1975–76 Golden State Warriors season

NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season

1975–76 Golden State Warriors season

Division champions

Head coach| Al Attles
General manager| Dick Vertlieb
Owner(s)| Franklin Mieuli
Arena| Oakland Coliseum Arena
Results
Record| 59-23 (.720)
Place| Division: 1st (Pacific)
Conference: 1st (Western)
Playoff finish| Conference finals
(lost to Suns 3–4)

* * *

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television| KTVU
Radio| KNBR
| < 1974–75  | 1976–77 >

|

The 1975–76 Golden State Warriors season was the 31st season of NBA basketball in Oakland, California Coming off their NBA Championship, the Warriors finished with a then-franchise-best 59–23 record.[1] The Warriors would however lose in the Western Conference finals to the upstart Phoenix Suns, four games to three. The Warriors’ franchise-best regular-season record would be surpassed when the team won the 2014–15 championship, but in between the Warriors would play thirty-eight seasons without even reaching the conference finals, the fourth-longest such drought in NBA history.

## Offseason

[edit]

### Draft picks

[edit]

Main article: 1975 NBA draft

Round  | Pick  | Player  | Position  | Nationality  | College

|
|
|
|
|

1 | 14 | Joe Bryant | F |  United States | La Salle
2 | 20 | Gus Williams | G |  United States | USC
3 | 40 | Otis Johnson | F |  United States | Stetson
3 | 51 | Robert Hawkins | G |  United States | Illinois State
4 | 69 | Billy Taylor | F |  United States | La Salle
5 | 87 | Larry Pounds |  |  United States | Washington
6 | 105 | Tony Styles |  |  United States | San Francisco
7 | 123 | Stan Boyer | F |  United States | Wyoming
8 | 141 | Mike Rozenski |  |  United States | St. Mary's (CA)
9 | 157 | Scott Trobbe |  |  United States | Stanford
10 | 171 | Maurice Harper |  |  United States | St. Mary's (CA)

## Roster

[edit]

1975–76 Golden State Warriors roster  Players  | Coaches

|

| Pos. | No. | Name  | Height  | Weight  | DOB  | From

|
|
|
|
|
|

SF | 24 | Barry, Rick | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)  | 205 lb (93 kg)  | 1944-03-28  | Miami (FL)
PF | 42 | Davis, Dwight | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)  | 220 lb (100 kg)  | 1949-10-28  | Houston
PF | 40 | Dickey, Derrek | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)  | 218 lb (99 kg)  | 1951-03-20  | Cincinnati
PG | 15 | Dudley, Charles | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)  | 180 lb (82 kg)  | 1950-03-05  | Washington
SG | 12 | Hawkins, Robert | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)  | 190 lb (86 kg)  | 1954-06-30  | Illinois State
PG | 10 | Johnson, Charles | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)  | 170 lb (77 kg)  | 1949-03-31  | California
C | 52 | Johnson, George | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)  | 205 lb (93 kg)  | 1948-12-18  | Dillard
SG | 23 | Mullins, Jeff | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)  | 190 lb (86 kg)  | 1942-03-18  | Duke
C | 44 | Ray, Clifford | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 230 lb (104 kg)  | 1949-01-21  | Oklahoma
SG | 20 | Smith, Phil | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)  | 185 lb (84 kg)  | 1952-04-22  | San Francisco
SF | 41 | Wilkes, Jamaal | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)  | 190 lb (86 kg)  | 1953-05-02  | UCLA
PG | 1 | Williams, Gus | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)  | 175 lb (79 kg)  | 1953-10-10  | USC

Head coach

* Al Attles

Assistant coach(es)

* Joe Roberts

* * *

Legend

* (DP) Unsigned draft pick
* (FA) Free agent
* (S) Suspended
* Injured

* * *

Roster
Last transaction: October 23, 1975

## Regular season

[edit]

### Season standings

[edit]

Pacific Division

* v
* t
* e

|  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB  |  Home  |  Road  |  Div

