1976-77 Four new teams in the NBA. Blazermania takes Portland by storm
1976-77 Four new teams in the NBA. Blazermania takes Portland by storm.
Before the opening of the season, four teams from the ABA, namely:
the New York Nets, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs, joined
the NBA for a fee of $3.2 million. The rest of the ABA players, including
excellent center Artis Gilmore of the Kentucky's Colonels, were dispersed
throughout the league in a draft. The NBA had 22 teams now, and the Playoffs
facilitated 12 teams, whereas division winners received an automatic bye through
the First Round. Portland, which never posted a .500 record in its first six
seasons, was under Jack Ramsay (who previously coached the 76ers and Buffalo
Braves) showed some signs of improvement. Bill Walton, center from UCLA, being
hurt most of his first two seasons, now got a scoring and rebounding partner in
Maurice Lucas, who came to the NBA from the ABA dispersal draft. The rest of the
team was composed of excellent role players: short forward Bobby Gross, point
guard Dave Twardzik and shooting guard Lionel Hollins. Although they didn't win
their division, the Blazers defeated Chicago, Denver , the Lakers and the 76ers,
who had an ABA superstar Julius Erving, to become the NBA Champions.
Blazermania takes Portland by storm. Before 1977, many fans believed that
Portland hadn't been set in well as an NBA team. The Trail Blazers didn't
command respect during theur earlier games, having 28 wins in six seasons and
failing to make the Playoffs. But because of only one season, NBA fans succomed
to "Blazermania."
Since the time the Trail Blazers obtained Bill Walton, red-haired center from
California, Portland started to play the ball that brought first the Celtics,
and later the Knicks, NBA Championship.
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