- 1976–77 Portland Trail Blazers season
NBA_season
team = Portland Trail Blazers
end_year = 1977
wins = 49
losses = 33
division_place = 2
conf_place = 3
coach = Jack Ramsay
arena =Memorial Coliseum (Portland)
playoffs = Won NBA FinalsThe 1976-77 NBA season was the Trail Blazers' 7th season in the NBA. The revamped Blazers would end up getting off to a terrific start winning 22 of their first 29 games. [ [http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/portland/blazers.html Portland Trail Blazers (1970-Present) ] ] The Blazers won their last 5 games to post a record of 49-33. [ [http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/portland/blazers.html Portland Trail Blazers (1970-Present) ] ] The Blazers would qualify for the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. By the start of the Finals, the city of Portland was truly in the grips of "Blazermania". [ [http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/portland/blazers.html Portland Trail Blazers (1970-Present) ] ] After losing the first two games of the championship series at Philadelphia, the Trail Blazers won four in a row. The championship capped the team's first winning season. [ [http://www.hickoksports.com/history/nba197677.shtml HickokSports.com - History - NBA 1976-77 Season ] ]
Offseason
NBA Draft
ABA Dispersal Draft
[ [http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1971.html 1970-71 NBA Season Summary - Basketball-Reference.com ] ] C - NBA Champions
eason Schedule
[ [http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/1977_games.html 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers Games - Basketball-Reference.com ] ]
Roster
Navbox
name = Portland Trail Blazers 1976-77 NBA champions
titlestyle = background:black; color:#d1210a;
title = Portland Trail Blazers 1976-77 NBA Champions
list1 =Postseason
* Western Conference Semifinals (4-2): Portland Trail Blazers over Denver Nuggets
**Game 1 April 20 Denver Nuggets 100 Portland Trail Blazers 101
**Game 2 April 22 Denver Nuggets 121 Portland Trail Blazers 110
**Game 3 April 24 Portland Trail Blazers 110 Denver Nuggets 106
**Game 4 April 26 Portland Trail Blazers 105 Denver Nuggets 96
**Game 5 May 1 Denver Nuggets 114 Portland Trail Blazers 105
**Game 6 May 2 Portland Trail Blazers 108 Denver Nuggets 92 [ [http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1977.html 1977 NBA Playoff Summary - Basketball-Reference.com ] ]* Western Conference Finals (4-0): Portland Trail Blazers over Los Angeles LakersThe Western Conference final was ballyhooed as a matchup of two outstanding centers from UCLA: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton. Walton, finally healthy after being hampered by foot injuries during his first two NBA seasons, had led the league in rebounds and blocked shots. [ [http://www.hickoksports.com/history/nba197677.shtml HickokSports.com - History - NBA 1976-77 Season ] ] The match-up turned out to be a mismatch as Portland swept the Lakers in four games.
**Game 1 May 6 Los Angeles Lakers 109 Portland Trail Blazers 121
**Game 2 May 8 Los Angeles Lakers 97 Portland Trail Blazers 99
**Game 3 May 10 Portland Trail Blazers 102 Los Angeles Lakers 97
**Game 4 May 13 Portland Trail Blazers 105 Los Angeles Lakers 101 [ [http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1977.html 1977 NBA Playoff Summary - Basketball-Reference.com ] ]NBA Finals
The Finals opened in the Spectrum on Sunday, May 22. The 76ers seemed unbeatable after the first two games. Erving opened Game 1 with a stupendous dunk off the opening tip. He finished with 33 points and Collins had 30 as Philadelphia won 107-101. The Blazers were rattled enough to commit 34 turnovers. Walton finished with 28 points and 20 rebounds. [ [http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19761977.html NBA.com: Walton, Lucas Ignite 'Blazermania' ] ]
In Game 2 four nights later, the Sixers won handily, 107-89. Jones and Dawkins handled Walton easily, while the Sixers dominated in the second quarter, scoring 14 points in one three-minute stretch on their way to a 61-43 halftime lead. The game became very physical with about five minutes left. First, Portland's Lloyd Neal and McGinnis squared off, followed by Lucas and Erving trading elbows. [ [http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19761977.html NBA.com: Walton, Lucas Ignite 'Blazermania' ] ]
In Game 3, played on Sunday, May 29, Lucas strode directly to the Philadelphia bench, then startled everybody, including Dawkins, by sticking out his hand for a shake. The Blazers had a high scoring attack to win the game. Lucas himself contributed 27 points and 12 rebounds. Walton had a mere nine assists, 20 points, and 18 rebounds. Twardzik, too, had returned to speed, driving the Portland offense along to a 42-point fourth quarter. They won in a blaze, 129-107, closing the in the series gap to 2-1. [ [http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19761977.html NBA.com: Walton, Lucas Ignite 'Blazermania' ] ]
In Game 4, Portland opened up a quick 17-point lead, then cruised to a 130-98 win. Walton was sent to the bench with five fouls in the third. With a little more than eight minutes left in Game 5, Portland led 91-69 and the crowd was headed home. Erving rallied the Sixers to make it respectable at the end, 110-104. He had managed 37 points in the game, but the Blazers were one game away from their first title. Gross scored 25 points to lead the Blazers, while Lucas had 20 with 13 rebounds. Walton finished with 24 rebounds and 14 points. [ [http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19761977.html NBA.com: Walton, Lucas Ignite 'Blazermania' ] ]
In the sixth and deciding game, Walton had 20 points, 23 rebounds, eight blocks and seven assists. The Portland lead was still 12 with just half of the fourth quarter left when Erving led his teammates on one final run. At the four-minute mark, the lead was cut to four, 102-98. McGinnis came through with a jumper, and the lead was only two points with 18 seconds left. The Sixers needed a turnover, and they finally got it from McGinnis, who was able to force a jump ball with Gross. With eight seconds remaining, Erving put up a jumper in the lane but missed. Free got the ball and lofted a baseline shot and missed too. With a second left, McGinnis tried to force a seventh and deciding game but he missed. Walton knocked the loose ball away and ripped off his drenched jersey, and hurled it into the delirious crowd. [ [http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19761977.html NBA.com: Walton, Lucas Ignite 'Blazermania' ] ]
"Trail Blazers win series 4-2" [ [http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1977.html 1977 NBA Playoff Summary - Basketball-Reference.com ] ]
Awards and records
*Bill Walton, Second Team NBA All-Star
*Bill Walton, NBA Finals MVPMilestones
References
* [http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=POR&lg=n&yr=1976 Blazers on Database Basketball]
* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/1977.html Blazers on Reference Basketball] succession box
title = NBA Champions
Portland Trail Blazers
years = 1977
before =Boston Celtics
1976
after = Washington Bullets
1978
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