1974–75 NBA season

Drafting Keith Wilkes (rookie of the year) proved a master stroke as many questioned his ability to handle the rigors of play in the NBA.

His play along with finals MVP Rick Barry, (First Team All NBA) and supported by such players as Clifford Ray, Butch Beard and the rest of an able supporting cast, proved to be enough to combat the tough and flashy Bullets, who had a very balanced and strong team with the likes of Wes Unseld, Kevin Porter and Elvin Hayes.

Reserve Don Nelson, the future coaching great, shot just often enough to lead the NBA in accuracy from the floor.

Kevin Porter, a 6-foot fleet splinter, led the league in assists and foulouts and became a key part of the club.

The Big Mac posted a 34.5 scoring average to lead the NBA, making more field goals than any other player.

Barry sank 90% of his free throws with his unique underhand delivery and finished sixth in the NBA in assists.

But Barry may have shocked most by leading the NBA in steals as well, using surprisingly quick hands while playing passing lanes as well as any forward ever.

The Washington Bullets led by Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld won 60 games, a tie with the Boston Celtics for first in the league and the Houston Rockets led by Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich reached their first season at .500 as well as made the playoffs for the first time in Houston and second in franchise history.

As usual, Chicago did it with a stifling defense that began with guards Jerry Sloan and Norm Van Lier.

Holdout Bob Love missed 20 games but again led in scoring while signee Nate Thurmond got into the defense at center.

The defending Western Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks suffered a precipitous decline following the retirement of Oscar Robertson, dropping from 59 wins in '73–'74 to 38 in '74–'75.

Nate Archibald responded by averaging 26.5 points per game, while Sam Lacey was a force in the paint with 11.4 rebounds a contest.

Chicago drew a very good Kansas City team that had bounced back from the bad Bob Cousy days under coach Phil Johnson.

The inside defense of the Bullets, combined with plenty of free throws, allowed Washington to send the vaunted world champions home.

Most experts now expected Chicago to finally get their hard-earned shot in a classic offense vs. defense series against Golden State.

Bulls coach, Dick Motta, was giving most of the center minutes to rebounder Tom Boerwinkle, not Thurmond.

Rookie Keith Wilkes, the local UCLA favorite, was quietly having a strong playoffs at power forward.

Rick Barry averaged 28 points to be the star, but coach Al Attles' team had hustled and sweated throughout to key one of the most unusual and impressive championships ever.