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Professional basketball season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1970–71 Phoenix Suns season was the third season for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association . Head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons lead the Suns, in the NBA's first season which separated the teams into both conferences and divisions as the league continued to gain more teams. It was the first season the Suns would be without the services of All-Star guard Gail Goodrich . With a 48–34 record (fourth best in the league), the Suns set the NBA record for the team with the best winning percentage not to make the playoffs. The team would break their own record the next year with a 49–33 finish. All home games were played at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum .
The Suns were led in scoring by Dick Van Arsdale with 21.9 points per game. Connie Hawkins finished the season averaging 20.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per contest. Paul Silas led the Suns with 12.5 rebounds per game, the highest-ever average in Suns history, while Neal Walk garnered 8.2 rebounds to go with his 12.9 points a game.
Goodrich, a native of Los Angeles and who played college ball at UCLA , was traded before the season back to the Los Angeles Lakers , where he had played before being acquired in the expansion draft of 1968. In exchange, the Suns obtained the 29-year-old 7-footer Mel Counts , who was coming off a career-high 12.6 average in points. Goodrich would go on to play nine more seasons in the NBA, six of those with the Lakers. During those six years, he would average 22.3 points per game, appear in four All-Star Games and be named to an All-NBA First Team . Meanwhile, Counts averaged 11 points and 6.3 rebounds in his first of two seasons with the Suns.
Phoenix Suns roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Height
Weight
DOB (Y-M-D)
From
C 31
Counts, Mel
230 lb (104 kg)
1941-10-16
Oregon State
F 16
Green, Lamar
210 lb (95 kg)
1947-03-22
Morehead State
G 23
Harris, Art
185 lb (84 kg)
1947-01-13
Stanford
G 11
Haskins, Clem
195 lb (88 kg)
1943-07-11
Western Kentucky
F/C 42
Hawkins, Connie
210 lb (95 kg)
1942-07-17
Iowa
F 44
Howard, Greg
215 lb (98 kg)
1948-01-08
New Mexico
F 29
Silas, Paul
220 lb (100 kg)
1943-07-12
Creighton
G 10
Taylor, Fred
180 lb (82 kg)
1948-02-05
Texas–Pan American
F 40
Thomas, Joe
205 lb (93 kg)
1948-03-09
Marquette
G/F 5
Van Arsdale, Dick
210 lb (95 kg)
1943-02-22
Indiana
C 41
Walk, Neal
220 lb (100 kg)
1948-07-29
Florida
G/F 25
Wetzel, John
190 lb (86 kg)
1944-10-22
Virginia Tech
Head coach Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended
Record vs. opponents [ edit ]
1970–71 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BAL
BOS
BUF
CHI
CIN
CLE
DET
LAL
MIL
NYK
PHI
PHO
POR
SDR
SFW
SEA
Atlanta
—
3–3
2–4
3–1
1–4
2–4
4–0
0–5
3–2
1–4
3–3
4–2
1–4
2–2
2–3
2–3
3–2
Baltimore
3–3
—
3–3
3–1
2–3
3–3
4–0
2–3
2–3
1–4
2–4
3–3
3–2
2–2
4–1
2–3
3–2
Boston
4–2
3–3
—
4–0
4–1
4–2
3–1
2–3
3–2
0–5
0–6
4–2
2–3
2–2
3–2
3–2
3–2
Buffalo
1–3
1–3
0–4
—
0–4
0–4
5–7
1–5
2–2
0–4
2–2
0–4
1–3
6–6
1–3
1–3
1–3
Chicago
4–1
3–2
1–4
4–0
—
4–0
4–0
3–3
2–4
1–5
3–2
3–2
3–3
3–1
6–0
4–2
3–2
Cincinnati
4–2
3–3
2–4
4–0
0–4
—
5–1
1–4
1–4
1–4
2–4
1–5
1–4
4–0
1–3
2–3
1–4
Cleveland
0–4
0–4
1–3
7–5
0–4
1–5
—
2–2
0–4
0–4
0–4
1–3
0–4
2–10
0–4
1–3
0–4
Detroit
5–0
3–2
3–2
5–1
3–3
4–1
2–2
—
2–3
1–5
2–3
2–3
2–4
3–1
4–2
1–4
3–1
Los Angeles
2–3
3–2
2–3
2–2
4–2
4–1
4–0
3–2
—
1–4
3–2
3–2
2–4
4–0
3–3
4–2
4–2
Milwaukee
4–1
4–1
5–0
4–0
5–1
4–1
4–0
5–1
4–1
—
1–4
4–1
4–2
3–1
4–1
6–0
5–1
New York
3–3
4–2
6–0
2–2
2–3
4–2
4–0
3–2
2–3
4–1
—
2–4
4–1
3–1
4–1
3–2
2–3
Philadelphia
2–4
3–3
2–4
4–0
2–3
5–1
3–1
3–2
2–3
1–4
4–2
—
3–2
4–0
3–2
3–2
3–2
Phoenix
4–1
2–3
3–2
3–1
3–3
4–1
4–0
4–2
4–2
2–4
1–4
2–3
—
4–0
2–4
3–2
3–2
Portland
2–2
2–2
2–2
6–6
1–3
0–4
10–2
1–3
0–4
1–3
1–3
0–4
0–4
—
0–4
1–3
2–4
San Diego
3–2
1–4
2–3
3–1
0–6
3–1
4–0
2–4
3–3
1–4
1–4
2–3
4–2
4–0
—
2–4
5–1
San Francisco
3–2
3–2
2–3
3–1
2–4
3–2
3–1
4–1
2–4
0–6
2–3
2–3
2–3
3–1
4–2
—
3–3
Seattle
2–3
2–3
2–3
3–1
2–3
4–1
4–0
1–3
2–4
1–5
3–2
2–3
2–3
