1973–74 Chicago Bulls season

1973–74 Chicago Bulls season
Head coach	Dick Motta
General manager	Dick Motta
Owner(s)	Arthur Wirtz and Jonathan Kovler
Arena	Chicago Stadium
Results
Record	54–28 (.659)
Place	Division: 2nd (Midwest) Conference: 3rd (Western)
Playoff finish	Conference finals (lost to Bucks 0–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	WSNS-TV (Andy Musser, Dick Gonski)
Radio	WIND (Jim Durham, Bill Berg)

The 1973–74 NBA season was the Bulls' eighth season in the NBA.

Offseason

Draft picks

Main article: 1973 NBA draft

Roster

1973–74 Chicago Bulls roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From G 12–21 Adelman, Rick 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1946-06-16 Loyola Marymount C 20 Awtrey, Dennis 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1948-02-22 Santa Clara C 18 Boerwinkle, Tom 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 265 lb (120 kg) 1945-08-23 Tennessee F 23 Garrett, Rowland 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1950-07-16 Florida State F 42 Hummer, John 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1948-05-04 Princeton F 10 Love, Bob 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1942-12-08 Southern F 54 Porter, Howard 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1948-08-31 Villanova C 14 Ray, Clifford 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1949-01-21 Oklahoma G/F 4 Sloan, Jerry 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1942-03-28 Evansville G 2 Van Lier, Norm 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 173 lb (78 kg) 1947-04-01 Saint Francis (PA) F 25 Walker, Chet 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 212 lb (96 kg) 1940-02-22 Bradley G 8 Weiss, Bob 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1942-05-07 Penn State	Head coach Dick Motta Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Last transaction: February 13, 1974

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Neutral	Div
y-Milwaukee Bucks	59	23	.720	–	31–7	24–16	4–0	14–6
x-Chicago Bulls	54	28	.659	5	32–9	21–19	1–0	13–7
x-Detroit Pistons	52	30	.634	7	29–12	23–17	0–1	9–11
Kansas City–Omaha Kings	33	49	.402	26	20–21	13–28	–	4–16

#	Western Conference
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Milwaukee Bucks	59	23	.720	–
2	x-Chicago Bulls	54	28	.659	5
3	x-Detroit Pistons	52	30	.634	7
4	y-Los Angeles Lakers	47	35	.573	12
5	Golden State Warriors	44	38	.537	15
6	Seattle SuperSonics	36	46	.439	23
7	Kansas City–Omaha Kings	33	49	.402	26
8	Phoenix Suns	30	52	.366	29
9	Portland Trail Blazers	27	55	.329	32

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1973–74 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	BUF	CAP	CHI	CLE	DET	GSW	HOU	KCO	LAL	MIL	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SEA
Atlanta	—	1–5	2–4	4–4	1–3	4–3	0–4	1–3	5–2	1–3	4–0	1–3	1–5	3–3	1–3	2–2	4–0
Boston	5–1	—	5–2	2–4	2–2	4–2	3–1	3–1	4–2	3–1	2–2	2–2	5–2	7–1	3–1	4–0	2–2
Buffalo	4–2	2–5	—	3–3	1–3	5–1	1–3	1–3	4–2	2–2	0–4	1–3	4–4	6–1	3–1	3–1	2–2
Capital	4–4	4–2	3–3	—	1–3	6–1	2–2	3–1	4–3	3–1	2–2	1–3	3–3	4–2	2–2	3–1	2–2
Chicago	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	—	4–0	5–2	4–2	4–0	5–2	1–5	3–3	2–2	3–1	4–2	4–2	4–2
Cleveland	3–4	2–4	1–5	1–6	0–4	—	2–2	0–4	4–4	0–4	3–1	0–4	1–5	5–1	1–3	4–0	2–2
Detroit	4–0	1–3	3–1	2–2	2–5	2–2	—	5–1	3–1	4–2	4–2	3–4	1–3	2–2	6–0	5–1	5–1
Golden State	3–1	1–3	3–1	1–3	2–4	4–0	1–5	—	4–0	3–3	4–2	3–3	1–3	3–1	5–2	3–4	3–3
Houston	2–5	2–4	2–4	3–4	0–4	4–4	1–3	0–4	—	2–2	2–2	0–4	4–2	4–2	2–2	3–1	1–3
Kansas City-Omaha	3–1	1–3	2–2	1–3	2–5	4–0	2–4	3–3	2–2	—	1–5	0–7	1–3	1–3	4–2	4–2	2–4
Los Angeles	0–4	2–2	4–0	2–2	5–1	1–3	2–4	2–4	2–2	5–1	—	4–2	2–2	4–0	4–2	4–3	4–3
Milwaukee	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–3	4–0	4–3	3–3	4–0	7–0	2–4	—	2–2	4–0	5–1	6–0	4–2
New York	5–1	2–5	4–4	3–3	2–2	5–1	3–1	3–1	2–4	3–1	2–2	2–2	—	4–3	3–1	2–2	4–0
Philadelphia	3–3	1–7	1–6	2–4	1–3	1–5	2–2	1–3	2–4	3–1	0–4	0–4	3–4	—	3–1	2–2	0–4
Phoenix	3–1	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–4	3–1	0–6	2–5	2–2	2–4	2–4	1–5	1–3	1–3	—	3–3	4–3
Portland	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–3	2–4	0–4	1–5	4–3	1–3	2–4	3–4	0–6	2–2	2–2	3–3	—	3–3
Seattle	0–4	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–4	2–2	1–5	3–3	3–1	4–2	3–4	2–4	0–4	4–0	3–4	3–3	—

