Not since the 1980-81 Philadelphia 76ers has a team finished with both a league best offensive and defensive field goal percentage.
This year’s Golden State Warriors are not just leading the league in victories, but also are on pace to match that Sixers team in both those categories.
As of last week, the 2014-15 Warriors lead the league in defensive field goal percentage of .416 and are just 0.1% behind the Dallas Mavericks in offensive field goal percentage at .480.
The 1980-81 76ers finished the season with both a league leading defensive field goal percentage of .451 and offensive field goal percentage of .514.
However, that 76er team didn’t win the NBA championship. They did lead the league in wins and, more importantly, they laid the foundation of a championship contender for the next several years, including a satisfying title in 1982-83.
The Warriors hope to be on the same track.
The Team
The team that the ’81 76ers fielded was a cast of young and old, but all with unique talents and strengths: defense, offense, and bench play. They came at you on both ends of the court and at all times.
On offense, they were lead by their star Julius Erving, playing in his ninth season and in the prime of his career. “Dr. J” would end up first on the team with a sizzling .521 field goal percentage and 2,014 total points scored.
However, with guards Maurice Cheeks and Andrew Toney manning the backcourt, as well as power forward Bobby Jones in the front, there was plenty of scoring to go around.
On the defensive side with centers Caldwell Jones and Darryl Dawkins guarding the rim, the 76ers led the league in defensive rebounds and were third in blocked shots.
Off the bench, Doug Collins, Lionel Hollins and Steve Mix also contributed to a very deep team.
The Coach
Billy Cunningham, fresh off of his playing days with the same franchise, became head coach of the team during the 1977-78 season.
At the the helm in only his fourth season as coach in 1980, Cunningham continued to stress the importance of defense to his team, while at the same time knowing he had plenty of firepower on the other end.
Cunningham also realized that ball movement and unselfishness would lead to easy scores on the offensive side. The formula worked and the 76ers took off that year towards a dominant season and a first place finish with a league best 62-20 record.
Aftermath
Although the 1980-81 team would get bounced in the Eastern Conference Finals after leading the series 3-1 over their hated rivals, the Boston Celtics, the stage had been set for a title run.
Just two seasons later, they disposed of the Magic Johnson-led reigning champs Los Angeles Lakers in a four-game sweep in 1983.
Epilogue
Though the staff, players and coach as well as the era are vastly different, there’s something delightfully and eerily the same with this year’s Warriors and the 76ers of the early 1980’s.
A young coach with a strong understanding of the game that stresses defense and offensive movement, firepower from anywhere on the court, defense in the backcourt and at the rim, and an inter-changeable bench that can support great starters.
Sound familiar?
The Warriors sure hope so.
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