Last Updated on September 19, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

League Search Page > NBA > New Jersey Nets > Roster & Statistics

The 1972–73 New York Nets were led by Billy Paultz, whose scoring and rebounding anchored the frontcourt, while Rick Barry provided elite all-around production as a scorer, playmaker, and defensive contributor during his time with the team. Brian Taylor emerged as the primary backcourt creator, giving the Nets balanced offensive options. Strong rebounding and versatile individual performances were key strengths, although inconsistent shooting efficiency limited the team’s overall offensive effectiveness.

Note: The team was still called the New York Nets during the 1972–73 ABA season. They played their home games at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.


Roster

NO. PLAYER NAME POS HT WT BIRTH DATE COLLEGE
3 George Bruns PG 6-0 160 August 30, 1946 Manhattan University
5 Billy Paultz C 6-11 235 July 30, 1948 Cameron University, St. John’s
11 Jim Ard C 6-8 215 September 19, 1948 Cincinnati
13 John Roche SG 6-3 170 September 26, 1949 South Carolina
14 Brian Taylor PG 6-2 185 June 9, 1951 Princeton
20 Johnny Baum SF 6-5 200 June 17, 1946 Peirce College, Temple
21 Joe DePre SG 6-3 185 December 19, 1947 St. John’s
21 Brian Mahoney SG 6-3 175 December 17, 1948 Manhattan University
22 Jim Chones PF 6-11 220 November 30, 1949 Marquette
25 Bill Melchionni PG 6-1 165 October 19, 1944 Villanova
30 Bob Lackey SG 6-5 200 April 4, 1949 Casper College, Marquette
32 Trooper Washington PF 6-7 215 April 21, 1944 Cheyney (PA)
40 George Carter SF 6-4 210 January 10, 1944 St. Bonaventure
43 Art Becker PF 6-7 205 January 12, 1942 Arizona State
44 Gary Gregor SF 6-7 225 August 13, 1945 South Carolina


Regular Season Per Game

PLR POS AGE GP GS MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TPG FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
George Carter SF 29 83   35.9 19.0 6.2 2.1     3.1 15.0 6.9 .456 0.1 0.0 .000 6.4 5.3 .832
Billy Paultz C 24 81   34.6 16.7 12.5 2.3   2.6 2.6 12.7 6.6 .518 0.0 0.0 .000 5.0 3.5 .709
Brian Taylor PG 21 63   32.3 15.3 3.2 2.8     2.2 12.2 6.3 .515 0.4 0.1 .160 3.6 2.7 .743
John Roche SG 23 77   34.0 14.4 1.9 4.5     2.7 11.8 5.2 .444 1.3 0.4 .330 4.5 3.4 .764
Bill Melchionni PG 28 61   30.3 12.3 2.1 7.4     3.0 10.6 4.8 .450 0.2 0.1 .400 3.2 2.7 .840
Jim Chones PF 23 82   26.3 11.4 7.1 1.2     2.6 9.4 4.8 .514 0.0 0.0 .000 2.9 1.7 .592
Johnny Baum SF 26 75   14.3 7.3 2.7 0.4     1.0 5.8 2.9 .505 0.0 0.0 .000 1.9 1.4 .748
Trooper Washington PF 28 76   26.7 6.9 7.3 2.7     2.4 5.6 3.0 .539 0.0 0.0   1.3 0.8 .624
George Bruns PG 26 13   18.2 6.6 0.6 2.8     1.5 5.1 2.4 .470 0.3 0.2 .500 2.1 1.7 .815
Bob Lackey SG 23 68   17.4 6.0 2.4 2.0     1.8 5.2 2.3 .431 0.1 0.0 .400 2.5 1.5 .593
Gary Gregor SF 27 40   14.9 5.8 3.8 0.8     1.0 5.1 2.5 .485 0.0 0.0 1.000 1.0 0.8 .821
Joe DePre SG 25 1   12.0 4.0 2.0 2.0     0.0 5.0 2.0 .400 0.0 0.0   0.0 0.0  
Jim Ard C 24 42   10.1 3.3 3.5 0.3     0.7 3.3 1.3 .379 0.1 0.0 .000 1.2 0.8 .680
Brian Mahoney SG 24 19   9.5 3.1 0.7 0.6     0.9 3.0 0.9 .298 0.1 0.0 .000 2.1 1.3 .600
Art Becker PF 31 8   5.8 2.9 0.8 0.1     0.1 2.0 1.1 .563 0.1 0.0 .000 0.6 0.6 1.000
Totals     84   240.6 103.6 45.6 22.6 2.6   20.2 84.2 40.5 .481 2.1 0.6 .282 29.9 22.0 .737

