The 1971–72 NBA season was the Bulls' sixth season in the NBA.[1]
See main article: article and 1971 NBA draft.
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 |
| — | 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | |
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 12 | 114–100 | Bob Love (34) | 0–1 | ||
| 2 | October 15 | 82–106 | Bob Love (31) | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | October 20 | 110–125 | Bob Love (31) | 2–1 | ||
| 4 | October 22 | 113–106 | Bob Love (28) | 3–1 | ||
| 5 | October 24 | 105–104 | Bob Love (29) | 4–1 | ||
| 6 | October 26 | 123–111 | Bob Love (36) | 5–1 | ||
| 7 | October 29 | 99–83 | Jerry Sloan (25) | 5–2 | ||
| 8 | November 2 | Phoenix | 101–108 | Chet Walker (33) | 6–2 | |
| 9 | November 3 | 113–100 | Bob Weiss (27) | 7–2 | ||
| 10 | November 5 | 104–102 | Bob Weiss (30) | 7–3 | ||
| 11 | November 6 | 99–130 | Jerry Sloan (20) | 7–4 | ||
| 12 | November 9 | Los Angeles | 122–109 | Bob Love (25) | 7–5 | |
| 13 | November 10 | @ Baltimore | 125–106 | Jerry Sloan (35) | 8–5 | |
| 14 | November 13 | Houston | 102–111 | Bob Love (30) | 9–5 | |
| 15 | November 16 | 87–95 | Bob Love (23) | 10–5 | ||
| 16 | November 19 | @ Philadelphia | 148–104 | Love, Walker (25) | 11–5 | |
| 17 | November 20 | 106–123 | Bob Love (38) | 12–5 | ||
| 18 | November 23 | Portland | 94–130 | Chet Walker (23) | 13–5 | |
| 19 | November 26 | Golden State | 89–121 | Bob Love (27) | 14–5 | |
| 20 | November 27 | 99–100 | Bob Love (26) | 14–6 | ||
| 21 | November 30 | Atlanta | 85–86 | Bob Love (22) | 15–6 | |
| 22 | December 1 | 109–101 | Bob Love (36) | 16–6 | ||
| 23 | December 3 | New York | 96–122 | Bob Love (29) | 17–6 | |
| 24 | December 4 | @ Milwaukee | 105–108 | Chet Walker (28) | 17–7 | |
| 25 | December 7 | 99–115 | Bob Love (40) | 18–7 | ||
| 26 | December 9 | 107–110 | Bob Love (28) | 18–8 | ||
| 27 | December 10 | Baltimore | 102–118 | Chet Walker (27) | 19–8 | |
| 28 | December 11 | @ Boston | 115–99 | Jerry Sloan (26) | 20–8 | |
| 29 | December 14 | Boston | 116–108 | Bob Love (28) | 20–9 | |
| 30 | December 17 | Houston | 109–98 | Chet Walker (32) | 20–10 | |
| 31 | December 19 | @ Cleveland | 119–101 | Bob Love (36) | 21–10 | |
| 32 | December 21 | Detroit | 92–127 | Bob Love (28) | 22–10 | |
| 33 | December 23 | @ Phoenix | 117–108 (OT) | Love, Walker (24) | 23–10 | |
| 34 | December 25 | @ Portland | 109–88 | Bob Love (26) | 24–10 | |
| 35 | December 26 | @ Seattle | 103–102 | Bob Love (28) | 25–10 | |
| 36 | December 28 | Milwaukee | 105–116 | Bob Love (41) | 26–10 | |
| 37 | December 30 | Portland | 92–117 | Norm Van Lier (24) | 27–10 | |
| 38 | January 4 | Phoenix | 112–108 | Chet Walker (26) | 27–11 | |
| 39 | January 5 | @ Philadelphia | 139–107 | Bob Love (40) | 28–11 | |
| 40 | January 7 | Baltimore | 104–94 | Chet Walker (27) | 28–12 | |
| 41 | January 8 | @ New York | 113–108 | Bob Love (33) | 29–12 | |
| 42 | January 9 | Cincinnati | 104–108 (OT) | Chet Walker (33) | 30–12 | |
| 43 | January 11 | New York | 91–116 | Bob Weiss (24) | 31–12 | |
| 44 | January 12 | @ Boston | 112–113 | Chet Walker (22) | 31–13 | |
| 45 | January 14 | @ Milwaukee | 77–104 | Chet Walker (17) | 31–14 | |
