NBA professional basketball team season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1977–78 NBA season was the Braves' eighth and final season in the NBA. Entering the season, the Braves were allowed an escape clause in their lease, because season ticket sales did not reach the set goal of 4,500. The Braves suffered another disappointment as Tiny Archibald (whom they acquired from the New Jersey Nets for George Johnson ) was lost for the year due to an Achilles tendon injury in the preseason.[ 1] [ 2]
The Braves played competitively in November with a respectable .500 record at 10–10. Despite the promising start, the Braves won just nine games over the next three months.[ 1] While the Braves were struggling on the court, owner John Y. Brown was brokering a deal to take over the legendary Boston Celtics franchise. Celtics owner Irv Levin wanted to move the historic franchise to California . However, the NBA would not allow him to take the cornerstone franchise out of Boston .[ 1]
NBA Lawyer David Stern offered a comprise in which Levin and Brown would swap franchises. The concept was that Levin would take over the Braves and move them to San Diego .[ 3] The Braves finished in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 27–55 (.329) record, and played their last game on April 9, ironically, in Boston.[ 1] Owners voted 21–1 to approve the deal, and the Braves moved from Buffalo to San Diego; the team was renamed the San Diego Clippers for the 1978–79 season.[ 1]
The deal also included a seven-player trade in which the Celtics acquired Archibald, Billy Knight , and Marvin Barnes .[ 1] The San Diego-bound Braves received Freeman Williams , back-up center Kevin Kunnert , and power forwards Kermit Washington and Sidney Wicks .[ 3] The team would not request a draft pick in the deal, allowing the Celtics to retain the draft rights to Larry Bird in 1979 .
Buffalo Braves 1977–78 roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Ht.
Wt.
From
G
1
Archibald, Nate (IN)
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
165 lb (75 kg)
UTEP
G
15
Averitt, Bird
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Pepperdine
F
8
Barnes, Marvin
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Providence
G
7
Brokaw, Gary
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Notre Dame
F
22
Gerard, Gus (to DET)
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Virginia
G
14
Glenn, Mike
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Southern Illinois
G
10
Johnson, Larry
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Kentucky
F
24
Jones, Wil
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Albany State
G
25
Knight, Billy
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Pittsburgh
C
45
Lloyd, Scott
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
Arizona State
G
12
McClain, Ted
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Tennessee State
C
44
McDaniels, Jim
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
240 lb (109 kg)
Western Kentucky
F
43
McNeil, Larry
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Marquette
C
31
Nater, Swen
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
240 lb (109 kg)
UCLA
F
40
Owens, Eddie
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
UNLV
F
34
Shumate, John
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
Notre Dame
G
9
Smith, Randy
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Buffalo State
G
11
Williams, Chuck
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Colorado
F
32
Willoughby, Bill
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Dwight Morrow HS (NJ)
Head coach
