query: what nba team used to be the buffalo braves

pos: Buffalo Braves Buffalo Braves The Buffalo Braves were an American professional basketball franchise based in Buffalo, New York. The Braves competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division from 1970 until 1978. In 1978, Braves owner John Y. Brown Jr. swapped franchises with then-Boston Celtics owner Irv Levin, who then moved the team to San Diego, where it was renamed the San Diego Clippers. The franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1984, and is now known as the Los Angeles Clippers. The Braves were one of three NBA expansion franchises that began

pos: Utah Rockies home of the Buffalo Braves, an NBA team that was contemplating moving to Florida. Colonels owner John Y. Brown, Jr., ultimately took a cash payout when the ABA-NBA merger occurred, and used the money to purchase a 50% interest in the Braves himself. After a complex transaction which led to Brown becoming owner of the Boston Celtics, the Braves moved to San Diego in 1978 as the San Diego Clippers, who in turn became the Los Angeles Clippers in 1984. On June 17, 1976, the ABA and NBA announced the ABA-NBA merger that brought the Spurs, Pacers, Nets and Nuggets

pos: Kentucky Colonels The six remaining ABA teams began negotiations for the eventual ABA–NBA merger. In the end, the NBA agreed to take in four teams—but the Colonels weren't among them. On July 17, 1976 the Kentucky Colonels ceased to exist as John Y. Brown, Jr. agreed to fold the Colonels in exchange for $3 million. Brown used the money to purchase the Buffalo Braves of the NBA, bringing Colonels head coach Joe Mullaney and point guard Bird Averitt with him to Buffalo. The Braves are now known as the Los Angeles Clippers. The Colonels players were put into a dispersal draft. The

pos: 1970 NBA Expansion draft 1970 NBA Expansion draft The 1970 NBA Expansion Draft was the fifth expansion draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on May 11, 1970, so that the newly founded Buffalo Braves, Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers could acquire players for the upcoming 1970–71 season. Buffalo, Cleveland and Portland had been awarded the expansion teams on February 6, 1970. The Braves later underwent several name changes and relocations before moving to Los Angeles. They are currently known as the Los Angeles Clippers. In an NBA expansion draft, new NBA teams are allowed to acquire players from

pos: Bob McAdoo game and was named first-team All-American. He also earned MVP honors at the ACC Tournament. McAdoo sought and won early eligibility in the 1972 NBA draft. He was selected in the first round (second overall) by the Buffalo Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers). McAdoo quickly became one of the NBA's premier players. He won the 1973 NBA Rookie of the Year Award and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He earned the first of three consecutive NBA scoring titles in only his second season. His second season (1973–74) remains the last time an NBA player has averaged

pos: Sports in San Diego San Diego Rockets and the Buffalo Braves. The Rockets represented the city of San Diego from 1967 until 1971. After the conclusion of the 1970–1971 season, they moved to Texas where they became the Houston Rockets. Seven years later, a relocated NBA franchise (the Buffalo Braves) moved to town and was renamed the San Diego Clippers. The Clippers played in the San Diego Sports Arena from 1978 until 1984. Prior to the start of the 1984–1985 season, the team was moved to Los Angeles, and is now called the Los Angeles Clippers. Sports in San Diego Sports in San Diego

pos: History of the Portland Trail Blazers SuperSonics. The Blazers started play in the 1970–71 NBA season, along with the Buffalo Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers) and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team was led by coach Rolland Todd, brought from the University of Nevada, and was based around Geoff Petrie, a first-round choice in the 1970 NBA draft out of Princeton University, and LeRoy Ellis, whom they acquired in the 1970 NBA Expansion Draft. In their first season, the Blazers finished with a 29–53 record, which was the best of the three new teams in the NBA. Petrie was named co-Rookie of the Year after averaging

pos: 2015–16 Minnesota Timberwolves season Jones Jr., also held a second-year player named Devin Booker that played at the start of the season at age 19.<br> The team originally played in Buffalo, New York as the Buffalo Braves up to the end of the 1977–78 season and later played in San Diego as the San Diego Clippers between the 1978–79 and 1983–84 seasons inclusive before becoming the Los Angeles Clippers. 2015–16 Minnesota Timberwolves season The 2015–16 Minnesota Timberwolves season was the 27th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before the season, the Timberwolves announced that head coach and team president Flip

pos: Leonard Bloom Leonard Bloom Dr. Leonard Bloom is a Sports and Entertainment owner and Real Estate Developer in California. The American Basketball Association (that later merged with the NBA) awarded Dr. Leonard Bloom the franchise to San Diego for an entry fee of $1 million. Leonard Bloom, President and CEO of United States Capital Corporation, was the team's sole owner. Bloom named the team the San Diego Conquistadors. The ABA purchased the San Diego Conquistadors franchise from Dr. Bloom for an undisclosed amount to enable the ABA merger with the NBA. The Los Angeles Clippers originated from the Buffalo Braves in the

pos: Portland Trail Blazers state." Despite initial mixed response, the Trail Blazers name, often shortened to just "Blazers", became popular in Oregon. Along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Buffalo Braves (now Los Angeles Clippers), the Trail Blazers entered the NBA in 1970 as an expansion team, under coach Rolland Todd. Geoff Petrie and Sidney Wicks led the team in its early years, and the team failed to qualify for the playoffs in its first six seasons of existence. During that span, the team had three head coaches (including future hall-of-famer Lenny Wilkens); team executive Stu Inman also served as coach. The team won the

neg: 1974–75 Buffalo Braves season the league would conduct a hearing on the matter. The transition was complicated by Donovan's 5% ownership of the Braves. Incoming commissioner, Larry O'Brien announced an amicable settlement as one of his first orders of business. Prior to the season the team lost Bob Kauffman to the New Orleans Jazz in the May 20, 1974 NBA Expansion Draft. The following members of the 1974–75 Buffalo Braves were drafted during the 1974 NBA Draft. McMillen played for a year in Europe before joining the 1975–76 Buffalo Braves. He played for a team in Bologna, Italy. 1974–75 Buffalo Braves season The 1974–75

neg: Buffalo Braves what would be the Braves' final season in Western New York, the NBA owners voted 21–1 to let the team relocate. As Levin wanted, he became owner of a team in San Diego after the 1977–78 season, which became the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Clippers. As part of the transaction, the teams traded most of the players on their rosters. It could therefore be argued that the successor to the Braves franchise are the Boston Celtics. For the franchise's first season (1970–71) team colors were blue, red & gold; home white uniforms featured lettering and striping in only red