4–2
1–5
3–3
—
1970–71 game log
October: 3–6 (home: 3–2; road: 0–4)
November: 11–6 (home: 5–1; road: 6–5)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
Location
Record
Streak
10
November 2
Buffalo
W 110–102
Connie Hawkins (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 4–6
W 1
11
November 4
@ Cincinnati
W 133–115
Clem Haskins ,Connie Hawkins ,Dick Van Arsdale (25)
Cincinnati Gardens 5–6
W 2
12
November 6
@ Chicago
W 105–102
Dick Van Arsdale (23)
Chicago Stadium 6–6
W 3
13
November 7
@ Atlanta
W 107–100
Connie Hawkins (21)
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 7–6
W 4
14
November 8
@ Milwaukee
L 105–125
Dick Van Arsdale (23)
Milwaukee Arena 7–7
L 1
15
November 11
Portland
W 114–100
Dick Van Arsdale (28)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 8–7
W 1
16
November 13
Cincinnati
W 115–109
Clem Haskins ,Connie Hawkins (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9–7
W 2
17
November 15
Detroit
W 108–104
Clem Haskins (28)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10–7
W 3
18
November 17
@ New York
L 100–103
Clem Haskins ,Dick Van Arsdale (23)
Madison Square Garden 10–8
L 1
19
November 19
@ Detroit
L 110–112
Dick Van Arsdale (23)
Cobo Arena 10–9
L 2
20
November 20
@ Baltimore
L 110–121
Connie Hawkins (23)
Baltimore Civic Center 10–10
L 3
21
November 21
@ Philadelphia
W 125–119
Dick Van Arsdale (30)
The Spectrum 11–10
W 1
22
November 22
@ Cleveland
W 114–99
Connie Hawkins (29)
Cleveland Arena 12–10
W 2
23
November 24
@ Buffalo
L 106–112
Clem Haskins (25)
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 12–11
L 1
24
November 26
Seattle
W 126–115
Connie Hawkins (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 13–11
W 1
25
November 27
@ Los Angeles
W 116–105
Paul Silas (27)
The Forum 14–11
W 2
26
November 28
San Diego
L 116–117
Connie Hawkins (31)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 14–12
L 1
December: 9–7 (home: 7–4; road: 2–3)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
Location
Record
Streak
27
December 2
Atlanta
W 126–112
Connie Hawkins (32)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 15–12
W 1
28
December 4
@ Portland
W 126–121
Connie Hawkins (29)
Memorial Coliseum 16–12
W 2
29
December 5
@ San Francisco
W 105–100
Connie Hawkins (24)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 17–12
W 3
30
December 6
San Diego
W 108–102
Connie Hawkins (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 18–12
W 4
31
December 8
Los Angeles
L 112–121
Connie Hawkins (24)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 18–13
L 1
32
December 11
@ San Diego
L 104–110
Connie Hawkins (26)
San Diego Sports Arena 18–14
L 2
33
December 12
Milwaukee
W 113–111
Dick Van Arsdale (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 19–14
W 1
34
December 15
San Francisco
L 123–129
Clem Haskins (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 19–15
L 1
35
December 17
Detroit
W 117–114 (OT)
Connie Hawkins (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 20–15
W 1
36
December 19
@ Seattle
L 131–135
Dick Van Arsdale (35)
Seattle Center Coliseum 20–16
L 1
37
December 20
New York
L 118–133
Dick Van Arsdale (20)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 20–17
L 2
38
December 22
Philadelphia
L 129–133 (OT)
Connie Hawkins (33)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 20–18
L 3
39
December 25
Atlanta
W 127–115
Dick Van Arsdale (32)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 21–18
W 1
40
December 26
Portland
W 115–103
Neal Walk (27)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 22–18
W 2
41
December 27
@ Los Angeles
L 110–128
Neal Walk (20)
The Forum 22–19
L 1
42
December 30
Los Angeles
W 132–114
Clem Haskins (31)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 23–19
W 1
January: 11–4 (home: 7–2; road: 4–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
Location
Record
Streak
43
January 2
@ San Francisco
W 122–116 (OT)
Dick Van Arsdale (31)
Cow Palace 24–19
W 2
44
January 3
San Francisco
W 102–81
Clem Haskins (32)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 25–19
W 3
45
January 8
@ Boston
L 114–122
Dick Van Arsdale (24)
Boston Garden 25–20
