October 2
SEATTLE - The Blazers showed enough poise down the stretch in their 96-92 victory before a rowdy crowd of 14,098 in Seattle. Heroics were everywhere late in the fourth quarter as first Lionel Hollins hit a couple long range jumpers. Soon after Bob Gross, who had 13 points off the bench, tied the game at 81-81 with 6:10 to go and Bill Walton put the Blazers in front with under two minutes before Seattle tied the game at 90-90 with 1:40 to go. Herm Gilliam gave the Blazers the lead for good and Hollins followed with a dunk off a steal to make it 94-90 with 15 seconds to go.
Bill Walton led the Blazers with 18 points. Former Blazer LaRue Martin saw only 4 minutes of action but scored 2 points and had a rebound. The Blazers are now 2-0 in the exhibition season and will play the Golden State Warriors in Corvallis in 3 days
Bill Walton led the Blazers with 18 points. Former Blazer LaRue Martin saw only 4 minutes of action but scored 2 points and had a rebound. The Blazers are now 2-0 in the exhibition season and will play the Golden State Warriors in Corvallis in 3 days
October 5
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October 6
DENVER - The Denver Nuggets showed the Blazers why they won 39 of their 42 home games during the final ABA season last year with a convincing 114-96 victory. The Blazer led 24-23 after rookie Johnny Davis hit a free throw with 31 seconds to go in the first quarter. After that, the Nuggets took over with coach Larry Brown able to use all 13 players, none playing more than the 25 minutes than David Thompson or Ralph Simpson each played. Thompson led the Nuggets with 15 points while Simpson had 10 points.
The Nuggets use a running style that is similar to what Jack Ramsay is trying to implement with the Blazers, but at this time the Nuggets have a much better grasp of the system. Bill Walton led the Blazers with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Maurice Lucas and Dave Twardzik each added 16 points. The loss drops the Blazers to 2-2. The Nuggets will make their first visit to Portland in two days. |
October 8
PORTLAND - The Blazers finally had the game that they have been looking for defeating the Denver Nuggets 121-101. Just two days after falling to these same Nuggets by 18 points, the Blazers were able to put together a defensive scheme that Jack Ramsay said feeds the offense. “Our defense set things up tonight. You can’t get the offense going that way unless the defense set’s it up”
Eight Blazers scored in double digits led by Bill Walton and Maurice Lucas with 19 and 18 points respectively. David Thompson, who led the Nuggets with 18 points, provided much excitement for the 7,718 attendees when he shattered the glass backboard with a dunk. Glass sprayed all over the key area as the rim dangled precariously. Thompson suffered cuts upon his face and body from the flying glass and while not serious, he did not return to the game. “I’m okay (but) I just had bits of glass inside my uniform and some penetrated the skin.” It took 34 minutes for the Memorial Coliseum crew to replace the board before the game could resume. The Blazers will next play the Phoenix Suns in Eugene. The Suns drafted Univ. of Oregon player Ron Lee in the recent NBA draft. It will be Ron Lee Day in Eugene. |
October 10
EUGENE - The last time Bill Walton played at The Pit in Eugene, Ron Lee and the Ducks pulled off a huge upset, described by Sports Illustrated as The Lost Weekend. Tonight, the Blazers center amassed 26 points and 15 rebounds in the 106-94 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
All five Blazers starters were active right from the tip as they ripped off the first 13 points and never looked back. Coach Jack Ramsay credited the defense for the 2nd game in a row. “Our early defense and rebounding were excellent. We jumped into a big lead right at the start and the defense and rebounding did it.” Bob Gross, Maurice Lucas and Moses Malone helped Walton on the boards as they combined for 32 rebounds and 39 points
All five Blazers starters were active right from the tip as they ripped off the first 13 points and never looked back. Coach Jack Ramsay credited the defense for the 2nd game in a row. “Our early defense and rebounding were excellent. We jumped into a big lead right at the start and the defense and rebounding did it.” Bob Gross, Maurice Lucas and Moses Malone helped Walton on the boards as they combined for 32 rebounds and 39 points
When Ron Lee, the rookie with Phoenix who’s number was retired beforehand, entered the game the Blazers were already ahead 20-6. Lee ended up as the Suns leading scorer with 17 points. When he scored his first basket, the capacity crowd of 10,500 roared approval. During the pregame ceremony, a congratulatory telegram from President Ford was read
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October 11 |
There haven't been any takers for Sidney Wicks since the New Orleans Jazz returned Wicks back to Portland.