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Record vs. opponents [ edit ]
1977–78 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
BUF
CHI
CLE
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
KCK
LAL
MIL
NJN
NOJ
NYK
PHI
PHO
POR
SAS
SEA
WAS
Atlanta
—
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–2
1–3
3–1
3–1
2–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–3
2–1
1–3
Boston
2–2
—
3–1
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–2
2–1
2–2
1–2
3–1
3–1
2–2
2–2
0–4
2–2
1–3
0–4
0–4
1–3
Buffalo
1–3
1–3
—
3–1
1–3
1–3
1–3
0–3
3–1
1–3
1–2
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
0–4
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–3
Chicago
3–1
3–1
1–3
—
3–1
2–2
2–2
1–3
3–1
3–1
0–4
2–2
1–3
1–2
2–2
1–3
3–0
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
2–1
Cleveland
3–1
3–1
3–1
1–3
—
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
2–1
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–2
0–4
0–4
3–1
2–2
Denver
3–1
3–1
3–1
2–2
1–3
—
2–2
2–2
3–0
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–1
3–1
3–1
1–3
1–3
2–2
3–1
2–1
1–3
3–1
Detroit
2–2
3–1
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
—
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–0
0–4
0–4
2–2
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–2
Golden State
3–1
2–2
3–0
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
—
2–1
3–1
3–1
0–4
2–2
3–1
0–4
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–3
3–1
2–2
2–2
Houston
1–3
2–2
1–3
1–3
2–2
0–3
1–3
1–2
—
3–1
2–2
1–3
1–3
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–3
0–4
1–3
Indiana
1–3
1–2
3–1
1–3
1–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–3
—
2–2
1–3
0–4
2–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–3
3–1
Kansas City
1–2
2–2
2–1
4–0
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
2–2
2–2
—
2–2
0–4
2–2
2–2
0–4
1–3
0–4
0–4
0–4
1–3
2–2
Los Angeles
1–3
2–1
3–1
2–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
4–0
3–1
3–1
2–2
—
3–1
4–0
2–1
3–1
2–2
1–3
0–4
2–2
1–3
2–2
Milwaukee
2–2
1–3
3–1
3–1
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
4–0
4–0
1–3
—
3–1
2–1
3–1
1–2
1–3
1–3
2–2
1–3
3–1
New Jersey
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–1
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–2
2–2
0–4
1–3
—
0–4
1–3
0–4
2–2
0–3
0–4
2–2
2–2
New Orleans
2–2
2–2
2–2
2–2
2–2
1–3
1–3
4–0
3–1
2–2
2–2
1–2
1–2
4–0
—
1–3
2–2
1–3
3–1
1–3
2–2
0–4
New York
2–2
2–2
1–3
3–1
1–3
3–1
3–0
2–2
2–2
3–1
4–0
1–3
1–3
3–1
3–1
—
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–2
2–1
2–2
Philadelphia
2–2
4–0
3–1
1–3
3–1
3–1
4–0
3–1
2–2
2–2
3–1
2–2
2–1
4–0
2–2
3–1
—
2–1
2–2
3–1
3–1
2–2
Phoenix
1–3
2–2
4–0
2–2
2–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–1
4–0
3–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
3–1
1–2
—
1–3
2–2
2–2
2–2
Portland
3–1
3–1
3–1
3–1
4–0
1–3
3–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
4–0
4–0
3–1
3–1
1–3
3–0
2–2
3–1
—
2–2
3–1
2–1
San Antonio
3–1
4–0
3–1
2–2
4–0
1–2
2–1
1–3
3–1
3–1
4–0
2–2
2–2
4–0
3–1
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
—
2–2
2–2
Seattle
1–2
4–0
3–1
2–2
1–3
3–1
3–1
2–2
4–0
3–1
3–1
3–1
3–1
2–2
2–1
1–3
1–3
2–2
1–3
2–2
—
1–3
Washington
3–1
3–1
3–1
1–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
2–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
4–0
2–2
2–2
2–2
1–2
2–2
3–1
—
Legend
GP
Games played
MPG
Minutes per game
FG
Field-goals per game
FGA
Field-goals attempted per Game
FG%
Field-goal percentage
FT
Free-throws per game
FTA
Free-throws attempted per Game
FT%
Free-throw percentage
ORPG
Offensive rebounds per game
DRPG
Defensive rebounds per game
RPG
