The 1970–71 Portland Trail Blazers season was the inaugural season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In their first regular season game on October 16, 1970, they beat the fellow expansion Cleveland Cavaliers 115–112, with 4,273 people in attendance.Portland Trail Blazers (1970–Present)

The Trail Blazers played a regular season home game at McArthur Court in Eugene, Oregon on February 19, 1971, against the Cincinnati Royals. Portland was defeated by Cincinnati, 102–109.

Portland finished last in the Pacific Division with a record of . Of the three expansion teams, their record was the best; with seven more wins than the Buffalo Braves and fourteen more than the Cavaliers. The leading scorer for the Blazers was Geoff Petrie; he averaged 24.8 points per game and shared Rookie of the Year honors with Boston Celtics star Dave Cowens.

Offseason NBA draft

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College Source 1 8 Geoff Petrie SG Princeton 2 25 Walt Gilmore PF Fort Valley State 3 42 Bill Cain F Iowa State 4 59 Jim Penix F Bowling Green 5 76 Ron Knight PF Cal State LA 6 93 George Janky C Dayton 7 110 Claude English F Rhode Island 8 127 Doug Boyd F/C TCU 9 144 Billy Gaskins G Oregon 10 161 Israel Oliver F Elizabeth City State 11 176 Don McClemore F Bowling Green 12 188 Paul Adams F Central Washington 13 199 Alex Boyd F Nevada-Reno 14 208 Frank Loteridge Texas–Pan American 15 218 John Canady Miami (FL) 16 226 Doug Williams St. Mary's (TX) 18 235 Bruce Butchko F Southern Illinois 19 239 Mark Gabriel Hanover

Expansion draft

Player Position Team Rick Adelman PG San Diego Rockets Jerry Chambers SF Phoenix Suns LeRoy Ellis C Baltimore Bullets Fred Hetzel SF Philadelphia 76ers Joe Kennedy SF Seattle SuperSonics Ed ManningSF/PF Chicago Bulls Stan McKenzie SF Phoenix Suns Dorie Murrey PF Seattle SuperSonics Pat Riley SG San Diego Rockets Dale Schlueter C San Francisco Warriors Larry Siegfried PG Boston Celtics BOBCATS: All-Time Expansion Draft Results Player information from Basketball Reference

Roster

Pre-season The Trail Blazers convened their preseason camp on September 14, 1970. Sixteen players reported to camp, which was held in the gymnasium at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. Pat Riley was unable to attend the camp due to the death in his father. Players reported to drills at 10 am and 4 pm. The first players to be cut from camp were third round draft pick Bill Cain and Tim Robinson, who had played for the Harlem Globetrotters from 1961 to 1965.

Regular season

Season standings

Game log

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 || October 16 || Cleveland || 112–115 || Jim Barnett (31) || 4,273 || 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 || October 18 || Boston || 133–115 || Jim Barnett (26) || 6,301 || 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 || October 20 || Cleveland || 98–120 || Ellis, Petrie (21) || 2,709 || 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 || October 23 || @ Seattle || 111–141 || McKenzie, Petrie (19) || 9,201 || 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 || October 24 || @ San Francisco || 115–118 || Geoff Petrie (38) || 3,741 || 2–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 || October 25 || Chicago || 131–116 || Geoff Petrie (26) || 3,352 || 2–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 || October 27 || Buffalo || 108–119 || Stan McKenzie (27) || 3,289 || 3–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 || October 30 || Seattle || 115–104 || Jim Barnett (20) || 4,344 || 3–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 || October 31 || Buffalo || 102–107 || Jim Barnett (38) || 6,538 || 4–5

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 || November 3 || Los Angeles || 128–108 || Jim Barnett (18) || 7,286 || 4–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 || November 5 || Baltimore || 131–135 || Jim Barnett (30) || 3,593 || 5–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 || November 6 || San Francisco || 110–103 || Geoff Petrie (23) || 5,597 || 5–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 || November 8 || New York || 125–113 || Jim Barnett (40) || 10,259 || 5–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 || November 10 || Cincinnati || 138–121 || Jim Barnett (23) || 5,166 || 5–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 15 || November 11 || @ Phoenix || 100–114 || Geoff Petrie (27) || 6,029 || 5–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 || November 12 || Cleveland || 105–103 || Jim Barnett (27) || 2,173 || 5–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 || November 14 || Cleveland || 116–126 || Jim Barnett (29) || 4,592 || 6–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 || November 16 || San Diego || 136–118 || Jim Barnett (24) || 3,189 || 6–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 || November 17 || Buffalo || 102–101 || Geoff Petrie (24) || 1,973 || 6–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 || November 18 || Atlanta || 131–146 || Jim Barnett (34) || 6,670 || 7–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 21 || November 21 || Buffalo || 112–108 || Ellis, Halimon (28) || 11,316 || 8–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 || November 22 || Milwaukee || 126–104 || Stan McKenzie (17) || 9,471 || 8–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 || November 24 || @ Baltimore || 104–156 || Geoff Petrie (22) || 2,606 || 8–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 || November 25 || @ Boston || 115–122 || Geoff Petrie (28) || 7,573 || 8–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 || November 27 || @ Cleveland || 111–102 || Jim Barnett (20) || 3,021 || 9–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 || November 28 || @ Buffalo || 95–111 || Shaler Halimon (23) || 3,321 || 9–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 || November 29 || @ Milwaukee || 111–124 || Ellis, Petrie (27) || 9,849 || 9–18