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October 12
The sale price was not announced but Harry Glickman said it was “close to the price that New Orleans was to pay us” Rumors are that the Jazz offer was reportedly $500,00 to 700,000. Some AP sources are reporting the price to be closer to the lower amount.
Red Aurebach, the Celtics General Manager, expressed excitement at the acquisition. “I place Sidney Wicks in the same company with Elgin Baylor, Tommy Heinsohn, Paul Silas and Bob Pettit among the great forwards of the game. We saw a golden opportunity to get a super player and we grabbed it.” Harry Glickman, in contrast, was planning to celebrate with a drink at lunch and “I never do that” Glickman added.
Red Aurebach, the Celtics General Manager, expressed excitement at the acquisition. “I place Sidney Wicks in the same company with Elgin Baylor, Tommy Heinsohn, Paul Silas and Bob Pettit among the great forwards of the game. We saw a golden opportunity to get a super player and we grabbed it.” Harry Glickman, in contrast, was planning to celebrate with a drink at lunch and “I never do that” Glickman added.
An other conditional trade last month was LaRue Martin going to the Seattle Super Sonics. When Martin was waived by the Sonics, his contract was sent back to the Blazers. Glickman was clear though that Martin would not be on the roster despite one more year to go on his initial contract. Glickman said that the club has “some financial obligations” but that Martin “will be put on waivers and if no one picks him up, he will be waived out of the league”
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October 15
LOS ANGELES - The Blazers fell to the Los Angeles Lakers 115-110 dropping their exhibition record to 4-3, as Cazzie Russell led the Lakers with 26 points and Mack Calvin added 20 off the bench. Tied after the first quarter, the Blazers committed many of their 32 turnovers in the second and third quarter. Behind 82-67 with just over three minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Blazers mounted a comeback eventually pulling into a tie at 87 with 9:29 remaining before the Lakers were able to regroup and pull away. Twice the Blazers pulled within a point bit they could not take the lead.
Bill Walton led the Blazers with 26 points and 14 rebounds while Maurice Lucas added 21 points and 10 boards. |
October 16
OAKLAND - Moses Malone made his case to stay with the Blazers. Of course he could have also made his case that some other team should want him as he scored 24 points and 12 rebounds in the Blazers 129-114 victory in Oakland over the Seattle SuperSonics.
It’s been no secret that the Blazers drafted the 6-10 center with the thought of trading him but Jack Ramsay might be having second thoughts. “Moses played extremely well, the best he has played. This is the first time he has gone out there and really done well. We’ll have to give Moses more thought, no question about that”. Sonic coach Bill Russell added “He looks like a pretty good player to me. He played in our earlier game with Portland and I didn’t even know it.” Bill Walton added that Malone did a great job but added “He didn’t do anything tonight that he hasn’t been doing in practice.”
The Blazers finished their preseason with a 5-3 record, the best in the clubs seven seasons.
It’s been no secret that the Blazers drafted the 6-10 center with the thought of trading him but Jack Ramsay might be having second thoughts. “Moses played extremely well, the best he has played. This is the first time he has gone out there and really done well. We’ll have to give Moses more thought, no question about that”. Sonic coach Bill Russell added “He looks like a pretty good player to me. He played in our earlier game with Portland and I didn’t even know it.” Bill Walton added that Malone did a great job but added “He didn’t do anything tonight that he hasn’t been doing in practice.”