Playoff Per Game

PLR POS AGE GP GS MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TPG FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
George Carter SF 29 5   43.6 21.2 9.0 2.6     5.4 14.4 7.2 .500 0.0 0.0 .000 8.0 6.8 .850
Billy Paultz C 24 5   34.4 19.0 11.0 2.0 2.8 3.4 3.4 11.2 6.8 .607 0.0 0.0 .000 8.6 5.4 .628
Johnny Baum SF 26 5   38.2 18.8 4.2 0.8     4.0 15.6 8.2 .526 0.0 0.0 .000 3.4 2.4 .706
Brian Taylor PG 21 5   33.2 13.6 3.2 2.2 2.0 2.8 2.8 11.6 5.6 .483 0.2 0.0 .000 3.0 2.4 .800
Bill Melchionni PG 28 5   34.8 13.2 2.0 6.2 4.0 5.0 5.0 8.6 4.8 .558 0.6 0.2 .333 4.2 3.4 .810
John Roche SG 23 4   20.8 10.3 0.3 2.5 0.3 1.8 1.8 8.3 4.0 .485 1.5 0.5 .333 3.0 1.8 .583
Trooper Washington PF 28 4   17.0 3.8 4.5 0.8 0.5 2.0 2.0 2.8 1.5 .545 0.0 0.0 .000 1.0 0.8 .750
Jim Chones PF 23 5   14.8 4.0 5.4 1.0 1.0 1.6 1.6 4.6 1.6 .348 0.0 0.0 .000 1.6 0.8 .500
Gary Gregor SF 27 1   12.0 4.0 4.0 0.0 0.0 3.0 3.0 6.0 1.0 .167 0.0 0.0 1.000 2.0 2.0 1.000
Bob Lackey SG 23 5   12.0 2.4 1.6 1.0 1.4 2.0 2.0 1.6 0.8 .500 0.4 0.0 .000 2.2 0.8 .364
George Bruns PG 26 2   3.5 0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 1.5 0.5 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 1.0 0.5 .500
Totals     5   245.0 104.4 41.0 22.6 18.6 28.4 28.4 77.8 39.6 .509 2.4 0.6 .250 35.0 24.6 .703

Regular Season Per 36 Minutes

PLR POS AGE GP GS MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
George Carter SF 29 83   35.9 19.1 6.2 2.1   3.7 3.1 15.1 6.9 .456 0.1 0.0 .000 6.4 5.3 .832
Johnny Baum SF 26 75   14.3 18.5 6.8 1.0   3.3 2.6 14.7 7.4 .505 0.1 0.0 .000 4.8 3.6 .748
Billy Paultz C 24 81   34.6 17.4 13.1 2.4 2.8 2.7 3.3 13.2 6.8 .518 0.0 0.0 .000 5.2 3.7 .709
Brian Taylor PG 21 63   32.3 17.0 3.6 3.1   3.9 2.4 13.5 7.0 .515 0.1 0.0 .160 4.0 3.0 .743
Jim Chones PF 23 82   26.3 15.6 9.8 1.6   4.9 3.6 12.9 6.6 .514 0.0 0.0 .000 4.0 2.4 .592
Art Becker PF 31 8   5.8 18.0 4.7 0.8   2.3 0.8 12.5 7.0 .563 0.8 0.0 .000 3.9 3.9 1.000
John Roche SG 23 77   34.0 15.2 2.0 4.8   2.3 2.8 12.5 5.6 .444 1.4 0.5 .330 4.8 3.6 .764
Bill Melchionni PG 28 61   30.3 14.6 2.5 8.8   3.0 3.6 12.6 5.7 .450 0.3 0.1 .400 3.8 3.2 .840
Gary Gregor SF 27 40   14.9 14.0 9.1 1.9   5.1 2.5 12.3 6.0 .485 0.1 0.1 1.000 2.4 1.9 .821
Bob Lackey SG 23 68   17.4 12.4 4.9 4.1   5.2 3.6 10.8 4.6 .431 0.2 0.1 .400 5.1 3.0 .593
Jim Ard C 24 42   10.1 11.8 12.5 1.2   4.2 2.5 11.8 4.5 .379 0.3 0.0 .000 4.2 2.9 .680
George Bruns PG 26 13   18.2 13.1 1.2 5.5   4.0 3.1 10.1 4.7 .470 0.6 0.3 .500 4.1 3.4 .815
Brian Mahoney SG 24 19   9.5 11.5 2.8 2.4   7.0 3.4 11.3 3.4 .298 0.4 0.0 .000 8.0 4.8 .600
Trooper Washington PF 28 76   26.7 9.3 9.8 3.6   4.3 3.3 7.5 4.1 .539 0.0 0.0 .000 1.8 1.1 .624
Joe DePre SG 25 1   12.0 12.0 6.0 6.0   3.0 0.0 15.0 6.0 .400 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0  

