The 1976-77 Chicago Bulls season marked the franchise’s 11th season in the NBA. The team, coached by Ed Badger, was part of the Midwest Division in the Western Conference. The Bulls concluded the regular season with a record of 44 wins and 38 losses, securing a third-place finish in their division.
The Bulls’ roster was led by standout performances from players like Artis Gilmore, who was acquired from the Kentucky Colonels after the ABA-NBA merger. Gilmore made an immediate impact, averaging 18.6 points and 13.0 rebounds per game. He was supported by Norm Van Lier and Mickey Johnson, both of whom provided significant contributions in their respective roles. Van Lier, known for his defensive prowess, averaged 12.2 points and 7.2 assists per game.
Despite a solid regular-season performance, the Bulls faced challenges in the playoffs. They entered the postseason as the sixth seed in the Western Conference, matched up against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. The series was a best-of-three format, and the Bulls were swept 2-0 by the eventual NBA champions, Portland. The defeat highlighted the need for additional depth and adjustments to compete at a higher level in future playoff runs.
The 1976-77 season was a transitional period for the Bulls, emphasizing the integration of new talent and the team’s adaptation to the evolving competitive landscape of the post-merger NBA. While the playoff exit was disappointing, the season laid the groundwork for future improvements.
- Regular Season Record: 44-38
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 1-2
Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats for 1976-77 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Artis Gilmore | 82 | 18.6 | 13.0 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 3 | 18.7 | 13.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 0.0 |
| Mickey Johnson | 81 | 17.3 | 10.2 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 3 | 27.3 | 13.0 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Wilbur Holland | 79 | 14.9 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 3 | 14.7 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Scott May | 72 | 14.6 | 6.1 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 3 | 10.7 | 4.7 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Bob Love | 14 | 12.2 | 5.2 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Norm Van Lier | 82 | 10.2 | 4.5 | 7.8 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 3 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 9.7 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| John Mengelt | 61 | 8.3 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 3 | 12.7 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jack Marin | 54 | 6.8 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 3 | 5.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Paul McCracken | 9 | 5.2 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Laskowski | 47 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Tom Boerwinkle | 82 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 3 | 0.7 | 3.3 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Tom Kropp | 53 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Cliff Pondexter | 78 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 3 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Eric Fernsten | 5 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Phil Hicks | 35 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Keith Starr | 17 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Willie Smith | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Chicago Bulls in the 1977 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Portland Trail Blazers
In the 1977 NBA Playoffs, the Chicago Bulls faced the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. Despite a determined effort, the Bulls were unable to overcome the eventual champions, losing the series 2-1. The Blazers' strong performance, led by Bill Walton, proved too formidable for the Bulls, highlighting the gap between the two teams during that era.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 12, 1977 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 96-83 | |
| Apr 15, 1977 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 107-104 | |
| Apr 17, 1977 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 106-98 |
Chicago Bulls 1976-77 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1976-77 season for the Chicago Bulls.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 22, 1976 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 106-95 | |
| Oct 23, 1976 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 102-97 | |
| Oct 26, 1976 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 90-88 | |
| Oct 29, 1976 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 95-82 | |
| Oct 30, 1976 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 102-74 | |
| Nov 04, 1976 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 97-87 | |
| Nov 05, 1976 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 99-85 | |
| Nov 09, 1976 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 111-92 | |
| Nov 10, 1976 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 103-88 | |
| Nov 13, 1976 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 106-103 | |
| Nov 21, 1976 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 101-96 | |
| Nov 24, 1976 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 117-115 | |
| Nov 26, 1976 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 101-97 | |
| Nov 28, 1976 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 103-84 | |
| Nov 30, 1976 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 125-120 | |
| Dec 03, 1976 | @ Boston Celtics | L 115-109 | |
| Dec 04, 1976 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 107-99 | |
| Dec 07, 1976 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 89-81 | |
| Dec 08, 1976 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 107-100 | |
| Dec 10, 1976 | @ New Orleans Jazz | W 92-78 | |
| Dec 11, 1976 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 84-76 | |
| Dec 14, 1976 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 101-88 | |
| Dec 17, 1976 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 103-101 | |
| Dec 18, 1976 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 111-106 | |
| Dec 21, 1976 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 103-101 | |
| Dec 23, 1976 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 101-95 | |
| Dec 25, 1976 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 96-91 | |
| Dec 28, 1976 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 84-79 | |
| Dec 30, 1976 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 124-106 | |
| Jan 01, 1977 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 89-82 | |
| Jan 02, 1977 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 83-79 | |
| Jan 04, 1977 | vs. New York Nets | W 88-80 | |
| Jan 05, 1977 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 109-94 | |
| Jan 07, 1977 | vs. New York Knicks | W 108-88 | |
| Jan 08, 1977 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 119-99 | |
| Jan 11, 1977 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 93-90 | |
| Jan 12, 1977 | @ Washington Bullets | W 99-85 | |
| Jan 14, 1977 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 94-89 | |
| Jan 15, 1977 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 96-93 | |
| Jan 16, 1977 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 102-83 | |
| Jan 18, 1977 | @ Houston Rockets | L 103-85 | |
| Jan 19, 1977 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 115-107 | |
| Jan 21, 1977 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 110-89 | |
| Jan 23, 1977 | @ New York Nets | L 95-86 | |
| Jan 25, 1977 | @ New York Knicks | L 108-91 | |
| Jan 26, 1977 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 106-93 | |
| Jan 28, 1977 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 105-94 | |
| Jan 29, 1977 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 109-101 | |
| Feb 01, 1977 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 97-86 | |
| Feb 03, 1977 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 107-98 | |
| Feb 05, 1977 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 99-96 | |
| Feb 06, 1977 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 111-99 | |
| Feb 08, 1977 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 111-89 | |
| Feb 09, 1977 | @ Houston Rockets | L 108-103 | |
| Feb 11, 1977 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 110-92 | |
| Feb 15, 1977 | vs. New York Nets | W 114-106 | |
| Feb 16, 1977 | @ New York Knicks | L 123-103 | |
| Feb 18, 1977 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 90-87 | |
| Feb 22, 1977 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 118-102 | |
| Feb 25, 1977 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 96-87 | |
| Feb 26, 1977 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 104-98 | |
| Mar 01, 1977 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 102-85 | |
| Mar 02, 1977 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 108-104 | |
| Mar 04, 1977 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 114-99 | |
| Mar 06, 1977 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 94-86 | |
| Mar 11, 1977 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 95-90 | |
| Mar 13, 1977 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 106-102 | |
| Mar 15, 1977 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 107-96 | |
| Mar 16, 1977 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 104-97 | |
| Mar 18, 1977 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 114-112 | |
| Mar 19, 1977 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 104-92 | |
| Mar 22, 1977 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 102-86 | |
| Mar 25, 1977 | vs. New York Knicks | W 105-87 | |
| Mar 27, 1977 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 95-90 | |
| Mar 29, 1977 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 119-113 | |
| Mar 30, 1977 | @ Boston Celtics | L 90-88 | |
| Apr 01, 1977 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 107-97 | |
| Apr 03, 1977 | @ New Orleans Jazz | W 101-82 | |
| Apr 05, 1977 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 91-89 | |
| Apr 06, 1977 | @ Washington Bullets | L 97-96 | |
| Apr 08, 1977 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 113-109 | |
| Apr 10, 1977 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 120-99 |