1976–77 NBA season

Notable occurrences

• The NBA's rival league, the American Basketball Association, joined with the NBA in the ABA–NBA merger. Four ABA franchises joined the NBA: the New York Nets, the Indiana Pacers, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Denver Nuggets. The other ABA teams had folded prior to the merger, except for the Kentucky Colonels and Spirits of St. Louis, both of whose players were picked up by NBA teams in the ABA dispersal draft.
• The NBA Playoffs were expanded from 5 teams per conference to 6.
• The 1977 NBA All-Star Game was played at The MECCA in Milwaukee, with the West beating the East 125–124. Julius Erving of the Philadelphia 76ers wins the game's MVP award.
• 5 of the 10 All-Star starters and 10 of the 24 All-Star participants were former ABA players, and former ABA players filled 4 of the 10 slots on the All-NBA first and second teams. Five former ABA players competed in the NBA Finals: the Philadelphia 76ers' Julius Erving, George McGinnis and Caldwell Jones, and the Portland Trail Blazers' Maurice Lucas and Dave Twardzik.
• The Portland Trail Blazers made their first playoff appearance, winning their first and, to date, only NBA Championship. They also become the second team in history to win the NBA Finals after dropping the first two games.

  Final standings

By division

By conference

• z, y – division champions
• x – clinched playoff spot

  Playoffs

Statistics leaders

NBA awards

• Most Valuable Player: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers
• Rookie of the Year: Adrian Dantley, Buffalo Braves
• Coach of the Year: Tom Nissalke, Houston Rockets
• All-NBA First Team:
• *Pete Maravich, New Orleans Jazz
• *Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers
• *David Thompson, Denver Nuggets
• *Paul Westphal, Phoenix Suns
• *Elvin Hayes, Washington Bullets
• All-NBA Second Team:
• *Julius Erving, Philadelphia 76ers
• *George McGinnis, Philadelphia 76ers
• *Bill Walton, Portland Trail Blazers
• *George Gervin, San Antonio Spurs
• *Jo Jo White, Boston Celtics
• All-NBA Rookie Team:
• *John Lucas, Houston Rockets
• *Mitch Kupchak, Washington Bullets
• *Scott May, Chicago Bulls
• *Adrian Dantley, Buffalo Braves
• *Ron Lee, Phoenix Suns
• NBA All-Defensive First Team:
• *Bobby Jones, Denver Nuggets
• *E.C. Coleman, New Orleans Jazz
• *Bill Walton, Portland Trail Blazers
• *Don Buse, Indiana Pacers
• *Norm Van Lier, Chicago Bulls
• NBA All-Defensive Second Team:
• *Jim Brewer, Cleveland Cavaliers
• *Jamaal Wilkes, Golden State Warriors
• *Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers
• *Brian Taylor, Kansas City Kings
• *Don Chaney, Los Angeles Lakers