The
Portland Trail Blazers were one of three new teams to join the
NBA for the
1970β71 season.[1] The franchise played its inaugural regular season game on a Friday night in Portland, beating the fellow expansion
Cleveland Cavaliers 115β112 on October 16, with 4,273 in attendance.[2][3][4]
Portland
finished last in the Pacific Division with a record of 29β53 (.354).[4] Of the three expansion teams, their record was the best; with seven more wins than the
Buffalo Braves and fourteen more than the Cavaliers. The leading scorer for the Blazers was
Geoff Petrie; he averaged 24.8 points per game and shared
Rookie of the Year honors with
Boston Celtics star
Dave Cowens.[4]
The Trail Blazers convened their preseason camp on September 14, 1970. Sixteen players reported to camp, which was held in the gymnasium at
Pacific University in
Forest Grove, Oregon.[22]Pat Riley was unable to attend the camp due to the death in his father. Players reported to drills at 10 am and 4 pm.[23] The first players to be cut from camp were third round draft pick Bill Cain and Tim Robinson, who had played for the
Harlem Globetrotters from 1961 to 1965.[24][25]
On September 13, 1970, the Trail Blazers announced that
KPTV would broadcast 12 road games (all in
color) during their inaugural season. Jimmy Jones was Portland's
play-by-play announcer on television.[127]
^"Bucks 126, Blazers 104". Sun-Tattler. Hollywood, Florida. November 23, 1970. p. 17. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Bullets 156, Blazers 104". The Miami News. Miami, Florida. November 25, 1970. p. 18. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Celtics 122, Blazers 115". Tri-City Herald. Pasco, Washington. November 26, 1970. p. 26. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Blazers 111, Cavaliers 102". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. November 28, 1970. p. 14. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Braves 111, Blazers 95". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 29, 1970. p. 5. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Bucks 124, Blazers 111". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. November 30, 1970. p. 12. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Rockets 120, Blazers 114". Tri-City Herald. Pasco, Washington. December 2, 1970. p. 17. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Suns 126, Blazers 121". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. December 5, 1970. p. 15. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Lakers 131, Blazers 120". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. December 7, 1970. p. 17. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Knicks 139, Blazers 121". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. December 9, 1970. p. 56. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Blazers 106, Cavs 102". Tucson Daily Citizen. Tucson, Arizona. December 10, 1970. p. 34. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Blazers 120, Braves 105". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. December 12, 1970. p. 2. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Hawks 107, Blazers 104". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. December 13, 1970. p. 46. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
^"Pistons 111, Blazers 103". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. December 16, 1970. p. 49. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
^"Warriors 122, Blazers 118". Tucson Daily Citizen. Tucson, Arizona. December 19, 1970. p. 14. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^Finch, Phil (December 20, 1970).
"Warriors Run Out of Rallies". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. p. 41. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"76ers-Blazers". The Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. December 21, 1970. p. 40. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Suns 115, Blazers 103". Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. December 27, 1970. p. 50. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Blazers 135, Celtics 123". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. December 28, 1970. p. 49. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Sonics 121, Blazers 118". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. January 2, 1971. p. 29. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Bulls 136, Blazers 113". Independent. Long Beach, California. January 3, 1971. p. 58. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Blazers 116, Cavs 106". Tri-City Herald. Pasco, Washington. January 5, 1971. p. 11. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"76ers 97, Warriors 92". Orlando Evening Star. Orlando, Florida. January 6, 1971. p. 36. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Royals 133, Blazers 123". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. January 7, 1971. p. 12. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Blazers 113, Bulls 105". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. January 9, 1971. p. 12. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Blazers 114-96". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. January 10, 1970. p. 42. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^
abMatthews, Bob (January 15, 1971).
