1974–75 Buffalo Braves season
The 1974–75 Buffalo Braves season was the fifth season of the club in the National Basketball Association. It was the team's third season under head coach Jack Ramsay. The team's home arena was the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, with six "home" games played at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.
| 1974–75 Buffalo Braves season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Jack Ramsay |
| Arena | Buffalo Memorial Auditorium Maple Leaf Gardens |
| Results | |
| Record | 49–33 (.598) |
| Place | Division: 2nd (Atlantic) Conference: 3rd (Eastern) |
| Playoff finish | East Semifinals (lost to Bullets 3–4) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
| Local media | |
| Television | WBEN-TV |
| Radio | WBEN |
Despite losing three key players in Gar Heard, Jim McMillian and Ernie DiGregorio for long stretches, the Braves continued to improve. Buffalo finished second in the Atlantic Division to Boston, with a record of 49–33 and a .598 winning percentage; this would endure as the club's best record for 37 years, until the twice-relocated Los Angeles Clippers amassed a 40-26 mark (.606) in the 2011-12 season. Bob McAdoo captured the NBA MVP Award, leading the league with 34.5 points per game, while adding 14.1 rebounds per contest, fourth-best in the NBA.
In the 1975 NBA Playoffs, the Braves earned the franchise's second playoff berth, this time against the Washington Bullets. The series went to the full seven games, with Washington taking the deciding contest, 115–96, at home. After the season, the team was occupied with legal wrangling surrounding the departure of minority owner and general manager Eddie Donovan.