The 1971–72 NBA season was the 76ers 23rd season in the NBA and 9th season in Philadelphia. The team finished with a record of 30–52 and missed the post season for the 1st time in franchise history, ending an NBA-record streak of 22 consecutive appearances.
The team made a major trade to obtain guards Fred Carter and Kevin Loughery from the Baltimore Bullets in exchange for guard Archie Clark and draft picks.[1] At the start of the season the team was 9–4 after 13 games but imploded before long.
After the season Billy Cunningham left for the ABA, Lucious Jackson retired due to nagging injuries & coach Jack Ramsay left to become the head coach of the Buffalo Braves.[2]
See main article: 1971 NBA draft. This table only displays picks through the second round.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | PF/C | ||||
| 2 | 33 | G |
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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 | |
| 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 | Archie Clark (29) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | October 14 | 105–94 | Billy Cunningham (41) | 2–0 | ||
| 3 | October 16 | 104–102 | Billy Cunningham (27) | 3–0 | ||
| 4 | October 20 | 93–100 | Billy Cunningham (29) | 4–0 | ||
| 5 | October 23 | 110–88 | Fred Foster (17) | 4–1 | ||
| 6 | October 24 | 111–93 | Hal Greer (28) | 5–1 | ||
| 7 | October 27 | Cleveland | 106–120 | Billy Cunningham (31) | 6–1 | |
| 8 | October 29 | 137–135 (2OT) | Fred Foster (29) | 6–2 | ||
| 9 | October 30 | 108–101 | Kevin Loughery (25) | 7–2 | ||
| 10 | November 3 | 100–124 | Fred Foster (29) | 7–3 | ||
| 11 | November 6 | Atlanta | 96–101 | Hal Greer (31) | 8–3 | |
| 12 | November 10 | 143–103 | Greer, Wohl (16) | 8–4 | ||
| 13 | November 12 | 101–115 | Billy Cunningham (24) | 9–4 | ||
| 14 | November 13 | 105–111 | Kevin Loughery (22) | 9–5 | ||
| 15 | November 14 | N Milwaukee | 114–125 | Billy Cunningham (32) | 9–6 | |
| 16 | November 17 | Houston | 118–112 | Billy Cunningham (29) | 9–7 | |
| 17 | November 19 | Chicago | 148–104 | Billy Cunningham (17) | 9–8 | |
| 18 | November 21 | @ Seattle | 117–127 | Billy Cunningham (32) | 9–9 | |
| 19 | November 23 | @ Phoenix | 107–128 | Billy Cunningham (17) | 9–10 | |
| 20 | November 24 | @ Houston | 108–109 | Billy Cunningham (30) | 9–11 | |
| 21 | November 25 | 112–111 | Fred Foster (28) | 10–11 | ||
| 22 | November 27 | 93–116 | Billy Cunningham (23) | 11–11 | ||
| 23 | November 28 | @ Cleveland | 120–124 | Bill Bridges (25) | 11–12 | |
| 24 | December 1 | Seattle | 98–102 | Billy Cunningham (32) | 12–12 | |
| 25 | December 3 | Los Angeles | 131–116 | Hal Greer (23) | 12–13 | |
| 26 | December 4 | @ Atlanta | 109–126 | Bob Rule (18) | 12–14 | |
| 27 | December 8 | @ Cincinnati | 115–109 | Bob Rule (21) | 13–14 | |
| 28 | December 10 | Cincinnati | 113–106 (OT) | Kevin Loughery (27) | 13–15 | |
| 29 | December 11 | @ Detroit | 118–111 | Bill Bridges (26) | 14–15 | |
| 30 | December 14 | 110–117 | Billy Cunningham (29) | 14–16 | ||
| 31 | December 16 | @ Golden State | 93–113 | Cunningham, Wohl (19) | 14–17 | |
| 32 | December 17 | @ Portland | 126–127 | Billy Cunningham (47) | 14–18 | |
| 33 | December 19 | @ Los Angeles | 132–154 | Bob Rule (33) | 14–19 | |
| 34 | December 21 | @ Phoenix | 119–124 | Bob Rule (26) | 14–20 | |
| 35 | December 25 | Baltimore | 117–114 | Billy Cunningham (29) | 14–21 | |