Game log

1973–74 game log
#	Date	Opponent	Score	High points	Record
1	October 9	Los Angeles	117–97	Chet Walker (26)	0–1
2	October 10	@ Kansas City–Omaha	105–90	Chet Walker (29)	1–1
3	October 12	@ Kansas City–Omaha	84–88	Chet Walker (24)	1–2
4	October 13	Detroit	94–101	Sloan, Walker (18)	2–2
5	October 19	Capital	103–117	Bob Love (33)	3–2
6	October 20	@ New York	85–69	Bob Love (25)	4–2
7	October 21	@ Capital	107–99	Chet Walker (30)	5–2
8	October 26	Houston	113–121	Chet Walker (30)	6–2
9	October 27	@ Houston	102–92	Chet Walker (20)	7–2
10	November 2	Buffalo	97–107	Love, Weiss (20)	8–2
11	November 3	Cleveland	94–105	Chet Walker (32)	9–2
12	November 4	N Buffalo	101–95 (OT)	Chet Walker (29)	10–2
13	November 8	@ Golden State	112–111	Bob Love (31)	11–2
14	November 10	@ Portland	106–104	Chet Walker (28)	12–2
15	November 11	@ Seattle	116–98	Norm Van Lier (30)	13–2
16	November 13	@ Phoenix	108–116	Bob Love (32)	13–3
17	November 16	@ Los Angeles	102–118	Bob Love (29)	13–4
18	November 18	@ Detroit	104–102	Chet Walker (28)	14–4
19	November 20	Portland	101–106	Chet Walker (30)	15–4
20	November 23	Phoenix	99–94	Bob Love (24)	15–5
21	November 24	Detroit	112–114 (OT)	Bob Love (31)	16–5
22	November 27	Golden State	117–123	Chet Walker (39)	17–5
23	November 28	@ Philadelphia	96–101	Chet Walker (30)	17–6
24	November 30	New York	97–115	Bob Love (24)	18–6
25	December 1	@ Boston	98–120	Jerry Sloan (25)	18–7
26	December 4	Seattle	107–130	Love, Van Lier (27)	19–7
27	December 6	Philadelphia	98–103	Chet Walker (27)	20–7
28	December 7	@ Cleveland	96–91	Jerry Sloan (19)	21–7
29	December 8	Boston	95–112	Bob Love (28)	22–7
30	December 11	Kansas City–Omaha	104–105	Bob Love (23)	23–7
31	December 13	@ Milwaukee	97–94	Chet Walker (26)	24–7
32	December 14	Los Angeles	100–97	Bob Love (25)	24–8
33	December 15	Houston	100–104	Norm Van Lier (30)	25–8
34	December 18	Seattle	93–92	Bob Love (19)	25–9
35	December 19	@ Detroit	87–89	Bob Love (27)	25–10
36	December 22	Golden State	86–110	Bob Love (32)	26–10
37	December 26	@ Capital	81–82	Chet Walker (22)	26–11
38	December 28	Atlanta	94–118	Love, Weiss (18)	27–11
39	December 29	Detroit	103–108	Bob Love (30)	28–11
40	December 30	@ Portland	92–99	Chet Walker (31)	28–12
41	January 1	@ Golden State	91–80	Bob Love (39)	29–12
42	January 4	@ Seattle	101–103 (OT)	Chet Walker (33)	29–13
43	January 6	Phoenix	116–120 (OT)	Bob Love (33)	30–13
44	January 8	New York	108–80	Bob Love (18)	30–14
45	January 9	@ Boston	89–106	Bob Love (28)	30–15
46	January 10	@ Atlanta	116–104	Chet Walker (29)	31–15
47	January 12	Milwaukee	101–82	Howard Porter (17)	31–16
48	January 13	@ Milwaukee	94–124	Bob Love (24)	31–17
49	January 18	@ Detroit	95–113	Chet Walker (25)	31–18
50	January 20	Portland	97–99	Chet Walker (22)	32–18
51	January 22	Atlanta	89–102	Bob Love (28)	33–18
52	January 25	Seattle	99–104	Bob Love (34)	34–18
53	January 27	Detroit	91–109	Love, Porter (21)	35–18
54	January 30	Capital	94–103	Bob Love (20)	36–18
55	February 1	Kansas City–Omaha	88–99	Bob Love (29)	37–18
56	February 2	@ Philadelphia	105–89	Bob Love (27)	38–18
57	February 3	@ Cleveland	108–94	Jerry Sloan (25)	39–18
58	February 5	Boston	98–100	Chet Walker (22)	40–18
59	February 6	@ Kansas City–Omaha	112–95	Bob Love (29)	41–18
60	February 8	@ Buffalo	101–106	Love, Walker (20)	41–19
61	February 10	Los Angeles	86–96	Bob Love (30)	42–19
62	February 12	Milwaukee	81–93	Bob Love (34)	43–19
63	February 13	@ New York	80–89	Norm Van Lier (19)	43–20
64	February 15	@ Milwaukee	92–90	Bob Love (24)	44–20
65	February 17	Golden State	108–105	Howard Porter (24)	44–21
66	February 19	Phoenix	96–130	Porter, Walker (25)	45–21
67	February 22	Portland	100–117	Bob Love (29)	46–21
68	February 24	@ Los Angeles	90–100	Bob Love (23)	46–22
69	February 27	@ Phoenix	107–95	Howard Porter (23)	47–22
70	March 1	@ Portland	91–95	Love, Walker (21)	47–23
71	March 2	@ Golden State	88–103	Chet Walker (28)	47–24
72	March 5	@ Phoenix	111–91	Norm Van Lier (22)	48–24
73	March 6	@ Houston	105–93	Bob Love (43)	49–24
74	March 9	@ Atlanta	99–106	Clifford Ray (24)	49–25
75	March 12	Kansas City–Omaha	93–91	Bob Love (31)	49–26
76	March 15	Buffalo	97–114	Chet Walker (22)	50–26
77	March 17	Milwaukee	107–82	Howard Porter (22)	50–27
78	March 19	Philadelphia	94–103	Jerry Sloan (22)	51–27
79	March 20	@ Kansas City–Omaha	87–86	Norm Van Lier (25)	52–27
80	March 22	@ Los Angeles	93–99	Howard Porter (21)	52–28
81	March 24	@ Seattle	122–113	Chet Walker (25)	53–28
82	March 26	Cleveland	98–104	Norm Van Lier (25)	54–28

