1970–71 San Francisco Warriors season

The 1970–71 NBA season was the Warriors' 25th season in the NBA and ninth in the San Francisco Bay Area.^[1]

1970–71 San Francisco Warriors season
Head coach	Al Attles
Arena	Cow Palace
Results
Record	41–41 (.500)
Place	Division: 2nd (Pacific) Conference: 4th (Western)
Playoff finish	West Conference semifinals (lost to Bucks 1–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
< 1969–70 1971–72 >

It was also the franchise's final season in San Francisco before relocating across the Bay to Oakland the following season. The team would not play in San Francisco full time until the 2019–20 NBA season.

Offseason

Draft picks

Main article: 1971 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
3	36	Earle Higgins	F	United States	Eastern Michigan
4	53	Ralph Ogden	F	United States	Santa Clara
5	70	Levi Fontaine	G	United States	Maryland Eastern Shore
6	87	Vic Bartolome	C	United States	Oregon State
7	104	Joe Bergman	F	United States	Creighton
8	121	Jeff Sewell		United States	Marquette
9	138	Lou Small		United States	Nevada
10	155	Coby Dietrick	C/F	United States	San José State

Roster

1970–71 San Francisco Warriors roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From G 16 Attles, Al 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) North Carolina A&T F 31 Ellis, Joe 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 175 lb (79 kg) San Francisco G 12 Fontaine, Levi 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Maryland Eastern Shore G 15 Jones, Nick 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Oregon F/C 43 Lee, Clyde 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Vanderbilt F/C 32 Lucas, Jerry 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Ohio State G 23 Mullins, Jeff 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Duke F 22 Ogden, Ralph 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Santa Clara G/F 33 Portman, Bob 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Creighton G 10 Smith, Adrian 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Kentucky F/C 42 Thurmond, Nate 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Bowling Green F 34 Turner, Bill 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Akron G 21 Williams, Ron 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 188 lb (85 kg) West Virginia

Head coach Al Attles (North Carolina A&T) Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Pacific Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Neutral	Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers	48	34	.585	–	30–11	17–22	1–1	15–7
x-San Francisco Warriors	41	41	.500	7	20–18	19–21	2–2	12–10
San Diego Rockets	40	42	.488	8	24–15	15–26	1–1	14–8
Seattle SuperSonics	38	44	.463	10	27–13	11–30	0–1	10–14
Portland Trail Blazers	29	53	.354	19	18–21	9–26	2–6	3–15