neg: 1973–74 Buffalo Braves season The other members of the 1972–73 team who were not traded or waived and did not play on the 1973–74 team were Howard Komives, Fred Hilton and Harold Fox. On November 24, 1973, the Braves waived Garvin. On November 27, 1973, the team signed Lee Winfield. Prior to the 1973–74 NBA season, Gar Heard and Kevin Kunnert were traded from the Chicago Bulls to the Buffalo Braves for John Hummer, a 1974 NBA Draft 2nd round pick and a 1975 NBA Draft 2nd round pick. Also before the season, the Braves also traded Elmore Smith to the Los Angeles Lakers

neg: 1975–76 Buffalo Braves season the head coaching job with the Portland Trail Blazers. The team did not resign its auditorium lease and went through the season without a contract. Subsequently, the team was sold, the city sued and the sale was not consummated. The Braves had no selections during the first two rounds of the 1975 NBA Draft and no players drafted by the team that year played for the 1975–76 Buffalo. 1974 NBA Draft pick Tom McMillen played for a year in Europe before joining the 1975–76 Buffalo Braves. McMillen played in the Italian League for a team in Bologna, Italy and completed

neg: 1969–70 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team as an All-East selection. Petrie and Hummer were the only Tiger teammates to both be drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft (in the same draft no less) when they were selected eighth and fifteenth overall in the 1970 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and the Buffalo Braves. The two were part of a trio of 1970 NBA first-round draftees from the Ivy League that included number thirteen selection Jim McMillian of Columbia. Hummer was the first NBA draft pick by the expansion Buffalo Braves. Petrie would share the 1971 NBA Rookie of the Year Award

neg: 1973–74 Buffalo Braves season 1973–74 Buffalo Braves season The 1973–74 Buffalo Braves season was the fourth season for the expansion Buffalo Braves franchise in the National Basketball Association and its Atlantic Division. It was the team's second season under head coach Jack Ramsay. The team's official home arena was Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. Bob McAdoo, who finished second in the NBA MVP Award voting, led the league in scoring; Ernie DiGregorio, who won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, led the league in assists and free throw percentage, and every starter on the team was among the league's top ten in at least one

neg: Buffalo Braves Buffalo, the Sabres would have been the team eventually forced to move out of the city. Buffalo Braves The Buffalo Braves were an American professional basketball franchise based in Buffalo, New York. The Braves competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division from 1970 until 1978. In 1978, Braves owner John Y. Brown Jr. swapped franchises with then-Boston Celtics owner Irv Levin, who then moved the team to San Diego, where it was renamed the San Diego Clippers. The franchise moved to Los Angeles in 1984, and is now known

neg: 1973–74 Buffalo Braves season transactions that were part of the résumé that earned Buffalo Braves General Manager Eddie Donovan the NBA Executive of the Year Award and put the team into the playoffs for the first time. Donovan's season bolstered his reputation as a wheeler and dealer. The Braves drafted four players in the 1973 NBA Draft who played for the team during the 1973–74 season: DiGregorio, Ken Charles, Mike Macaluso, and Jim Garvin. In addition, the team made two free agent signings. On September 11, 1973, the team signed Paul Ruffner. On September 17, 1973, the team waived Dick Garrett and Bill Hewitt.

neg: Los Angeles Clippers franchise began in Western New York as the Buffalo Braves, one of three NBA expansion franchises that began play in the 1970–71 season, along with the Portland Trail Blazers and Cleveland Cavaliers. They played their home games at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, along with another Buffalo team that would begin play that year, the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres. After two bad seasons, the Braves' fortunes started to change under coach Jack Ramsay and star forward/center Bob McAdoo. McAdoo led the NBA in scoring for three consecutive seasons and was named the league's MVP in the 1974–75 season. The Braves

neg: 1977–78 Buffalo Braves season 1979. Randy Smith selected as a starting guard for the Eastern Conference All-Stars. This is his second All-Star Game selection and eventually garnered him the All-Star MVP. Smith will be the final Buffalo Braves All-Star. 1977–78 Buffalo Braves season The 1977–78 NBA season was the Braves' eighth and final season in the NBA. Entering the season, the Braves were allowed an escape clause in their lease, because season ticket sales did not reach the set goal of 4,500. The Braves suffered another disappointment as Tiny Archibald (whom they acquired from the New Jersey Nets for George Johnson) was lost for

neg: Buffalo Braves the Syracuse Nationals (who are now known as the Sacramento Kings and Philadelphia 76ers, respectively). As of 2018, the Braves are the last New York State-based team to be based somewhere other than New York City, where the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets play. The team's first head coach was Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes and the franchise's first star players were Bob Kauffman and Don May, who were acquired in the 1970 NBA Expansion Draft. However, in the NBA Draft of 1970, Buffalo passed on hometown hero Calvin Murphy, a 5-foot-9 point guard from Niagara University and picked

neg: 1976–77 Buffalo Braves season with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976. Of the teams remaining in the ABA, four joined the NBA. The remaining two ABA teams that did not join the NBA, the Kentucky Colonels and the Spirits of St. Louis, had their players assigned to a dispersal draft for draft purposes. 1976–77 Buffalo Braves season The 1976–77 NBA season was the Braves seventh season in the NBA. The Braves were purchased by John Y. Brown, Jr., the former owner of the Kentucky Colonels in the now defunct American Basketball Association for $6.2 million. As part of an agreement with the Braves' former owner,

neg: Rochester Zeniths the next season. The Braves were bucking the south and west trend of NBA franchise movement and the hope was their large market, large arena and fan interest in nearby NBA abandoned cities (they played fifteen games in Toronto during the 1973–74 and 1974-75 season in an effort to regionalize in to Canada) would be enough to make the team successful. The Braves played their last game in Buffalo as the Braves in April 1978 and the club moved to Southern California to become the San Diego (and later, Los Angeles) Clippers. Not many fans frequently made the 70-mile trip

neg: Vancouver Grizzlies relocation to Memphis Masiello, a former college basketball star, stated that the attempt was "a long shot", but worth the try. The city previously hosted an NBA franchise in the Buffalo Braves, from 1970 to 1978, which was only dismantled because Paul Snyder, who owned the team from 1971 to 1976, was feuding with other teams that used Buffalo's only arena at the time (Buffalo Memorial Auditorium); some of those conflicts were no longer issues with the new arena, and Snyder was still active in business at the time of the Grizzlies bid. The Braves became the San Diego Clippers in 1978 and

neg: 1973–74 Buffalo Braves season statistical category. The team finished third in the Atlantic Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. After three consecutive 60-loss seasons, the team made the NBA playoffs for the first time and became the youngest team to have ever done so in terms of average player age. They lost in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual champions, the Boston Celtics. 1973 NBA Draft Prior to this season the Braves had lost 60 games or more each year and failed to make the NBA Playoffs. Over the course of the season, the team made a series of player

