Buffalo Braves

The Buffalo Braves operated as a professional basketball franchise in Buffalo, New York from 1970 to 1978, competing within the NBA’s Atlantic Division. The organization’s brief eight-year existence concluded through an unusual ownership transaction in 1978. Team owner John Y. Brown Jr. executed a franchise swap with Boston Celtics owner Irv Levin, creating one of the most distinctive ownership changes in professional sports history. Following this exchange, Levin relocated the Buffalo Braves to San Diego, rebranding the team as the San Diego Clippers. The franchise continued its westward migration in 1984, establishing its current identity as the Los Angeles Clippers. This relocation pattern demonstrates how the buffalo braves became a foundational element in the Clippers’ organizational history, with the buffalo braves representing an important chapter in NBA expansion during the 1970s era.

Team overview

The Buffalo Braves operated as an NBA franchise from 1970 to 1978, representing Buffalo, New York in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division. During their eight-year tenure, the team played home games at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium and featured distinctive black, orange, white, and light blue uniforms. The Buffalo Braves achieved moderate success with three playoff appearances between 1974 and 1976 under head coach Jack Ramsay’s leadership. After the 1978 season, the franchise relocated and eventually became today’s Los Angeles Clippers, marking the end of professional basketball in Buffalo.

Conference	Eastern
Division	Atlantic
Founded	1970
History	Buffalo Braves (1970–1978); San Diego Clippers (1978–1984); Los Angeles Clippers (1984–present)
Arena	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Location	Buffalo, New York
Team colors	Black, orange, white, light blue
Team manager	Eddie Donovan (1970–1975)
Head coaches	Dolph Schayes (1970–1972); Johnny McCarthy (1972); Jack Ramsay (1972–1976); Tates Locke (1976–1977); Bob MacKinnon (1977); Joe Mullaney (1977); Cotton Fitzsimmons (1977–1978)
Ownership	Paul Snyder (1970–1977); John Y. Brown Jr. (1976–1978); Harry T. Mangurian Jr. (1977–1978) (minority partner)
Championships	None
Conference titles	None
Division titles	None
Playoff appearances	3 (1974, 1975, 1976)

History

Play begins

The buffalo braves represented one of three strategic NBA expansion franchises launched during the 1970-71 season, alongside the Portland Trail Blazers and Cleveland Cavaliers. This coordinated expansion reflected the league’s systematic approach to geographic diversification during a period of significant growth. Initially, Neuberger Loeb, a prominent New York City investment firm with minimal Buffalo connections, held ownership rights. However, operational complications and management issues forced the NBA to assume direct control before the team completed even a single preseason game, highlighting the challenges inherent in rapid franchise development.

Paul Snyder, a 33-year-old entrepreneur who had recently liquidated his successful Freezer Queen business, acquired the franchise for $4 million by opening night. This transaction demonstrated the increasing value proposition of NBA franchises during the early 1970s expansion era. The team established its home venue at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, creating a shared-facility arrangement with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, who also commenced operations in 1970, and various local college basketball programs.

Scheduling constraints created significant operational challenges for the franchise. The Braves held only third priority for auditorium dates, ranking behind both the Sabres and Canisius College Golden Griffins. This limitation forced the organization to relocate 16 home games annually to Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto from 1971 through 1975. The team strategically used these Toronto games and additional international exhibitions to cultivate fan support throughout the Greater Toronto Area, representing an early example of cross-border market expansion in professional basketball.

The franchise holds the distinction of being the most recent New York State-based NBA team located outside New York City, where the Knicks and Brooklyn Nets currently operate. This geographic positioning provided unique market opportunities but also presented logistical and fan-base development challenges.

Initial hiring

Management appointed Hall of Fame player Dolph Schayes as the inaugural head coach, bringing established credibility and basketball expertise to the new organization. The franchise acquired its foundational talent through Bob Kauffman and Don May via the 1970 NBA expansion draft, securing experienced players who could provide immediate competitive value and veteran leadership.

The 1970 NBA draft revealed early organizational decision-making patterns when Buffalo selected Princeton graduate John Hummer in the first round while passing on local favorite Calvin Murphy. The team’s inaugural season produced a 22-60 record, with Kauffman leading scoring at 20.4 points per game and earning recognition on the 1971 NBA Eastern Conference All-Star team, establishing the franchise’s first individual achievement milestone.

