1971–72 Baltimore Bullets season

1971–72 Baltimore Bullets season
Division champions
Head coachGene Shue
General managerJerry Sachs
Owner(s)Abe Pollin
ArenaBaltimore Civic Center
Results
Record38–44 (.463)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Central)
Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishConference semifinals
(lost to Knicks 2–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWMAR-TV
RadioWFBR
< 1970–71 1972–73 >

The 1971–72 Baltimore Bullets season was their 11th season in the NBA and ninth season in the city of Baltimore. The Bullets would stun their fans and the entire league by trading Earl "The Pearl" Monroe. The trade was done three games into the season and Monroe was sent to the rival New York Knicks.[1] The Bullets received Dave Stallworth, Mike Riordan, and cash.[1] The Bullets did not adjust well to not having Monroe as they finished the season with a 38–44 record. The losing record would still be good enough to win the Central Division. In the playoffs, the Bullets would face Monroe and the New York Knicks and be beaten by the Knicks in six games.

Draft picks

Main article: 1971 NBA draft

Roster

Baltimore Bullets roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
G 45 Chenier, Phil 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) California
G 21 Clark, Archie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Minnesota
F 35 Driscoll, Terry 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Boston College
F 25 Johnson, Gus 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Idaho
F 13 Love, Stan 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Oregon
F 24 Marin, Jack 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Duke
PF 40 Murrey, Dorie 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 229 lb (104 kg) Detroit Mercy
G 33 Rinaldi, Rich 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Saint Peter's
SG 6 Riordan, Mike 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Providence
SF 9 Stallworth, Dave 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Wichita State
PF 12 Tresvant, John 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Seattle
F 41 Unseld, Wes 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Louisville
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
y-Baltimore Bullets 38 44 .463 – 18–15 16–24 4–5 9–9
x-Atlanta Hawks 36 46 .439 2 22–19 13–26 1–1 9–9
Cincinnati Royals 30 52 .366 8 20–18 8–32 2–2 11–9
Cleveland Cavaliers 23 59 .280 15 13–28 8–30 2–1 9–11
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT
1 z-Boston Celtics 56 26 .683
2 y-Baltimore Bullets 38 44 .463
3 x-New York Knicks 48 34 .585
4 x-Atlanta Hawks 36 46 .439
5 Philadelphia 76ers 30 52 .366
5 Cincinnati Royals 30 52 .366
7 Cleveland Cavaliers 23 59 .280
8 Buffalo Braves 22 60 .268