The Blazers finished their preseason with a 5-3 record, the best in the clubs seven seasons.
October 19 The Blazers announced today that Moses Malone, acquired in the August 5 ABA dispersal draft, has been traded to the Buffalo Braves. Malone left Portland earlier today and was expected to arrive in time for the Braves home opener tomorrow evening. When informed of the trade, Malone said, “I understand. Whatever the owner decides, that’s the way it has to be.” The Blazers will receive from the Braves a first round pick in the 1978 college draft and $232,000, the amount of the original $350,000 the team still owes.
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“Except for the economical aspect, we would have kept him” said coach Jack Ramsay. “He worked hard, he would have helped us, especially in the time Lloyd Neal recovers from knee surgery.” When informed of the trade, and the draft pick being sent to the Blazers, Bill Walton is reported to have said to Ramsay, “You didn’t trade him away, you gave him away.” Maurice Lucas added “I don’t think he had a chance here. He can play the game. I know that because I played against him in the ABA”
Below is an excerpt of Malones' obit ...
By Harvey Araton
As a result of the 1976 merger of the American Basketball Association with the N.B.A., and the dispersal of players from the folding A.B.A. teams, Malone and his hefty $300,000-a-year contract had gone to the Portland Trail Blazers. Among others, Bill Walton warned that Malone, only 21, was too talented to trade, but Portland’s front office loathed to overpay for what figured to be Walton’s backup at center on what turned out to be a championship team. Halberstam wrote: “Portland called New York and Eddie Donovan” — the Knicks’ general manager — “had asked, ‘Is he better than Gianelli?’ ”
By Harvey Araton
- Sept. 16, 2015
As a result of the 1976 merger of the American Basketball Association with the N.B.A., and the dispersal of players from the folding A.B.A. teams, Malone and his hefty $300,000-a-year contract had gone to the Portland Trail Blazers. Among others, Bill Walton warned that Malone, only 21, was too talented to trade, but Portland’s front office loathed to overpay for what figured to be Walton’s backup at center on what turned out to be a championship team. Halberstam wrote: “Portland called New York and Eddie Donovan” — the Knicks’ general manager — “had asked, ‘Is he better than Gianelli?’ ”
A little bit, apparently. John Gianelli enjoyed a modest career. Malone went on to win three Most Valuable Player Awards, power the Philadelphia 76ers to the 1983 N.B.A. title and grab 2,133 more offensive rebounds than his nearest competitor — not including the 651 he ripped down in the A.B.A., for a grand total of 7,382. The Knicks might have found a few minutes for him in the late 1970s and 1980s. In fairness to Donovan, there was no A.B.A. cable package available for scouting, and he wasn’t the only N.B.A. executive to think foolishly that Malone’s 18 points and 14 rebounds a game as a 19-year-old rookie (right out of high school) for the Utah Stars were counterfeit, the products of an inferior renegade league.
Destined to be haunted by injuries to centers (Walton, Sam Bowie, Greg Oden), Portland dealt the extremely durable Malone to Buffalo for a first-round draft pick without ever using him in a regular-season game. Buffalo (soon to become San Diego, then the Los Angeles Clippers) auditioned Malone for six minutes in two games before shipping him to Houston for two No. 1 picks.
By the next season, Malone was averaging 19.4 points and 15 rebounds. “Oops” was the operative refrain heard east to west.
Destined to be haunted by injuries to centers (Walton, Sam Bowie, Greg Oden), Portland dealt the extremely durable Malone to Buffalo for a first-round draft pick without ever using him in a regular-season game. Buffalo (soon to become San Diego, then the Los Angeles Clippers) auditioned Malone for six minutes in two games before shipping him to Houston for two No. 1 picks.
By the next season, Malone was averaging 19.4 points and 15 rebounds. “Oops” was the operative refrain heard east to west.