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

y-Golden State Warriors | 59 | 23 | .720 | – | 36–5 | 23–18 | 17–9
x-Seattle SuperSonics | 43 | 39 | .524 | 16 | 31–10 | 12–29 | 12–14
x-Phoenix Suns | 42 | 40 | .512 | 17 | 27–14 | 15–26 | 15–11
Los Angeles Lakers | 40 | 42 | .488 | 19 | 31–11 | 9–31 | 10–16
Portland Trail Blazers | 37 | 45 | .451 | 22 | 25–15 | 12–30 | 11–15
#  |

Western Conference

* v
* t
* e

|

Team  |  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB
1  | z-Golden State Warriors | 59 | 23 | .720 | –
2  | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 43 | 39 | .524 | 16
3  | x-Phoenix Suns | 42 | 40 | .512 | 17
4  | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 38 | 44 | .463 | 21
5  | x-Detroit Pistons | 36 | 46 | .439 | 23
6  | Los Angeles Lakers | 40 | 42 | .488 | 19
7  | Portland Trail Blazers | 37 | 45 | .451 | 22
8  | Kansas City Kings | 31 | 51 | .378 | 28
9  | Chicago Bulls | 24 | 58 | .293 | 35

### Record vs. opponents

[edit]

1975–76 NBA Records

Team  | ATL  | BOS  | BUF  | CHI  | CLE  | DET  | GSW  | HOU  | KCK  | LAL  | MIL  | NOJ  | NYK  | PHI  | PHO  | POR  | SEA  | WAS
Atlanta | — | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–5 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–5
Boston | 3–2 | — | 4–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 5–2 | 4–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–2
Buffalo | 3–2 | 3–4 | — | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 4–3 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–3
Chicago | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 0–4 | 3–4 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 1–6 | 3–2 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 0–4
Cleveland | 5–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 4–0 | — | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–3 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–2
Detroit | 3–1 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 4–3 | 2–2 | — | 0–5 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 1–4 | 3–4 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–2
Golden State  | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 5–0 | — | 2–2 | 4–1 | 5–2 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 4–3 | 3–1
Houston | 5–2 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–4
Kansas City | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 6–1 | 3–1 | 2–5 | 1–4 | 2–2 | — | 2–3 | 2–5 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 1–3
Los Angeles | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–5 | 3–1 | 3–2 | — | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 1–3
Milwaukee | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 0–4 | 4–3 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 3–2 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–2
New Orleans | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 2–3 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–3
New York | 2–3 | 2–5 | 3–4 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | — | 5–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 3–2
Philadelphia | 3–2 | 3–4 | 4–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–5 | — | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–3
Phoenix | 4–0 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 5–2 | 4–3 | 0–4
Portland | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 0–4 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 4–3 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–5 | — | 3–3 | 2–2
Seattle | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 3–4 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 3–3 | — | 1–3
Washington | 5–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–4 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | —

## Playoffs

[edit]

In the playoffs, the Warriors returned to the Western Conference finals by beating the Detroit Pistons in 6 games. In the Western Finals, the Warriors faced the Phoenix Suns. The Warriors had a 2 games to 1 lead. Game 4 went in overtime and the Warriors were unable to grab a 3–1 series lead. The Suns would rally to win the game 133–129. The Warriors would bounce back to take Game 5, but the Suns would win Games 6 & 7 to stun the defending Champions.[1]

1976 playoff game log

Conference semifinals: 4–2 (home: 2–1; road: 2–1)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Series

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | April 20  | Detroit | W 127–103 | Phil Smith (26)  | Clifford Ray (12)  | Rick Barry (14)  | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,067  | 1–0
2  | April 22  | Detroit | L 111–123 | Rick Barry (27)  | Clifford Ray (12)  | Rick Barry (8)  | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,067  | 1–1
3  | April 24  | @ Detroit | W 113–96 | Phil Smith (34)  | Jamaal Wilkes (18)  | Rick Barry (10)  | Cobo Arena
10,022  | 2–1
4  | April 26  | @ Detroit | L 102–106 | Phil Smith (31)  | Clifford Ray (8)  | Rick Barry (6)  | Cobo Arena
11,389  | 2–2
5  | April 28  | Detroit | W 128–109 | Phil Smith (28)  | Clifford Ray (14)  | Rick Barry (11)  | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,067  | 3–2
6  | April 30  | @ Detroit | W 118–116 (OT) | Phil Smith (37)  | three players tied (8)  | Phil Smith (7)  | Cobo Arena
10,361  | 4–2

