{"id":472,"date":"2026-07-02T21:54:51","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T21:54:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/?p=472"},"modified":"2026-07-02T21:55:26","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T21:55:26","slug":"history-of-the-buffalo-braves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/2026\/07\/02\/history-of-the-buffalo-braves\/","title":{"rendered":"History of the Buffalo Braves"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\nThe <strong>Buffalo Braves<\/strong> were one of the NBA&#8217;s most exciting franchises during the 1970s. Although the team existed for only eight seasons (1970\u20131978), the Braves produced an NBA Most Valuable Player, three NBA Rookie of the Year winners, multiple All-Stars, and several future Hall of Famers. Today, the franchise continues as the <strong><a href=https:\/\/nbahoopsonline.com\/teams\/LosAngelesClippers\/Index.html>Los Angeles Clippers<\/a><\/strong>, making the Braves an important part of NBA history.\n<\/p>\n<h2>NBA Expansion Comes to Buffalo<\/h2>\n<p>\nThe Buffalo Braves were founded in <strong>1970<\/strong> as one of three NBA expansion franchises, joining the <strong>Cleveland Cavaliers<\/strong> and the <strong>Portland Trail Blazers<\/strong>.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nBuffalo was quickly becoming a major league sports city. The same year the Braves debuted, the city also welcomed the NHL&#8217;s Buffalo Sabres. The Braves played their home games at the <strong>Buffalo Memorial Auditorium<\/strong>, sharing the arena with the Sabres.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nThe nickname &#8220;<strong>Braves<\/strong>&#8221; honored the Native American heritage of Western New York, particularly the nearby Seneca Nation.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Early Struggles<\/h2>\n<p>\nLike most expansion teams, the Braves struggled during their first two seasons.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nCoached by Hall of Famer <strong>Dolph Schayes<\/strong>, Buffalo finished 22-60 in both the 1970-71 and 1971-72 seasons.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nDespite the losses, the franchise found its first star in forward <strong>Bob Kauffman<\/strong>, who became a three-time NBA All-Star and one of the team&#8217;s early leaders.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Bob McAdoo Changes Everything<\/h2>\n<p>\nThe franchise changed dramatically during the <strong>1972 NBA Draft<\/strong>, when Buffalo selected <strong>Bob McAdoo<\/strong> with the second overall pick.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nMcAdoo immediately emerged as one of the NBA&#8217;s brightest young stars, winning the <strong>1973 NBA Rookie of the Year Award<\/strong>.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nUnder head coach <strong>Jack Ramsay<\/strong>, the Braves became one of the league&#8217;s most entertaining teams.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nMcAdoo reached the peak of his career during the <strong>1974-75 season<\/strong>, averaging 34.5 points and 14.1 rebounds per game while winning the <strong>NBA Most Valuable Player Award<\/strong>.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nHis combination of scoring, rebounding, and shooting ability made him one of the greatest offensive centers in NBA history.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Playoff Success<\/h2>\n<p>\nLed by McAdoo, guard <strong>Randy Smith<\/strong>, and Rookie of the Year <strong>Ernie DiGregorio<\/strong>, Buffalo qualified for the NBA Playoffs three consecutive seasons.\n<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>1973-74<\/li>\n<li>1974-75<\/li>\n<li>1975-76<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\nAlthough the Braves never advanced beyond the Eastern Conference Semifinals, they established themselves as one of the NBA&#8217;s rising teams during the mid-1970s.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nDiGregorio won the <strong>1974 NBA Rookie of the Year Award<\/strong>, giving Buffalo back-to-back Rookie of the Year winners.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Randy Smith&#8217;s Ironman Streak<\/h2>\n<p>\nGuard <strong>Randy Smith<\/strong> became one of the most durable players in NBA history.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nSmith appeared in <strong>906 consecutive games<\/strong>, an NBA record that stood for more than two decades.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nHe earned two NBA All-Star selections and was named the <strong>1978 NBA All-Star Game MVP<\/strong>, shortly before the franchise relocated.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Future Hall of Famers<\/h2>\n<p>\nAlthough the Braves existed for only eight seasons, they featured several future Hall of Fame players.\n<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bob McAdoo<\/li>\n<li>Moses Malone<\/li>\n<li>Adrian Dantley<\/li>\n<li>Nate Archibald (acquired before the 1977 season but did not appear in a regular-season game because of injury)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\nBuffalo also drafted <strong>Adrian Dantley<\/strong>, who won the <strong>1977 NBA Rookie of the Year Award<\/strong> before being traded following his rookie season.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nRemarkably, the Braves produced three Rookie of the Year winners in only five seasons:\n<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bob McAdoo (1973)<\/li>\n<li>Ernie DiGregorio (1974)<\/li>\n<li>Adrian Dantley (1977)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Ownership Changes and Decline<\/h2>\n<p>\nDespite their success on the court, the Braves struggled financially.