1970-71 National Basketball Association season

Seasons

1969-70

1970-71

1971-72

Teams and Alignment

Conference	Division	Team	Primary Venue	Municipality
Eastern Conference	Atlantic Division	Boston Celtics	Boston Garden	Boston
		Buffalo Braves	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium	Buffalo, New York
		New York Knickerbockers	Madison Square Garden (1925)	Manhattan, New York
		Philadelphia 76ers	The Spectrum	Philadelphia
	Central Division	Atlanta Hawks	McCamish Pavilion	Atlanta
		Baltimore Bullets	CFG Bank Arena	Baltimore
		Cincinnati Royals	Cincinnati Gardens	Cincinnati
		Cleveland Cavaliers	Cleveland Arena	Cleveland
Western Conference	Midwest Division	Chicago Bulls	Chicago Stadium	Chicago
		Detroit Pistons	Cobo Arena at Cobo Center	Detroit
		Milwaukee Bucks	UWM Panther Arena	Milwaukee
		Phoenix Suns	Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum	Phoenix
	Pacific Division	Los Angeles Lakers	Kia Forum	Inglewood, California
		Portland Trail Blazers	Veterans Memorial Coliseum	Portland, Oregon
		San Diego Rockets	Pechanga Arena San Diego	San Diego
		San Francisco Warriors	Oakland Arena	Oakland, California
		Seattle SuperSonics	Climate Pledge Arena	Seattle

Changes

• League realigned into Eastern Conference, divided into Atlantic Division and Central Division, and Western Conference, divided into Midwest Division and Pacific Division.
• Atlanta Hawks realigned from Western Division to Eastern Conference Central Division.
• Baltimore Bullets realigned from Eastern Division to Eastern Conference Central Division.
• Boston Celtics realigned from Eastern Division to Eastern Conference Atlantic Division.
• Buffalo Braves enfranchised in Eastern Conference Atlantic Division, playing at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York.
• Chicago Bulls realigned from Western Division to Western Conference Midwest Division.
• Cincinnati Royals realigned from Eastern Division to Eastern Conference Central Division.
• Cleveland Cavaliers enfranchised in Eastern Conference Central Division, playing at Cleveland Arena in Cleveland.
• Detroit Pistons realigned from Eastern Division to Western Conference Midwest Division.
• Los Angeles Lakers realigned from Western Division to Western Conference Pacific Division.
• Milwaukee Bucks realigned from Eastern Division to Western Conference Midwest Division.
• New York Knickerbockers realigned from Eastern Division to Eastern Conference Atlantic Division.
• Philadelphia 76ers realigned from Eastern Division to Eastern Conference Atlantic Division.
• Phoenix Suns realigned from Western Division to Western Conference Midwest Division.
• Portland Trail Blazers enfranchised in Western Conference Pacific Division, playing at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon.
• San Diego Rockets realigned from Western Division to Western Conference Pacific Division.
• San Francisco Warriors relocate primary venue from Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco to Oakland Arena in Oakland, California and realigned from Western Division to Western Conference Pacific Division.
• Seattle SuperSonics realigned from Western Division to Western Conference Pacific Division.

Regular Season Results

Conference	Division	Team	W	L	GB
Eastern Conference	Atlantic Division	New York Knickerbockers	52	30
		Philadelphia 76ers	47	35	5
		Boston Celtics	44	38	8
		Buffalo Braves	22	60	30
	Central Division	Baltimore Bullets	42	40
		Atlanta Hawks	36	46	6
		Cincinnati Royals	33	49	9
		Cleveland Cavaliers	15	67	27
Western Conference	Midwest Division	Milwaukee Bucks	66	16
		Chicago Bulls	51	31	15
		Phoenix Suns	48	34	18
		Detroit Pistons	45	37	21
	Pacific Division	Los Angeles Lakers	48	34
		San Francisco Warriors	41	41	7
		San Diego Rockets	40	42	8
		Seattle SuperSonics	38	44	10
		Portland Trail Blazers	29	53	19

Postseason Results

Team (Best-of-Seven)		Team (Best-of-Seven)		Team (Best-of-Seven)		Champions
New York Knickerbockers	4	New York Knickerbockers	3	Baltimore Bullets	0	Milwaukee Bucks
Atlanta Hawks	1
Baltimore Bullets	4	Baltimore Bullets	4
Philadelphia 76ers	3
Milwaukee Bucks	4	Milwaukee Bucks	4	Milwaukee Bucks	4
San Francisco Warriors	1
Los Angeles Lakers	4	Los Angeles Lakers	1
Chicago Bulls	3

Special Event Results

Event	Away	Score	Home
NBA All-Star Game	Eastern Conference	107-108	Western Conference