Conference finals: 3–4 (home: 2–2; road: 1–2)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Series

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | May 2  | Phoenix | W 128–103 | Rick Barry (38)  | Clifford Ray (11)  | Gus Williams (6)  | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
12,475  | 1–0
2  | May 5  | Phoenix | L 101–108 | Rick Barry (44)  | George Johnson (11)  | Rick Barry (4)  | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,067  | 1–1
3  | May 7  | @ Phoenix | W 99–91 | Jamaal Wilkes (22)  | Rick Barry (7)  | Barry, Smith (6)  | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
13,306  | 2–1
4  | May 9  | @ Phoenix | L 129–133 (2OT) | Phil Smith (30)  | Jamaal Wilkes (14)  | Phil Smith (8)  | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
12,884  | 2–2
5  | May 12  | Phoenix | W 111–95 | Phil Smith (25)  | Clifford Ray (16)  | Phil Smith (6)  | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,067  | 3–2
6  | May 14  | @ Phoenix | L 104–105 | Rick Barry (30)  | Clifford Ray (12)  | Barry, Smith (6)  | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
13,396  | 3–3
7  | May 16  | Phoenix | L 86–94 | Rick Barry (20)  | Wilkes, Ray (13)  | Phil Smith (6)  | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
13,067  | 3–4

1976 schedule

## Awards and honors

[edit]

* Rick Barry, All-NBA First Team
* Rick Barry, NBA All-Star Game
* Phil Smith, All-NBA Second Team
* Phil Smith, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
* Gus Williams, NBA All-Rookie Team First Team

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Golden State Warriors (1962-present)

* Warriors on Basketball Reference

* v
* t
* e

1975–76 NBA season by team

* 1975 NBA draft
* All-Star Game
* Playoffs
* Finals
* Transactions

Eastern|

| Atlantic|

* Boston
* Buffalo
* New York
* Philadelphia

|

Central|

* Atlanta
* Cleveland
* Houston
* New Orleans
* Washington

Western|

| Midwest|

* Chicago
* Detroit
* Kansas City
* Milwaukee

|

Pacific|

* Golden State
* Los Angeles
* Phoenix
* Portland
* Seattle

* v
* t
* e

Golden State Warriors seasons

* Franchise
* History
* Seasons

1940s|

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  1946–47 |  1947–48 |  1948–49

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1950s|

|  1949–50 |  1950–51 |  1951–52 |  1952–53 |  1953–54 |  1954–55 |  1955–56 |  1956–57 |  1957–58 |  1958–59

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1960s|

|  1959–60 |  1960–61 |  1961–62 |  1962–63 |  1963–64 |  1964–65 |  1965–66 |  1966–67 |  1967–68 |  1968–69

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1970s|

|  1969–70 |  1970–71 |  1971–72 |  1972–73 |  1973–74 |  1974–75 |  1975–76 |  1976–77 |  1977–78 |  1978–79

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1980s|

|  1979–80 |  1980–81 |  1981–82 |  1982–83 |  1983–84 |  1984–85 |  1985–86 |  1986–87 |  1987–88 |  1988–89

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1990s|

|  1989–90 |  1990–91 |  1991–92 |  1992–93 |  1993–94 |  1994–95 |  1995–96 |  1996–97 |  1997–98 |  1998–99

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2000s|

|  1999–00 |  2000–01 |  2001–02 |  2002–03 |  2003–04 |  2004–05 |  2005–06 |  2006–07 |  2007–08 |  2008–09

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2010s|

|  2009–10 |  2010–11 |  2011–12 |  2012–13 |  2013–14 |  2014–15 |  2015–16 |  2016–17 |  2017–18 |  2018–19

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2020s|

|  2019–20 |  2020–21 |  2021–22 |  2022–23 |  2023–24 |  2024-25 |  |  |  |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Bold indicates NBA Finals victory
*[Pos.]: Position
*[No.]: Number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[ W ]: Games won
*[ L ]: Games lost
*[ PCT ]: Winning percentage
*[ GB ]: Games behind
*[ Home ]: Home record
*[ Road ]: Road record
*[ Div ]: Division record