1974–75 Buffalo Braves season

Despite losing three key players in Gar Heard, Jim McMillian and Ernie DiGregorio for long stretches, the Braves continued to improve.

After the season, the team was occupied with legal wrangling surrounding the departure of minority owner and general manager Eddie Donovan.

On March 21, Braves general manager Eddie Donovan announced that he would resign effective April 1.

[6] Incoming commissioner, Larry O'Brien announced an amicable settlement as one of his first orders of business.

[11] Buffalo supplanted the New York Knicks as Boston's closest competitor in the Atlantic foursome with 49 wins and 33 losses.

Buffalo boasted high-scoring super star Bob McAdoo, who posted a 34.5 scoring average to lead the NBA, while making more field goals than any other player.

Meanwhile, he ranked sixth in blocks per game, second in total free throws, and fifth in field goal percentage.

[11] In order to win the eighth game of the streak, the Braves had to overcome a seventeen-point deficit to earn a 111–106 victory against the Golden State Warriors.

[26] On December 28, the NBA's smallest player, Calvin Murphy scored a career-high 45 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 125–117 victory over Buffalo.

[28] In a January 3 game against the Detroit Pistons, Dale Schlueter was involved in two altercations that resulted in bench-clearing brawls.

[11] On January 24, DiGregorio returned to the active roster following his October 29 knee cartilage injury.

[37] In game 3, Phil Chenier scored 18 points in the third quarter as the Bullets expanded a 53–52 lead to 81–70.

[39] Two nights later Hayes responded with 46 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, as the Bullets completed a 97–93 comeback victory to regain the series lead 3–2.

[40] In the game, the score was tied at 89 with two minutes left when Nick Weatherspoon hit a 17-foot jumper to give the Bullets the lead for good.

Chenier and Hayes built the lead up to 94–89 before McMillian made two short shots to bring the Braves back within 1 point in the final minute.

An Unseld offensive rebound and putback of a Hayes miss gave the Bullets crucial points in the final seconds.

[43] Source: www.basketball-reference.com Prior to the season the team lost Bob Kauffman to the New Orleans Jazz in the May 20, 1974 NBA Expansion Draft.