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 || December 1 || San Diego || 120–114 || Jim Barnett (27) || 4,178 || 9–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 29 || December 4 || Phoenix || 126–121 || Geoff Petrie (33) || 3,927 || 9–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 30 || December 6 || @ Los Angeles || 120–131 || LeRoy Ellis (29) || 8,549 || 9–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 || December 8 || @ New York || 121–139 || Geoff Petrie (30) || 16,774 || 9–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 || December 9 || @ Cleveland || 109–102 || Barnett, Petrie (25) || 2,022 || 10–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 || December 11 || @ Buffalo || 120–105 || Geoff Petrie (25) || 2,176 || 11–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 || December 12 || @ Atlanta || 101–107 || Jim Barnett (33) || 5,976 || 11–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 || December 15 || Detroit || 111–103 || Jim Barnett (20) || 4,084 || 11–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 || December 18 || San Francisco || 122–118 || Geoff Petrie (23) || 7,683 || 11–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 || December 19 || San Diego || 118–108 || LeRoy Ellis (25) || 5,746 || 11–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 || December 20 || Philadelphia || 134–132 (OT) || Jim Barnett (31) || 4,001 || 11–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 || December 26 || @ Phoenix || 103–115 || Geoff Petrie (32) || 6,102 || 11–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 || December 27 || Boston || 123–135 || Geoff Petrie (31) || 7,657 || 12–28

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 || January 1 || @ Seattle || 118–121 || Geoff Petrie (40) || 9,012 || 12–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 42 || January 2 || Chicago || 136–113 || Geoff Petrie (32) || 5,101 || 12–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 || January 4 || @ Cleveland || 119–106 || Geoff Petrie (39) || 1,737 || 13–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 || January 5 || Boston || 124–120 || Geoff Petrie (28) || 5,364 || 14–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 45 || January 6 || @ Cincinnati || 128–133 (OT) || Geoff Petrie (32) || 2,279 || 14–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 46 || January 8 || @ Chicago || 113–105 || Geoff Petrie (27) || 5,116 || 15–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 47 || January 9 || New York || 96–114 || Jim Barnett (32) || 11,808 || 16–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 || January 14 || Buffalo || 113–119 || Geoff Petrie (23) || 1,339 || 16–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 || January 19 || @ Chicago || 111–123 || LeRoy Ellis (27) || 7,511 || 16–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 50 || January 20 || @ Buffalo || 106–126 || Jim Barnett (35) || 1,348 || 16–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 51 || January 22 || @ Detroit || 123–112 || Geoff Petrie (28) || 6,932 || 17–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 || January 23 || @ Milwaukee || 117–142 || Dale Schlueter (20) || 10,746 || 17–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 53 || January 24 || @ Buffalo || 111–123 || Geoff Petrie (28) || 3,067 || 17–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 || January 27 || @ Cleveland || 104–118 || Geoff Petrie (29) || 1,823 || 17–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 55 || January 29 || Phoenix || 131–122 || Jim Barnett (27) || 5,877 || 17–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 || January 31 || @ Los Angeles || 120–133 || Barnett, Ellis (24) || 11,018 || 17–39

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 57 || February 2 || Milwaukee || 111–123 || Jim Barnett (27) || 9,040 || 18–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 58 || February 4 || Atlanta || 123–137 || LeRoy Ellis (27) || 8,616 || 19–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 59 || February 5 || San Francisco || 117–123 || Geoff Petrie (25) || 5,628 || 20–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 || February 7 || Cleveland || 103–112 || Geoff Petrie (24) || 7,743 || 21–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 61 || February 12 || Seattle || 125–137 || Geoff Petrie (43) || 7,313 || 22–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 || February 16 || Cincinnati || 102–109 || Geoff Petrie (31) || 9,300 || 22–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 63 || February 17 || @ Seattle || 126–130 || Geoff Petrie (26) || 6,679 || 22–41 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 64 || February 18 || Los Angeles || 136–114 || Geoff Petrie (36) || 11,457 || 22–42 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 65 || February 20 || Philadelphia || 118–105 || LeRoy Ellis (33) || 6,970 || 22–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 66 || February 21 || Cleveland || 105–123 || Geoff Petrie (38) || 6,037 || 23–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 67 || February 23 || @ Philadelphia || 113–119 || Geoff Petrie (43) || 5,986 || 23–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 68 || February 24 || @ Atlanta || 107–118 || Jim Barnett (26) || 6,739 || 23–45 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 69 || February 26 || @ Baltimore || 97–114 || Geoff Petrie (28) || 9,773 || 23–46 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 || February 27 || @ New York || 102–113 || Geoff Petrie (25) || 19,500 || 23–47

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 71 || March 2 || @ Detroit || 122–128 || Geoff Petrie (41) || 2,827 || 23–48 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 72 || March 3 || Philadelphia || 104–120 || Jim Barnett (19) || 9,080 || 23–49 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 73 || March 5 || Cincinnati || 111–117 || Geoff Petrie (25) || 2,098 || 23–50 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 74 || March 7 || @ San Diego || 121–135 || Geoff Petrie (40) || 5,375 || 23–51 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 75 || March 8 || Buffalo || 114–98 || Geoff Petrie (20) || 4,785 || 23–52 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 76 || March 11 || Baltimore || 118–136 || Geoff Petrie (30) || 6,262 || 24–52 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 77 || March 12 || Detroit || 133–129 || Geoff Petrie (33) || 6,962 || 24–53 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 78 || March 14 || Buffalo || 112–122 || Geoff Petrie (21) || 6,727 || 25–53 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 79 || March 19 || Seattle || 128–135 || Geoff Petrie (46) || 11,140 || 26–53 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"