neg: 1975–76 Philadelphia 76ers season be the last as a player for Billy Cunningham, who suffered an injury early in the season. (4) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (5) Buffalo Braves: "Braves win series 2-1" 1975–76 Philadelphia 76ers season The 1975–76 NBA season was the 76ers 27th season in the NBA and 13th season in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia 76ers posted a 46–36 regular-season record, and returned to the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 1971, ending a string of four consecutive losing seasons. The team had acquired forward George McGinnis from the ABA's Indiana Pacers, and also drafted shooting guard Lloyd Free (later changed name to

neg: Buffalo Braves Princeton graduate, John Hummer, as their first round draft pick. Murphy would eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame. As is typical of first-year expansion teams, the Braves finished with a dismal record, 22–60, seven games ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers, their expansion cousins, who finished at 15–67. Kauffman, who averaged 4.3 points per game the previous year with the Chicago Bulls, led Buffalo in scoring with 20.4 points per game and earned a spot on the 1971 NBA Eastern Conference All-Star team. The Braves repeated their 22–60 record in the 1971–72 season, but did make good acquisitions that

neg: John Hummer their draft position on the day of the March 23, 1970 NBA draft. They traded their #15 selection and Mike Davis to the expansion Buffalo Braves for the #9 selection. That day, the Braves selected Hummer with the 15th pick. Hummer averaged 11.3 points and 8.9 rebounds for the 1970–71 Buffalo Braves during an average of 32.6 minutes in 81 games played for coach Dolph Schayes. The 22–60 Braves finished fourth in the four-team Atlantic Division. Hummer and the Braves struggled for two more seasons with 60-loss seasons. The 1972–73 Braves were Jack Ramsay's first coaching season with his second

neg: Rochester Zeniths more travel to the schedule. The Syracuse Nationals became the Philadelphia 76ers after the 1962–63 season ended (when the Philadelphia Warriors moved to San Francisco) and regular season NBA games ended in Rochester as well. During the 1970–71 season the expansion Buffalo Braves of the NBA played two regular season games in Rochester (as well as two in Syracuse) in an effort to build Western New York interest in the nascent franchise. The Braves were not a very good team and the games were not as successful at the gate as the team hoped and the Braves did not return

neg: Buffalo Braves to lose to the Boston Celtics 126-118. The Braves' big move that season was drafting forward/center Bob McAdoo from North Carolina. The team finally made its first playoff appearance in 1974, in which they faced the Celtics and lost in six games. That season, McAdoo posted averages of 30.6 points and 15.1 rebounds; this is the last time any player has averaged at least 30 points and 15 rebounds in the same NBA season. Also, that season, the Braves rookie Ernie DiGregorio won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. In 1974–75, McAdoo was awarded the NBA Most Valuable Player

neg: Spirits of St. Louis merger with the NBA. But the senior circuit decided to accept only four teams from the rival league: the Nets (the last ABA champion), Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs. The NBA placated John Y. Brown, owner of the Kentucky Colonels, by giving him a $3.3 million settlement in exchange for shutting his team down. (Brown later used much of that money to buy the Buffalo Braves of the NBA.) But the owners of the Spirits, the brothers Ozzie and Daniel Silna, struck a prescient deal to acquire future television money from the teams that joined the NBA,

neg: 1974–75 Buffalo Braves season draft pick to the Chicago Bulls for Bob Weiss. Bernie Harris was waived on January 20, 1975. Mike Macaluso did not return to play for the Braves and never played in the NBA again. On March 21, Braves general manager Eddie Donovan announced that he would resign effective April 1. The resignation was controversial because there were rumors that he would return to work for his prior team, New York Knicks, but there were simultaneous rumors that the Knicks had unfairly tampered with Donovan while under contract with the Braves. Upon the announced resignation, NBA Commissioner Walter Kennedy announced that

neg: 1974–75 Buffalo Braves season per game, which was 4th best in the league. In the 1975 NBA Playoffs, the Braves earned the franchise's second playoff berth, this time against the Washington Bullets. The series went to seven games. However, the Braves lost game seven 115–96 on the road. After the season, the team was occupied with legal wrangling surrounding the departure of minority owner and general manager Eddie Donovan. On August 29, 1974, the Braves purchased Dale Schlueter from the Atlanta Hawks. On September 4, 1974, Matt Guokas was traded along with a 1977 NBA Draft second round pick and a future second round

neg: 1975–76 Buffalo Braves season won 117–97. The Braves closed out their preseason exhibition schedule with a record of 0–5 against ABA teams. On October 14, 1975, the Braves lost Lee Winfield on waivers to the Kansas City Kings. Paul Ruffner did not return to play for the 1975–76 Buffalo Braves and never again played in the NBA. On November 20, 1975, Steve Kuberski was waived. On November 27, 1975, Jack Marin was traded to the Chicago Bulls for a 1977 NBA Draft 1st round pick. On February 1, 1976, Gar Heard was dealt with a 1976 NBA Draft 2nd round pick to the Phoenix

neg: 1977–78 Buffalo Braves season 1977–78 Buffalo Braves season The 1977–78 NBA season was the Braves' eighth and final season in the NBA. Entering the season, the Braves were allowed an escape clause in their lease, because season ticket sales did not reach the set goal of 4,500. The Braves suffered another disappointment as Tiny Archibald (whom they acquired from the New Jersey Nets for George Johnson) was lost for the year due to an Achilles tendon injury in the preseason. The Braves played competitively in November with a respectable .500 record at 10–10. Despite the promising start, the Braves won just nine games over

neg: Buffalo Braves would make the club better. Buffalo drafted center Elmore Smith from Kentucky State University and local favorite Randy Smith from Buffalo State College. Johnny McCarthy replaced Schayes one game into the season as the team's head coach. The team did slightly worse in the 1972–73 season, as it went 21–61 under new head coach Dr. Jack Ramsay. In a showcase of the futility of the '72-'73 Braves, during the team's fifth game of the season on October 20, 1972 the team set an NBA record which still stands for most points in a single quarter with 58, and still managed

neg: Buffalo Braves out of Buffalo. In a 2016 interview, Snyder laid particular blame on Father James Demske, who represented the Canisius Golden Griffins men's basketball team; Demske believed that the Braves posed a threat to the Little Three rivalry in college basketball, then in the waning days of its peak, and was making it purposely difficult for the Braves to get good home dates at the auditorium. This in turn angered the NBA, who pressured Snyder to resolve the issue in short order. At the time, Snyder's more public feuds were with the Sabres, who represented Buffalo's old money circuit compared to

