1970-71 NBA
Expansion & ABA Rivalry
Milwaukee Bucks won the title.
- Teams
- 17
- Teams in the rival league
- 11
- Games per team
- 82
- Pace (poss. per 48 min)
- 115.1
- Points per team game
- 112.4
- League true shooting
- .500
- Share of shots from three
- No line
Award winners
- MVPKareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Rookie of the YearDave Cowens
- Rookie of the YearGeoff Petrie
Standings and postseason
East
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Knicks | 52 | 30 | 5.05 | Lost conf. finals |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | 1.81 | Lost 2nd round |
| Boston Celtics | 44 | 38 | 2.30 | Missed playoffs |
| Baltimore Bullets | 42 | 40 | 0.91 | Lost Finals |
| Atlanta Hawks | 36 | 46 | -1.30 | Lost conf. finals |
| Cincinnati Royals | 33 | 49 | -2.96 | Missed playoffs |
| Buffalo Braves | 22 | 60 | -8.02 | Missed playoffs |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | -12.04 | Missed playoffs |
West
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Bucks | 66 | 16 | 11.92 | Won title |
| Chicago Bulls | 51 | 31 | 5.47 | Lost conf. finals |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 48 | 34 | 3.27 | Lost conf. finals |
| Phoenix Suns | 48 | 34 | 2.33 | Missed playoffs |
| Detroit Pistons | 45 | 37 | -0.33 | Missed playoffs |
| San Francisco Warriors | 41 | 41 | -0.83 | Lost 2nd round |
| San Diego Rockets | 40 | 42 | 0.21 | Missed playoffs |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 38 | 44 | -1.53 | Missed playoffs |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 29 | 53 | -6.20 | Missed playoffs |
Rules in force
| Free-throw lane width | 16 ft |
|---|---|
| Three-point line | none |
| Arm bar / forearm contact | allowed (source pending) |
| Hand-checking | allowed |
| Zone defense | not permitted (source pending) |
| Team foul penalty (bonus) | bonus after team foul limit |
| Backcourt count | 10 seconds (source pending) |
| Shot clock | 24 seconds |
See how each rule changed over time on the rules timeline.
What changed this season
No league-wide rule or format changes recorded for this season.