1972–73 Seattle SuperSonics season

The 1972–73 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 6th season of the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team finished the regular season in 6th place in the Western Conference with a 26–56 record, 21 wins behind the one obtained in their previous season. Head coach Tom Nissalke was fired by the team in January after a 13–32 start and was replaced by his assistant Bucky Buckwalter.Supersonics fire Tom Nissalke, Star-News. January 11, 1973. Retrieved June 13, 2012.

Offseason The offseason trade that sent player-coach Lenny Wilkens to the Cleveland Cavaliers was received with shock from fans and the player himself.SuperSonics Trade Wilkens; Houbregs: 'difficult trade', Ellensburg Daily Record. August 24, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012.Ex-Sonic Wilkens may quit pro ball, Ellensburg Daily Record. August 31, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012. The trade also sent Barry Clemens to the Cavaliers and brought All-Star Butch Beard to the Sonics.

The signing of free agent John Brisker cost the SuperSonics a $10,000 fine and the resignation of their 1973 first round draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for violation of league rules that prohibited the team to approach Brisker without contacting the Sixers, who selected him in a supplemental draft in 1969 and held the rights to the player.SuperSonics Fined For Signing Brisker, The Day. November 17, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012. However, Seattle regained its first round pick after an appeal and the Sonics' second round selection was given to the 76ers.

Draft

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 7 Isaac Stallworth G/F Kansas 2 18 Joby Wright C/F Indiana 2 23 Brian Taylor G Princeton 3 40 Jim Creighton F Colorado 4 57 Joe Mackey F USC 5 73 Gary Ladd G Seattle 6 90 Ronald Thomas PF Louisville 7 107 Jerry Dunn F Western Kentucky 8 123 Willie Stoudamire G Portland State 9 138 Dwight Holiday G Hawaii 10 151 Dan Steward G Washington State 11 162 Steve Turner C Vanderbilt 12 171 Greg Daust F UMSL 14 185 Cleveland Hill F Nicholls State

Roster

Standings

Game log

| Madison Square Garden19,447 | 0–1 |- | 2 | October 11 | @ Philadelphia | W 105–100 | Spencer Haywood (22)

| The Spectrum6,257 | 1–1 |- | 3 | October 13 | @ Portland | W 92–84 | Spencer Haywood (35)

| Memorial Coliseum8,573 | 2–1 |- | 4 | October 20 | Golden State | L 92–101 | Spencer Haywood (22)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,950 | 2–2 |- | 5 | October 21 | @ Phoenix | L 117–129 | John Brisker (34)

| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum8,315 | 2–3 |- | 6 | October 22 | Portland | W 120–119 (OT) | John Brisker (30)

| Seattle Center Coliseum6,925 | 3–3 |- | 7 | October 25 | Atlanta | L 115–118 | Spencer Haywood (33)

| Seattle Center Coliseum7,140 | 3–4 |- | 8 | October 27 | Phoenix | W 120–115 | Dick Snyder (29)

| Seattle Center Coliseum8,201 | 4–4 |- | 9 | October 29 | Chicago | L 94–95 | Spencer Haywood (30)

| Seattle Center Coliseum8,022 | 4–5

| Seattle Center Coliseum6,005 | 4–6 |- | 11 | November 3 | New York | L 80–105 | Spencer Haywood (18)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,031 | 4–7 |- | 12 | November 5 | Los Angeles | L 115–124 | Spencer Haywood (30)

| Seattle Center Coliseum11,250 | 4–8 |- | 13 | November 8 | @ Milwaukee | L 103–116 | Spencer Haywood (29)

| Milwaukee Arena7,378 | 4–9 |- | 14 | November 10 | Kansas City–Omaha | L 106–111 | Spencer Haywood (38)

| Seattle Center Coliseum8,156 | 4–10 |- | 15 | November 12 | Cleveland | L 107–113 | Spencer Haywood (28)

| Seattle Center Coliseum13,174 | 4–11 |- | 16 | November 14 | @ Chicago | L 80–97 | Spencer Haywood (20)

| Chicago Stadium7,894 | 4–12 |- | 17 | November 15 | @ Kansas City–Omaha | L 97–106 | Spencer Haywood (27)

| Municipal Auditorium4,364 | 4–13 |- | 18 | November 17 | Philadelphia | W 105–92 | Spencer Haywood (29)

| Seattle Center Coliseum7,762 | 5–13 |- | 19 | November 18 | @ Portland | W 102–100 | Spencer Haywood (21)

| Memorial Coliseum9,639 | 6–13 |- | 20 | November 19 | Buffalo | W 107–84 | Spencer Haywood (26)

| Seattle Center Coliseum6,587 | 7–13 |- | 21 | November 21 | @ Cleveland | L 88–98 | Spencer Haywood (32)

| Cleveland Arena2,864 | 7–14 |- | 22 | November 22 | @ Baltimore | L 90–112 | Dick Snyder (21)