neg: 1976–77 Buffalo Braves season 1976–77 Buffalo Braves season The 1976–77 NBA season was the Braves seventh season in the NBA. The Braves were purchased by John Y. Brown, Jr., the former owner of the Kentucky Colonels in the now defunct American Basketball Association for $6.2 million. As part of an agreement with the Braves' former owner, Paul Snyder, Brown would give Snyder money received in player deals to reduce the purchase price. The sell-off began shortly after the season, as the Braves sold newly acquired Moses Malone. Malone was acquired in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers after the ABA dispersal draft. Malone

neg: 1975–76 Buffalo Braves season Suns for John Shumate. After the season, the Braves sent Ken Charles and Dick Gibbs and cash to the Atlanta Hawks for Tom Van Arsdale. Van Arsdale never played for the Braves who traded him in August to the Phoenix Suns for a 1977 NBA Draft 2nd round pick. 1975–76 Buffalo Braves season The 1975–76 Buffalo Braves season was the sixth season for the expansion Buffalo Braves franchise in the National Basketball Association and its Atlantic Division. It was the team's fourth season under head coach Jack Ramsay. The team's official home arena was Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. Bob McAdoo led

neg: 1974–75 Buffalo Braves season 1974–75 Buffalo Braves season The 1974–75 Buffalo Braves season was the fifth season for the expansion Buffalo Braves franchise in the National Basketball Association and its Atlantic Division. It was the team's third season under head coach Jack Ramsay. The team's official home arena was Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. Despite losing three key players in Gar Heard, Jim McMillian and Ernie DiGregorio for long stretches, the Braves continued to improve. The Braves finished in 2nd place with a 49–33 record, as Bob McAdoo captured the NBA MVP Award. McAdoo led the league with 34.5 points per game, while adding 14.1 rebounds

neg: Buffalo Sabres eventually losing those feuds and being forced to sell his team in 1976. Subsequent owners of the Braves, in a series of convoluted transactions tied to the ABA–NBA merger, moved the team out of Buffalo. When the Sabres debuted as an expansion team, they took the ice to Aram Khachaturian's Armenian war dance, "Sabre Dance". The song has been associated with the team as an unofficial anthem ever since. It is often played between periods and after goals. The consensus was that first pick in the 1970 NHL Amateur Draft would be junior phenomenon Gilbert Perreault. Either the Sabres or

neg: ABA–NBA merger merger of the Spirits and the Utah Stars franchise during the 1975–76 season, a merger that, had it occurred, contemplated the team leaving St. Louis for Utah. But the Stars folded before the merger could occur and instead, the Spirits bought the rights to some of the Stars' best players, including Moses Malone. In an effort to be included in the ABA–NBA merger, the Spirits' owners, the Silna brothers, proposed selling the Spirits to a Utah group, buying the Kentucky Colonels franchise, and moving the Colonels to Buffalo to replace the Buffalo Braves, who were then planning to move to

neg: Buffalo Braves that would have been needed to break the lease. John Y. Brown met with Irv Levin, who then owned the Celtics, and negotiated a deal in which the owners would swap franchises, with Brown taking control of the Celtics and Levin getting the Braves. Levin was a California businessman, and wanted to own an NBA team in his native state. However, he knew the NBA would not even consider letting him move the Celtics. He was therefore very receptive to Brown's offer. The deal was brokered by NBA general counsel David Stern, who became the league's commissioner in 1984. Following

neg: Joe Mullaney Spirits, along with the Kentucky Colonels, were the only two ABA teams that did not join the NBA in the ABA–NBA merger. After the 1975–76 season Mullaney coached the Buffalo Braves of the National Basketball Association. Mullaney was brought on board by the Braves' new owner, John Y. Brown Jr., who had previously had an ownership interest in Mullaney's old team, the Kentucky Colonels. Despite Adrian Dantley earning Rookie of the Year the Braves finished in fourth place at 30-52. Mullaney coached in Italy and then for Brown University from 1978 through 1981 before returning to Providence College to coach

neg: Elgin Baylor only one playoff series during this time. Baylor was selected as the NBA Executive of the Year in 2006. That year the Clippers won their first playoff series since 1976, when the franchise was located in Buffalo, New York, and named the Buffalo Braves. In February 2009, Baylor filed an employment discrimination lawsuit against the Clippers, team owner Donald Sterling, team president Andy Roeser, and the NBA. He alleged that he was underpaid during his tenure with the team and then fired because of his age and race. Baylor later dropped the racial discrimination claims in the suit. Baylor's remaining

neg: Swen Nater He was named to the All-ABA Second Team in 1974 and 1975, and participated in the ABA All-Star Game both seasons. During his three seasons in the ABA, Nater played for the Spurs, Squires, and the New York Nets. Nater's NBA career began with the Milwaukee Bucks, and he was traded after one season to the Buffalo Braves. When the Braves played in San Diego, Nater became a local favorite. Nater led the NBA in rebounding average during the 1979–80 season, making him the only player ever to lead both the NBA and ABA in rebounding. Before the 1983–84 season,

neg: Adrian Dantley points per game) and 1975–76 (28.6 points per game), while also leading the team in rebounding those two seasons with marks of 10.2 and 10.1 rebounds per game, respectively. He was also the leading scorer on the 1976 US Olympic team that captured the gold medal in Montreal. Dantley turned pro in 1976 after his third season at Notre Dame. He graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in economics in August, 1978. In the 1976 NBA draft Dantley was drafted sixth overall by the Buffalo Braves. He became the third Buffalo player in five years to receive the NBA

neg: 1968–69 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team 1969 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks with the 96th overall selection in the 7th round. Hummer led the conference in field goal percentage with 55.4%. Petrie and Hummer would become the only Tiger teammates to both be drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft (in the same draft no less) when they were selected eighth and fifteenth overall in the 1970 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and the Buffalo Braves. The two were part of a trio of 1970 NBA first-round draftees from the Ivy League that included number thirteen selection Jim McMillian of

neg: Buffalo Bisons the 1901 season, Buffalo had been bumped from the league in favor of the Boston Americans; the Bisons returned to the minors and the Eastern League that year. This franchise continued in the Eastern/International League through June 1970, when it transferred to Winnipeg, Manitoba as the Winnipeg Whips, due to poor attendance, stadium woes, the Montreal Expos (then Canada's only MLB team) affiliating with the franchise, and an increasingly saturated Buffalo sports market that saw the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL and Buffalo Braves of the NBA established the same year. (The team had narrowly avoided relocation in 1956, but

neg: 1976 NBA Playoffs Buffalo Braves: "Braves win series 2–1" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Buffalo Braves: "Celtics win series 4–2" (2) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (3) Washington Bullets: "Cavaliers win series 4–3" Last playoff meeting: This is the first meeting between the Cavaliers and the Bullets (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Cleveland Cavaliers: "Celtics win series 4–2" Last playoff meeting: This was the first meeting between the Celtics and the Cavaliers (1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Phoenix Suns: "Celtics win series 4–2" 1976 NBA Playoffs The 1976 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1975–76 season. The tournament concluded with

neg: Naismith Cup cancelled due to the 1998–99 NBA lockout. The team has subsequently discussed the possibility of playing additional preseason and regular season games in Buffalo. The Buffalo Braves played a total of 16 regular season games at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto from 1971 to 1975. Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York hosted a Raptors pre-season 103-81 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2006 before 9,429 fans. More recently, the team has participated in a number of games as part of the NBA Canada Series. Since the end of the Naismith Cup, the Raptors have continued to play international opponents.