Rebounds per game
APG
Assists per game
SPG
Steals per game
BPG
Blocks per game
PFPG
Personal fouls per game
PPG
Points per game
Player
GP
MPG
FG
FGA
FG%
FT
FTA
FT%
ORPG
DRPG
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PFPG
PPG
Billy Knight
53
40.7
8.6
17.5
0.494
5.7
7.0
0.809
2.4
4.8
7.2
3.0
1.5
0.2
2.6
22.9
Randy Smith
82
40.4
9.6
20.7
0.465
5.4
6.8
0.800
1.3
2.4
3.8
5.6
2.1
0.1
2.7
24.6
Swen Nater
78
35.6
6.4
12.7
0.504
2.7
3.5
0.765
3.6
9.6
13.2
2.8
0.5
0.6
3.5
15.5
John Shumate
18
32.8
4.2
8.4
0.497
4.1
5.5
0.747
1.8
5.3
7.1
3.2
0.8
0.5
3.2
12.4
Marvin Barnes
48
28.7
4.7
11.3
0.416
2.4
3.2
0.745
2.2
5.0
7.3
2.4
1.2
1.5
4.1
11.8
Chuck Williams
73
27.4
2.8
6.0
0.477
1.6
1.9
0.826
0.4
1.5
1.9
4.3
0.7
0.1
1.9
7.3
Larry McNeill
37
23.6
4.2
9.1
0.462
3.5
4.2
0.833
2.1
3.0
5.1
1.2
0.5
0.3
2.7
11.9
Wil Jones
79
21.7
2.9
6.5
0.440
1.1
1.5
0.706
1.3
2.9
4.2
1.5
0.9
0.5
3.2
6.8
Bird Averitt
34
19.9
3.8
8.7
0.436
1.9
2.8
0.667
0.3
1.2
1.5
3.8
0.6
0.2
2.5
9.5
Bill Willoughby
56
19.3
2.8
6.5
0.430
1.1
1.4
0.800
1.4
2.6
3.9
0.7
0.4
0.8
2.3
6.7
Ted McClain
41
17.7
2.0
4.5
0.440
1.2
1.5
0.794
0.3
1.6
1.8
3.0
1.0
0.0
2.1
5.2
Mike Glenn
56
16.9
3.5
6.6
0.527
0.9
1.2
0.785
0.3
1.2
1.4
1.4
0.6
0.1
1.8
7.9
Jim McDaniels
42
16.5
2.4
5.6
0.427
0.9
1.0
0.857
1.1
3.2
4.3
1.0
0.1
0.9
2.7
5.6
Scott Lloyd
56
10.1
1.2
2.9
0.425
0.8
1.0
0.741
0.8
1.3
2.1
0.6
0.2
0.2
1.5
3.2
Gary Brokaw
13
10.0
1.4
3.3
0.419
1.4
1.8
0.750
0.2
0.7
0.9
1.5
0.2
0.4
0.8
4.2
Larry Johnson
4
9.5
0.8
3.3
0.231
0.0
0.5
0.000
0.3
1.0
1.3
1.8
1.3
0.5
0.8
1.5
Gus Gerard
10
8.5
1.6
4.0
0.400
1.1
1.5
0.733
0.6
0.8
1.4
0.9
0.2
0.3
1.3
4.3
Eddie Owens
8
7.9
1.1
2.6
0.429
0.4
0.8
0.500
0.6
0.6
1.3
0.6
0.1
0.0
0.4
1.1
The Braves were involved in the following transactions during the 1977–78 season.
June 7, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
To Milwaukee Bucks
The 3rd pick in the 1977 NBA Draft
June 10, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
A 1977 2nd round draft pick
To Chicago Bulls
The 13th pick in the 1977 NBA Draft
June 10, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
To Los Angeles Lakers
A 1977 3rd round draft pick
August 5, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
A 1978 3rd round draft pick as compensation
To Detroit Pistons
The right to sign Don Adams as a veteran free agent
September 1, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
To New Jersey Nets
George Johnson , a 1978 1st round draft pick & a 1979 1st round draft pick.
September 1, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
To New Jersey Nets
A future 4th round draft pick as compensation
September 1, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
To Indiana Pacers
September 2, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
A 1979 1st round draft pick
To Milwaukee Bucks
September 7, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
To Los Angeles Lakers
September 13, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
To Atlanta Hawks
A 1978 2nd round draft pick
October 3, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
The right to sign Wil Jones as a veteran free agent
To Indiana Pacers
A 1980 2nd round draft pick as compensation
October 6, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
To Denver Nuggets
A 1978 3rd round draft pick as compensation
October 17, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
To Cleveland Cavaliers
October 18, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
A 1978 3rd round draft pick
To Indiana Pacers
November 23, 1977
To Buffalo Braves
To Detroit Pistons
January 31, 1978
To Buffalo Braves
A 1978 3rd round draft pick
To Philadelphia 76ers