1976 NBA All-Star Game - East 123, West 109

The 26th NBA All-Star Game took place on February 3, 1976, at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Before 17,511 fans, the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 123-109. The game was played during the United States Bicentennial year and marked the final NBA All-Star Game before the NBA-ABA merger brought four ABA franchises into the league later that year.

Washington Bullets guard Dave Bing earned All-Star Game Most Valuable Player honors after scoring 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting, collecting three rebounds and distributing four assists in 26 minutes. The veteran guard was making his seventh and final NBA All-Star appearance and won the award despite several players recording higher scoring totals.

Buffalo Braves center Bob McAdoo led the Eastern Conference with 22 points, making 10 of his 14 field goal attempts. Boston Celtics center Dave Cowens contributed 16 points and a game-high 16 rebounds off the bench. Philadelphia 76ers guard Doug Collins added 12 points, six rebounds and three assists while playing in front of his home crowd.

The Western Conference led 50-45 at halftime after outscoring the East 27-17 in the second quarter. However, the Eastern Conference took control after intermission, scoring 38 points in the third quarter and 40 in the fourth. The East outscored the West 78-59 in the second half to secure the 14-point victory.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, appearing in his first All-Star Game as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, led the Western Conference with 22 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots. Golden State Warriors forward Rick Barry added 17 points, while Seattle SuperSonics guard Fred Brown scored 14 points and recorded five steals.

The game featured several notable players from the NBA's final season before the merger, including Nate Archibald, John Havlicek, Walt Frazier, Elvin Hayes, George McGinnis, Jo Jo White and rookie Alvan Adams. Boston Celtics coach Tom Heinsohn directed the East, while Golden State Warriors coach Al Attles led the West.

Date: February 3, 1976
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Arena: The Spectrum
Attendance: 17,511
Winning Team: Eastern Conference, 123-109
Most Valuable Player: Dave Bing, Washington Bullets
Eastern Conference Coach: Tom Heinsohn, Boston Celtics
Western Conference Coach: Al Attles, Golden State Warriors
Referees: Paul Mihalak and Darrell Garretson
Most Fan Votes: Rick Barry, Golden State Warriors (135,471)

Head Coach: Tom Heinsohn, Boston Celtics

Head Coach: Al Attles, Golden State Warriors

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 introduce the three-point line until the 1979-80 season.

Dave Bing Wins MVP in His Final All-Star Appearance

Dave Bing earned All-Star Game MVP honors in his seventh and final appearance. The Washington Bullets guard scored 16 points, made seven of his 11 field goal attempts and added four assists. Bing had spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Detroit Pistons before joining Washington in 1975. His 1976 performance was the first time he represented the Bullets in an NBA All-Star Game.

The Final NBA All-Star Game Before the ABA Merger

The 1976 contest was the last NBA All-Star Game before the NBA-ABA merger. Later that year, the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs joined the NBA. The merger brought several ABA stars into the league, including Julius Erving, George Gervin, David Thompson and Artis Gilmore, who would become important figures in future NBA All-Star Games.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's First All-Star Game with the Lakers

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appeared in his first All-Star Game as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers after being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks in June 1975. He led the Western Conference with 22 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. Abdul-Jabbar would go on to win the 1975-76 NBA regular-season MVP award, his fourth such honor.

Dave Cowens Controls the Rebounds

Boston Celtics center Dave Cowens recorded 16 points and 16 rebounds in only 23 minutes off the bench. His rebounding helped the Eastern Conference finish with a 61-49 advantage on the boards. Cowens would later help lead Boston to the 1976 NBA championship, defeating the Phoenix Suns in six games.

Bob McAdoo Leads the Eastern Conference in Scoring

Buffalo Braves center Bob McAdoo scored 22 points on 10-for-14 shooting. The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player also collected seven rebounds. McAdoo's scoring efficiency gave the East an important offensive weapon as it rallied from a five-point halftime deficit.

Philadelphia's Bicentennial All-Star Game

Philadelphia hosted the 1976 NBA All-Star Game during the United States Bicentennial celebration. The Spectrum provided the setting for the contest, which featured two Philadelphia 76ers players, George McGinnis and Doug Collins. The game was also the final NBA All-Star Game played on a weekday before the event moved to Sunday in 1977.

Rick Barry Leads the Fan Voting

Golden State Warriors forward Rick Barry received 135,471 votes, the highest total among all players selected for the 1976 NBA All-Star Game. Barry finished with 17 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 28 minutes for the Western Conference.

The Eastern Conference's Second-Half Comeback

The Western Conference led 50-45 at halftime, but the Eastern Conference responded with a dominant second half. The East outscored the West 38-30 in the third quarter and 40-29 in the fourth. Its 78 second-half points helped turn a five-point deficit into a 14-point victory.

Who won the 1976 NBA All-Star Game?

The Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference 123-109 on February 3, 1976.

Who was the 1976 NBA All-Star Game MVP?

Dave Bing of the Washington Bullets won MVP honors after scoring 16 points and recording four assists.

Where was the 1976 NBA All-Star Game played?

The game was held at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Who scored the most points in the 1976 NBA All-Star Game?

Bob McAdoo of the Buffalo Braves and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers tied for the scoring lead with 22 points each.

Who had the most rebounds in the 1976 NBA All-Star Game?

Dave Cowens of the Boston Celtics led all players with 16 rebounds. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar finished with 15.

How many fans attended the 1976 NBA All-Star Game?

The announced attendance was 17,511.

Who coached the 1976 NBA All-Star teams?

Tom Heinsohn of the Boston Celtics coached the Eastern Conference, while Al Attles of the Golden State Warriors coached the Western Conference.

Why was the 1976 NBA All-Star Game historically significant?

It was the final NBA All-Star Game before the NBA-ABA merger and the last NBA All-Star Game played on a weekday.

Who received the most votes for the 1976 NBA All-Star Game?

Rick Barry of the Golden State Warriors led fan voting with 135,471 votes.

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