| Baltimore Civic Center2,877 | 7–15 |- | 23 | November 23 | @ Atlanta | L 97–110 | Spencer Haywood (29)

| Omni Coliseum6,523 | 7–16 |- | 24 | November 25 | @ Houston | L 109–114 | Spencer Haywood (38)

| Hofheinz Pavilion2,912 | 7–17 |- | 25 | November 26 | Detroit | W 103–96 | Spencer Haywood (39)

| Seattle Center Coliseum7,980 | 8–17 |- | 26 | November 29 | @ Boston | L 98–120 | Spencer Haywood (29)

| Boston Garden5,263 | 8–18

| Seattle Center Coliseum16,107 | 8–19 |- | 28 | December 2 | @ Chicago | L 80–89 | Spencer Haywood (26)

| Chicago Stadium8,030 | 8–20 |- | 29 | December 3 | @ Cleveland | L 103–105 (OT) | Spencer Haywood (29)

| Cleveland Arena2,957 | 8–21 |- | 30 | December 6 | Milwaukee | W 95–91 | Spencer Haywood (32)

| Seattle Center Coliseum8,953 | 9–21 |- | 31 | December 8 | @ Los Angeles | L 100–119 | Spencer Haywood (26)

| The Forum14,618 | 9–22 |- | 32 | December 10 | Phoenix | W 110–102 | Spencer Haywood (32)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,628 | 10–22 |- | 33 | December 13 | Milwaukee | L 103–104 (OT) | Spencer Haywood (38)

| Seattle Center Coliseum8,036 | 10–23 |- | 34 | December 15 | Portland | L 95–96 | Spencer Haywood (37)

| Seattle Center Coliseum7,812 | 10–24 |- | 35 | December 17 | Boston | L 98–123 | Spencer Haywood (34)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,633 | 10–25 |- | 36 | December 19 | @ Milwaukee | L 77–121 | John Brisker (15)

| Milwaukee Arena7,407 | 10–26 |- | 37 | December 20 | @ Kansas City–Omaha | L 110–121 | Isaac Stallworth (32)

| Omaha, NE4,067 | 10–27 |- | 38 | December 22 | @ Detroit | L 97–109 | Fred Brown (21)

| Cobo Arena3,779 | 10–28 |- | 39 | December 25 | @ Portland | L 113–116 | Spencer Haywood (35)

| Memorial Coliseum6,818 | 10–29 |- | 40 | December 26 | @ Golden State | W 97–95 | Spencer Haywood (42)

| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena3,605 | 11–29 |- | 41 | December 29 | Cleveland | W 99–91 | Spencer Haywood (31)

| Seattle Center Coliseum12,738 | 12–29

| Seattle Center Coliseum8,751 | 12–30 |- | 43 | January 3 | Kansas City–Omaha | W 107–100 | Spencer Haywood (51)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,266 | 13–30 |- | 44 | January 5 | Golden State | L 96–128 | Fred Brown (20)

| Seattle Center Coliseum9,087 | 13–31 |- | 45 | January 7 | Philadelphia | L 82–85 | Spencer Haywood (18)

| Seattle Center Coliseum12,150 | 13–32 |- | 46 | January 10 | Baltimore | L 86–98 | Spencer Haywood (17)

| Seattle Center Coliseum7,570 | 13–33 |- | 47 | January 12 | Detroit | W 113–104 | Spencer Haywood (36)

| Seattle Center Coliseum8,420 | 14–33 |- | 48 | January 14 | New York Knicks | L 84–86 | Spencer Haywood (18)

| Seattle Center Coliseum11,538 | 14–34 |- | 49 | January 16 | @ Kansas City–Omaha | W 125–122 | Jim Fox, Spencer Haywood (23)

| Municipal Auditorium4,468 | 15–34 |- | 50 | January 17 | @ Detroit | W 106–104 | Spencer Haywood (28)

| Cobo Arena2,630 | 16–34 |- | 51 | January 19 | @ Boston | L 104–124 | Spencer Haywood (25)

| Boston Garden14,190 | 16–35 |- | 52 | January 20 | Baltimore | L 106–126 | Spencer Haywood (28)

| College Park, MD12,084 | 16–36 |- | 53 | January 25 | @ Phoenix | L 109–112 | Spencer Haywood (27)

| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum5,701 | 16–37 |- | 54 | January 28 | @ Los Angeles | L 94–130 | Spencer Haywood (29)

| The Forum17,107 | 16–38 |- | 55 | January 31 | Houston | W 118–109 | Spencer Haywood (37)

| Seattle Center Coliseum6,257 | 17–38

| Seattle Center Coliseum8,818 | 18–38 |- | 57 | February 3 | @ Golden State | L 101–123 | Spencer Haywood (34)

| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena3,261 | 18–39 |- | 58 | February 4 | Kansas City–Omaha | L 98–120 | Spencer Haywood (27)