L 1
46
January 9
@ Philadelphia
L 112–123
Clem Haskins (22)
The Spectrum 25–21
L 2
47
January 10
@ Atlanta
W 116–105
Paul Silas (23)
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 26–21
W 1
All-Star Break
48
January 14
New York
W 107–88
Dick Van Arsdale (25)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 27–21
W 2
49
January 16
Baltimore
W 117–100
Clem Haskins (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 28–21
W 3
50
January 18
@ Cincinnati
W 118–99
Clem Haskins (29)
Omaha, Nebraska 29–21
W 4
51
January 20
Cincinnati
L 114–126
Clem Haskins (27)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 29–22
L 1
52
January 22
Philadelphia
L 116–117
Dick Van Arsdale (23)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 29–23
L 2
53
January 24
Chicago
W 113–112
Mel Counts ,Paul Silas (18)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 30–23
W 1
54
January 26
Buffalo
W 114–82
Dick Van Arsdale (23)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 31–23
W 2
55
January 28
Los Angeles
W 118–112
Mel Counts (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 32–23
W 3
56
January 29
@ Portland
W 131–122
Dick Van Arsdale (36)
Memorial Coliseum 33–23
W 4
57
January 30
Seattle
W 134–116
Dick Van Arsdale (30)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 34–23
W 5
February: 9–4 (home: 3–2; road: 6–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
Location
Record
Streak
58
February 4
San Francisco
L 105–117
Connie Hawkins (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 34–24
L 1
59
February 6
Cleveland
W 119–91
Neal Walk ,John Wetzel (22)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 35–24
W 1
60
February 8
@ Milwaukee
L 94–118
Connie Hawkins (23)
Milwaukee Arena 35–25
L 1
61
February 9
@ Baltimore
W 120–115
Dick Van Arsdale (27)
Baltimore Civic Center 36–25
W 1
62
February 12
@ Cleveland
W 114–105
Dick Van Arsdale (24)
Cleveland Arena 37–25
W 2
63
February 13
@ New York
L 97–114
Connie Hawkins (25)
Madison Square Garden 37–26
L 1
64
February 14
@ Buffalo
W 108–97
Dick Van Arsdale (29)
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 38–26
W 1
65
February 16
@ Boston
W 119–116
Connie Hawkins (27)
Boston Garden 39–26
W 2
66
February 17
Cincinnati
W 133–117
Clem Haskins (29)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 40–26
W 3
67
February 19
Boston
W 116–112
Dick Van Arsdale (26)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 41–26
W 4
68
February 21
Milwaukee
L 97–125
Dick Van Arsdale (21)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 41–27
L 1
69
February 26
@ Philadelphia
W 108–94
Connie Hawkins (30)
The Spectrum 42–27
W 1
70
February 27
@ Detroit
W 124–117
Dick Van Arsdale (42)
Cobo Arena 43–27
W 2
March: 5–7 (home: 2–3; road: 3–4)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
Location
Record
Streak
71
March 3
Chicago
W 115–90
Clem Haskins (28)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 44–27
W 3
72
March 7
Baltimore
L 108–117
Connie Hawkins (19)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 44–28
L 1
73
March 9
@ Detroit
W 114–108
Dick Van Arsdale (31)
Cobo Arena 45–28
W 1
74
March 10
@ Atlanta
L 98–139
Dick Van Arsdale (19)
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 45–29
L 1
75
March 12
@ Chicago
L 92–116
Connie Hawkins (27)
Chicago Stadium 45–30
L 2
76
March 13
@ Chicago
L 99–111
Connie Hawkins (22)
Chicago Stadium 45–31
L 3
77
March 14
@ Milwaukee
W 125–113
Connie Hawkins (27)
Madison , WI 46–31
W 1
78
March 16
Milwaukee
L 111–119
Connie Hawkins ,Dick Van Arsdale (28)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 46–32
L 1
79
March 18
New York
L 123–131 (OT)
Connie Hawkins (35)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 46–33
L 2
80
March 19
@ Los Angeles
W 111–106
Dick Van Arsdale (25)
The Forum 47–33
W 1
81
March 20
Seattle
W 114–107
Paul Silas (24)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 48–33
W 2
82
March 21
@ San Diego
L 114–132
Clem Haskins (25)
San Diego Sports Arena 48–34
L 1
1970–71 schedule
Team-by-team results [ edit ] ^ – Minimum 350 free throw attempts.
1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
United States
