.02.01.011.0
Coby DietrickC 26495102632.04.52.5.5.013.0
George GervinSF 262113125031.05.51.5.51.025.0
Louie DampierPG 26239111231.01.54.5.5.56.0
Mark OlberdingPF 24272011321.03.51.0.0.56.5
Allan BristowSF 2284720814.02.03.51.0.04.0
Henry WardSG 11000041.0.0.0.0.04.0
George KarlPG 11000001.0.0.0.0.0.0

Awards and records

References

  1. 1 2 "NBA.com: Walton, Lucas Ignite 'Blazermania'". Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 San Antonio Spurs (1973–Present)
  3. 1 2 3 1976–77 San Antonio Spurs Games – Basketball-Reference.com