Markets and Venues

Combined Statistical Area	Metropolitan Statistical Area	Metropolitan Division	County / Equivalent	Municipality	Venue	Team / Event	Regular	Postseason	Total
Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL Combined Statistical Area	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Metropolitan Division	Fulton County, Georgia	Atlanta	McCamish Pavilion	Atlanta Hawks	41	Two	43
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH Combined Statistical Area	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metropolitan Statistical Area	Boston, MA Metropolitan Division	Suffolk County, Massachusetts	Boston	Boston Garden	Boston Celtics	39		39
						Philadelphia 76ers	Two		Two
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY Combined Statistical Area	Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area		Erie County, New York	Buffalo, New York	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium	Buffalo Braves	37		37
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI Combined Statistical Area	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area	Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg, IL Metropolitan Division	Cook County, Illinois	Chicago	Chicago Stadium	Chicago Bulls	41	Three	44
Cincinnati-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN Combined Statistical Area	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area		Hamilton County, Ohio	Cincinnati	Cincinnati Gardens	Cincinnati Royals	33		33
Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH Combined Statistical Area	Cleveland, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area		Cuyahoga County, Ohio	Cleveland	Cleveland Arena	Cleveland Cavaliers	41		41
Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI Combined Statistical Area	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area	Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia, MI Metropolitan Division	Wayne County, Michigan	Detroit	Cobo Arena at Cobo Center	Detroit Pistons	41		41
El Paso-Las Cruces, TX-NM Combined Statistical Area	Las Cruces, NM Metropolitan Statistical Area		Doña Ana County, New Mexico	University Park, New Mexico	Pan American Center	Cincinnati Royals	One		One
Eugene-Springfield, OR Metropolitan Statistical Area			Lane County, Oregon	Eugene, Oregon	McArthur Court	Portland Trail Blazers	One		One
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA Combined Statistical Area	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division	Los Angeles County, California	Inglewood, California	Kia Forum	Los Angeles Lakers	41	Six	47
Madison-Janesville-Beloit, WI Combined Statistical Area	Madison, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area		Dane County, Wisconsin	Madison, Wisconsin	Veterans Memorial Coliseum at Alliant Energy Center	Milwaukee Bucks	Five		Five
					Wisconsin Field House	Milwaukee Bucks		Three	Three
Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI Combined Statistical Area	Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area		Milwaukee County, Wisconsin	Milwaukee	UWM Panther Arena	Milwaukee Bucks	36	Five	41
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area	New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division	New York County, New York	Manhattan, New York	Madison Square Garden	New York Knickerbockers	41	Seven	48
Omaha-Fremont, NE-IA Combined Statistical Area	Omaha, NE-IA Metropolitan Statistical Area		Douglas County, Nebraska	Omaha, Nebraska	Omaha Civic Auditorium	Cincinnati Royals	Six		Six
Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical Area	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area	Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division	Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	The Spectrum	Philadelphia 76ers	39	Three	42
						Boston Celtics	Two		Two
Phoenix-Mesa, AZ Combined Statistical Area	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area		Maricopa County, Arizona	Phoenix	Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum	Phoenix Suns	41		41
Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA Combined Statistical Area	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area		Multnomah County, Oregon	Portland, Oregon	Veterans Memorial Coliseum	Portland Trail Blazers	39		39
						Seattle SuperSonics	One		One
Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY Combined Statistical Area	Rochester, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area		Monroe County, New York	Rochester, New York	Blue Cross Arena at The War Memorial	Buffalo Braves	Two		Two
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area			San Diego County, California	San Diego	Pechanga Arena San Diego	San Diego Rockets	39		39
						San Francisco Warriors	Two		Two
						NBA All-Star Game			One
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA Combined Statistical Area	San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area	Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley, CA Metropolitan Division	Alameda County, California	Oakland, California	Oakland Arena	San Francisco Warriors	16	Two	18
						San Diego Rockets	Two		Two
		San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division	San Francisco County, California	San Francisco	Bill Graham Civic Auditorium	San Francisco Warriors	Seven		Seven
			San Mateo County, California	Daly City, California	Cow Palace	San Francisco Warriors	15		15
Seattle-Tacoma, WA Combined Statistical Area	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metropolitan Statistical Area	Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, WA Metropolitan Division	King County, Washington	Seattle	Alaska Airlines Arena	Seattle SuperSonics	Six		Six
					Climate Pledge Arena	Seattle SuperSonics	34		34
						Portland Trail Blazers	One		One
St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL Combined Statistical Area	St. Louis, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area		St. Louis		St. Louis Arena	San Francisco Warriors	One		One
Syracuse-Auburn, NY Combined Statistical Area	Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area		Onondaga County, New York	Syracuse, New York	Upstate Medical University Arena at The Oncenter War Memorial	Buffalo Braves	Two		Two
Toronto Census Metropolitan Area				Old Toronto, Toronto	Maple Leaf Gardens	Cincinnati Royals	One		One
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area		Baltimore		CFG Bank Arena	Baltimore Bullets	37	Nine	46
	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area	Washington, DC-MD Metropolitan Division	Prince George's County, Maryland	College Park, Maryland	Cole Field House	Baltimore Bullets	Four		Four
Total							697	40	738