December 1
Returning to Portland after a 5-game, 6-day road trip, the Oregonian and the Oregon Journal examine the trip as well as looking forward to the Blazers possibly winning a division game as the San Diego Rockets come to Portland tonight and the Phoenix Suns on December 4. The Blazers head out on another 5-game road trip, 6-day trip after this mini-home stand.
PORTLAND - Jim Barnett records the first triple-double in the Portland Trail Blazers history when he gathers 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists in the Blazers 120-114 loss to the San Diego / Houston Rockets. The Rockets were led by Elvin Hayes who scored 37 points and gathered 23 rebounds.
Game Notes: The 23 rebounds by Hayes ties the Rocket record for rebounds that he set a mere 2-weeks previous. The high still stands as a Rocket record against the Blazers. |
The origin of the term "triple-double" is unclear but it has been in the #NBA vernacular since the 1980's. Some sources claim that it was coined in the NBA by former Los Angeles Lakers public relations director Bruce Jolesch in the 1980s in order to showcase Magic Johnson's versatility, while others claim that it was coined by then Philadelphia 76ers media relations director Harvey Pollack in 1980.
Oscar Robertson was the first player to average a triple-double when he averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists in the 1961/62 season. Although Robertson only achieved the feat for a full season once, his cumulative stats over his first 5 seasons gave him an average of 30.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game. Russell Westbrook is the only player to average this feat multiple times, doing so in three consecutive seasons. Westbrook finished the 2016–17 season averaging 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists, and followed it up in 2017–18 with averages of 25.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 10.3 assists. In the 2018–19 season, Westbrook averaged 22.9 points, 11.1 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game. He failed to make it five years in the 2019-20 season. |
December 2
Gary Gregor, who was expected to carry a big rebounding load for the expansion Blazers, was taken off the disabled list today. Gregor, acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks for Jerry Chambers, pulled down 9 rebounds per game as a rookie with the Phoenix Suns and 5 rebounds last year with the Hawks in a reserve role. Below is a link of an interview with Gregor talking about his college days at South Carolina.
https://alchetron.com/Gary-Gregor
https://alchetron.com/Gary-Gregor
December 4
PORTLAND - The Blazers ended their short 2-game home stand with another home loss to a division foe, falling 126-121 to the Phoenix Suns despite 33 points by Geoff Petrie. Jim Barnett added 19 points while Dale Schlueter came off the bench for Portland and scored 16 points and grabbed a team high 12 rebounds.
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Game Notes: Connie Hawkins led the Suns with 29 points including going 11 for 11 from the Free Throw line. Combined Hawkins has made 34 consecutive free throws thru this game, one off the Suns record set by Blazer Stan McKenzie, who connected on 35 consecutive in 1968. Hawkins would make his first 3 Attempts to get to 37 straight before he missing. The Suns record is now held by Steve Nash, who converted 74 consecutive in 2007. McKenzie still holds the Suns record for most Free Throws Made and Attempted in a quarter when he hit 12 of 16 in the 4th quarter on December 5, 1970 at Philadelphia.
December 6
LOS ANGELES - The Blazers visit the Lakers for the first time and made a game of it late before falling 131-120 behind 31 points and 15 assists by Jerry West. Wilt Chamberlain also scored 31 points while pulling down 18 rebounds with Happy Hairston getting 21 points and 22 rebounds.
LeRoy Ellis, who played for the Lakers from 1962 to 1966, led Portland with 29 points and 17 rebounds in a losing effort. Rick Adelman, a collegiate star at Loyola University of Los Angeles, now known as Loyola Marymount University, was second high scorer with 17 points. |
Stan McKenzie and Shaler Halimon adding 16 each. Ron Knight, who attended nearby California State University, Los Angeles scored 8 points in 14 minutes of action. Jim Barnett and Geoff Petrie, averaging 40 points entering the game, struggled from the field, as they totaled 9 of 30 and a combined total 21 points.
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Stan McKenzie defends Jerry West
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December 7
The Blazers departed Los Angeles for New York City. It is the first time the Blazers fly in a 747 airplane and they arrive in time for the Heavy Weight Fight between Muhammad Ali and Oscar Bonavena at the famed Madison Square Garden.