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 @ Chicago 82–106 Jack Marin (20) 0–1
2 October 16 Golden State 93–108 Earl Monroe (27) 1–1
3 October 19 @ Boston 114–134 Earl Monroe (28) 1–2
4 October 22 New York 110–87 Jack Marin (23) 1–3
5 October 23 N Cleveland 109–101 Jack Marin (31) 1–4
6 October 26 @ Milwaukee 90–120 Archie Clark (18) 1–5
7 October 27 Detroit 98–128 Jack Marin (26) 2–5
8 October 29 @ Detroit 105–119 Jack Marin (25) 2–6
9 October 30 Phoenix 94–101 Archie Clark (32) 3–6
10 November 2 @ Golden State 91–106 Jack Marin (28) 3–7
11 November 5 @ Los Angeles 106–110 Jack Marin (30) 3–8
12 November 7 @ Houston 109–106 Jack Marin (42) 4–8
13 November 10 Chicago 125–106 Archie Clark (23) 4–9
14 November 13 Philadelphia 105–111 Archie Clark (27) 5–9
15 November 16 Houston 107–110 Phil Chenier (26) 6–9
16 November 17 @ Cincinnati 113–103 Jack Marin (24) 7–9
17 November 19 Buffalo 105–126 Jack Marin (24) 8–9
18 November 20 @ New York 114–125 Archie Clark (27) 8–10
19 November 23 @ Cleveland 102–104 Archie Clark (30) 8–11
20 November 24 New York 114–94 Archie Clark (29) 8–12
21 November 26 @ Atlanta 118–105 Archie Clark (40) 9–12
22 November 27 N Boston 120–125 Jack Marin (37) 10–12
23 November 30 Cincinnati 118–103 Jack Marin (20) 10–13
24 December 2 N Buffalo 109–105 Marin, Stallworth (21) 10–14
25 December 3 Seattle 117–106 Archie Clark (37) 10–15
26 December 8 Portland 97–115 Archie Clark (30) 11–15
27 December 10 @ Chicago 102–118 Archie Clark (25) 11–16
28 December 11 Milwaukee 107–101 Jack Marin (25) 11–17
29 December 14 Cleveland 88–85 Archie Clark (24) 11–18
30 December 17 Atlanta 103–114 Jack Marin (31) 12–18
31 December 18 @ Atlanta 94–123 Archie Clark (18) 12–19
32 December 19 @ Milwaukee 96–111 Archie Clark (22) 12–20
33 December 22 Los Angeles 127–120 Archie Clark (35) 12–21
34 December 25 @ Philadelphia 117–114 Jack Marin (24) 13–21
35 December 26 @ Cleveland 102–108 Wes Unseld (22) 13–22
36 December 28 Cincinnati 87–119 Archie Clark (26) 14–22
37 December 30 @ New York 110–102 Jack Marin (33) 15–22
38 January 5 Detroit 89–111 Archie Clark (31) 16–22
39 January 7 @ Chicago 104–94 Archie Clark (32) 17–22
40 January 8 Atlanta 102–110 Jack Marin (29) 18–22
41 January 9 N Phoenix 103–109 Jack Marin (28) 19–22
42 January 11 @ Portland 106–114 Archie Clark (30) 19–23
43 January 13 @ Seattle 107–112 Clark, Marin (32) 19–24
44 January 15 @ Golden State 95–105 Archie Clark (26) 19–25
45 January 16 @ Phoenix 107–104 Archie Clark (32) 20–25
46 January 21 @ Detroit 102–107 Archie Clark (32) 20–26
47 January 22 N Portland 99–116 Archie Clark (24) 21–26
48 January 23 Cincinnati 101–132 Archie Clark (26) 22–26
49 January 26 Buffalo 114–115 (OT) Jack Marin (31) 23–26
50 January 28 @ Cincinnati 132–124 Jack Marin (38) 24–26
51 January 30 N Milwaukee 116–112 Archie Clark (24) 24–27
52 February 1 Boston 115–108 Archie Clark (30) 24–28
53 February 4 Chicago 110–108 Archie Clark (23) 24–29
54 February 6 @ Los Angeles 127–151 Archie Clark (38) 24–30
55 February 8 @ Golden State 107–111 Clark, Chenier (24) 24–31
56 February 10 @ Phoenix 98–131 Jack Marin (24) 24–32
57 February 11 @ Houston 95–116 Jack Marin (20) 24–33
58 February 13 N Los Angeles 121–110 Phil Chenier (28) 24–34
59 February 15 Houston 98–113 Jack Marin (39) 25–34
60 February 16 @ Atlanta 103–105 Archie Clark (31) 25–35
61 February 18 Atlanta 81–106 Archie Clark (25) 26–35
62 February 19 @ Philadelphia 121–105 Jack Marin (27) 27–35
63 February 21 Philadelphia 101–102 Archie Clark (30) 28–35
64 February 22 @ Buffalo 98–99 Archie Clark (23) 28–36
65 February 23 Milwaukee 113–105 Archie Clark (23) 28–37
66 February 26 @ New York 104–97 Archie Clark (30) 29–37
67 February 27 N New York 97–95 (OT) Archie Clark (23) 29–38
68 February 29 Seattle 118–117 (OT) Archie Clark (32) 29–39
69 March 1 @ Phoenix 95–90 Jack Marin (23) 30–39
70 March 3 @ Portland 90–80 Archie Clark (24) 31–39
71 March 5 @ Los Angeles 108–94 Jack Marin (29) 32–39
72 March 7 @ Seattle 105–98 Mike Riordan (21) 33–39
73 March 12 N Detroit 97–102 Jack Marin (23) 34–39
74 March 14 Cleveland 127–118 (OT) Archie Clark (31) 34–40
75 March 16 @ Cleveland 105–101 Archie Clark (24) 35–40
76 March 17 Seattle 107–112 Dave Stallworth (27) 36–40
77 March 19 @ Boston 125–112 Mike Riordan (30) 37–40
78 March 21 @ Buffalo 100–114 Riordan, Stallworth (18) 37–41
79 March 22 Golden State 121–101 Mike Riordan (15) 37–42
80 March 24 @ Cincinnati 114–132 Jack Marin (25) 37–43
81 March 25 Houston 106–85 Archie Clark (18) 37–44
82 March 26 Buffalo 101–119 Archie Clark (29) 38–44

Playoffs

1972 playoff game log
Conference semifinals: 2–4 (home: 2–1; road: 0–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 March 31 New York W 108–105 (OT) Archie Clark (38) Wes Unseld (18) Wes Unseld (6) Baltimore Civic Center
12,289 		1–0
2 April 2 @ New York L 88–110 Archie Clark (18) Unseld, Tresvant (10) Archie Clark (7) Madison Square Garden
19,588 		1–1
3 April 4 New York W 104–103 Archie Clark (35) Unseld, Tresvant (12) Unseld, Clark (9) Baltimore Civic Center
12,289 		2–1
4 April 6 @ New York L 98–104 Archie Clark (22) Wes Unseld (16) Archie Clark (6) Madison Square Garden
19,588 		2–2
5 April 9 New York L 82–106 Mike Riordan (16) Wes Unseld (13) Archie Clark (9) Baltimore Civic Center
10,244 		2–3
6 April 11 @ New York L 101–107 Archie Clark (31) John Tresvant (8) Archie Clark (11) Madison Square Garden
19,588 		2–4
1972 schedule

Awards and honors

References

  1. ^ a b Washington Wizards (1963–Present)