Playoffs

1974 playoff game log
Conference semifinals: 4–3 (home: 3–1; road: 1–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 March 30 Detroit L 88–97 Jerry Sloan (24) Sloan, Ray (10) Norm Van Lier (6) Chicago Stadium 10,711 0–1 2 April 1 @ Detroit W 108–103 Bob Love (38) Clifford Ray (11) Norm Van Lier (9) Cobo Arena 11,499 1–1 3 April 5 Detroit W 84–83 Chet Walker (21) Jerry Sloan (14) Norm Van Lier (5) Chicago Stadium 17,634 2–1 4 April 7 @ Detroit L 87–102 Bob Love (23) Clifford Ray (9) Norm Van Lier (9) Cobo Arena 11,287 2–2 5 April 9 Detroit W 98–94 Bob Love (32) Jerry Sloan (17) Norm Van Lier (4) Chicago Stadium 14,236 3–2 6 April 11 @ Detroit L 88–92 Chet Walker (33) Clifford Ray (15) Norm Van Lier (10) Cobo Arena 11,134 3–3 7 April 13 Detroit W 96–94 Chet Walker (26) Clifford Ray (15) Bob Weiss (5) Chicago Stadium 13,133 4–3
Conference finals: 0–4 (home: 0–2; road: 0–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 16 @ Milwaukee L 85–101 Norm Van Lier (26) Bob Love (10) Norm Van Lier (10) Milwaukee Arena 10,938 0–1 2 April 18 Milwaukee L 111–113 Norm Van Lier (27) Clifford Ray (15) Norm Van Lier (7) Chicago Stadium 17,787 0–2 3 April 20 @ Milwaukee L 90–113 Bob Love (30) Clifford Ray (15) Clifford Ray (6) Milwaukee Arena 10,938 0–3 4 April 22 Milwaukee L 99–115 Bob Love (32) Love, Ray (8) Norm Van Lier (7) Chicago Stadium 12,762 0–4
1974 schedule

Awards and records

• Norm Van Lier, All-NBA Second Team
• Jerry Sloan, NBA All-Defensive First Team
• Norm Van Lier, NBA All-Defensive First Team
• Bob Love, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
• Chet Walker, NBA All-Star Game
• Norm Van Lier, NBA All-Star Game