1970–71 Chicago Bulls season

The 1970–71 NBA season was the Bulls' fifth season in the NBA.^[1]

1970–71 Chicago Bulls season
Head coach	Dick Motta
General manager	Pat Williams
Owner(s)	Dick Klein
Arena	Chicago Stadium
Results
Record	51–31 (.622)
Place	Division: 2nd (Midwest) Conference: 3rd (Western)
Playoff finish	Conference semifinals (lost to Lakers 3–4)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	WGN-TV (Jack Brickhouse, Vince Lloyd)
Radio	WIND (Jack Fleming, Bill Berg)
< 1969–70 1971–72 >

Offseason

Draft picks

Main article: 1970 NBA draft

Roster

1970–71 Chicago Bulls roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From F 14 Johnny Baum 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1946–06–17 Temple C 18 Tom Boerwinkle 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 265 lb (120 kg) 1945–08–23 Tennessee G 22 Jimmy Collins 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1946–11–24 New Mexico State C 31 Jim Fox 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1943–04–07 South Carolina G 24 Matt Guokas 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1944–03–25 Saint Joseph's G 21 Jim King 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1941–02–07 Tulsa F 10 Bob Love 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1942–12–08 Southern C 44 Paul Ruffner 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1948–10–15 BYU G 4 Jerry Sloan 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1942–03–28 Evansville F 25 Chet Walker 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 212 lb (96 kg) 1940–02–22 Bradley G 8 Bob Weiss 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1942–05–07 Penn State

Head coach Dick Motta Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Updated: January 26, 1971

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Neutral	Div
y-Milwaukee Bucks	66	16	.805	–	34–2	28–13	4–1	14–4
x-Chicago Bulls	51	31	.622	15	30–11	17–19	4–1	7–11
Phoenix Suns	48	34	.585	18	27–14	19–20	2–0	9–9
Detroit Pistons	45	37	.549	21	24–17	20–19	1–1	6–12

#	Western Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT
1	z-Milwaukee Bucks	66	16	.805
2	y-Los Angeles Lakers	48	34	.585
3	x-Chicago Bulls	51	31	.622
4	x-San Francisco Warriors	41	41	.500
5	Phoenix Suns	48	34	.585
6	Detroit Pistons	45	37	.549
7	San Diego Rockets	40	42	.488
8	Seattle SuperSonics	38	44	.463
9	Portland Trail Blazers	29	53	.354

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1970–71 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BAL	BOS	BUF	CHI	CIN	CLE	DET	LAL	MIL	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SDR	SFW	SEA
Atlanta	—	3–3	2–4	3–1	1–4	2–4	4–0	0–5	3–2	1–4	3–3	4–2	1–4	2–2	2–3	2–3	3–2
Baltimore	3–3	—	3–3	3–1	2–3	3–3	4–0	2–3	2–3	1–4	2–4	3–3	3–2	2–2	4–1	2–3	3–2
Boston	4–2	3–3	—	4–0	4–1	4–2	3–1	2–3	3–2	0–5	0–6	4–2	2–3	2–2	3–2	3–2	3–2
Buffalo	1–3	1–3	0–4	—	0–4	0–4	5–7	1–5	2–2	0–4	2–2	0–4	1–3	6–6	1–3	1–3	1–3
Chicago	4–1	3–2	1–4	4–0	—	4–0	4–0	3–3	2–4	1–5	3–2	3–2	3–3	3–1	6–0	4–2	3–2
Cincinnati	4–2	3–3	2–4	4–0	0–4	—	5–1	1–4	1–4	1–4	2–4	1–5	1–4	4–0	1–3	2–3	1–4
Cleveland	0–4	0–4	1–3	7–5	0–4	1–5	—	2–2	0–4	0–4	0–4	1–3	0–4	2–10	0–4	1–3	0–4
Detroit	5–0	3–2	3–2	5–1	3–3	4–1	2–2	—	2–3	1–5	2–3	2–3	2–4	3–1	4–2	1–4	3–1
Los Angeles	2–3	3–2	2–3	2–2	4–2	4–1	4–0	3–2	—	1–4	3–2	3–2	2–4	4–0	3–3	4–2	4–2
Milwaukee	4–1	4–1	5–0	4–0	5–1	4–1	4–0	5–1	4–1	—	1–4	4–1	4–2	3–1	4–1	6–0	5–1
New York	3–3	4–2	6–0	2–2	2–3	4–2	4–0	3–2	2–3	4–1	—	2–4	4–1	3–1	4–1	3–2	2–3
Philadelphia	2–4	3–3	2–4	4–0	2–3	5–1	3–1	3–2	2–3	1–4	4–2	—	3–2	4–0	3–2	3–2	3–2
Phoenix	4–1	2–3	3–2	3–1	3–3	4–1	4–0	4–2	4–2	2–4	1–4	2–3	—	4–0	2–4	3–2	3–2
Portland	2–2	2–2	2–2	6–6	1–3	0–4	10–2	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	0–4	0–4	—	0–4	1–3	2–4
San Diego	3–2	1–4	2–3	3–1	0–6	3–1	4–0	2–4	3–3	1–4	1–4	2–3	4–2	4–0	—	2–4	5–1
San Francisco	3–2	3–2	2–3	3–1	2–4	3–2	3–1	4–1	2–4	0–6	2–3	2–3	2–3	3–1	4–2	—	3–3
Seattle	2–3	2–3	2–3	3–1	2–3	4–1	4–0	1–3	2–4	1–5	3–2	2–3	2–3	4–2	1–5	3–3	—

