The 1972-73 NBA season was a challenging one for the Golden State Warriors as they navigated through a period of transition. Coached by Al Attles, the Warriors finished with a record of 47-35. This placed them second in the Pacific Division. Despite a relatively strong regular season performance, the Warriors were unable to advance past the first round of the playoffs. They faced the Milwaukee Bucks in the Western Conference Semifinals, where they lost the series in six games.
Key players during this season included Nate Thurmond, a dominant force at center known for his defensive prowess and rebounding skills. Thurmond was instrumental in keeping the Warriors competitive throughout the season. Another standout was Jeff Mullins, who provided consistent scoring from the guard position. Additionally, Cazzie Russell contributed significantly, adding depth to the roster with his versatility and scoring ability.
The 1972-73 season was marked by a mix of highs and lows. While the Warriors demonstrated the potential to compete with some of the league’s better teams during the regular season, their playoff performance highlighted areas in need of improvement. The early playoff exit was a setback, but the team’s core players provided a solid foundation for future seasons. Overall, the season was a stepping stone as the Warriors aimed to build a more formidable squad in the competitive landscape of the NBA.
- Regular Season Record: 47-35
- Playoff Result: Western Conference Semifinals: 4-2, Western Conference Finals: 1-4
Golden State Warriors Roster and Stats for 1972-73 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Rick Barry | 82 | 22.3 | 8.9 | 4.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 16.4 | 4.9 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jeff Mullins | 81 | 17.8 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 15.0 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Nate Thurmond | 79 | 17.1 | 17.1 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 14.5 | 13.2 | 3.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Cazzie Russell | 80 | 15.7 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 14.8 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Barnett | 82 | 11.8 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 13.0 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Joe Ellis | 74 | 6.3 | 3.8 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Clyde Lee | 66 | 6.3 | 9.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 10.6 | 15.7 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ron Williams | 73 | 6.0 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Charles Johnson | 71 | 5.3 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Walt Hazzard | 46 | 4.5 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 11 | 6.5 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Portman | 32 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| George Johnson | 56 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Golden State Warriors in the 1973 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Milwaukee Bucks
In the 1973 NBA Playoffs, the Golden State Warriors faced the Milwaukee Bucks in the Western Conference Semifinals. Despite a valiant effort led by stars like Nate Thurmond and Cazzie Russell, the Warriors were overpowered by the Bucks, featuring a dominant Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and lost the series 4-2. This marked the end of the Warriors' playoff run that season, highlighting the challenges of competing against a formidable Milwaukee team.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 1973 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 110-90 | |
| Apr 01, 1973 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 95-92 | |
| Apr 05, 1973 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-93 | |
| Apr 07, 1973 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 102-97 | |
| Apr 10, 1973 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 100-97 | |
| Apr 13, 1973 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 100-86 |
1973 Conference Championship vs. Los Angeles Lakers
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 17, 1973 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 101-99 | |
| Apr 19, 1973 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 104-93 | |
| Apr 21, 1973 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 126-70 | |
| Apr 23, 1973 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 117-109 | |
| Apr 25, 1973 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 128-118 |
Golden State Warriors 1972-73 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1972-73 season for the Golden State Warriors.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 1972 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 81-77 | |
| Oct 16, 1972 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | W 97-96 | |
| Oct 20, 1972 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 101-92 | |
| Oct 21, 1972 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 104-97 | |
| Oct 26, 1972 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 94-93 | |
| Oct 27, 1972 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 119-91 | |
| Oct 28, 1972 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 122-107 | |
| Oct 31, 1972 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 112-104 | |
| Nov 02, 1972 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 118-104 | |
