This week on NBA.com, we're dedicating a different day to take a closer look at each decade in league history.
Today, we're checking in on all things 70s!
One thing we're doing each day is an All-Decade Team made up of the two best guards, two best forwards and the best centre of the respective decade. For the 1970s, we're starting with the 1976-70 season and ending with the 1978-79 season.
This may have been the hardest list to crack, especially for big men as the 70s were dominated by all-time great bigs.
ALL-DECADE TEAMS: 2010s | 2000s | 1990s | 1980s
With that being said on to the list...
G: Walt Frazier
Maybe the coolest player in NBA history. Clyde could play now and everyone would want to be him.
But Frazier wasn't just about swag he could really hoop too. The Knicks legend was All-NBA six times, All-Defence six times, a seven-time All-Star and helped New York win its only two NBA titles in 1970 and 1973.
Frazier held most Knicks records until Patrick Ewing came along and broke many of them. He still to this day remains the all-time assist leader in Knicks history.
G: John Havlicek
Havlicek did much of his winning alongside Bill Russell in the 60s but once Russell retired after winning the title in 1969, Boston was Havlicek's team. "Hondo" was an All-Star every year he played in the decade and made All-NBA first-team for four straight years from 1971-74. He was All-NBA second-team three times in the 70s as well (1970,1975,1976).
Havlicek led the Celtics to two more championships in the 70s winning in 1974 where he was named Finals MVP and again in 1976.
Although Havlicek is the bridge between Russell and Larry Bird, the two biggest names in Celtic lore, he shouldn't be overlooked.
F: Julius Erving
If Kareem Adbul-Jabbar was the best player of the 70s Dr. J was easily the biggest star. Although he played most of the decade in the ABA the Doctor was who all the kids wanted to be in their backyards.
MORE: It's impossible to overstate the influence of Dr. J and the ABA
Erving won two ABA championships and ABA Finals MVPs in the decade. He also won three straight ABA league MVPs. When he came over to the NBA his star didn't fade. Dr.J would make three All-Star appearances — winning All-Star Game MVP in 77 and was All-NBA twice in the decade.
Before Magic, Bird and MJ there was the Doctor Julius Erving.
F: Elvin Hayes
The Big E was probably the only true foe Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had in the 70s. Hayes averaged 23.2 points, 14.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks for the decade and was a proven stud, but it wasn't until he arrived in Washington to play alongside Wes Unseld when he really started to do damage.
Hayes would help the then Bullets go to three NBA Finals in five years, winning the championship in 1978. Unseld walked away with Finals MVP, but Hayes' averages of 20.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.0 blocks — all team-highs should've definitely got some consideration.
Hayes was All-NBA six times in the decade and All-Defence twice.
C: Kareem Abdul Jabbar
The best player of the decade and maybe the best player of all-time. Kareem led the 70s in win shares by far and had a 2,066 point gap between him and the second-leading scorer of the decade, Dan Issel — who spent most of his time in the fast-paced ABA.
While most of his team success would come in the 80s, Cap was an absolute monster through the decade. Five league MVPs, seven All-NBA first-team selections, eight All-Defensive nods and a ring and Finals MVP with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971.
We should really put more respect on Kareem's resume.
1970s All-Decade Second Team
G: Pete Maravich: If And1 mixtape existed in the 70s Pistol Pete would've been the poster boy. Maravich had all the tricks in his bag, he was way ahead of his time.
G: Jo Jo White: Seven All-Star selections in the decade, White was a fixture in the Celtics backcourt. White was the MVP of 1976 Finals. He only went into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
F: Rick Barry: Barry made nine All-Star appearances combined in the NBA and ABA in the decade. He was All-NBA four times and All-ABA three times in the 70s.
His best season would come in 1975 when he led the Golden State Warriors to the NBA title. Barry averaged 29.5 points, 5.0 assists, 3.5 steals in the championship series to earn Finals MVP.
Anecdotally known for his underhand free-throw toss, Barry led the NBA in free-throw percentage five times during the decade.
F: Bob McAdoo: The league MVP in 1975, McAdoo was the NBA's scoring champion three times in the decade.
C: Artis Gilmore: Gilmore spent most of his time in the ABA but he finished second in win shares for the decade behind Kareem. Gilmore won an ABA championship in 75 and was ABA MVP and Rookie of the Year in 1972. I mean winning MVP as a rookie is just insane!
1970s All-Decade Third Team
G: Jerry West: Mr. Clutch finally won his championship in 1972. He led the league in scoring for the first time in 70 and led the league in assists in 72. Even though he was getting up there in age in the 70s, West still had plenty to give.
G: Tiny Archibald: Tiny led the league in points (34.0) and assists (11.4) in 1973 and finished third in MVP voting behind winner Dave Cowens and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
F: Bob Lanier: Lanier finished top five in win shares for the decade, but he was never able to have any true playoff success.
C: Wes Unseld: Unseld may not have been the best player on his Bullets teams — that was Hayes, but he was the leader.
C: Dave Cowens: A winner, Cowens elevated his game in the postseason. He won two titles with the C's and was named league MVP in 1973.
Major apologies to: Bill Walton. I'm cheating here because we were only supposed to keep it to 15 but I had to acknowledge what Walton did in a short period of time. His peak was so big that I couldn't leave him off the list. League MVP in 1978, champion and Finals MVP the year before that, Big Red was a star in the 70s.
Apologies to: Dan Issel, David Thompson, Wilt Chamberlain, Spencer Haywood, Lou Hudson, Bob Dandridge, Gail Goodrich, Calvin Murphy, Paul Silas, George Gervin.
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