1970–71 Portland Trail Blazers season

The Portland Trail Blazers were one of three new teams to join the NBA for the 1970–71 season.[1] The franchise played its inaugural regular season game on a Friday night in Portland, beating the fellow expansion Cleveland Cavaliers 115–112 on October 16, with 4,273 in attendance.[2][3][4]

1970–71 Portland Trail Blazers season
Head coachRolland Todd
General managerHarry Glickman
Owners
ArenaMemorial Coliseum
Results
Record29–53 (.354)
PlaceDivision: 5th (Pacific)
Conference: 9th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKPTV
RadioKOIN

The Trail Blazers played a regular season home game at McArthur Court in Eugene, Oregon on February 19, 1971 against the Cincinnati Royals.[5] Portland was defeated by Cincinnati, 102–109.[6]

Portland finished last in the Pacific Division with a record of 29–53 (.354).[4] Of the three expansion teams, their record was the best; with seven more wins than the Buffalo Braves and fourteen more than the Cavaliers. The leading scorer for the Blazers was Geoff Petrie; he averaged 24.8 points per game and shared Rookie of the Year honors with Boston Celtics star Dave Cowens.[4]

Offseason

NBA Draft
Main article: 1970 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
18Geoff PetrieSG United StatesPrinceton
225Walt GilmorePFFort Valley State
342Bill CainF[7]Iowa State
459Jim PenixBowling Green
576Ron KnightPFCal State LA
693George JankyC[8] United States[9]Dayton
7110Claude EnglishF United StatesRhode Island
8127Doug BoydTCU
9144Billy GaskinsG United States[10]Oregon
10161Israel OliverElizabeth City State
11176Don McClemoreBowling Green
12188Paul AdamsCentral Washington
13199Alex BoydNevada-Reno
14208Frank LoteridgeTexas–Pan American
15218John CanadyMiami (FL)
16226Doug WilliamsSt. Mary's (TX)
18235Bruce ButchkoSouthern Illinois
19239Mark GabrielHanover
Source:[11]

Expansion Draft
Player Position Team
Rick Adelman PG San Diego Rockets
Jerry Chambers SF Phoenix Suns
LeRoy Ellis C Baltimore Bullets
Fred Hetzel SF Philadelphia 76ers
Joe Kennedy SF Seattle SuperSonics
Ed Manning SF/PF Chicago Bulls
Stan McKenzie SF Phoenix Suns
Dorie Murrey PF Seattle SuperSonics
Pat Riley SG San Diego Rockets
Dale Schlueter C San Francisco Warriors
Larry Siegfried PG Boston Celtics
Source:[12][13]

Roster
1970–71 Portland Trail Blazers roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
PG 12 Adelman, Rick 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1946–06–16 Loyola Marymount
SG 33 Barnett, Jim 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1944–07–07 Oregon
C 25 Ellis, Leroy 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1940–03–10 St. John's
F 15 English, Claude 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1946–12–26 Rhode Island
PF 48 Gilmore, Walt 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1947–02–27 Fort Valley State
PF 44 Gregor, Gary 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1945–08–13 South Carolina
SF 11 Halimon, Shaler 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 199 lb (90 kg) 1945–03–30 Utah State
PF 38 Knight, Ron 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1947–08–04 Cal State LA
PF 35 Manning, Ed 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1944–01–02 Jackson State
SF 40 McKenzie, Stan 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1944–10–06 New York
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
F 34 Stricker, Bill 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1948–01–22 Pacific
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured
Source:

Pre-season

The Trail Blazers convened their preseason camp on September 14, 1970. Sixteen players reported to camp, which was held in the gymnasium at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon.[14] Pat Riley was unable to attend the camp due to the death in his father. Players reported to drills at 10 am and 4 pm.[15] The first players to be cut from camp were third round draft pick Bill Cain and Tim Robinson, who had played for the Harlem Globetrotters from 1961 to 1965.[16][17]

Regular season
Main article: 1970–71 NBA season

Season standings
Pacific Division W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers 4834.585–30–1117–221–115–7
x-San Francisco Warriors 4141.500720–1819–212–212–10
San Diego Rockets 4042.488824–1515–261–114–8
Seattle SuperSonics 3844.4631027–1311–300–110–14
Portland Trail Blazers 2953.3541918–219–262–63–15
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT
1 z-Milwaukee Bucks6616.805
2 y-Los Angeles Lakers4834.585
3 x-Chicago Bulls5131.622
4 x-San Francisco Warriors4141.500
5 Phoenix Suns4834.585
6 Detroit Pistons4537.549
7 San Diego Rockets4042.488
8 Seattle SuperSonics3844.463
9 Portland Trail Blazers2953.354

