While the expansion draft left them with a mix of untested and less favored players, head coach
Johnny "Red" Kerr and assistant-former teammate
Al Bianchi did well. Kerr—a Chicago native and former NBA player with the
Syracuse Nationals,
Philadelphia 76ers and
Baltimore Bullets—had never coached at the pro level previously, but his local roots and affable personality played well with media. The Bulls earned their first victory on October 15, a 104–97 win over the
St. Louis Hawks on the road that raised eyebrows around the league. Beforehand, Hawks coach
Richie Guerin had predicted the expansion club would not win more than 20 games the entire season. The starting lineup on opening night included center
Len Chappell, forwards
Bob Boozer and
Don Kojis and guards
Jerry Sloan and
Guy Rodgers, a three-time All-Star and most established player on the roster. Rodgers led the way with a game-high 37 points. The Bulls extended their record to 2–0 in a 119-116 victory over the
San Francisco Warriors at the Amphitheater. Behind 34 points and 18 assists by Rodgers, they extended the win streak to three games in a 134–124 triumph over the defending Western Division champions
Los Angeles Lakers at home. A lack of inside presence and star power brought the team down to the Earth eventually, but not before it posted a respectable 33-48 record and secured a postseason berth. Kerr was named Coach of the Year, while center
Erwin Mueller earned a spot on the All-Rookie Team. Rodgers led the league in assists with 11.2 per game (including a club record 24 against the
New York Knicks on December 21) and paced the team in scoring at 18.0 points per game. Rodgers and Sloan represented the team in the annual NBA All-Star Game. ==Postseason==