neg: 1973–74 Buffalo Braves season for Jim McMillian. The trade of Smith, who had been the team's leading scorer and rebounder the prior year, was controversial at first. Other trades during the season included the February 1, 1974, trade of Kunnert and Dave Wohl for Matt Goukas and 1973 NBA All-Star Jack Marin. 1973–74 Buffalo Braves season The 1973–74 Buffalo Braves season was the fourth season for the expansion Buffalo Braves franchise in the National Basketball Association and its Atlantic Division. It was the team's second season under head coach Jack Ramsay. The team's official home arena was Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. Bob McAdoo, who finished

neg: 1971 NBA draft three selections, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Buffalo Braves and Portland Trail Blazers, declined to exercise their rights. Therefore, the Cincinnati Royals had the first selection, which they used to select Nate Williams from Utah State University. Phil Chenier, a junior guard from the University of California, was selected by the Baltimore Bullets. He is the only player from the hardship draft who was selected to All-NBA Team and All-Star Game. Joe Hammond, who had not played high school and college basketball, was selected in the fourth round by the Los Angeles Lakers. Hammond, who had played for the Allentown Jets in

neg: Kermit Washington 1978–79 season even though Washington was on the team because the Celtics offered him the most money. There remained a mostly quiet discord between the two as Washington felt Kunnert never properly acknowledged his role in the fight. Washington and Kunnert became involved in one of the more unusual player transactions in NBA history. Celtics owner Irv Levin wanted to move closer to his home, and business interests, in California but also wanted continue to own an NBA team. To solve this problem, he and John Y. Brown, Jr., owner of the Buffalo Braves NBA team, exchanged franchises. Washington and

neg: Marvin Delph Following his college career, Delph was drafted twice, first in the 3rd round of the 1978 NBA draft by the Buffalo Braves and then in the 6th round of the 1979 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics. Unlike his fellow Triplets, Delph never played in the NBA, despite several attempts. He continued playing amateur basketball with the Athletes in Action team, a religiously-oriented team. Delph played for the United States men's national basketball team at the 1978 FIBA World Championship, a team composed primarily of Athletes in Action players. Delph was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in

neg: 1972–73 Philadelphia 76ers season old at the time. Both refused the job. Only Hal Greer remained on the roster from the 1966–1967 NBA Championship Team. The 1972–73 season would be his last in the NBA. By the start of the 1972–73 season, most of the core of the 76ers 1966-67 championship was gone including coach Jack Ramsay, who was coaching the Buffalo Braves, and Billy Cunningham, who went to the ABA under a court order. Only Hal Greer, who was 36 years old, remained. Poor trades and draft selections left the team with few quality players. The 76ers finished the 1971–72 season with a

neg: 1973–74 NBA season a closer look at records this year to answer criticisms of recent years past that had strongly tied playoff selections to the league's four divisions. It allowed some deserving teams to participate, which many were glad to see. Boston met 42-40 Buffalo in Round One, the Braves finishing as a third-place team in the Atlantic Division. The Braves were led by self-promoting superstar Bob McAdoo, the NBA's most dangerous shooter at 30.6 points per game and 54.7% accuracy, both tops in the NBA. The Big Mac was also among the NBA's top five rebounders and shot blockers, an impressive feat.

neg: Paul Snyder (basketball) resort in 1983. He also briefly operated a (now demolished) Industrial Park located on the southeastern grounds of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport in the late 1980s. In 1971, Snyder purchased the Buffalo Braves, which was an expansion team in the 1970-1971 NBA season, from the original hedge fund managers who had secured the expansion franchise. He sold the team in 1977, unable to compete with the much more successful Buffalo Sabres, who also debuted in the National Hockey League in 1970, or with the local college basketball teams, who were largely hostile toward professional basketball in Buffalo and managed

neg: Mike Glenn and a B.S. degree in mathematics (minoring in computer science) in 1977. He would go on to play ten seasons (1977–1987) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Buffalo Braves, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and Milwaukee Bucks. Drafted twenty-third overall by the Chicago Bulls in 1977, Glenn broke his neck in an offseason auto accident and was released from the team. He battled back to make a quick recovery, though, starting his NBA career later that same year with the Buffalo Braves. In 1978, Glenn signed with the New York Knicks; during his time in New

neg: Amos Thomas (basketball) points in a debut game, with 27. Thomas was drafted 26th overall by the Buffalo Braves in the 1971 NBA draft, but never appeared in an NBA season. Thomas was also drafted by the Memphis Tams of the American Basketball Association in the 4th Round of the 1971 ABA Draft. On November 4, 2005 Thomas Died of a stroke. Amos Thomas (basketball) Amos Thomas (born November 14, 1949) was American collegiate and professional basketball player. He was a second round pick of the Buffalo Braves of the National Basketball Association in the 1971 NBA Draft. Thomas died in 2005. The

neg: Herm Gilliam Gilliam was selected by the Kentucky Colonels in the 1969 ABA draft and by the Cincinnati Royals in the first round (8th pick) of the 1969 NBA draft. He averaged 7.5 points a game in his rookie season while playing in Cincinnati. He missed the last few weeks of the season due to him serving six months of military duty. After his first season, Gilliam was selected by the Buffalo Braves, an expansion team, in the 1970 NBA Expansion Draft. He spent the 1970–71 season with Buffalo, averaging 11.2 points and just over 4 rebounds a game. During his honeymoon,

neg: 1968–69 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team Columbia. Hummer was the first NBA draft pick by the expansion Buffalo Braves. Petrie would share the 1971 NBA Rookie of the Year Award with Dave Cowens. Brian Taylor was selected in the 1972 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics with the 23rd overall selection in the second round while Reggie Bird was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 55th overall selection in the fourth round. The team posted a 19–7 (14–0 Ivy League) record. Home games in CAPS The team lost in the first round of the 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. Five players from this