Record vs. opponents
1970–71 NBA Records
Team ATL BAL BOS BUF CHI CIN CLE DET LAL MIL NYK PHI PHO POR SDR SFW SEA
Atlanta –3–32–43–11–42–44–00–53–21–43–34–21–42–22–32–33–2
Baltimore 3–3–3–33–12–33–34–02–32–31–42–43–33–22–24–12–33–2
Boston 4–23–3–4–04–14–23–12–33–20–50–64–22–32–23–23–23–2
Buffalo 1–31–30–4–0–40–45–71–52–20–42–20–41–36–61–31–31–3
Chicago 4–13–21–44–0–4–04–03–32–41–53–23–23–33–16–04–23–2
Cincinnati 4–23–32–44–00–4–5–11–41–41–42–41–51–44–01–32–31–4
Cleveland 0–40–41–37–50–41–5–2–20–40–40–41–30–42–100–41–30–4
Detroit 5–03–23–25–13–34–12–2–2–31–52–32–32–43–14–21–43–1
Los Angeles 2–33–22–32–24–24–14–03–2–1–43–23–22–44–03–34–24–2
Milwaukee 4–14–15–04–05–14–14–05–14–1–1–44–14–23–14–16–05–1
New York 3–34–26–02–22–34–24–03–22–34–1–2–44–13–14–13–22–3
Philadelphia 2–43–32–44–02–35–13–13–22–31–44–2–3–24–03–23–23–2
Phoenix 4–12–33–23–13–34–14–04–24–22–41–42–3–4–02–43–23–2
Portland 2–22–22–26–61–30–410–21–30–41–31–30–40–4–0–41–32–4
San Diego 3–21–42–33–10–63–14–02–43–31–41–42–34–24–0–2–45–1
San Francisco 3–23–22–33–12–43–23–14–12–40–62–32–32–33–14–2–3–3
Seattle 2–32–32–33–12–34–14–01–32–41–53–22–32–34–21–53–3—

Transactions

Media

On September 13, 1970, the Trail Blazers announced that KPTV would broadcast 12 road games (all in color) during their inaugural season. Jimmy Jones was Portland's play-by-play announcer on television.[33]

Awards and honors

References
  1. Carry, Peter (November 2, 1970). "Geoff who? and Mod Todd". Sports Illustrated. p. 66.
  2. Cawood, Neil (October 17, 1970). "Barnett, Petrie pace Blazers to first win". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 3B.
  3. "Blazers win their debut". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). UPI. October 17, 1970. p. 9.
  4. Portland Trail Blazers (1970–Present)
  5. "Blazers bill Eugene game". Albany Democrat-Herald. Albany, Oregon. Associated Press. 16 February 1971. p. 14. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  6. "1970-71 Portland Trail Blazers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  7. "Bill Cain - Hall of Fame Class of 2002". cyclones.com. Iowa State University. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  8. McCoy, Hal (18 February 1970). "Kent State Tonight; Flyers Return From South". Dayton Daily News. Dayton, Ohio. p. 16. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  9. "Flyer MVP award to George Janky". The Journal Herald. Dayton, Ohio. 25 March 1970. p. 16. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  10. "Billy Gaskins Inks Trail Blazer Pact". The Capital Journal. Salem, Oregon. Associated Press. 6 June 1970. p. 12. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  11. "Portland Trail Blazers Draft Picks". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  12. BOBCATS: All-Time Expansion Draft Results Archived 2008-01-16 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Player information from Basketball Reference
  14. "Trail Blazers Open Drills". Corvallis Gazette-Times. Corvallis, Oregon. Associated Press. 15 September 1970. p. 15. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  15. "Trail Blazers report to 1st training camp". Albany Democrat-Herald. Albany, Oregon. 15 September 1970. p. 11. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  16. "Blazers Cut Pair". Corvallis Gazette-Times. Corvallis, Oregon. Associated Press. 22 September 1970. p. 19. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  17. "Harlem Globetrotters Rosters". nasljerseys.com. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  18. "Trail Blazers Sign Petrie". Corvallis Gazette-Times. Corvallis, Oregon. Associated Press. 28 March 1970. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  19. "Trailblazers sign Gilmore". The Capital Journal. Salem, Oregon. Associated Press. 2 April 1970. p. 39. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  20. "Blazers Sign Draft Choices". The World. Coos Bay, Oregon. United Press International. 7 April 1970. p. 10. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  21. "Blazers tab Todd as 1st hoop boss". Albany Democrat-Herald. Albany, Oregon. Associated Press. 22 April 1970. p. 18. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  22. "Inman Takes Blazers Job". The Capital Journal. Salem, Oregon. Associated Press. 28 April 1970. p. 13. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  23. "Blazers Sign Boyd". Statesman-Journal. Salem, Oregon. 1 May 1970. p. 21. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  24. "Barnett, Ellis Go To Blazers". The Capital Journal. Salem, Oregon. 11 May 1970. p. 25. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  25. "Adelman Puts Name On Blazers Contract". The Capital Journal. Salem, Oregon. Associated Press. 12 August 1970. p. 33. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  26. "Riley Signs With Portland Blazers". Statesman-Journal. Salem, Oregon. Associated Press. 20 August 1970. p. 42. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  27. "1970-71 Portland Trail Blazers Transactions". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  28. "Barnett Inks With Blazers". Statesman-Journal. Salem, Oregon. Associated Press. 12 September 1970. p. 14. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  29. "Blazers cut Cain, Robinson Monday". Albany Democrat-Herald. Albany, Oregon. 22 September 1970. p. 15. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  30. "Blazer Waived". The Capital Journal. Salem, Oregon. United Press International. 26 September 1970. p. 17. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  31. "Blazers Cut Kennedy". Statesman-Journal. Salem, Oregon. Associated Press. 1 October 1970. p. 14. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  32. "Portland Cagers Give Up Center". Tucson Citizen. Tucson, Arizona. Associated Press. 23 October 1970. p. 35. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  33. "KPTV to Air Local Sports". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon. 13 September 1970. p. 45. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
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