Playoff Per 36 Minutes

PLR POS AGE GP GS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Billy Paultz C 24 5 5 172 19.9 11.5 2.1 2.5 3.6 2.9 11.7 7.1 .607 0.0 0.0 .000 9.0 5.7 .628
John Roche SG 23 4 4 83 17.8 0.4 4.3 0.0 0.0 3.0 14.3 6.9 .485 2.6 0.9 .333 5.2 3.0 .583
Johnny Baum SF 26 5 5 191 17.7 4.0 0.8 1.9 0.0 1.5 14.7 7.7 .526 0.0 0.0 .000 3.2 2.3 .706
George Carter SF 29 5 5 218 17.5 7.4 2.1 2.6 0.0 3.5 11.9 5.9 .500 0.0 0.0 .000 6.6 5.6 .850
Brian Taylor PG 21 5 5 166 14.7 3.5 2.4 0.7 0.0 2.2 12.6 6.1 .483 0.2 0.0 .000 3.3 2.6 .800
Bill Melchionni PG 28 5 5 174 13.7 2.1 6.4 0.0 0.0 4.1 8.9 5.0 .558 0.6 0.2 .333 4.3 3.5 .810
Jim Chones PF 23 5 5 74 9.7 13.1 2.4 1.9 0.0 2.4 11.2 3.9 .348 0.0 0.0 .000 3.9 1.9 .500
Trooper Washington PF 28 4 4 68 7.9 9.5 1.6 2.1 0.0 1.1 5.8 3.2 .545 0.0 0.0 .000 2.1 1.6 .750
Bob Lackey SG 23 5 5 60 7.2 4.8 3.0 1.8 0.0 4.2 4.8 2.4 .500 1.2 0.0 .000 6.6 2.4 .364
Gary Gregor SF 27 1 1 12 12.0 12.0 0.0 3.0 0.0 0.0 18.0 3.0 .167 0.0 0.0 .000 6.0 6.0 1.000
George Bruns PG 26 2 2 7 5.1 0.0 5.1 0.0 0.0 10.3 5.1 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 10.3 5.1 .500
Totals — — 47 46 1159 130.2 71.9 30.2 14.6 3.6 33.3 118.9 55.2 .464 4.0 1.1 .208 61.1 39.7 .707

Regular Season Totals

PLR POS AGE GP GS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
George Carter SF 29 83 83 2976 1578 515 173 205 255 308 1249 569 .456 9 0 .000 529 440 .832
Billy Paultz C 24 81 81 2800 1351 1015 189 279 214 213 1027 532 .518 2 0 .000 405 287 .709
John Roche SG 23 77 77 2615 1107 146 348 33 207 170 909 404 .444 103 34 .330 347 265 .764
Brian Taylor PG 21 63 63 2038 962 203 175 77 137 219 767 395 .515 25 4 .160 226 168 .743
Jim Chones PF 23 82 82 2153 932 586 95 143 213 291 769 395 .514 1 0 .000 240 142 .592
Bill Melchionni PG 28 61 61 1849 751 127 453 19 184 155 646 291 .450 15 6 .400 194 163 .840
Johnny Baum SF 26 75 75 1071 549 201 31 75 76 99 438 221 .505 2 0 .000 143 107 .748
Trooper Washington PF 28 76 76 2027 521 553 203 174 183 242 425 229 .539 0 0 .000 101 63 .624
Bob Lackey SG 23 68 68 1185 407 160 136 60 120 170 355 153 .431 5 2 .400 167 99 .593
Gary Gregor SF 27 40 40 595 231 150 31 40 41 84 204 99 .485 1 1 1.000 39 32 .821
Jim Ard PF 24 42 42 426 140 148 14 48 29 50 140 53 .379 4 0 .000 50 34 .680
George Bruns PG 26 13 13 236 86 8 36 1 20 26 66 31 .470 4 2 .500 27 22 .815
Brian Mahoney PF 24 19 19 181 58 14 12 4 17 35 57 17 .298 2 0 .000 40 24 .600
Art Becker PF 31 8 8 46 23 6 1 1 1 3 16 9 .563 1 0 .000 5 5 1.000
Joe DePre SG 25 1 1 12 4 2 2 2 0 1 5 2 .400 0 0 .000 0 0 .000
Totals — — 841 841 20210 8700 3834 1899 1161 214 1696 7073 3400 .481 174 49 .282 2513 1851 .737