neg: 1974–75 Washington Bullets season 7-game series against the Buffalo Braves. A highlight of the series was that the home team took all 7 game in a series. <br> (2) Washington Bullets vs. (3) Buffalo Braves: "Bullets win series 4–3" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Washington Bullets: "Bullets win series 4–2" The Bullets reached the NBA Finals but found themselves swept in 4 straight by the Golden State Warriors, although the Warriors would only win 2 of the 4 games by 1 point. (E1) Washington Bullets vs. (W1) Golden State Warriors: "Warriors win series 4–0" 1974–75 Washington Bullets season The 1974–75 Washington Bullets played in

neg: 1971–72 Philadelphia 76ers season the ABA, Lucious Jackson retired due to nagging injuries, and coach Jack Ramsay exited to become the head coach of the Buffalo Braves. This table only displays picks through the second round. 1971–72 Philadelphia 76ers season The 1971–72 NBA season was the 76ers 23rd season in the NBA and 9th season in Philadelphia. The team finished with a record of 30–52 and missed the post season for the first time in franchise history, ending an NBA-record streak of 22 consecutive appearances. The team made a major trade to obtain guards Fred Carter and Kevin Loughery from the Baltimore Bullets in

neg: Melvin Watkins team captain and, after helping the team earn the state championship, was named a 1973 high school All-American. Watkins played college basketball at University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he was the point guard and team captain of the Charlotte 49ers' 1977 Final Four team. His #32 jersey was retired at his final home game in 1977. While at Charlotte, Watkins made a point to complete his education, earning a B.A. in Economics in 1977. Watkins was drafted in the fourth round of the 1977 NBA draft by the Buffalo Braves, but never played in the NBA. In 1978,

neg: Harry T. Mangurian Jr. sports teams using Buffalo Memorial Auditorium. At the end of the 1978 season, by which point he had effectively dismantled the team in a successful effort to break the Braves' lease on the Aud, he and his partner John Y. Brown Jr. negotiated a franchise swap of the Braves team for the Boston Celtics. After one season, Mangurian bought out Brown and as the franchise's owner saw the Celtics sign stars Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. In the 1980–81 Boston Celtics season, his team won the NBA Championship. In 1983, he sold the club due to poor relations

neg: Ozzie and Daniel Silna the 1975-76 season, a merger that, had it occurred, contemplated the team leaving St. Louis for Utah. But the Stars folded before the merger could occur and instead, the Spirits bought the rights to some of the Stars' best players, including future Hall of Famer Moses Malone. In another effort to be included in the ABA-NBA merger, the Silna brothers proposed selling the Spirits to a Utah group, buying the Kentucky Colonels franchise, and moving the Colonels to Buffalo to replace the Buffalo Braves, who were then planning to move to Hollywood, Florida. The Spirits were not included in the

neg: 1974–75 NBA season battle illness, and also lost Gar Heard for 25 games, which dropped the team from the elite and put more of the load on their star. This dimmed hopes for the playoffs. This would be the high-water mark for the Braves franchise in Buffalo. The franchise left Buffalo to become the San Diego Clippers in 1978 and would not reach the 50-win mark until 2012–13, by which time the Clippers were in their 29th season in Los Angeles and 35th overall in Southern California. Golden State boasted the top-scoring offense in the league at 108.5 points per game to win

neg: 1976 NBA Finals the previous year's champions the Golden State Warriors in seven games. The Suns made it to their first NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics were seeking to make up for the lost opportunity they squandered in the 1975 NBA Playoffs. That year, they finished with 60 wins, but lost to the Washington Bullets in the conference finals. They kept the core of the team that won the 1974 NBA Finals, but made some tweaks, such as the trade of Westphal to Phoenix for Charlie Scott. The Celtics won 54 games in the 1975–76 season, then defeated the Buffalo Braves and the

neg: 1970 NBA draft merged. He was selected to five All-ABA Teams, six ABA All-Star Games and one NBA All-Star Game. Randy Smith, who was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 205th pick, did not enter the league until the 1971–72 season, after he was drafted again in the 1971 Draft by the Buffalo Braves with the 104th pick. He was selected to both the All-NBA Team and the All-Star Game. Tomjanovich was selected to five All-Star Games during his career. Charlie Scott, the 106th pick, initially opted to play in the ABA with the Virginia Squires before joining the NBA in 1972.

neg: 1975–76 Boston Celtics season record in the NBA this season. Boston earned a shot at another NBA title by defeating the Buffalo Braves and then the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs. Boston's opponents in the 1976 NBA Finals were the Phoenix Suns, who had posted a 42–40 regular-season record. The Team in Green was the oddsmakers' choice in the contest. The Celtics took the first two games at Boston Garden, but the Suns came back to win games 3 and 4 on their home court. Game 5 ranks among the all-time thrillers in NBA history. The Suns trailed by 5 points with less than

neg: 1978–79 Boston Celtics season 1978–79 Boston Celtics season The 1978–79 Boston Celtics season was the 33rd season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). It was the worst record of any Celtics team that played between 1950 and 1996. Prior to the season, owner Irv Levin swapped franchises with the Buffalo Braves ownership group led by John Y. Brown, Jr.. Levin had wanted to have a team in his native California, but knew the other league owners would not consider a move of the Celtics. He therefore brokered a deal with Brown to swap franchises, and then moved the Braves to

neg: Dolph Schayes to 1970, he was the supervisor of NBA referees. He was named the first coach of the Buffalo Braves in 1970, but was fired one game into his second season. Schayes coached the US Maccabiah Games basketball team to an upset win to take the gold medal in the 1977 Maccabiah Games. He also coached the U.S. Masters basketball team at the 1993 Maccabiah Games. He also played an active role raising money for the Maccabiah Games. Schayes settled in Syracuse, New York in 1948, where he first played in the NBA, and where he was a real estate developer

neg: Jim McDaniels as the Cougars questioned the legality of his jump to the NBA. He later admitted in an interview, "I should have stayed in the ABA for a couple of years. I was just young and things started going bad for me there and I didn't know how to handle them." SuperSonics coach and general manager Bill Russell ultimately released McDaniels in fall 1974. For the next four years, McDaniels bounced from team to team, playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and Buffalo Braves of the NBA, the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA, and Snaidero Udine of Italy. He finally decided

neg: Nate Archibald season, he was traded by the Nets to the Buffalo Braves before the 1977–78 season. Archibald tore his achilles tendon and never played a regular-season game for the Braves. Buffalo traded him to the Boston Celtics as part of a 7-player deal before the start of the next season. His career at the Celtics started poorly. He showed up 20 pounds overweight. However, he adjusted and helped guide the Celtics to the best record in the NBA for three consecutive years (1979–1982). Archibald won his first and only NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in the 1980–81 season alongside young

