The 1971–72 NBA season was the Warriors' 26th season in the NBA, the first as the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, and 10th in the San Francisco Bay Area.[1] This was also their only season to play a few home games in San Diego, as part of a brief attempt to represent the whole state of California.[2]
See main article: article and 1971 NBA draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | F/C | San José State | |||
| 4 | 59 | G | St. Bonaventure | |||
| 5 | 76 | F | UNLV | |||
| 6 | 93 | G | California | |||
| 7 | 110 | Dayton | ||||
| 8 | 127 | Loyola Marymount | ||||
| 9 | 143 | Villanova | ||||
| 10 | 159 | Oregon |
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
| 1971–72 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | 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 | — | |
| 1971–72 Game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 15 | 97–75 | Jeff Mullins (28) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | October 16 | 93–108 | Cazzie Russell (17) | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | October 19 | 84–93 | Cazzie Russell (17) | 1–2 | ||
| 4 | October 20 | 115–98 | Cazzie Russell (29) | 2–2 | ||
| 5 | October 23 | 109–115 (OT) | Jeff Mullins (35) | 3–2 | ||
| 6 | October 26 | 91–89 | Cazzie Russell (25) | 3–3 | ||
| 7 | October 29 | 99–83 | Cazzie Russell (30) | 4–3 | ||
| 8 | October 30 | 112–116 | Cazzie Russell (34) | 5–3 | ||
| 9 | October 31 | 109–105 | Cazzie Russell (32) | 6–3 | ||
| 10 | November 2 | Baltimore | 91–106 | Cazzie Russell (43) | 7–3 | |
| 11 | November 4 | 96–98 | Jeff Mullins (22) | 8–3 | ||
| 12 | November 6 | Los Angeles | 105–89 | Cazzie Russell (19) | 8–4 | |
| 13 | November 7 | @ Seattle | 109–102 | Nate Thurmond (28) | 9–4 | |
| 14 | November 9 | 99–115 | Cazzie Russell (23) | 10–4 | ||
| 15 | November 11 | @ New York | 112–103 | Jeff Mullins (31) | 11–4 | |
| 16 | November 12 | 104–106 | Nate Thurmond (25) | 11–5 | ||
| 17 | November 13 | @ Cincinnati | 101–110 | Nate Thurmond (25) | 11–6 | |
| 18 | November 16 | @ Detroit | 122–101 | Jeff Mullins (33) | 12–6 | |
| 19 | November 18 | 105–115 | Cazzie Russell (29) | 13–6 | ||
| 20 | November 20 | 100–107 | Cazzie Russell (29) | 14–6 | ||
| 21 | November 21 | N Houston | 115–96 | Cazzie Russell (24) | 14–7 | |
| 22 | November 25 | 112–111 | Cazzie Russell (29) | 14–8 | ||
| 23 | November 26 | @ Chicago | 89–121 | Jeff Mullins (19) | 14–9 | |
| 24 | November 27 | @ Buffalo | 110–91 | Cazzie Russell (28) | 15–9 | |
| 25 | November 30 | @ Milwaukee | 106–103 | Joe Ellis (25) | 16–9 | |
| 26 | December 3 | @ Portland | 107–115 | Cazzie Russell (28) | 16–10 | |
| 27 | December 4 | 128–92 | Cazzie Russell (20) | 16–11 | ||
| 28 | December 5 | @ Phoenix | 87–120 | Cazzie Russell (34) | 16–12 | |
| 29 | December 7 | N Atlanta | 113–116 | Cazzie Russell (33) | 16–13 | |
| 30 | December 9 | Los Angeles | 124–111 | Cazzie Russell (28) | 16–14 | |
| 31 | December 10 | @ Seattle | 94–105 | Cazzie Russell (26) | 16–15 | |
| 32 | December 16 | Philadelphia | 93–113 | Cazzie Russell (30) | 17–15 | |
| 33 | December 17 | @ Los Angeles | 99–129 | Cazzie Russell (26) | 17–16 | |
| 34 | December 18 | Detroit | 102–129 | Jeff Mullins (25) | 18–16 | |
| 35 | December 21 | New York | 113–87 | Nate Thurmond (20) | 18–17 | |
| 36 | December 25 | @ New York | 89–114 | Cazzie Russell (30) | 18–18 | |
| 37 | December 27 | @ Boston | 97–99 | Nate Thurmond (28) | 18–19 | |
| 38 | December 29 | @ Cincinnati | 107–102 | Cazzie Russell (33) | 19–19 | |
| 39 | December 30 | @ Detroit | 128–122 | Nate Thurmond (42) | 20–19 | |
| 40 | January 4 | Buffalo | 86–112 | Barnett, Mullins (21) | 21–19 | |
| 41 | January 6 | Portland | 115–119 | Nate Thurmond (37) | 22–19 | |
| 42 | January 8 | Boston | 106–128 | Cazzie Russell (31) | 23–19 | |