The fight was Ali's second since his return to boxing after a 3-year layoff after he refused to be inducted into the armed forces in 1966. After refusing the induction, Ali was systematically denied a boxing license in every state and stripped of his passport. As a result, he did not fight from March 1967 to October 1970—from ages 25 to almost 29—as his case worked its way through the appeals process before his conviction was overturned in 1971. In September, Ali won a victory in federal court forcing the New York State Boxing Commission to reinstate Ali's license. Ali's first return bout was against Jerry Quarry on October 26, resulting in a win after three rounds after Quarry was cut before fighting Bonavena on December 7, which ended in a dramatic technical knockout of Bonavena in the 15th round.
https://www.thefightcity.com/dec-7-1970-ali-vs-bonavena-boxing/ |
In other Blazer news, the Blazers have a record 9-21 and are expected to compete with fellow expansion teams for the coin flip to determine the Number 1 pick in the 1971 NBA Draft. On this date, Buffalo has a record of 8-19 while Cleveland is 2-27.
Artis Gilmore of Jacksonville University and Sidney Wicks of the UCLA Bruins are expected to be the top 2 college players picked. |
December 8
NEW YORK - The expansion Portland Trail Blazers made their 1st visit to New York a memorable one in the 2nd half before falling 139-121 against the New York Knicks at the famed Madison Square Garden. The Knicks were led by Willis Reed, who scored 37 points and grabbed 23 rebounds. Teammate Dave DeBusschere added 22 points and 20 rebounds while Bill Bradley threw in another 20 points.
Geoff Petrie, who attended Princeton University, led Portland with 30 points while Leroy Ellis, who attended St. John's University in nearby Queens added 17 points and grabbed 21 rebounds. Ellis grabbed 12 rebounds in the third quarter, which still stands as a Blazer record for a quarter. Stan McKenzie, who played at New York University, hit all 10 Free Throw Attempts but struggled from the field hitting 1 of his 9 shots. Shaler Halimon scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds
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Game Notes: Down 18 at halftime, the two teams played to a 73-73 2nd half standoff. The combined 146 points was only 6 points off the The Garden record for most points in a half. The 139 points by New York is still the highest by a Knick team against the Blazers. The Blazers did set a Garden as they fired up 40 shots in the third quarter while the Knicks attempted 30 themselves.
The Blazers tied their team record with most Field Goal Attempts in a game with 125 attempts. The Blazers initially set the mark on November 18 against the Atlanta Hawks. The 125 attempts has not been topped since. The Blazers set a team record for attempts in a half when the took 69 shots in the second half. |
December 9
CLEVELAND - The Portland Trail Blazers and Cleveland Cavaliers played for the 6th time and it was another memorable meeting between the two new teams. Each team recorded their first win against the other, the Blazers in Game 1 and the Cavs in their third matchup, but this one brought about two rare occurrences, one to start the fourth quarter and another later in the period.