| Seattle Center Coliseum11,140 | 18–40 |- | 59 | February 6 | @ Portland | W 118–117 | Spencer Haywood (41)

| Memorial Coliseum4,755 | 19–40 |- | 60 | February 8 | @ Phoenix | L 112–125 | Spencer Haywood (31)

| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum7,084 | 19–41 |- | 61 | February 11 | Buffalo | L 125–128 | Spencer Haywood (40)

| Seattle Center Coliseum6,960 | 19–42 |- | 62 | February 13 | @ Los Angeles | L 98–101 | Spencer Haywood (35)

| The Forum13,127 | 19–43 |- | 63 | February 14 | Baltimore | L 106–107 | Spencer Haywood (37)

| Seattle Center Coliseum6,034 | 19–44 |- | 64 | February 16 | Golden State | W 114–108 (OT) | Fred Brown (33)

| Seattle Center Coliseum9,070 | 20–44 |- | 65 | February 18 | Boston | L 105–106 | Spencer Haywood (32)

| Seattle Center Coliseum12,905 | 20–45 |- | 66 | February 21 | Houston | L 107–139 | Spencer Haywood (27)

| San Antonio, TX4,179 | 20–46 |- | 67 | February 23 | Atlanta | W 124–120 | Spencer Haywood (29)

| Seattle Center Coliseum11,735 | 21–46 |- | 68 | February 25 | Chicago | L 85–88 | Spencer Haywood (29)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,103 | 21–47 |- | 69 | February 27 | @ Atlanta | L 130–131 | Spencer Haywood (33)

| Omni Coliseum8,295 | 21–48 |- | 70 | February 28 | @ Milwaukee | L 110–124 | Spencer Haywood (36)

| Milwaukee Arena10,292 | 21–49

| Seattle Center Coliseum5,563 | 22–49 |- | 72 | March 3 | @ Detroit | W 115–113 | Spencer Haywood (33)

| Cobo Arena5,044 | 23–49 |- | 73 | March 6 | @ New York | L 94–106 | Spencer Haywood (25)

| Madison Square Garden19,644 | 23–50 |- | 74 | March 10 | @ Philadelphia | W 106–96 | Spencer Haywood (27)

| The Spectrum4,942 | 24–50 |- | 75 | March 13 | @ Chicago | L 89–104 | Spencer Haywood (31)

| Chicago Stadium9,270 | 24–51 |- | 76 | March 16 | Golden State | W 116–106 | Spencer Haywood (35)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,512 | 25–51 |- | 77 | March 18 | Houston | W 121–112 | Spencer Haywood (38)

| Seattle Center Coliseum8,956 | 26–51 |- | 78 | March 20 | @ Golden State | L 106–114 | Spencer Haywood (39)

| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena2,992 | 26–52 |- | 79 | March 21 | Milwaukee | L 96–119 | Spencer Haywood (29)

| Seattle Center Coliseum11,407 | 26–53 |- | 80 | March 23 | Portland | L 112–118 | Kennedy McIntosh (25)

| Seattle Center Coliseum10,305 | 26–54 |- | 81 | March 25 | Los Angeles | L 93–109 | Spencer Haywood (25)

| Seattle Center Coliseum13,180 | 26–55 |- | 82 | March 28 | Phoenix | L 125–127 | John Brisker (39)

| Seattle Center Coliseum11,246 | 26–56

Player statistics

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG 73 – 19.2 .439 – .714 2.4 3.4 – – 6.6 70 – 23.3 .435 – .822 4.6 2.1 – – 12.8 79 – 29.4 .455 – .818 4.0 5.5 – – 13.5 26 – 5.1 .286 – .444 2.2 .4 – – .8 12 – 8.3 .435 – .875 .5 1.3 – – 2.8 74 – 33.0 .515 – .808 11.2 2.4 – – 11.4 77 – 42.3 .476 – .839 12.9 2.5 – – 29.2 3 – 5.7 .444 – 1.000 2.0 .7 – – 3.0 68 – 16.1 .399 – .700 5.1 1.1 – – 5.6 56 – 19.7 .326 – .615 4.0 .9 – – 4.5 82 – 37.3 .463 – .861 3.9 3.8 – – 13.8 77 – 15.9 .379 – .754 2.9 .8 – – 6.3 53 – 20.0 .431 – .574 2.4 3.5 – – 6.6 77 – 12.1 .478 – .416 2.8 .5 – – 3.9

Awards and records Spencer Haywood was selected to the All-NBA First Team for the second time.

Transactions

Overview

Players Added Players Lost Via draft Isaac Stallworth Joby Wright Via trade Butch Beard Kennedy McIntosh Via free agency John BriskerSeattle Inks Brisker, The Michigan Daily. August 9, 1972. Retrieved June 12, 2012. Charles Dudley Via trade Barry Clemens Pete Cross Gar Heard Don Smith Lenny Wilkens

Trades

1972–73 Seattle SuperSonics season

Bron en licentie