| 46 | January 15 | Portland | 100–120 | Bob Love (32) | 32–14 | |
| 47 | January 21 | @ Buffalo | 113–93 | Jerry Sloan (23) | 33–14 | |
| 48 | January 22 | Houston | 108–115 | Chet Walker (39) | 34–14 | |
| 49 | January 24 | Golden State | 105–110 | Chet Walker (29) | 35–14 | |
| 50 | January 26 | N Houston | 108–117 | Bob Love (38) | 36–14 | |
| 51 | January 27 | @ Golden State | 107–108 | Chet Walker (29) | 36–15 | |
| 52 | January 28 | @ Phoenix | 116–102 | Bob Love (38) | 37–15 | |
| 53 | January 30 | Detroit | 99–109 | Chet Walker (29) | 38–15 | |
| 54 | February 1 | Seattle | 121–103 | Bob Love (22) | 38–16 | |
| 55 | February 2 | @ Boston | 100–124 | Bob Love (36) | 38–17 | |
| 56 | February 4 | @ Baltimore | 110–108 | Bob Love (23) | 39–17 | |
| 57 | February 5 | Buffalo | 96–130 | Bob Love (35) | 40–17 | |
| 58 | February 6 | Cincinnati | 94–119 | Chet Walker (56) | 41–17 | |
| 59 | February 8 | Cleveland | 90–114 | Bob Love (30) | 42–17 | |
| 60 | February 11 | Atlanta | 91–102 | Chet Walker (24) | 43–17 | |
| 61 | February 12 | @ Atlanta | 117–106 | Bob Love (35) | 44–17 | |
| 62 | February 13 | Golden State | 107–88 | Love, Sloan (14) | 44–18 | |
| 63 | February 17 | New York | 102–99 (OT) | Chet Walker (28) | 44–19 | |
| 64 | February 18 | @ Detroit | 122–97 | Jerry Sloan (32) | 45–19 | |
| 65 | February 19 | Milwaukee | 97–104 | Jerry Sloan (23) | 46–19 | |
| 66 | February 20 | @ Milwaukee | 100–103 | Bob Love (19) | 46–20 | |
| 67 | February 22 | Philadelphia | 88–119 | Bob Love (34) | 47–20 | |
| 68 | February 25 | Phoenix | 107–115 | Norm Van Lier (29) | 48–20 | |
| 69 | February 26 | @ Golden State | 107–106 | Bob Love (33) | 49–20 | |
| 70 | February 27 | @ Los Angeles | 118–123 (OT) | Chet Walker (31) | 49–21 | |
| 71 | February 29 | @ Portland | 116–92 | Chet Walker (30) | 50–21 | |
| 72 | March 3 | @ Seattle | 103–112 | Chet Walker (28) | 50–22 | |
| 73 | March 5 | @ Houston | 128–97 | Chet Walker (31) | 51–22 | |
| 74 | March 8 | @ Atlanta | 98–96 | Bob Love (28) | 52–22 | |
| 75 | March 10 | @ Cincinnati | 100–104 | Bob Love (28) | 52–23 | |
| 76 | March 14 | Seattle | 115–111 | Chet Walker (37) | 52–24 | |
| 77 | March 17 | Buffalo | 103–126 | Chet Walker (23) | 53–24 | |
| 78 | March 18 | @ Cleveland | 109–91 | Norm Van Lier (22) | 54–24 | |
| 79 | March 19 | @ Detroit | 115–107 | Bob Love (33) | 55–24 | |
| 80 | March 21 | Los Angeles | 109–104 | Bob Love (28) | 55–25 | |
| 81 | March 24 | @ Philadelphia | 116–99 | Love, Sloan (29) | 56–25 | |
| 82 | March 25 | Detroit | 105–121 | Bob Love (30) | 57–25 |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| March 28| @ Los Angeles| L 80–95| Jerry Sloan (18)| Clifford Ray (17)| Norm Van Lier (4)| The Forum
17,505| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| March 30| @ Los Angeles| L 124–131| Bob Love (26)| Clifford Ray (12)| Norm Van Lier (10)| The Forum
17,505| 0–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| April 2| Los Angeles| L 101–108| Norm Van Lier (22)| Clifford Ray (20)| Norm Van Lier (8)| Chicago Stadium
17,805| 0–3|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| April 4| Los Angeles| L 97–108| Clifford Ray (20)| Clifford Ray (17)| Norm Van Lier (11)| Chicago Stadium
18,847| 0–4|-