neg: George T. Johnson George T. Johnson George Thomas Johnson (born December 18, 1948) is an American retired professional basketball player. A 6'11" forward/center born in Tylertown, Mississippi and from Dillard University, he played in 13 NBA seasons (1972–1983; 1984–1986) as a member of the Golden State Warriors, the Buffalo Braves, the New Jersey Nets, the San Antonio Spurs, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Seattle SuperSonics. Johnson was a key reserve on the Warriors team that won the NBA Championship in 1975, and he grabbed 5,887 rebounds in his career. Johnson led the NBA in blocked shots per game three times, led the NBA

neg: Paul Long for the Kentucky Colonels of the ABA in his second season, averaging 3.9 points and 1.3 assists per game. He played for the Pistons again in his third season, averaging 3.3 points and 0.7 assists per game. In his final NBA season, Long played for the Buffalo Braves, averaging 4.5 points and 0.8 assists per game. Paul Long Paul Richard Long (born February 8, 1944) is a former NBA and ABA basketball player. He played professionally for the Detroit Pistons, Kentucky Colonels and the Buffalo Braves. Long was born in Louisville, Kentucky and graduated from Waggener High School in Louisville.

neg: 1977–78 Buffalo Braves season the next three months. While the Braves were struggling on the court, owner John Y. Brown was brokering a deal to take over the legendary Boston Celtics franchise. Celtics owner Irv Levin wanted to move the historic franchise to California. However, the NBA would not allow him to take the cornerstone franchise out of Boston. NBA Lawyer David Stern offered a comprise in which Levin and Brown would swap franchises. The concept was that Levin would take over the Braves and move them to San Diego. The Braves finished in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 27–55 ()

neg: John Hummer tenth in career rebounds. Following his senior season, Hummer was one of three first-round Ivy League selections in the 1970 NBA Draft (Petrie – 8th, McMillian 13th and Hummer 15th). Hummer was also drafted by The Floridians in the 1970 American Basketball Association draft. The 1970 draft included two promising All-American local-Buffalo area talents: St. Bonaventure University's Buffalo-born Bob Lanier and Niagara University's Calvin Murphy. Murphy was a fan favorite that many local fans hoped the Braves would select. However, Braves General Manager Eddie Donovan doubted the Murphy could make it in the NBA. The Baltimore Bullets traded to improve

neg: Buffalo Braves Because the Braves only had third choice of dates (behind the Sabres and Canisius College) at the auditorium, from 1971–75, the Braves were forced to play a total of 16 home games at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto; in addition to alleviating the auditorium's scheduling issues, the Braves also played internationally in the hopes of expanding their fan base beyond Western New York and into the Greater Toronto Area (a similar strategy was employed by the National Football League (NFL)'s Buffalo Bills from 2008 until 2013). The NBA had two previous teams in Upstate New York, the Rochester Royals and

neg: Karl-Anthony Towns the season's six months, becoming the first Timberwolves player to do so. In addition, he became just the fifth unanimous NBA Rookie of the Year, and with teammate Andrew Wiggins winning the award in 2014–15, Minnesota became the first team with back-to-back Rookie of the Year winners since the Buffalo Braves in 1972–73 (Bob McAdoo) and 1973–74 (Ernie DiGregorio), as well as the first team with back-to-back No. 1 draft picks earning Rookie of the Year honors. He also earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors. On November 30, 2016, Towns recorded a career-high 47 points and 18 rebounds in a

neg: 1975–76 Philadelphia 76ers season 1975–76 Philadelphia 76ers season The 1975–76 NBA season was the 76ers 27th season in the NBA and 13th season in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia 76ers posted a 46–36 regular-season record, and returned to the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 1971, ending a string of four consecutive losing seasons. The team had acquired forward George McGinnis from the ABA's Indiana Pacers, and also drafted shooting guard Lloyd Free (later changed name to World B. Free). The Sixers, however, lost to the Buffalo Braves, two games to one in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. This season would also

neg: Sports in Toronto folded after the league's inaugural season following losses thought to total $60,000. Numerous exhibition and regular season NBA and American Basketball Association (ABA) games were held at both MLG and SkyDome over the years, including a total of 16 regular season Buffalo Braves games at MLG from 1971-75 in an attempt to gauge the city's interest in a full-time team. Ruby Richman, the former coach of Canada's national basketball team, working with the head of Maple Leaf Gardens Limited (MLGL) Harold Ballard, pursued a number of existing ABA and NBA teams to relocate to the city in the 1970s. Richman

neg: Em Bryant (1st pick, 53rd overall)'; Pro Career 1964–1972; NBA champion 1969; 1964–1968 New York Knicks; 1968–1970 Boston Celtics; 1970–1972 Buffalo Braves. A 6'1" guard from DePaul University, Bryant played eight seasons (1964–1972) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Buffalo Braves. He scored 3,722 points in his career and won a championship with the 1969 Celtics. Emmette Bryant went on to be a security guard at a high school in Tacoma, Washington. He was known to the students as "Mr. Bryant". Amongst his many duties, Mr. Bryant would ensure that all students

neg: 2012 NBA Playoffs the road, becoming the 6th NBA road team to do so after leading series 3–1, to advance to the semifinals against the Spurs. This was the first playoff meeting between the Clippers and the Grizzlies. This is the first playoffs that the city of Los Angeles has both teams participating in the Conference Semifinals. The last time the Lakers and Clippers were in the Conference Semifinals was 1974, when the Clippers franchise was the Buffalo Braves. Also, another team based out of Staples Center, the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings, participated in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. As a

neg: Jack Marin Jack Marin John Warren Marin (born October 12, 1944) is a retired American professional basketball player. A 201 cm (6-foot, 7-inch) guard/forward from Duke University, Marin was named to the 1967 NBA All-Rookie Team and spent 11 seasons in the NBA (1966–1977), playing for the Baltimore Bullets, Houston Rockets, Buffalo Braves and Chicago Bulls. The left-handed Marin was a two-time All-Star and scored 12,541 points in his career. He is perhaps most remembered for being traded to the Rockets (along with future considerations) for Elvin Hayes on June 23, 1972. He led the NBA in free throw percentage during the

neg: Matt Guokas in 1966, and graduated in 1967. After SJU, Guokas was selected in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers team and played for the team featuring Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Chet Walker and Billy Cunningham that ended the eight-year championship streak of the Boston Celtics. He also played with the Buffalo Braves, Chicago Bulls, Cincinnati Royals, Houston Rockets, and Kansas City Kings, all of the NBA. In the 1972–73 season, Guokas finished second (to Chamberlain) in the NBA in field goal percentage with a .570 clip during that season. Guokas later coached the Sixers and was the first coach of