| Nov 04, 1972 | vs. New York Knicks | W 127-104 | |
| Nov 07, 1972 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 105-91 | |
| Nov 08, 1972 | @ Boston Celtics | L 128-111 | |
| Nov 10, 1972 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 121-96 | |
| Nov 11, 1972 | @ New York Knicks | W 103-102 | |
| Nov 14, 1972 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 114-105 | |
| Nov 16, 1972 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 128-106 | |
| Nov 17, 1972 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 105-97 | |
| Nov 18, 1972 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 120-92 | |
| Nov 22, 1972 | @ Houston Rockets | L 132-104 | |
| Nov 24, 1972 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 100-96 | |
| Nov 25, 1972 | @ Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 133-114 | |
| Nov 28, 1972 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 110-102 | |
| Dec 01, 1972 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 115-106 | |
| Dec 02, 1972 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 112-103 | |
| Dec 05, 1972 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 108-101 | |
| Dec 08, 1972 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 124-91 | |
| Dec 10, 1972 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 103-100 | |
| Dec 13, 1972 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 110-107 | |
| Dec 15, 1972 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 129-95 | |
| Dec 16, 1972 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 105-99 | |
| Dec 19, 1972 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 115-112 | |
| Dec 23, 1972 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 127-109 | |
| Dec 26, 1972 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 97-95 | |
| Dec 28, 1972 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 118-105 | |
| Dec 30, 1972 | vs. Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 113-107 | |
| Jan 02, 1973 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 112-106 | |
| Jan 04, 1973 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 108-83 | |
| Jan 05, 1973 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 128-96 | |
| Jan 06, 1973 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 111-79 | |
| Jan 09, 1973 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 105-98 | |
| Jan 11, 1973 | @ Kansas City-Omaha Kings | L 109-108 | |
| Jan 12, 1973 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 108-107 | |
| Jan 13, 1973 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 116-110 | |
| Jan 16, 1973 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 100-98 | |
| Jan 17, 1973 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 123-117 | |
| Jan 19, 1973 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 115-80 | |
| Jan 21, 1973 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 124-108 | |
| Jan 25, 1973 | vs. Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 129-115 | |
| Jan 26, 1973 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 100-84 | |
| Jan 27, 1973 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 122-107 | |
| Jan 29, 1973 | @ New York Knicks | L 97-84 | |
| Jan 30, 1973 | @ Baltimore Bullets | L 104-86 | |
| Jan 31, 1973 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 131-115 | |
| Feb 01, 1973 | @ Kansas City-Omaha Kings | L 98-96 | |
| Feb 03, 1973 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 123-101 | |
| Feb 08, 1973 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 123-111 | |
| Feb 10, 1973 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 135-108 | |
| Feb 11, 1973 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 101-96 | |
| Feb 13, 1973 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 103-90 | |
| Feb 15, 1973 | vs. Baltimore Bullets | L 96-94 | |
| Feb 16, 1973 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 114-108 | |
| Feb 17, 1973 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 110-106 | |
| Feb 20, 1973 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 118-115 | |
| Feb 23, 1973 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 111-106 | |
| Feb 24, 1973 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 102-93 | |
| Feb 27, 1973 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 114-100 | |
| Feb 28, 1973 | @ Boston Celtics | L 118-111 | |
| Mar 02, 1973 | vs. Kansas City-Omaha Kings | W 117-112 | |
| Mar 03, 1973 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 117-116 | |
| Mar 06, 1973 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 108-93 | |
| Mar 10, 1973 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 117-113 | |
| Mar 11, 1973 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 97-93 | |
| Mar 13, 1973 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 109-101 | |
| Mar 15, 1973 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 141-125 | |
| Mar 16, 1973 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 116-106 | |
| Mar 17, 1973 | vs. New York Knicks | L 117-108 | |
| Mar 20, 1973 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 114-106 | |
| Mar 22, 1973 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 108-98 | |
| Mar 23, 1973 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 125-124 | |
| Mar 24, 1973 | vs. Buffalo Braves | W 106-101 | |
| Mar 26, 1973 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 120-114 | |
| Mar 28, 1973 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 96-89 |