Game log

1970–71 game log
#	Date	Opponent	Score	High points	Record
1	October 13	San Diego	96–111	Bob Love (28)	1–0
2	October 14	@ Philadelphia	107–110	Chet Walker (30)	1–1
3	October 16	Los Angeles	106–102	Bob Weiss (22)	1–2
4	October 17	@ New York	99–96	Chet Walker (24)	2–2
5	October 25	@ Portland	131–116	Bob Love (30)	3–2
6	October 28	@ Phoenix	118–105	Bob Love (28)	4–2
7	October 30	@ San Francisco	101–98	Jerry Sloan (22)	5–2
8	October 31	@ Seattle	119–122	Chet Walker (39)	5–3
9	November 3	Seattle	101–113	Chet Walker (31)	6–3
10	November 6	Phoenix	105–102	Chet Walker (29)	6–4
11	November 7	Detroit	99–125	Jerry Sloan (25)	7–4
12	November 10	Los Angeles	96–118	Jerry Sloan (32)	8–4
13	November 13	New York	106–98	Bob Love (20)	8–5
14	November 14	@ Atlanta	120–116	Bob Love (39)	9–5
15	November 17	San Francisco	111–105	Bob Love (32)	9–6
16	November 18	@ Cincinnati	128–107	Chet Walker (27)	10–6
17	November 21	Boston	107–110	Bob Love (32)	11–6
18	November 24	Milwaukee	117–108	Jerry Sloan (23)	11–7
19	November 27	Buffalo	104–121	Bob Love (31)	12–7
20	November 28	@ Baltimore	91–99	Chet Walker (23)	12–8
21	December 1	Philadelphia	91–107	Chet Walker (28)	13–8
22	December 3	@ Milwaukee	100–107	Bob Love (22)	13–9
23	December 4	@ Detroit	103–107	Love, Walker (24)	13–10
24	December 5	Boston	101–97	Jerry Sloan (28)	13–11
25	December 8	San Francisco	87–98	Bob Love (30)	14–11
26	December 10	N Buffalo	138–120	Love, Sloan (34)	15–11
27	December 11	Atlanta	86–87	Chet Walker (27)	16–11
28	December 12	San Diego	98–103	Chet Walker (27)	17–11
29	December 15	Baltimore	97–115	Bob Love (37)	18–11
30	December 18	Cincinnati	122–137	Jerry Sloan (31)	19–11
31	December 19	@ New York	87–98	Bob Love (22)	19–12
32	December 20	@ Cleveland	116–103	Chet Walker (24)	20–12
33	December 22	Cleveland	80–121	Bob Love (22)	21–12
34	December 23	@ Buffalo	104–103	Bob Love (31)	22–12
35	December 25	@ Baltimore	112–128	Bob Love (42)	22–13
36	December 26	Detroit	117–114	Jerry Sloan (28)	22–14
37	December 27	@ San Diego	110–101	Bob Love (32)	23–14
38	December 29	@ Los Angeles	117–126	Bob Love (31)	23–15
39	December 30	@ Seattle	109–128	Boerwinkle, Love (20)	23–16
40	January 2	@ Portland	136–113	Bob Love (36)	24–16
41	January 5	San Diego	103–116	Jerry Sloan (29)	25–16
42	January 6	N Milwaukee	119–106	Bob Love (29)	25–17
43	January 8	Portland	113–105	Chet Walker (33)	25–18
44	January 10	Buffalo	113–141	Bob Love (30)	26–18
45	January 14	Philadelphia	103–108	Bob Love (27)	27–18
46	January 15	@ Philadelphia	96–99	Jerry Sloan (23)	27–19
47	January 16	Milwaukee	110–90	Bob Love (27)	27–20
48	January 19	Portland	111–123	Chet Walker (32)	28–20
49	January 20	New York	103–109	Chet Walker (33)	29–20
50	January 23	@ San Francisco	87–83	Bob Love (34)	30–20
51	January 24	@ Phoenix	112–113	Bob Love (34)	30–21
52	January 26	@ Los Angeles	111–136	Chet Walker (21)	30–22
53	January 27	@ San Diego	111–106	Jerry Sloan (30)	31–22
54	January 31	Cincinnati	99–131	Bob Love (25)	32–22
55	February 2	Seattle	101–118	Love, Walker (27)	33–22
56	February 3	@ Baltimore	124–102	Bob Love (35)	34–22
57	February 5	Philadelphia	102–114	Bob Love (37)	35–22
58	February 6	@ New York	109–102	Bob Love (40)	36–22
59	February 7	@ Boston	96–104	Bob Love (32)	36–23
60	February 9	Boston	90–88	Bob Love (27)	36–24
61	February 12	Los Angeles	88–107	Jerry Sloan (23)	37–24
62	February 13	@ Milwaukee	96–103	Chet Walker (32)	37–25
63	February 14	Cleveland	83–108	Jerry Sloan (26)	38–25
64	February 16	Atlanta	102–118	Jerry Sloan (32)	39–25
65	February 17	@ Cleveland	109–104	Chet Walker (32)	40–25
66	February 19	Detroit	114–115 (OT)	Chet Walker (44)	41–25
67	February 21	@ Detroit	125–112	Chet Walker (27)	42–25
68	February 27	@ Seattle	129–114	Bob Love (39)	43–25
69	March 1	N Cincinnati	94–98	Chet Walker (24)	44–25
70	March 3	@ Phoenix	90–115	Jim Fox (20)	44–26
71	March 5	N San Francisco	103–130	Bob Love (44)	45–26
72	March 6	N San Diego	99–105	Bob Love (28)	46–26
73	March 7	@ Los Angeles	108–117	Bob Love (28)	46–27
74	March 9	Milwaukee	103–110 (OT)	Bob Love (23)	47–27
75	March 12	Phoenix	92–116	Bob Love (29)	48–27
76	March 13	Phoenix	99–111	Chet Walker (31)	49–27
77	March 14	@ Boston	104–117	Bob Love (23)	49–28
78	March 16	Baltimore	99–113	Tom Boerwinkle (26)	50–28
79	March 18	San Francisco	91–85	Bob Love (20)	50–29
80	March 19	@ Atlanta	111–112 (OT)	Chet Walker (22)	50–30
81	March 20	Atlanta	121–138	Fox, Ruffner (19)	51–30
82	March 21	@ Detroit	111–116	Bob Love (27)	51–31

