1974–75 Portland Trail Blazers season
NBA professional basketball team season
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The 1974–75 Portland Trail Blazers season was the fifth season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After a 27–55 record the previous season, the Blazers earned the #1 pick in the 1974 NBA draft, and made perhaps the most important selection in franchise history: Hall of Famer Bill Walton out of UCLA.
| 1974–75 Portland Trail Blazers season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Lenny Wilkens |
| General manager | Harry Glickman |
| Owners | |
| Arena | Memorial Coliseum |
| Results | |
| Record | 38–44 (.463) |
| Place | Division: 3rd (Pacific) Conference: 6th (Western) |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| Local media | |
| Television | KOIN |
| Radio | KOIN |
In three years of varsity competition, Walton led UCLA to two NCAA championships and 88 consecutive wins, smashing the 60-game streak set by Bill Russell's teams at the University of San Francisco. Walton also set UCLA's career assists record, which left observers declaring him the best passing center in the history of the game.[1] [2]
Injuries would limit Walton to just 35 games in his rookie year, but nevertheless the Blazers challenged for a playoff spot for the first time in franchise history. The Blazers fell just two games short with a 38–44 record.[2]
Offseason
NBA draft
Note: This is not a complete list; only the first two rounds are covered, as well as any other picks by the franchise who played at least one NBA game.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Bill Walton | C |  United States |
UCLA |
| 2 | 20 | Jan van Breda Kolff | G/F | United States |
Vanderbilt |
| 2 | 34 | Phil Lumpkin | G | United States |
Miami (OH) |
| 2 | 36 | Rubin Collins | G | United States |
Maryland-Eastern Shore |
| 4 | 56 | Mickey Johnson | F | United States |
Aurora |
| 6 | 92 | Daniel Anderson | G | United States |
USC |
Roster
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Head coach
Legend
|
Regular season
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Season standings
| 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 |
| # | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
- z – clinched division title
- y – clinched division title
- x – clinched playoff spot