Season-by-season summary

1971–72 season

The franchise maintained its 22–60 record during the 1971–72 campaign, demonstrating consistent struggles while simultaneously building for future success through strategic personnel decisions. Management prioritized long-term development over immediate results, acquiring talent that would prove instrumental in subsequent seasons. The organization selected center Elmore Smith from Kentucky State University and local standout Randy Smith from Buffalo State College through the draft process. This dual approach of combining proven collegiate talent with hometown appeal reflected a calculated strategy to build both competitive depth and community connection. The coaching transition occurred early when Johnny McCarthy assumed head coaching responsibilities from Schayes after just one game, indicating organizational recognition that immediate changes were necessary to maximize the roster’s potential.

1972–73 and 1973–74 seasons

Under Jack Ramsay’s leadership, the team posted a 21–61 record in 1972–73, showing marginal decline but establishing a foundation for systematic improvement. The most significant achievement came during their October 20, 1972 matchup against Boston, when the buffalo braves established an NBA record that remains unbroken: 58 points scored in a single quarter. This fourth-quarter explosion demonstrated the team’s offensive capabilities, as they outscored the Celtics 58–23 in that period, though they ultimately fell 126–118. This performance illustrated both the team’s potential and their consistency issues.

The 1973–74 season marked a transformational period with the addition of forward/center Bob McAdoo from North Carolina. This acquisition proved strategically sound as the team achieved its first playoff appearance, advancing to face Boston before losing in six games. Statistical analysis reveals the impact of key personnel: McAdoo averaged 30.6 points and 15.1 rebounds per game, while rookie Ernie DiGregorio captured the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. These individual achievements reflected improved organizational talent evaluation and development systems.

1974–75 and 1975–76 seasons

The 1974–75 campaign represented the franchise’s competitive peak, with McAdoo earning the NBA Most Valuable Player Award through exceptional statistical production: 34.5 points, 14.1 rebounds, and 2.12 blocks per game, while maintaining impressive shooting efficiency at 51.2% from the field and 80.5% from the free-throw line. This comprehensive statistical dominance across multiple categories validated the organization’s investment in premier talent. The team secured playoff berths in both seasons, with 1975–76 marking their final postseason appearance while operating in Buffalo. This two-year window established the franchise’s capability to compete at elite levels when organizational alignment occurred.

1976–77 season

By 1976, operational metrics indicated franchise stability: attendance approached league averages, broadcasting ratings remained solid, and financial performance showed consistent profitability. However, external pressures created strategic challenges for owner Paul Snyder, particularly regarding facility limitations at Memorial Auditorium that created systemic scheduling complications.

The arena access restrictions created cascading effects throughout league operations. Limited prime date availability prevented timely schedule finalization and television contract negotiations, as the NBA required other tenants to complete their arrangements first. League officials established a five-year deadline for resolution, presenting Snyder with two viable options: construct a new facility or divest ownership.

Initial relocation attempts to Florida failed due to legal complications, forcing alternative solutions. The eventual compromise involved a 15-year lease agreement with performance clauses, specifically requiring 5,000 season ticket sales annually to maintain validity. Ownership changes followed as Snyder transferred partial control to John Y. Brown Jr., who subsequently acquired complete ownership before bringing in Harry T. Mangurian Jr. as a partner.

The new ownership group implemented systematic roster restructuring that dismantled the competitive foundation. Coach Jack Ramsay departed for Portland, while McAdoo was traded to New York. The brief acquisition and immediate trade of Moses Malone after two games exemplified the chaotic decision-making period. Coaching instability followed with multiple leadership changes including Tates Locke, Bob MacKinnon, Joe Mullaney, and Cotton Fitzsimmons cycling through the position across two seasons.

1977–78 season

Declining performance during the franchise’s final Buffalo seasons, combined with lease termination attempts, created a negative feedback loop that severely impacted attendance figures. John Y. Brown Jr. negotiated a franchise exchange with Celtics owner Irv Levin, facilitating the team’s relocation to San Diego following the 1977–78 season. League ownership approved this transition, resulting in the San Diego Clippers franchise. The complex transaction included extensive roster exchanges between organizations, while Brown subsequently sold the Celtics in 1979, completing the organizational transformation.

