1974–75 Golden State Warriors season
The 1974–75 Golden State Warriors season was the 29th season in the franchise's history, its 13th in California and the fourth playing in Oakland. After four seasons of second-place division finishes, the Warriors made various changes. Nate Thurmond was traded to the Chicago Bulls for Clifford Ray, a young defensive center.[1] The club drafted Keith Wilkes (later known as Jamaal Wilkes), whose nickname was "Silk". Cazzie Russell had played out his option and joined the Los Angeles Lakers, leaving Rick Barry as the team's leader. Coach Al Attles implemented a team-oriented system that drew on the contributions of as many as ten players during a game. Barry scored 30.6 points per game, led the NBA in free throw percentage and steals per game, and was sixth in the league in assists per game. The Warriors captured the Pacific Division title with a 48–34 record.[1]
1974–75 Golden State Warriors season | |
---|---|
NBA champions | |
Conference champions | |
Division champions | |
Head coach | Al Attles |
Arena | Oakland Coliseum Arena |
Results | |
Record | 48–34 (.585) |
Place | Division: 1st (Pacific) Conference: 1st (Western) |
Playoff finish | NBA champions (Defeated Bullets 4-0) |
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | KTVU |
Radio | KNBR |
In the playoffs, the Warriors got to the Western Conference Finals by beating the Seattle SuperSonics in six games.[1] In the Western Finals, the Warriors looked like they were about to lose to former teammate Nate Thurmond. The Warriors found themselves down against the Chicago Bulls 3 games to 2. The Warriors rallied to win Game 6 in Chicago and took the series with an 83–79 Game 7 triumph in Oakland.[1] In the NBA Finals, the Warriors faced off against the Washington Bullets. The Warriors took the series in four straight games, including 1-point wins in Games 2 and 4.[1] Rick Barry was named the series MVP.
The Warriors wouldn't make another NBA Finals appearance again until 2015, where the team won its fourth league title. They would also go on to win two more titles in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Offseason
Draft picks
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 11 | Jamaal Wilkes | F | United States | UCLA |
2 | 29 | Phil Smith | G | United States | San Francisco |
3 | 47 | Frank Kendrick | F | United States | Purdue |
4 | 65 | Willie Biles | G | United States | Tulsa |
5 | 83 | Steve Erickson | United States | Oregon | |
6 | 101 | John Errecart | G | United States | Pacific |
7 | 119 | Brady Allen | United States | California | |
8 | 137 | Clarence Allen | United States | UC Santa Barbara | |
9 | 155 | Carl Meier | United States | California | |
10 | 172 | Marvin Buckley | United States | Nevada |
Roster
Golden State Warriors roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Regular season
Season standings
Pacific Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-Golden State Warriors | 48 | 34 | .585 | – | 31–10 | 17–24 | 19–11 |
x-Seattle SuperSonics | 43 | 39 | .524 | 5 | 24–16 | 19–23 | 18–12 |
Portland Trail Blazers | 38 | 44 | .463 | 10 | 29–13 | 9–31 | 16–14 |
Phoenix Suns | 32 | 50 | .390 | 16 | 22–19 | 10–31 | 12–18 |
Los Angeles Lakers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 18 | 21–20 | 9–32 | 10–20 |
# | Western Conference | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
1 | z-Golden State Warriors | 48 | 34 | .585 | – |
2 | y-Chicago Bulls | 47 | 35 | .573 | 1 |
3 | x-Kansas City–Omaha Kings | 44 | 38 | .537 | 4 |
4 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 43 | 39 | .524 | 5 |
5 | x-Detroit Pistons | 40 | 42 | .488 | 8 |
6 | Portland Trail Blazers | 38 | 44 | .463 | 10 |
6 | Milwaukee Bucks | 38 | 44 | .463 | 10 |
8 | Phoenix Suns | 32 | 50 | .390 | 16 |
9 | Los Angeles Lakers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 18 |
Record vs. opponents
1974–75 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | ATL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | KCO | LAL | MIL | NOJ | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA | WAS |
Atlanta | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–5 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–5 |
Boston | 4–0 | — | 5–4 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 7–2 | 5–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
Buffalo | 3–1 | 4–5 | — | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 5–3 | 6–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
Chicago | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | — | 2–2 | 4–5 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–5 | 3–1 | 3–5 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 |
Cleveland | 4–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 6–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–5 |
Detroit | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 5–4 | 2–2 | — | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–6 | 3–1 | 3–6 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
Golden State | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 5–3 | 4–3 | 1–3 |
Houston | 5–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 |
Kansas City-Omaha | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–4 | 2–2 | 6–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | — | 3–1 | 6–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 |
Los Angeles | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 4–4 | 2–5 | 2–6 | 1–3 |
Milwaukee | 2–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 3–1 | 6–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–6 | 0–4 | — | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 |
New Orleans | 5–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–6 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 3–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–7 |
New York | 4–0 | 2–7 | 3–5 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 4–5 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
Philadelphia | 2–2 | 3–5 | 3–6 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 5–4 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
Phoenix | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 1–6 | 4–3 | 1–3 |
Portland | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 5–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 6–1 | — | 2–6 | 1–3 |
Seattle | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 6–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 6–2 | — | 1–3 |
Washington | 5–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 5–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 7–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | — |
Postseason
West First Round
The Warriors had a first round bye.
West Conference Semifinals
(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (4) Seattle SuperSonics: Warriors win series 4–2
- Game 1 @ Golden State: Golden State 123, Seattle 96
- Game 2 @ Golden State: Seattle 100, Golden State 99
- Game 3 @ Seattle: Golden State 105, Seattle 96
- Game 4 @ Seattle: Seattle 111, Golden State 94
- Game 5 @ Golden State: Golden State 124, Seattle 100
- Game 6 @ Seattle: Golden State 105, Seattle 96
West Conference Finals
(1) Golden State Warriors vs. (2) Chicago Bulls: Warriors win series 4–3
- Game 1 @ Golden State: Golden State 107, Chicago 89
- Game 2 @ Chicago: Chicago 90, Golden State 89
- Game 3 @ Chicago: Chicago 108, Golden State 101
- Game 4 @ Golden State: Golden State 111, Chicago 106
- Game 5 @ Golden State: Chicago 89, Golden State 79
- Game 6 @ Chicago: Golden State 86, Chicago 72
- Game 7 @ Golden State: Golden State 83, Chicago 79
NBA Finals
(E1) Washington Bullets vs. (W1) Golden State Warriors: Warriors win series 4–0
- Game 1 @ Washington: Golden State 101, Washington 95
- Game 2 @ Golden State: Golden State 92, Washington 91
- Game 3 @ Golden State: Golden State 109, Washington 101
- Game 4 @ Washington: Golden State 96, Washington 95
Roster
Awards and honors
- Rick Barry, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award
- Rick Barry, All-NBA First Team
- Rick Barry, NBA All-Star Game
- Jamaal Wilkes, NBA Rookie of the Year Award
- Jamaal Wilkes, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team
- Dick Vertlieb, NBA Executive of the Year Award