#	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 16	Detroit	120–106	Jerry Lucas (31)	0–1
2	October 17	Cleveland	108–128	Jerry Lucas (30)	1–1
3	October 20	@ Baltimore	125–105	Jerry Lucas (33)	2–1
4	October 21	@ Atlanta	100–102	Jeff Mullins (19)	2–2
5	October 22	@ New York	92–95	Nate Thurmond (20)	2–3
6	October 24	Portland	115–118	Ellis, Lucas (26)	3–3
7	October 28	Philadelphia	111–108	Jeff Mullins (32)	3–4
8	October 30	Chicago	101–98	Jeff Mullins (23)	3–5
9	November 2	New York	111–99	Jerry Lucas (20)	3–6
10	November 4	Baltimore	100–111	Jeff Mullins (35)	4–6
11	November 6	@ Portland	110–103	Jeff Mullins (32)	5–6
12	November 7	San Diego	102–114	Joe Ellis (21)	6–6
13	November 10	Cleveland	74–109	Ron Williams (22)	7–6
14	November 12	Cincinnati	121–107	Jerry Lucas (24)	7–7
15	November 13	@ San Diego	107–102	Jeff Mullins (24)	8–7
16	November 16	@ Milwaukee	100–119	Nate Thurmond (25)	8–8
17	November 17	@ Chicago	111–105	Ron Williams (28)	9–8
18	November 18	@ Boston	90–89	Jeff Mullins (30)	10–8
19	November 20	Buffalo	108–123	Adrian Smith (23)	11–8
20	November 21	Milwaukee	127–102	Nate Thurmond (30)	11–9
21	November 24	@ Philadelphia	104–96	Jeff Mullins (28)	12–9
22	November 25	@ Cleveland	108–99	Jeff Mullins (25)	13–9
23	November 27	@ Seattle	96–101	Jerry Lucas (27)	13–10
24	November 28	Los Angeles	88–92	Lucas, Thurmond (27)	14–10
25	December 1	Atlanta	106–113	Jeff Mullins (34)	15–10
26	December 4	@ Los Angeles	101–123	Mullins, Thurmond (16)	15–11
27	December 5	Phoenix	105–100	Jerry Lucas (28)	15–12
28	December 7	N Cincinnati	113–124	Ron Williams (28)	15–13
29	December 8	@ Chicago	87–98	Ron Williams (23)	15–14
30	December 9	@ Detroit	110–99	Lucas, Mullins (27)	16–14
31	December 11	@ Philadelphia	102–101	Ron Williams (26)	17–14
32	December 12	@ Baltimore	96–119	Nate Thurmond (21)	17–15
33	December 13	N New York	101–94	Jeff Mullins (22)	18–15
34	December 15	@ Phoenix	129–123	Jerry Lucas (26)	19–15
35	December 16	Seattle	91–108	Jerry Lucas (29)	20–15
36	December 18	N Portland	122–118	Jerry Lucas (32)	21–15
37	December 19	Philadelphia	108–99	Nate Thurmond (22)	21–16
38	December 22	Boston	138–108	Nate Thurmond (35)	21–17
39	December 26	@ Milwaukee	111–131	Nate Thurmond (25)	21–18
40	December 28	@ Atlanta	115–104	Nate Thurmond (30)	22–18
41	December 30	@ New York	103–111	Ron Williams (26)	22–19
42	December 31	@ Boston	144–106	Mullins, Thurmond (32)	23–19
43	January 2	Phoenix	122–116 (OT)	Jerry Lucas (26)	23–20
44	January 3	@ Phoenix	81–102	Nate Thurmond (26)	23–21
45	January 5	@ Philadelphia	92–97	Nate Thurmond (28)	23–22
46	January 6	@ Buffalo	108–115	Lee, Lucas (25)	23–23
47	January 8	@ San Diego	120–117	Thurmond, Williams (26)	24–23
48	January 9	San Diego	103–109	Jeff Mullins (25)	25–23
49	January 16	New York	93–102	Ron Williams (23)	26–23
50	January 19	Cincinnati	108–116	Nate Thurmond (28)	27–23
51	January 22	@ Los Angeles	110–130	Nate Thurmond (20)	27–24
52	January 23	Chicago	87–83	Nate Thurmond (25)	27–25
53	January 26	@ Baltimore	98–103	Nate Thurmond (23)	27–26
54	January 27	@ Detroit	129–112	Ron Williams (34)	28–26
55	January 29	Buffalo	100–106	Lucas, Portman (20)	29–26
56	January 30	Los Angeles	85–87	Ron Williams (24)	30–26
57	February 2	Atlanta	99–101	Jeff Mullins (26)	31–26
58	February 4	@ Phoenix	117–105	Nate Thurmond (30)	32–26
59	February 5	@ Portland	117–123	Jeff Mullins (27)	32–27
60	February 6	Milwaukee	111–85	Jerry Lucas (17)	32–28
61	February 7	@ Los Angeles	104–119	Nate Thurmond (24)	32–29
62	February 10	Seattle	122–133	Nick Jones (28)	33–29
63	February 11	@ San Diego	111–119	Nate Thurmond (29)	33–30
64	February 12	Cincinnati	119–133	Jerry Lucas (29)	34–30
65	February 14	@ Seattle	101–146	Nick Jones (16)	34–31
66	February 17	Boston	129–99	Jeff Mullins (19)	34–32
67	February 19	San Diego	109–103	Nate Thurmond (29)	34–33
68	February 20	Milwaukee	104–96	Nate Thurmond (30)	34–34
69	February 22	@ Buffalo	109–91	Lucas, Thurmond (28)	35–34
70	February 23	@ Milwaukee	107–118	Nick Jones (31)	35–35
71	February 24	@ Detroit	117–115	Nate Thurmond (43)	36–35
72	February 27	Los Angeles	112–107	Nate Thurmond (37)	36–36
73	March 3	Atlanta	109–105	Nate Thurmond (25)	36–37
74	March 5	N Chicago	103–130	Jerry Lucas (21)	36–38
75	March 6	Baltimore	103–109	Jerry Lucas (30)	37–38
76	March 9	Boston	134–112	Nate Thurmond (35)	37–39
77	March 12	Seattle	98–111	Jeff Mullins (30)	38–39
78	March 13	Detroit	107–116	Jeff Mullins (37)	39–39
79	March 16	@ Cleveland	103–108	Jeff Mullins (34)	39–40
80	March 17	@ Cincinnati	110–92	Jeff Mullins (30)	40–40
81	March 18	@ Chicago	91–85	Mullins, Thurmond (29)	41–40
82	March 21	@ Seattle	106–119	Ron Williams (23)	41–41

Playoffs

1971 playoff game log
Conference semifinals: 1–4 (home: 1–1; road: 0–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 March 27 Milwaukee L 96–107 Jeff Mullins (30) Nate Thurmond (15) Jeff Mullins (7) Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 11,216 0–1 2 March 29 @ Milwaukee L 90–104 Nate Thurmond (18) Clyde Lee (13) Mullins, Williams (4) University of Wisconsin Field House 12,868 0–2 3 March 30 @ Milwaukee L 102–114 Jerry Lucas (25) Jerry Lucas (20) Ron Williams (8) University of Wisconsin Field House 12,868 0–3 4 April 1 Milwaukee W 106–104 Jerry Lucas (32) Jeff Mullins (19) Ron Williams (9) Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 7,615 1–3 5 April 4 @ Milwaukee L 86–136 Ron Williams (13) Clyde Lee (11) Mullins, Williams (4) University of Wisconsin Field House 12,868 1–4
1971 schedule

Awards and records

• Jerry Lucas, NBA All-Star Game
• Nate Thurmond, NBA All-Defensive First Team

References

1. 1970–71 San Francisco Warriors