With the Blazers leading 84-81 entering the final quarter, LeRoy Ellis and Walt Wesley met at mid-court for the opening jump ball. Wesley tipped the ball to fellow Cavalier Bob Lewis, who quickly passed to a streaking John Warren for what appeared to be an easy layup. Ellis, who just missed tipping the initial pass by Lewis, took off to attempt to block Warren's layup. The players met at the basket, with Ellis missing the block as Warren's shot was good. As the basket was scored, the officials blew their whistle to stop action. "When I heard the referee's whistle, I thought I had been called for traveling," Warren said later. Instead his basket only increased the Blazers lead to 86-81. Ellis as the closest Blazer was credited with the two points. The other rare event occurred with just over five minutes remaining when Blazer coach Rolland Todd substituted Dale Schlueter into the game for Jim Barnett, who in the confusion before play resumed, did not come out. The Blazers received a technical foul for the 6 players on the floor and the Cavaliers were able to get back half of the basket that Warren had given up to start the quarter. Game Notes: Warren, who was a member of the NBA Champion New York Knicks during the 1969/70 season, continues to hold the Cavaliers record for most field goals made in a game without a miss in Cleveland Cavaliers history (12 for 12). Gary Gregor made his debut with the Blazers, scoring 5 points and grabbing 5 rebounds in 13 minutes |
December 10
Just two days after the @MuhammadAli fight and a day after the @trailblazers and @nyknicks played at @TheGarden the #ABA held a doubleheader at the worlds most famous arena. Former the University of Portland player Ray Scott plays for the Virginia Squires which will face the Denver Nuggets in the opener. The evening game will the the New York Nets against the Indiana Pacers. Scott became the head coach of the Detroit Pistons on October 28, 1972, succeeding Earl Lloyd after a 2–5 start. His first game as a coach was in Portland on October 29, a 119-111 victory over the Blazers. Under his direction, the Pistons went 38–37 for the remainder of the 1972–73 campaign. He received the NBA Coach of the Year Award after guiding the Pistons to a then-franchise-best 52–30 regular season record in 1973–74. The team slumped to 40–42 in 1974–75 before he was let go. |
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December 18
SAN DIEGO - The Blazers were the opening act for the second time this season, falling 122-118 to the San Francisco Warriors before the hometown Rockets fell to the Detroit Pistons in the nightcap.
Prior to 1970, the NBA played many double-headers, especially when the league was smaller than the current 17 teams and was centered on the east coast, as well as many "neutral" court games. Many neutral court games were played in non-NBA cities, but some were like this evenings set of games. The league would start to eliminate double-headers by 1972 and away from neutral court games by 1975, though some teams would continue to play a handful of games at various sites, such as the Boston Celtics playing games in Rhode Island or Connecticut into the 1990's |
The first game between the Blazers and Warriors, featuring two traveling teams, was considered to be a neutral court game. Portland was the opening act once before when the Blazers and the Buffalo Braves were the first game in Seattle on November 21. Portland had only one home double-header scheduled, on November 16, but would be the opening act a total of six times during the expansion season.
After the games this evening, the Blazers joined the Warriors and Rockets and travelled for a double-header tomorrow in Oakland, with the Philadelphia 76ers replacing the Pistons, who travelled to Omaha, Nebraska to play the Cincinnati Royals in another neutral court setting. The Blazers are scheduled for three neutral court games, including one in Eugene, Oregon.
After the games this evening, the Blazers joined the Warriors and Rockets and travelled for a double-header tomorrow in Oakland, with the Philadelphia 76ers replacing the Pistons, who travelled to Omaha, Nebraska to play the Cincinnati Royals in another neutral court setting. The Blazers are scheduled for three neutral court games, including one in Eugene, Oregon.
December 20
The Portland Trail Blazers were a second away from winning their second game against an established team, but alas it wasn't to be, as they fell in overtime to the Philadelphia 76ers 134-132 in a very controversial play. The Blazers were leading 123-122 with 1 second remaining in regulation when Rick Adelman missed a free throw. Billy Cunningham, the Sixers All-Star forward, rebounded and called for a timeout, which was granted. After the time-out, Hal Greer inbounded to Archie Clark, who received the ball, dribbled once before jumping up to shoot, all before the horn finally sounded, forcing the extra period.
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Game Notes: This is the first Over-Time game by the Blazers. Jim Barnett led the Blazers with 31 points with three other Blazers getting more than 20 points including Stan McKenzie with 22 points, Geoff Petrie at 21 and Rick Adelman with 20 more. Shaler Halimon and Dale Schlueter each grabbed 11 rebounds.
Cunningham recorded a triple-double for Philadelphia with 31 points, 27 rebounds, and 11 assists. The 27 rebounds is still the fourth most rebounds by an opponent, as well as the most by a Sixers against Portland. Backcourt partners Will Greer added 31 points and Archie Clark had 27 points.
Cunningham recorded a triple-double for Philadelphia with 31 points, 27 rebounds, and 11 assists. The 27 rebounds is still the fourth most rebounds by an opponent, as well as the most by a Sixers against Portland. Backcourt partners Will Greer added 31 points and Archie Clark had 27 points.