All-Time Basketball › Best 1970s Lineup

Best 1970s NBA Lineup

The greatest starting five of the 1970s, chosen from every team of the decade by iKnoBall's era-adjusted engine — and the record they'd run over a full 82-game season.

6913projected season
avg overall 93
90
Point Guard
Walt Frazier
1970s
94
Center
Wilt Chamberlain
1970s
94
Small Forward
Julius Erving
1970s
91
Small Forward
Rick Barry
1970s
97
Center
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
1970s

Why This Is the Decade's Best Five

Walt Frazier headlines the 1970s at a 90 overall. The engine assembles a complete five — a lead guard, wings, and a rim presence — from across the decade's teams, then plays out all 82 games. Their 6913 projection captures a decade-defining core: enough shot-creation, rebounding and defense to contend for a perfect season, measured on the same era-adjusted scale as every other decade so the comparison is fair.

Full 1970s Player Rankings

PlayerEraPosPPGOVR
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1970sC34.897
Wilt Chamberlain1970sC20.794
Julius Erving1970sSF26.994
Rick Barry1970sSF30.691
Jerry West1970sSG25.890
Walt Frazier1970sPG23.290
John Havlicek1970sSF28.990
Elvin Hayes1970sPF28.490
Pete Maravich1970sPG31.190
Bob McAdoo1970sC34.590
Oscar Robertson1970sPG19.489
Moses Malone1970sC24.889
Bill Walton1970sC18.689
Bob Lanier1970sC24.089
Willis Reed1970sC21.788
Jerry Lucas1970sPF21.588
David Thompson1970sSG27.288
Dave Cowens1970sC20.587
George McGinnis1970sPF23.087
Dave Bing1970sPG22.487
Truck Robinson1970sPF22.786
Artis Gilmore1970sC18.586
Marques Johnson1970sSF25.685
Earl Monroe1970sPG21.085

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Frequently Asked

What is the best 1970s NBA lineup of all time?

iKnoBall's era-adjusted engine picks Walt Frazier (Point Guard, 1970s), Wilt Chamberlain (Center, 1970s), Julius Erving (Small Forward, 1970s), Rick Barry (Small Forward, 1970s), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Center, 1970s) as the greatest 1970s starting five, projecting them to a 69–13 season.

How good was the 1970s NBA?

The top 1970s five projects at 69–13 with an average starter rating of 93. Ratings are era-adjusted so a dominant 1970s season is measured on the same scale as any other decade.

Who was the best player of the 1970s?

On iKnoBall's scale the top-rated 1970s player is Walt Frazier at a 90 overall. See the full 1970s rankings above.

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Ratings are era-adjusted and computed by iKnoBall's simulation engine. Records are model projections for entertainment, not predictions. Player names belong to their respective owners; iKnoBall is an independent fan-made game.