Playoff Totals

PLR POS AGE GP GS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
George Carter SF 29 5 5 218 106 45 13 16 21 27 72 36 .500 0 0 .000 40 34 .850
Billy Paultz C 24 5 5 172 95 55 10 12 14 17 56 34 .607 0 0 .000 43 27 .628
Johnny Baum SF 26 5 5 191 94 21 4 10 8 20 78 41 .526 0 0 .000 17 12 .706
Brian Taylor PG 21 5 5 166 68 16 11 3 10 14 58 28 .483 1 0 .000 15 12 .800
Bill Melchionni PG 28 5 5 174 66 10 31 0 20 25 43 24 .558 3 1 .333 21 17 .810
John Roche SG 23 4 4 83 41 1 10 0 7 7 33 16 .485 6 2 .333 12 7 .583
Jim Chones PF 23 5 5 74 20 27 5 4 5 8 23 8 .348 0 0 .000 8 4 .500
Trooper Washington PF 28 4 4 68 15 18 3 4 2 8 11 6 .545 0 0 .000 4 3 .750
Bob Lackey SG 23 5 5 60 12 8 5 3 7 10 8 4 .500 2 0 .000 11 4 .364
Gary Gregor SF 27 1 1 12 4 4 0 1 0 3 6 1 .167 0 0 .000 2 2 1.000
George Bruns PG 26 2 2 7 1 0 1 0 2 3 1 0 .000 0 0 .000 2 1 .500
Totals — — 5 5 1225 522 205 93 53 96 142 389 198 .509 12 3 .250 175 123 .703

HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight

Player Name Role Tier MPG Usage Tier PPG RPG APG STK Impact Index* Notes Awards
George Carter Primary Scorer & All-Around Wing 35.9 High 19.0 6.2 2.1 3.1 15.2 Led the Squires in scoring on a struggling team that still made the playoffs; one of the club’s few dependable options after key stars had been traded, providing balanced scoring and rebounding. —
Billy Paultz Anchor Big & Interior Force 34.6 Mid 16.7 12.5 2.3 5.2 18.4 Established interior presence with strong rebounding and rim activity; 1973–74 All-Star center contributing double-double production and helping stabilize frontcourt. AS
Bill Melchionni Lead Facilitator 30.3 Mid 12.3 2.1 7.4 3.0 12.4 Veteran point guard known for high assist totals that led the league in previous seasons; guided offense as primary creator and distributor. AS
John Roche Wing Scorer & Secondary Creator 34.0 Mid 14.4 1.9 4.5 2.7 11.7 Provided perimeter scoring and secondary playmaking, functioning as a two-way guard in most matchups. (Per your stat input) —
Brian Taylor Young Starting PG 32.3 Mid 15.3 3.2 2.8 2.2 11.7 Rookie of the Year candidate with notable offensive contributions and playmaking; facilitated transition offense and backcourt scoring. ROY-1
Jim Chones Frontcourt Role Contributor 26.3 Low-Mid 11.4 7.1 1.2 2.6 11.1 Provided reliable minutes at power forward with balanced rebounding and inside scoring; solid bench or secondary starter presence. (Per your stat input) ROY-5
Trooper Washington Role PF & Support Scorer 26.7 Low 6.9 7.3 2.7 2.4 9.6 Functioned as complementary forward with decent interior efficiency and solid secondary rebounding. (Per your stat input) —
Bob Lackey Bench Wing 17.4 Low 6.0 2.4 2.0 1.8 5.1 Served as bench scorcher on limited minutes, adding energy and offensive punch. (Per your stat input) —
Gary Gregor Backup Forward 14.9 Low 5.8 3.8 0.8 1.0 5.7 Low-minute forward providing depth and occasional defensive boards. (Per your stat input) —
Johnny Baum Spot SF 14.3 Low 7.3 2.7 0.4 1.0 5.7 Rotation wing with moderate scoring and rebounding in limited time. (Per your stat input) —
George Bruns Backup Guard Facilitator 18.2 Low 6.6 0.6 2.8 1.5 5.7 Limited sample showing playmaking and scoring off the bench. (Per your stat input) —
Joe DePre Brief SG Role 12.0 Low 4.0 2.0 2.0 0.0 4.0 Minimal appearance but showed some playmaking ability in small role. (Per your stat input) —
Jim Ard Depth Big 10.1 Low 3.3 3.5 0.3 0.7 3.9 Provided occasional interior minutes with modest rebounding and limited offense. (Per your stat input) —
Brian Mahoney Development Guard 9.5 Low 3.1 0.7 0.6 0.9 3.6 Very limited role with early-career floor time. (Per your stat input) —
Art Becker Short Stint PF 5.8 Low 2.9 0.8 0.1 0.1 1.9 Brief playing time with negligible broader impact. (Per your stat input) —