"3 Guards Help Braves Top Blazers". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. p. 40. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Bulls Outlast Blazers, 123-111". The Troy Record. Troy, New York. Associated Press. January 20, 1971. p. 30. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Braves 126, Blazers 106". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. January 21, 1971. p. 22. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
^"Blazers 123, Pistons 112". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. January 23, 1971. p. 12. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
^"Bucks 142, Blazers 117". Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. January 24, 1971. p. 50. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
^"Braves 123, Blazers 111". Tri-City Herald. Pasco, Washington. January 25, 1971. p. 11. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
^"Cavs 118, Blazers 104". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. January 28, 1971. p. 5. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
^"Suns 131, Blazers 122". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. January 30, 1971. p. 32. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
^"Lakers 133, Blazers 120". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. February 1, 1971. p. 4. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
The
Portland Trail Blazers were one of three new teams to join the
NBA for the
1970β71 season.[1] The franchise played its inaugural regular season game on a Friday night in Portland, beating the fellow expansion
Cleveland Cavaliers 115β112 on October 16, with 4,273 in attendance.[2][3][4]
Portland
finished last in the Pacific Division with a record of 29β53 (.354).[4] Of the three expansion teams, their record was the best; with seven more wins than the
Buffalo Braves and fourteen more than the Cavaliers. The leading scorer for the Blazers was
Geoff Petrie; he averaged 24.8 points per game and shared
Rookie of the Year honors with
Boston Celtics star
Dave Cowens.[4]
The Trail Blazers convened their preseason camp on September 14, 1970. Sixteen players reported to camp, which was held in the gymnasium at
Pacific University in
Forest Grove, Oregon.[22]Pat Riley was unable to attend the camp due to the death in his father. Players reported to drills at 10 am and 4 pm.[23] The first players to be cut from camp were third round draft pick Bill Cain and Tim Robinson, who had played for the
Harlem Globetrotters from 1961 to 1965.[24][25]
On September 13, 1970, the Trail Blazers announced that
KPTV would broadcast 12 road games (all in
color) during their inaugural season. Jimmy Jones was Portland's
play-by-play announcer on television.[127]
^"Bucks 126, Blazers 104". Sun-Tattler. Hollywood, Florida. November 23, 1970. p. 17. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Bullets 156, Blazers 104". The Miami News. Miami, Florida. November 25, 1970. p. 18. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Celtics 122, Blazers 115". Tri-City Herald. Pasco, Washington. November 26, 1970. p. 26. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Blazers 111, Cavaliers 102". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. November 28, 1970. p. 14. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Braves 111, Blazers 95". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. November 29, 1970. p. 5. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Bucks 124, Blazers 111". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. November 30, 1970. p. 12. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Rockets 120, Blazers 114". Tri-City Herald. Pasco, Washington. December 2, 1970. p. 17. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Suns 126, Blazers 121". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. December 5, 1970. p. 15. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Lakers 131, Blazers 120". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. December 7, 1970. p. 17. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Knicks 139, Blazers 121". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. December 9, 1970. p. 56. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Blazers 106, Cavs 102". Tucson Daily Citizen. Tucson, Arizona. December 10, 1970. p. 34. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Blazers 120, Braves 105". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. December 12, 1970. p. 2. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^"Hawks 107, Blazers 104". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. December 13, 1970. p. 46. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
^"Pistons 111, Blazers 103". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. December 16, 1970. p. 49. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
^"Warriors 122, Blazers 118". Tucson Daily Citizen. Tucson, Arizona. December 19, 1970. p. 14. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^Finch, Phil (December 20, 1970).
"Warriors Run Out of Rallies". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. p. 41. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"76ers-Blazers". The Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. December 21, 1970. p. 40. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Suns 115, Blazers 103". Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. December 27, 1970. p. 50. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Blazers 135, Celtics 123". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. December 28, 1970. p. 49. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Sonics 121, Blazers 118". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. January 2, 1971. p. 29. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Bulls 136, Blazers 113". Independent. Long Beach, California. January 3, 1971. p. 58. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Blazers 116, Cavs 106". Tri-City Herald. Pasco, Washington. January 5, 1971. p. 11. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"76ers 97, Warriors 92". Orlando Evening Star. Orlando, Florida. January 6, 1971. p. 36. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Royals 133, Blazers 123". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. January 7, 1971. p. 12. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Blazers 113, Bulls 105". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. January 9, 1971. p. 12. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Blazers 114-96". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. January 10, 1970. p. 42. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^
abMatthews, Bob (January 15, 1971).
"3 Guards Help Braves Top Blazers". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. p. 40. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Bulls Outlast Blazers, 123-111". The Troy Record. Troy, New York. Associated Press. January 20, 1971. p. 30. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
^"Braves 126, Blazers 106". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Missouri. January 21, 1971. p. 22. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
^"Blazers 123, Pistons 112". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. January 23, 1971. p. 12. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
^"Bucks 142, Blazers 117". Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. January 24, 1971. p. 50. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
^"Braves 123, Blazers 111". Tri-City Herald. Pasco, Washington. January 25, 1971. p. 11. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
^"Cavs 118, Blazers 104". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. January 28, 1971. p. 5. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
^"Suns 131, Blazers 122". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. January 30, 1971. p. 32. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
^"Lakers 133, Blazers 120". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. February 1, 1971. p. 4. Retrieved November 9, 2022.