| 43 | January 9 | @ Houston | 113–112 | Cazzie Russell (31) | 24–19 | |
| 44 | January 11 | Cleveland | 92–101 | Mullins, Russell (24) | 25–19 | |
| 45 | January 14 | N New York | 111–115 | Nate Thurmond (31) | 26–19 | |
| 46 | January 15 | Baltimore | 95–105 | Joe Ellis (24) | 27–19 | |
| 47 | January 21 | @ Atlanta | 113–111 | Cazzie Russell (26) | 28–19 | |
| 48 | January 22 | @ Philadelphia | 113–106 | Jim Barnett (29) | 29–19 | |
| 49 | January 24 | @ Chicago | 105–110 | Jeff Mullins (43) | 29–20 | |
| 50 | January 25 | @ Cleveland | 117–111 | Cazzie Russell (35) | 30–20 | |
| 51 | January 27 | Chicago | 107–108 | Nate Thurmond (31) | 31–20 | |
| 52 | January 28 | @ Portland | 105–102 | Nate Thurmond (27) | 32–20 | |
| 53 | January 29 | Phoenix | 100–111 | Jeff Mullins (35) | 33–20 | |
| 54 | February 1 | N Milwaukee | 108–97 | Jeff Mullins (23) | 33–21 | |
| 55 | February 3 | Atlanta | 115–132 | Cazzie Russell (36) | 34–21 | |
| 56 | February 4 | @ Phoenix | 105–113 | Nate Thurmond (35) | 34–22 | |
| 57 | February 5 | Los Angeles | 108–96 | Nate Thurmond (29) | 34–23 | |
| 58 | February 8 | Baltimore | 107–111 | Nate Thurmond (38) | 35–23 | |
| 59 | February 10 | Philadelphia | 112–121 | Nate Thurmond (32) | 36–23 | |
| 60 | February 12 | @ Milwaukee | 100–123 | Nate Thurmond (25) | 36–24 | |
| 61 | February 13 | @ Chicago | 107–88 | Jeff Mullins (27) | 37–24 | |
| 62 | February 15 | @ Buffalo | 103–100 | Cazzie Russell (32) | 38–24 | |
| 63 | February 18 | @ Seattle | 108–110 | Nate Thurmond (25) | 38–25 | |
| 64 | February 19 | Boston | 111–115 | Jeff Mullins (28) | 39–25 | |
| 65 | February 22 | Seattle | 104–120 | Mullins, Russell (26) | 40–25 | |
| 66 | February 24 | Detroit | 106–116 | Nate Thurmond (27) | 41–25 | |
| 67 | February 26 | Chicago | 107–106 | Jim Barnett (32) | 41–26 | |
| 68 | February 27 | @ Houston | 117–104 | Russell, Thurmond (28) | 42–26 | |
| 69 | February 29 | Cincinnati | 120–128 | Nate Thurmond (27) | 43–26 | |
| 70 | March 3 | N Houston | 107–108 | Jeff Mullins (30) | 44–26 | |
| 71 | March 4 | Seattle | 96–114 | Jeff Mullins (25) | 45–26 | |
| 72 | March 7 | Cleveland | 112–119 | Nate Thurmond (30) | 46–26 | |
| 73 | March 10 | @ Houston | 119–116 | Cazzie Russell (30) | 47–26 | |
| 74 | March 12 | @ Cincinnati | 106–117 | Nate Thurmond (24) | 47–27 | |
| 75 | March 14 | @ Boston | 110–124 | Nate Thurmond (35) | 47–28 | |
| 76 | March 16 | Portland | 94–107 | Nate Thurmond (26) | 48–28 | |
| 77 | March 17 | @ Portland | 109–114 | Nate Thurmond (39) | 48–29 | |
| 78 | March 18 | Phoenix | 116–134 | Mullins, Thurmond (30) | 49–29 | |
| 79 | March 19 | @ Los Angeles | 99–162 | Jim Barnett (15) | 49–30 | |
| 80 | March 22 | @ Baltimore | 121–101 | Cazzie Russell (33) | 50–30 | |
| 81 | March 24 | @ Atlanta | 102–118 | Bob Portman (22) | 50–31 | |
| 82 | March 26 | @ Philadelphia | 116–115 | Nate Thurmond (32) | 51–31 |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| March 28| @ Milwaukee| W 117–106| Jim Barnett (30)| Nate Thurmond (20)| Thurmond, Mullins (9)| Milwaukee Arena
9,877| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| March 30| @ Milwaukee| L 93–118| Nate Thurmond (32)| Thurmond, Lee (18)| Thurmond, Barnett (5)| Milwaukee Arena
10,746| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| April 1| Milwaukee| L 94–122| Nate Thurmond (21)| Nate Thurmond (21)| Jim Barnett (7)| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,502| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| April 4| Milwaukee| L 99–106| Jim Barnett (29)| Clyde Lee (16)| Jeff Mullins (6)| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
12,986| 1–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 5| April 6| @ Milwaukee| L 100–108| Nate Thurmond (26)| Nate Thurmond (15)| Nate Thurmond (7)| Milwaukee Arena
10,746| 1–4|-