neg: American Basketball Association with each getting a buyout: the Colonels received a one-time buyout that owner John Y. Brown, Jr. used to purchase the NBA's Buffalo Braves, while the Spirits owners negotiated a cut of the other ABA teams' television revenues in perpetuity. This deal netted the ownership group of the Spirits over $300M through nearly four decades due to a large increase in television revenues. In 2014, the NBA and the Spirits ownership agreed to phase out future payments in exchange for a one-time payment of $500M, making the total value for the deal over $800M. The seventh remaining team, the Virginia

neg: Jon Spoelstra 1966, Spoelstra founded his first marketing company in 1970, The New School of Youth Marketing and Other Phenomena Inc. In the mid-1970s his company obtained the rights to syndicate Notre Dame basketball games for $2,000 per game. In 1977, Spoelstra's career in the NBA began when the Buffalo Braves hired him as vice president of marketing. One of his biggest tasks he was assigned was to prevent a relocation of the Braves, although the team moved to San Diego ten months later. In 1979, then Portland Trail Blazers owner Larry Weinberg hired Spoelstra as senior vice president and general manager

neg: Dick Garrett of Diante Garrett, who has played for the Phoenix Suns and the Utah Jazz. Dick Garrett Eldo "Dick" Garrett (born January 31, 1947) is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'3" guard from Southern Illinois University, Garrett was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 27th overall pick of the 1969 NBA draft. He played five seasons (1969–1974) in the National Basketball Association, one with the Lakers, three with the Buffalo Braves, and his final season that he split between the New York Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks. He earned NBA All-Rookie Team honors during the 1969–70 NBA

neg: Dick Garrett Dick Garrett Eldo "Dick" Garrett (born January 31, 1947) is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'3" guard from Southern Illinois University, Garrett was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 27th overall pick of the 1969 NBA draft. He played five seasons (1969–1974) in the National Basketball Association, one with the Lakers, three with the Buffalo Braves, and his final season that he split between the New York Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks. He earned NBA All-Rookie Team honors during the 1969–70 NBA season after averaging 11.6 points per game for the Lakers. He is the father

neg: San Antonio Spurs new league. The Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and New York Nets moved to the NBA for the 1976–77 season. The Spurs and the other three ABA teams agreed to pay the owners of two other strong ABA teams that folded instead of joining the NBA. John Y. Brown, Jr., the owner of the Kentucky Colonels, received $3 million, which he used to purchase the NBA's Buffalo Braves and later the Boston Celtics, after selling star guard Louie Dampier to the Spurs. The owners of the Spirits of St. Louis received a portion of all television profits during their NBA

neg: Atlanta Hawks NBA All-Defensive First Team NBA All-Defensive Second Team NBA All-Rookie First Team NBA All-Rookie Second Team NBA All-Star Game selections NBA All-Star Game head coaches NBA All-Star Game MVP Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at State Farm Arena. The team's origins can be traced to the establishment of the Buffalo Bisons in 1946 in Buffalo, New York, a member of the National Basketball League (NBL)

neg: Dallas Mavericks three division titles (1987, 2007, 2010), two conference championships (2006, 2011), and one NBA championship (2011). In 1978, Californian businessman Garn Eckardt met Dallas lawyer Doug Adkins, and mentioned he was trying to raise capital to move an NBA team to the city. Asking for a possible partner, Adkins recommended him one of his clients, Home Interiors and Gifts owner Don Carter. Negotiations with Eckardt fell through, but Carter remained interested in the enterprise as a gift to his wife Linda, who played basketball while at Duncanville High School. At the same time, Buffalo Braves president and general manager Norm

neg: 1977–78 Boston Celtics season 1977–78 Boston Celtics season The 1977–78 Boston Celtics season was the 32nd season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and was linked to the Buffalo Braves season. While the Braves were struggling on the court, their owner John Y. Brown brokered a deal to take over the legendary Celtics franchise. Celtics owner Irv Levin wanted to move the franchise to California, however, the NBA would not allow him to take the cornerstone franchise out of Boston. NBA lawyer and future commissioner David Stern offered a compromise in which Levin and Brown would swap franchises, so that

neg: Atlantic Division (NBA) a team in New York City). The division was created at the start of the 1970–71 season, when the league expanded from 14 to 17 teams with the addition of the Buffalo Braves, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers. The league realigned itself into two conferences, the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference, with two divisions in each conference. The Atlantic Division began with four inaugural members, the Celtics, the Braves, the Knicks and the 76ers. The Celtics, the Knicks and the 76ers all joined from the Eastern Division. The Celtics have won the most Atlantic Division titles

neg: 1973 NBA draft the University of Minnesota was selected second by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who obtained the pick from the Blazers in a trade. Ernie DiGregorio from Providence College, who went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award in his first season, was selected third by the Buffalo Braves. George McGinnis, who was selected by the 76ers with the 22nd pick, is the only player who was selected to both the All-NBA Team and the All-Star Game. Collins, 5th pick Kermit Washington and 50th pick Larry Kenon are the only other players from this draft who were selected to an All-Star

neg: 1975 NBA Playoffs Knicks: "Rockets win series 2-1" Conference Semifinals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Houston Rockets: "Celtics win series 4-1" (2) Washington Bullets vs. (3) Buffalo Braves: "Bullets win series 4-3" Note: Bob McAdoo scored 50 points in Game 4 for the Braves. Conference Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Washington Bullets: "Bullets win series 4-2" (2) Washington Bullets vs. (1) Golden State Warriors: "Warriors win series 4-0" 1975 NBA Playoffs The 1975 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1974–75 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors defeating the Eastern Conference champion

neg: Elmore Smith Elmore Smith Elmore Smith (born May 9, 1949) is an American retired professional basketball player born in Macon, Georgia. A 7'0" center from Kentucky State University, he played in the National Basketball Association from 1971 to 1979. He was a member of the Buffalo Braves, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Cleveland Cavaliers. In his first season, Smith averaged 17.3 points per game and 15.2 rebounds per game and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. His rebounding average for that season is the eighth-highest ever recorded by an NBA rookie. Smith is best remembered for his shot-blocking, earning him

neg: Jim Boylan Tournament (Marquette's only championship) by scoring 14 points in the National Championship Game versus the North Carolina Tar Heels. After leading Marquette in assists in his junior and senior season, Boylan was drafted in the fourth round (68th overall) in the 1978 NBA draft by the Buffalo Braves, who became the San Diego Clippers after the 1977–78 season. Boylan played for the Tucson Gunners in the Western Basketball Association during the 1978–79 season. He was named a second team All Star, and he helped the Gunners with the WBA championship. However, Boylan never played an NBA game. He headed to