The 1975-76 Chicago Bulls season marked the team’s tenth season in the NBA. Under the guidance of head coach Dick Motta, the Bulls aimed to build on their previous playoff appearances. The team finished with a regular-season record of 24-58, which was a significant decline from their performance in prior seasons. This record placed them fifth in the Midwest Division and they did not qualify for the playoffs, missing the postseason for the first time since the 1970-71 season.
The roster featured key players like Jerry Sloan, who was known for his defensive prowess and leadership on the court. However, the team struggled to find consistency and cohesion throughout the season. The Bulls’ offensive output was limited, and they faced challenges in closing out games, which contributed to their subpar record.
Despite the disappointing season, the Bulls had some notable individual performances. Bob Love, a consistent scorer for the team, averaged 19.3 points per game. Additionally, Norm Van Lier, a tenacious defender, continued to provide solid play on both ends of the floor, averaging 13.2 points and 6.9 assists per game. These performances, however, were not enough to lift the team into playoff contention.
Overall, the 1975-76 season was a challenging period for the Chicago Bulls, signaling the need for rebuilding and strategic changes in the following years to return to their competitive form in the league.
- Regular Season Record: 24-58
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats for 1975-76 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Bob Love | 76 | 19.1 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mickey Johnson | 81 | 15.3 | 9.4 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Norm Van Lier | 76 | 12.6 | 5.4 | 6.6 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jack Marin | 67 | 11.0 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Rowland Garrett | 14 | 10.9 | 5.4 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jerry Sloan | 22 | 10.1 | 5.3 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Laskowski | 71 | 9.2 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Tom Boerwinkle | 74 | 8.8 | 10.7 | 3.8 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Bobby Wilson | 58 | 7.5 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Leon Benbow | 76 | 7.1 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Cliff Pondexter | 75 | 5.8 | 5.1 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Matt Guokas | 18 | 4.5 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Nate Thurmond | 13 | 3.7 | 5.5 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Steve Patterson | 52 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Eric Fernsten | 33 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Block | 2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Chicago Bulls 1975-76 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1975-76 season for the Chicago Bulls.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24, 1975 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 110-103 | |
| Oct 25, 1975 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 91-87 | |
| Oct 28, 1975 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 101-90 | |
| Oct 30, 1975 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 108-91 | |
| Nov 01, 1975 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 84-82 | |
| Nov 04, 1975 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 96-80 | |
| Nov 05, 1975 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 115-82 | |
| Nov 07, 1975 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 124-122 | |
| Nov 13, 1975 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 98-87 | |
| Nov 14, 1975 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 93-89 | |
| Nov 16, 1975 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 110-93 | |
| Nov 19, 1975 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 97-87 | |
| Nov 21, 1975 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 107-98 | |
| Nov 25, 1975 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 98-94 | |
| Nov 28, 1975 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 89-69 | |
| Nov 29, 1975 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 88-85 | |
| Dec 02, 1975 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 91-77 | |
| Dec 03, 1975 | @ Boston Celtics | W 109-106 | |
| Dec 06, 1975 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 90-77 | |
| Dec 07, 1975 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 114-97 | |
| Dec 10, 1975 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 99-79 | |
| Dec 12, 1975 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 109-99 | |
| Dec 13, 1975 | vs. Buffalo Braves | L 103-101 | |
| Dec 16, 1975 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 91-87 | |
| Dec 19, 1975 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 104-91 | |
| Dec 20, 1975 | @ New York Knicks | L 96-89 | |
| Dec 21, 1975 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 97-90 | |
| Dec 23, 1975 | @ Houston Rockets | L 103-94 | |
| Dec 26, 1975 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 101-87 | |
| Dec 27, 1975 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 112-99 | |
| Dec 29, 1975 | vs. New York Knicks | L 94-93 | |
| Dec 30, 1975 | @ Washington Bullets | L 96-81 | |
| Jan 02, 1976 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 107-99 | |
| Jan 05, 1976 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 98-97 | |
| Jan 06, 1976 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | L 104-98 | |
| Jan 09, 1976 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 107-100 | |
| Jan 10, 1976 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 111-84 | |
| Jan 13, 1976 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 104-102 | |
| Jan 16, 1976 | vs. Buffalo Braves | L 110-104 | |
| Jan 17, 1976 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 94-92 | |
| Jan 20, 1976 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 100-86 | |
| Jan 21, 1976 | @ New Orleans Jazz | W 102-93 | |
| Jan 25, 1976 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 118-110 | |
| Jan 27, 1976 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 110-103 | |
| Jan 28, 1976 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 87-84 | |
| Jan 30, 1976 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 91-89 | |
| Jan 31, 1976 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 104-96 | |
| Feb 01, 1976 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 84-80 | |
| Feb 06, 1976 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 112-106 | |
| Feb 07, 1976 | @ Houston Rockets | L 89-87 | |
| Feb 08, 1976 | @ New Orleans Jazz | W 96-92 | |
| Feb 10, 1976 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 85-84 | |
| Feb 12, 1976 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 86-83 | |
| Feb 14, 1976 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 95-89 | |
| Feb 17, 1976 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 114-111 | |
| Feb 20, 1976 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 130-74 | |
| Feb 22, 1976 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 115-112 | |
| Feb 24, 1976 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 92-83 | |
| Feb 28, 1976 | @ New York Knicks | L 93-85 | |
| Mar 02, 1976 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 116-105 | |
| Mar 04, 1976 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 124-110 | |
| Mar 05, 1976 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 99-97 | |
| Mar 07, 1976 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 91-88 | |
| Mar 09, 1976 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 102-101 | |
| Mar 12, 1976 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 95-73 | |
| Mar 13, 1976 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | L 117-111 | |
| Mar 16, 1976 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 120-87 | |
| Mar 17, 1976 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 108-101 | |
| Mar 19, 1976 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 108-101 | |
| Mar 21, 1976 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 112-101 | |
| Mar 23, 1976 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 122-109 | |
| Mar 24, 1976 | @ Boston Celtics | L 94-87 | |
| Mar 26, 1976 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 85-77 | |
| Mar 27, 1976 | @ Washington Bullets | L 99-84 | |
| Mar 30, 1976 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 94-84 | |
| Mar 31, 1976 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 102-96 | |
| Apr 02, 1976 | vs. New York Knicks | L 110-95 | |
| Apr 03, 1976 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 97-93 | |
| Apr 05, 1976 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 102-97 | |
| Apr 07, 1976 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 115-114 | |
| Apr 09, 1976 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 100-88 | |
| Apr 11, 1976 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 111-77 |