1973 NBA ALL-STAR GAME - FINAL SCORE
EAST 104 - WEST 84
Dave Cowens: 15 Points, 13 Rebounds | All-Star Game MVP
1973 NBA All-Star Game Recap
The 23rd NBA All-Star Game took place on January 23, 1973, at Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois. Before a crowd of 17,527, the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 104-84 in one of the lowest-scoring All-Star Games of the modern NBA era.
Boston Celtics center Dave Cowens earned Most Valuable Player honors with 15 points, 13 rebounds and an assist. Cowens helped the Eastern Conference control the boards and establish a physical style of play that limited the Western Conference to just 84 points.
The game was tied 27-27 after the first quarter, but the East took a 50-45 lead into halftime. The Eastern Conference continued to build its advantage in the second half, outscoring the West 26-20 in the third quarter and 28-19 in the fourth to finish with a comfortable 20-point victory.
The East featured several prominent players, including John Havlicek, Walt Frazier, Pete Maravich, Elvin Hayes, Jo Jo White and Lenny Wilkens. Havlicek contributed 14 points and five assists, while Hayes finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Nate "Tiny" Archibald of the Kansas City-Omaha Kings led all scorers with 17 points for the Western Conference. Portland's Sidney Wicks added 13 points, and Seattle's Spencer Haywood recorded 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Game Information
Date: January 23, 1973
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Arena: Chicago Stadium
Attendance: 17,527
Winning Team: Eastern Conference, 104-84
Most Valuable Player: Dave Cowens, Boston Celtics
Eastern Conference Coach: Tom Heinsohn, Boston Celtics
Western Conference Coach: Bill Sharman, Los Angeles Lakers
Referees: Richie Powers and Jake O'Donnell
Score by Quarter
| Conference |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
Final |
| Eastern Conference |
27 |
23 |
26 |
28 |
104 |
| Western Conference |
27 |
18 |
20 |
19 |
84 |
Eastern Conference All-Stars - 104 Points
Head Coach: Tom Heinsohn, Boston Celtics
| Player | Team |
MIN | FGM | FGA |
FTM | FTA |
REB | AST | PTS |
| John Havlicek | Boston Celtics | 22 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 14 |
| Dave DeBusschere | New York Knicks | 25 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 9 |
| Dave Cowens (MVP) | Boston Celtics | 30 | 7 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 15 |
| Pete Maravich | Atlanta Hawks | 22 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Walt Frazier | New York Knicks | 26 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 10 |
| Elvin Hayes | Baltimore Bullets | 16 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 10 |
| Lou Hudson | Atlanta Hawks | 9 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Bob Kauffman | Buffalo Braves | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| John Block | Philadelphia 76ers | 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Bill Bradley | New York Knicks | 12 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Jack Marin | Houston Rockets | 11 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Wes Unseld | Baltimore Bullets | 11 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Jo Jo White | Boston Celtics | 18 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Lenny Wilkens | Cleveland Cavaliers | 24 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| TEAM TOTALS | | 240 | 47 | 113 | 10 | 16 | 66 | 24 | 104 |
Western Conference All-Stars - 84 Points
Head Coach: Bill Sharman, Los Angeles Lakers
| Player | Team |
MIN | FGM | FGA |
FTM | FTA |
REB | AST | PTS |
| Spencer Haywood | Seattle SuperSonics | 22 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 12 |
| Sidney Wicks | Portland Trail Blazers | 24 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 13 |
| Wilt Chamberlain | Los Angeles Lakers | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 2 |
| Nate Archibald | Kansas City-Omaha Kings | 27 | 6 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 17 |
| Jerry West | Los Angeles Lakers | 20 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 6 |
| Dave Bing | Detroit Pistons | 19 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Bob Lanier | Detroit Pistons | 12 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 10 |
| Bob Love | Chicago Bulls | 12 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Charlie Scott | Phoenix Suns | 14 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Nate Thurmond | Golden State Warriors | 14 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Chet Walker | Chicago Bulls | 16 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Bob Dandridge | Milwaukee Bucks | 11 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Gail Goodrich | Los Angeles Lakers | 16 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Connie Hawkins | Phoenix Suns | 11 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| TEAM TOTALS | | 240 | 33 | 88 | 18 | 18 | 53 | 19 | 84 |
Selected Players Who Did Not Play
| Player | Team | Conference | Reason |
|---|
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar |
Milwaukee Bucks |
West |
Received permission not to participate for personal reasons. Bob Love replaced him. |
| Rick Barry |
Golden State Warriors |
West |
Did not play because of injury. Connie Hawkins replaced him. |
Statistical abbreviations: MIN = Minutes Played; FGM = Field Goals Made; FGA = Field Goals Attempted; FTM = Free Throws Made; FTA = Free Throws Attempted; REB = Rebounds; AST = Assists; PTS = Points. The NBA did not adopt the three-point line until the 1979-80 season.
1973 NBA All-Star Game Historical Notes
Dave Cowens Wins All-Star MVP
Dave Cowens delivered a strong performance in his second NBA All-Star Game, scoring 15 points and collecting 13 rebounds in 30 minutes. His energetic play helped the East control the game. Cowens would also win the 1972-73 NBA regular-season Most Valuable Player award, making it a memorable season for the Boston Celtics center.
Wilt Chamberlain's Final NBA All-Star Game
The 1973 contest was Wilt Chamberlain's 13th and final NBA All-Star Game appearance. The Los Angeles Lakers center played 22 minutes and finished with two points, seven rebounds and three assists. Chamberlain retired from the NBA after the 1972-73 season, closing one of the most statistically remarkable careers in basketball history.
Nate Archibald Leads All Scorers
Kansas City-Omaha Kings guard Nate "Tiny" Archibald led all players with 17 points and added five assists. During the 1972-73 NBA season, Archibald became the first player to lead the league in both scoring average and assists per game in the same season.
Chicago Hosts the All-Star Game
Chicago Stadium hosted the NBA All-Star Game for the first time in 1973. The building was home to the Chicago Bulls and was known for its intense atmosphere. Chicago would later host additional All-Star Games, including the 1988 contest remembered for Michael Jordan's MVP performance.
A Rare Low-Scoring All-Star Game
The Western Conference managed only 84 points, shooting 33-for-88 from the field. The Eastern Conference won the rebounding battle 66-53 and limited the West to fewer than 20 points in both the second and fourth quarters. The 1973 game remains the last NBA All-Star Game in which either conference scored fewer than 100 points.
Two Western Conference Stars Miss the Game
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was selected to represent the Western Conference but received permission not to play for personal reasons. Rick Barry was also selected but could not participate because of an injury. Bob Love and Connie Hawkins were named as replacements.
1973 NBA All-Star Game FAQ
Who won the 1973 NBA All-Star Game?
The Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 104-84 on January 23, 1973.
Who was the 1973 NBA All-Star Game MVP?
Dave Cowens of the Boston Celtics won MVP honors after recording 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Where was the 1973 NBA All-Star Game played?
The game was held at Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois.
Who scored the most points in the 1973 NBA All-Star Game?
Nate Archibald of the Kansas City-Omaha Kings led all scorers with 17 points.
How many people attended the 1973 NBA All-Star Game?
The announced attendance was 17,527.
Who coached the 1973 NBA All-Star teams?
Tom Heinsohn of the Boston Celtics coached the Eastern Conference, while Bill Sharman of the Los Angeles Lakers coached the Western Conference.
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