| 36 | December 27 | @ Buffalo | 121–112 | Billy Cunningham (26) | 15–21 | |
| 37 | December 28 | 120–116 | Billy Cunningham (24) | 15–22 | ||
| 38 | December 29 | N Cleveland | 102–103 | Bob Rule (25) | 15–23 | |
| 39 | December 31 | @ Boston | 119–131 | Bob Rule (36) | 15–24 | |
| 40 | January 2 | @ Cleveland | 148–119 | Billy Cunningham (38) | 16–24 | |
| 41 | January 4 | @ Detroit | 131–127 | Billy Cunningham (39) | 17–24 | |
| 42 | January 5 | Chicago | 139–107 | Billy Cunningham (22) | 17–25 | |
| 43 | January 7 | New York | 113–117 | Billy Cunningham (25) | 18–25 | |
| 44 | January 8 | Phoenix | 119–130 | Billy Cunningham (31) | 19–25 | |
| 45 | January 12 | Buffalo | 111–109 | Bob Rule (24) | 19–26 | |
| 46 | January 14 | Los Angeles | 135–121 | Bob Rule (25) | 19–27 | |
| 47 | January 15 | @ Detroit | 131–121 | Bob Rule (25) | 20–27 | |
| 48 | January 16 | @ Atlanta | 116–124 | Billy Cunningham (45) | 20–28 | |
| 49 | January 21 | N Portland | 122–136 | Fred Carter (29) | 21–28 | |
| 50 | January 22 | Golden State | 113–106 | Fred Carter (27) | 21–29 | |
| 51 | January 26 | Cincinnati | 102–113 | Fred Carter (31) | 22–29 | |
| 52 | January 28 | Milwaukee | 127–118 | Billy Cunningham (39) | 22–30 | |
| 53 | January 30 | @ Boston | 114–130 | Billy Cunningham (41) | 22–31 | |
| 54 | February 2 | Buffalo | 104–119 | Fred Carter (23) | 23–31 | |
| 55 | February 4 | Detroit | 118–113 | Carter, Cunningham, Rule (21) | 23–32 | |
| 56 | February 5 | @ New York | 104–112 | Kevin Loughery (22) | 23–33 | |
| 57 | February 6 | New York | 109–107 | Fred Carter (36) | 23–34 | |
| 58 | February 8 | @ Phoenix | 108–120 | Kevin Loughery (17) | 23–35 | |
| 59 | February 10 | @ Golden State | 112–121 | Fred Foster (30) | 23–36 | |
| 60 | February 11 | @ Portland | 106–110 | Fred Carter (26) | 23–37 | |
| 61 | February 14 | Houston | 130–116 | Billy Cunningham (25) | 23–38 | |
| 62 | February 16 | Cleveland | 116–126 | Bob Rule (31) | 24–38 | |
| 63 | February 18 | @ Milwaukee | 132–126 | Fred Carter (41) | 25–38 | |
| 64 | February 19 | Baltimore | 121–105 | Billy Cunningham (23) | 25–39 | |
| 65 | February 21 | @ Baltimore | 101–102 | Foster, Rule (21) | 25–40 | |
| 66 | February 22 | @ Chicago | 88–119 | Carter, Foster (14) | 25–41 | |
| 67 | February 25 | N Atlanta | 114–110 | Fred Foster (26) | 26–41 | |
| 68 | March 1 | Buffalo | 99–108 | Bob Rule (20) | 27–41 | |
| 69 | March 3 | Milwaukee | 94–81 | Dave Wohl (17) | 27–42 | |
| 70 | March 4 | @ New York | 115–118 (OT) | Fred Carter (34) | 27–43 | |
| 71 | March 5 | New York | 98–100 | Fred Foster (24) | 28–43 | |
| 72 | March 7 | @ Los Angeles | 97–114 | Fred Carter (20) | 28–44 | |
| 73 | March 9 | @ Seattle | 128–123 | Bridges, Carter (26) | 29–44 | |
| 74 | March 12 | @ Houston | 112–121 | Billy Cunningham (20) | 29–45 | |
| 75 | March 14 | @ Buffalo | 105–108 | Fred Carter (26) | 29–46 | |
| 76 | March 15 | Boston | 120–115 | Billy Cunningham (32) | 29–47 | |
| 77 | March 17 | N Boston | 111–127 | Billy Cunningham (24) | 29–48 | |
| 78 | March 19 | Seattle | 100–115 | Billy Cunningham (26) | 30–48 | |
| 79 | March 21 | Atlanta | 117–111 | Billy Cunningham (31) | 30–49 | |
| 80 | March 22 | @ Boston | 106–113 | Billy Cunningham (26) | 30–50 | |
| 81 | March 24 | Chicago | 116–99 | Billy Cunningham (25) | 30–51 | |
| 82 | March 26 | Golden State | 116–115 | Hal Greer (27) | 30–52 |