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nOwner <strong>Paul Snyder<\/strong> frequently clashed with local officials and Buffalo Memorial Auditorium management over scheduling conflicts with the NHL&#8217;s Buffalo Sabres. Attendance problems and financial losses made the franchise&#8217;s future increasingly uncertain.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nIn 1976, Snyder sold the team to <strong>John Y. Brown Jr.<\/strong>, who soon became involved in one of the most unusual ownership transactions in professional sports history.\n<\/p>\n<h2>The Franchise Swap<\/h2>\n<p>\nIn 1978, Brown agreed to exchange ownership interests with <strong>Boston Celtics<\/strong> owner <strong>Irv Levin<\/strong>.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nInstead of relocating the Celtics to California, the two owners effectively swapped franchises.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nLevin assumed control of the Braves and immediately relocated the team to <strong>San Diego<\/strong>, where it became the <strong><a href=https:\/\/nbahoopsonline.com\/teams\/LosAngelesClippers\/Articles\/SanDiegoClippers.html>San Diego Clippers<\/a><\/strong>.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nIn <strong>1984<\/strong>, the franchise moved again to <strong>Los Angeles<\/strong>, where it continues today as the <strong>Los Angeles Clippers<\/strong>.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Buffalo&#8217;s Lasting Legacy<\/h2>\n<p>\nAlthough the Braves played only eight NBA seasons, they left a lasting mark on the league.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nThe franchise produced:\n<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>One NBA Most Valuable Player<\/li>\n<li>Three NBA Rookie of the Year winners<\/li>\n<li>Multiple Hall of Fame players<\/li>\n<li>Three consecutive playoff appearances<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\nToday, the Los Angeles Clippers continue to honor their Buffalo roots by periodically wearing Buffalo Braves throwback uniforms and celebrating the franchise&#8217;s early history.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Hall of Fame Players<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Bob McAdoo<\/li>\n<li>Moses Malone<\/li>\n<li>Adrian Dantley<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Hall of Fame Coaches<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Jack Ramsay<\/li>\n<li>Cotton Fitzsimmons<\/li>\n<li>Dolph Schayes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Major Awards<\/h2>\n<table border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"6\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;\">\n<thead style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;\">\n<tr>\n<th>Award<\/th>\n<th>Winner<\/th>\n<th>Year<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>NBA Most Valuable Player<\/td>\n<td>Bob McAdoo<\/td>\n<td>1975<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>NBA Rookie of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Bob McAdoo<\/td>\n<td>1973<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>NBA Rookie of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Ernie DiGregorio<\/td>\n<td>1974<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>NBA Rookie of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Adrian Dantley<\/td>\n<td>1977<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>NBA Executive of the Year<\/td>\n<td>Eddie Donovan<\/td>\n<td>1974<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>NBA All-Star Game MVP<\/td>\n<td>Randy Smith<\/td>\n<td>1978<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Playoff Appearances<\/h2>\n<table border=\"1\" cellpadding=\"6\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;\">\n<thead style=\"background-color:#f2f2f2;\">\n<tr>\n<th>Season<\/th>\n<th>Result<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>1973-74<\/td>\n<td>Lost Eastern Conference Semifinals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>1974-75<\/td>\n<td>Lost Eastern Conference Semifinals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>1975-76<\/td>\n<td>Lost Eastern Conference Semifinals<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2>Legacy<\/h2>\n<p>\nThe Buffalo Braves remain one of the NBA&#8217;s most beloved former franchises. In just eight seasons, they produced an MVP, three Rookie of the Year winners, multiple Hall of Fame players, and some of the league&#8217;s most entertaining basketball.\n<\/p>\n<p>\nAlthough financial challenges ultimately forced the franchise to relocate, the Braves&#8217; legacy continues through the Los Angeles Clippers. The brilliance of Bob McAdoo, the durability of Randy Smith, and Buffalo&#8217;s remarkable success in developing young talent ensure that the Braves will always hold a unique place in NBA history.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Buffalo Braves were one of the NBA&#8217;s most exciting franchises during the 1970s. Although the team existed for only eight seasons (1970\u20131978), the Braves produced an NBA Most Valuable Player, three NBA Rookie of the Year winners, multiple All-Stars, and several future Hall of Famers. Today, the franchise continues &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/2026\/07\/02\/history-of-the-buffalo-braves\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;History of the Buffalo Braves&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":474,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-472","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-clippers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=472"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":473,"href":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472\/revisions\/473"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyhoops.net\/blog3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}