Team Colors

The Buffalo Braves underwent three distinct color scheme transformations during their brief NBA tenure. Initially sporting blue, red, and gold in their inaugural 1970-71 season, the franchise shifted to white, orange, and black the following year. This second iteration introduced their distinctive “feather B” logo alongside diagonal striping elements. From 1973-74 onward, management adopted Columbia blue and white as primary colors with strategic black accent details, maintaining this visual identity consistently until the team’s eventual relocation from Buffalo.

Clippers acknowledgement and naming issues

Following Steve Ballmer’s acquisition of the franchise, the Clippers organization has strategically balanced historical recognition with cultural sensitivity regarding the buffalo braves legacy. The team implements selective acknowledgment through throwback uniforms and Buffalo-themed merchandise during games, while systematically reducing explicit Native American imagery beyond core elements like the city name, team designation, and signature “feather B” logo. This approach reflects contemporary franchise management practices that respect historical identity while addressing modern cultural considerations.

The Clippers’ protective stance on intellectual property became evident in 2005 when they blocked an American Basketball Association expansion team from adopting the Braves trademark, forcing the new organization to rebrand as the Buffalo Rapids instead.

Buffalo Braves Basketball Hall of Fame Legacy

Category	No.	Name	Position	Tenure	Inducted
Player	11	Bob McAdoo	F/C	1972–1976	2000
Player	20	Moses Malone	C/F	1976	2001
Player	44	Adrian Dantley	F/G	1976–1977	2008
Coach		Jack Ramsay	Head coach	1972–1976	1992
Contributor		Cotton Fitzsimmons	Head coach	1977–1978	2021

Individual Awards

NBA Most Valuable Player Award

• Bob McAdoo – 1975

NBA Rookie of the Year

• Bob McAdoo – 1973
• Ernie DiGregorio – 1974
• Adrian Dantley – 1977

NBA Executive of the Year

• Eddie Donovan – 1974

All-NBA First Team

• Bob McAdoo – 1975

All-NBA Second Team

• Bob McAdoo – 1974
• Randy Smith – 1976

NBA All-Rookie First Team

• Elmore Smith – 1972
• Bob McAdoo – 1973
• Ernie DiGregorio – 1974
• John Shumate – 1976
• Adrian Dantley – 1977

The Buffalo Braves achieved remarkable individual recognition during their NBA tenure. Bob McAdoo stands out as the franchise cornerstone, earning MVP honors in 1975 alongside multiple All-NBA selections. The organization’s talent development proved exceptional, producing three Rookie of the Year winners within five seasons. Executive Eddie Donovan’s leadership excellence earned recognition in 1974, highlighting the franchise’s comprehensive approach to basketball operations and player development strategies.

NBA All-Star Weekend

NBA All-Star selections

• Bob Kauffman – 1971, 1972, 1973
• Bob McAdoo – 1974, 1975, 1976
• Randy Smith – 1976, 1978

NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player

• Randy Smith – 1978

The Buffalo Braves produced multiple All-Stars during their brief NBA tenure, with McAdoo and Smith representing the franchise’s competitive peak years.

Broadcasting

WBEN (930 AM) served as the primary radio broadcaster for the Buffalo Braves throughout most of their operational years. Van Miller provided comprehensive play-by-play coverage on radio and handled television broadcasts through WBEN-TV (channel 4, now WIVB-TV), which operated as the market’s CBS affiliate, creating consistent multimedia coverage.

Season-by-season records

The buffalo braves struggled consistently throughout their eight-season run, achieving only three playoff appearances despite showing gradual improvement in their middle years before declining again.

Season	Conf. Finish	Div. Finish	Wins	Losses	Win%	GB	Post-season results
1970–71	7th	4th	22	60	.268	30
1971–72	8th	4th	22	60	.268	34
1972–73	7th	3rd	21	61	.256	47
1973–74	4th	3rd	42	40	.512	14	Lost conference semifinals to Boston Celtics, 2–4
1974–75	3rd	2nd	49	33	.598	11	Lost conference semifinals to Washington Bullets, 3–4
1975–76	5th	2nd	46	36	.561	8	Won first round vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 2–1; Lost conference semifinals to Boston Celtics, 2–4
1976–77	10th	4th	30	52	.366	20
1977–78	10th	4th	27	55	.329	28