| Team: | Buffalo Braves |
| End Year: | 1975 |
| Wins: | 49 |
| Losses: | 33 |
| Division: | Atlantic |
| Division Place: | 2 |
| Conf Place: | 3 |
| Coach: | Jack Ramsay |
| Arena: | Buffalo Memorial Auditorium Maple Leaf Gardens |
| Television: | WBEN-TV |
| Radio: | WBEN |
| Playoffs: | East Semifinals (lost to Bullets 3–4) |
| Bbr Team: | BUF |
The 1974–75 Buffalo Braves season was the fifth season of the club in the National Basketball Association. It was the team's third season under head coach Jack Ramsay.[1] The team's home arena was the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, with six "home" games played at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
Despite losing three key players in Gar Heard, Jim McMillian and Ernie DiGregorio for long stretches, the Braves continued to improve. Buffalo finished second in the Atlantic Division to Boston, with a record of 49–33 and a .598 winning percentage; this would endure as the club's best record for 37 years, until the twice-relocated Los Angeles Clippers amassed a 40–26 mark (.606) in the 2011–12 season. Bob McAdoo captured the NBA MVP Award,[2] leading the league with 34.5 points per game, while adding 14.1 rebounds per contest, fourth-best in the NBA.[2]
In the 1975 NBA Playoffs, the Braves earned the franchise's second playoff berth, this time against the Washington Bullets. The series went to the full seven games, with Washington taking the deciding contest, 115–96, at home. After the season, the team was occupied with legal wrangling surrounding the departure of minority owner and general manager Eddie Donovan.
On March 21, Braves general manager Eddie Donovan announced that he would resign effective April 1.[3] The resignation was controversial because there were rumors that he would return to work for his prior team, New York Knicks,[4] but there were simultaneous rumors that the Knicks had unfairly tampered with Donovan while under contract with the Braves. Upon the announced resignation, NBA Commissioner Walter Kennedy announced that the league would conduct a hearing on the matter.[5] The transition was complicated by Donovan's 5% ownership of the Braves.[6] Incoming commissioner, Larry O'Brien announced an amicable settlement as one of his first orders of business.[7]
See main article: 1974 NBA draft. The following members of the 1974–75 Buffalo Braves were drafted during the 1974 NBA draft.[8] McMillen played for a year in Europe before joining the 1975–76 Buffalo Braves.[9] He played for a team in Bologna, Italy.[10]
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Center | Maryland | |||
| 3 | 45 | Center | Wisconsin | |||
| 4 | 63 | Forward | Virginia Commonwealth | |||
| 5 | 81 | Guard | Wake Forest | |||
| 6 | 99 | Forward | Missouri | |||
| 7 | 117 | Guard | UCLA | |||
| 8 | 135 | Forward | St. Bonaventure | |||
| 9 | 153 | Guard | Davidson | |||
| 10 | 170 | Forward | Princeton |