Playoffs

1971 playoff game log
Conference semifinals: 3–4 (home: 3–0; road: 0–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 March 24 @ Los Angeles L 99–100 Bob Love (24) Sloan, Boerwinkle (9) Tom Boerwinkle (8) The Forum 10,726 0–1 2 March 26 @ Los Angeles L 95–105 Bob Love (34) Jim Fox (13) Bob Weiss (5) The Forum 13,469 0–2 3 March 28 Los Angeles W 106–98 Bob Love (27) Chet Walker (12) Bob Weiss (11) Chicago Stadium 10,101 1–2 4 March 30 Los Angeles W 112–102 Bob Love (36) Jerry Sloan (12) Bob Weiss (13) Chicago Stadium 18,650 2–2 5 April 1 @ Los Angeles L 89–115 Bob Love (21) Jim Fox (11) Weiss, King (7) The Forum 13,935 2–3 6 April 4 Los Angeles W 113–99 Bob Weiss (25) Tom Boerwinkle (18) Boerwinkle, Walker (6) Chicago Stadium 14,211 3–3 7 April 6 @ Los Angeles L 98–109 Sloan, Love (24) Jim Fox (12) Bob Weiss (8) The Forum 17,505 3–4
1971 schedule

Awards and records

• Dick Motta, NBA Coach of the Year Award
• Bob Love, All-NBA Second Team
• Jerry Sloan, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
• Chet Walker, NBA All-Star Game
• Bob Love, NBA All-Star Game