1972-73 NBA
Expansion & ABA Rivalry
New York Knicks won the title.
- Teams
- 17
- Teams in the rival league
- 10
- Games per team
- 82
- Pace (poss. per 48 min)
- 110.7
- Points per team game
- 107.6
- League true shooting
- .498
- Share of shots from three
- No line
Award winners
- MVPDave Cowens
- Rookie of the YearBob McAdoo
Standings and postseason
East
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 68 | 14 | 7.35 | Lost conf. finals |
| New York Knicks | 57 | 25 | 6.07 | Won title |
| Baltimore Bullets | 52 | 30 | 2.85 | Lost 2nd round |
| Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | -0.15 | Lost conf. finals |
| Houston Rockets | 33 | 49 | -1.81 | Missed playoffs |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 32 | 50 | -2.64 | Missed playoffs |
| Buffalo Braves | 21 | 61 | -8.85 | Missed playoffs |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 9 | 73 | -11.50 | Missed playoffs |
West
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | 60 | 22 | 8.16 | Lost Finals |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 60 | 22 | 7.84 | Lost conf. finals |
| Chicago Bulls | 51 | 31 | 3.43 | Lost 2nd round |
| Golden State Warriors | 47 | 35 | 3.12 | Lost conf. finals |
| Detroit Pistons | 40 | 42 | 0.54 | Missed playoffs |
| Phoenix Suns | 38 | 44 | -0.96 | Missed playoffs |
| Kansas City-Omaha Kings | 36 | 46 | -2.36 | Missed playoffs |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 26 | 56 | -5.33 | Missed playoffs |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 21 | 61 | -5.67 | 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.