October 20
October 23
After getting to a 49-48 halftime lead, rookie guard Johnny Davis scored 10 of his 19 points in the first 3:05 of the third quarter, pushing the Blazers to a 63-52 lead. Maurice Lucas, who lead the Blazers with 24 points, picked up when Davis left the game late in the third frame. When Bill Walton, Lionel Hollins and Bob Gross started the fourth quarter, they stretched the nine point lead to fourteen with only few minutes remaining and killed off any hopes the Nets had.
Seventy-two fouls were whistled resulting in 80 attempts between the teams, which disrupted the Blazers game-plan. "This is a running team" said Coach Jack Ramsay, "If we continue to play defense as we did tonight, our offense will catch up." Six Blazers scored in double figures with Walton adding 17 points and 15 rebounds while Hollins added 16 points and 6 assists. Lucas added 18 rebounds to his 24 points. The Blazers are 1-0 John Williamson led all scorers with 27 points, 23 in the second half alone. Nate Archibald added 22 points. The Nets fall to 1-1 |
October 26
The Blazers were led by Bill Walton’s 21 points and 19 rebounds and 6 blocks. Seven of the 11 Blazers scored in double digits showcasing the Blazers depth, especially in the 3rd quarter when the Warriors closed what was an eleven point halftime lead to five points. When Maurice Lucas, Bob Gross and Lionel Hollins were forced to bench with foul trouble, in stepped Corky Calhoun, Herm Gilliam, scoring 12 points between them to push the Blazers back to an 85-70 lead and the Warriors never threatened again.
Lionel Hollins had 11 points and 8 assists for the Blazers, saying afterwards “I need to go back to the way I played when I was at Arizona State. That style fits the way the coach wants us to play here.” Jack Ramsay added “We had a fine game. I want us to have 80 more games like that” Phil Smith led the Warriors with 27 points while Rick Barry added 17 points. |
Barry questioned the commitment of 2-time Pacific Division Champions at this early stage of the season. The Finals-MVP when the Warriors won the 1975 NBA title said after the 110-96 loss to the Blazers “We are a far cry from last year’s team. The way we’ve been playing, you have to question our dedication and determination.” The Warriors fell to 0-2 on the young season and will face the Blazers in Oakland in two days.
Barry does give some credit to the new-look Blazers. “Portland finally has a team that plays together. The players are running well and getting back well on defense.” In previous seasons, the Blazers have had trouble running with Barry and the Warriors. During this evening’s game, it was the Warriors playing catch-up to the Blazers speed.
Barry does give some credit to the new-look Blazers. “Portland finally has a team that plays together. The players are running well and getting back well on defense.” In previous seasons, the Blazers have had trouble running with Barry and the Warriors. During this evening’s game, it was the Warriors playing catch-up to the Blazers speed.
October 28
October 30
PORTLAND -- The Blazers scored on five of their first six baskets, jumped to a 10-0 lead before finally coasting to a 131-97 victory over the Detroit Pistons to improve their record to 3-1. “We started out running and we never stopped.” said Maurice Lucas, who lead the Blazers with 24 points, while holding Piston leading scorer Howard Porter to zero points in the first half and 10 points for the game.
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All eleven Blazers played and nearly all made an imprint on the game. Johnny Davis came off the bench for 17 points while Herm Gilliam scored all 14 points in the fourth quarter. Bill Walton had 14 rebounds to go along with 17 points. The Blazers scored the last 12 points in the second quarter off two steals each by Bob Gross and Dave Twardzik and one by Lionel Hollins to get the Blazers to a solid 63-40 lead. That trio finished with 11 steals for the game. “ We were collapsing, mostly to get those steals,” said Twardzik. Detroit coach Herb Brown, ejected in the second half after receiving his 2nd technical, thought “Portland played a great game.” Bob Lanier lead the Pistons with 16 points and 9 rebounds who are still without Marvin Barnes whom the Pistons drafted with the third pick in this summers ABA Dispersal Draft. Barnes was suspended during the preseason but hurt his ankle after he returned before the Pistons first game. |