For the second straight year, Topps went with a tall boy format for its basketball set. However, they expanded the number of cards and made a second series for the first time ever.
Card fronts feature a picture of a player, either posed or a close-up head shot. A large basketball in the lower corner contains the player's name, team city and position. A white border surrounds the card, with rounded inner corners. Backs are horizontally oriented, with the player's name, position and vital stats at the top in a red-colored box. The card number appears inside a white circle to the left. A written biography and career stats appear, with a cartoon off to the right.
There were two series issued. The first series consisted of cards 1-110 and 22 of the cards were short-printed. The second series included cards 111-175, with the second series checklist (card #101) being continued to the second series printing sheet. As a result, that checklist card can be found with two color variations in its design.
For the first time, Topps included subsets with its basketball set. Cards 1-6 feature the top three leaders in various statistical categories from the previous season. Cards 106-115 feature the All-Star teams. Finally, the last eight cards in the set (168-175) recap the playoffs, with the final card showing the New York Knicks celebrating their victory.
The key rookies in this set include Pete Maravich, Pat Riley and Calvin Murphy.
Key 1970-71 Topps Basketball Cards:
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1970-71 Topps Basketball Card Checklist
| Card # | Player Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Alcind / West / Hayes League Leaders |
| 2 | West / Alcin / Hayes League Leaders SP |
| 3 | Green / Imhoff / Hudson League Leaders |
| 4 | Rob / Walker / Mull League Leaders SP |
| 5 | Hayes / Uns / Alcindor League Leaders |
| 6 | Wilkens / Fraz / Hask League Leaders SP |
| 7 | Bill Bradley |
| 8 | Ron Williams |
| 9 | Otto Moore |
| 10 | John Havlicek SP |
| 11 | George Wilson RC |
| 12 | John Trapp |
| 13 | Pat Riley RC |
| 14 | Jim Washington |
| 15 | Bob Rule |
| 16 | Bob Weiss |
| 17 | Neil Johnson |
| 18 | Walt Bellamy |
| 19 | McCoy McLemore |
| 20 | Earl Monroe |
| 21 | Wally Anderzunas |
| 22 | Guy Rodgers |
| 23 | Rick Roberson |
| 24 | Checklist 1-110 |
| 25 | Jimmy Walker |
| 26 | Mike Riordan RC |
| 27 | Henry Finkel |
| 28 | Joe Ellis |
| 29 | Mike Davis |
| 30 | Lou Hudson |
| 31 | Lucius Allen SP |
| 32 | Toby Kimball SP |
| 33 | Luke Jackson SP |
| 34 | Johnny Egan |
| 35 | Leroy Ellis SP |
| 36 | Jack Marin SP |
| 37 | Joe Caldwell SP |
| 38 | Keith Erickson |
| 39 | Don Smith |
| 40 | Flynn Robinson |
| 41 | Bob Boozer |
| 42 | Howie Komives |
| 43 | Dick Barnett |
| 44 | Stu Lantz RC |
| 45 | Dick Van Arsdale |
| 46 | Jerry Lucas |
| 47 | Don Chaney RC |
| 48 | Ray Scott |
| 49 | Dick Cunningham SP |
| 50 | Wilt Chamberlain |
| 51 | Kevin Loughery |
| 52 | Stan McKenzie |
| 53 | Fred Foster |
| 54 | Jim Davis |
| 55 | Walt Wesley |
| 56 | Bill Hewitt |
| 57 | Darrall Imhoff |
| 58 | John Block |
| 59 | Al Attles SP |
| 60 | Chet Walker |
| 61 | Luther Rackley |
| 62 | Jerry Chambers RC SP |
| 63 | Bob Dandridge RC |
| 64 | Dick Snyder |
| 65 | Elgin Baylor |
| 66 | Connie Dierking |
| 67 | Steve Kuberski RC |
| 68 | Tom Boerwinkle |
| 69 | Paul Silas |
| 70 | Elvin Hayes |
| 71 | Bill Bridges |
| 72 | Wes Unseld |
| 73 | Herm Gilliam |
| 74 | Bobby Smith RC SP |
| 75 | Lew Alcindor |
| 76 | Jeff Mullins |
| 77 | Happy Hairston |
| 78 | Dave Stallworth SP |
| 79 | Fred Hetzel |
| 80 | Len Wilkens SP |
| 81 | Johnny Green RC |
| 82 | Erwin Mueller |
| 83 | Wally Jones |
| 84 | Bob Love |
| 85 | Dick Garrett RC |
| 86 | Don Nelson SP |
| 87 | Neal Walk SP |
| 88 | Larry Siegfried |
| 89 | Gary Gregor |
| 90 | Nate Thurmond |
| 91 | John Warren |
| 92 | Gus Johnson |
| 93 | Gail Goodrich |
| 94 | Dorrie Murrey |
| 95 | Cazzie Russell SP |
| 96 | Terry Dischinger |
| 97 | Norm Van Lier RC SP |
| 98 | Jim Fox |
| 99 | Tom Meschery |
| 100 | Oscar Robertson |
| 101BASE | Checklist 111-175 |
| 101 | Checklist 111-175 |
| 102 | Rich Johnson |
| 103 | Mel Counts |
| 104 | Bill Hosket RC SP |
| 105 | Archie Clark |
| 106 | Walt Frazier All-Star |
| 107 | Jerry West All-Star |
| 108 | Billy Cunningham All-Star SP |
| 109 | Connie Hawkins All-Star |
| 110 | Willis Reed All-Star |
| 111 | Nate Thurmond All-Star |
| 112 | John Havlicek All-Star |
| 113 | Elgin Baylor All-Star |
| 114 | Oscar Robertson All-Star |
| 115 | Lou Hudson All-Star |
| 116 | Emmette Bryant |
| 117 | Greg Howard |
| 118 | Rick Adelman |
| 119 | Barry Clemens |
| 120 | Walt Frazier |
| 121 | Jim Barnes RC |
| 122 | Bernie Williams |
| 123 | Pete Maravich RC |
| 124 | Matt Guokas RC |
| 125 | Dave Bing |
| 126 | John Tresvant |
| 127 | Shaler Halimon |
| 128 | Don Ohl |
| 129 | Fred Carter RC |
| 130 | Connie Hawkins |
| 131 | Jim King |
| 132 | Ed Manning RC |
| 133 | Adrian Smith |
| 134 | Walt Hazzard |
| 135 | Dave DeBusschere |
| 136 | Don Kojis |
| 137 | Calvin Murphy RC |
| 138 | Nate Bowman |
| 139 | Jon McGlocklin |
| 140 | Billy Cunningham |
| 141 | Willie McCarter |
| 142 | Jim Barnett |
| 143 | Jo Jo White RC |
| 144 | Clyde Lee |
| 145 | Tom Van Arsdale |
| 146 | Len Chappell |
| 147 | Lee Winfield |
| 148 | Jerry Sloan RC |
| 149 | Art Harris |
| 150 | Willis Reed |
| 151 | Art Williams |
| 152 | Don May |
| 153 | Loy Petersen |
| 154 | Dave Gambee |
| 155 | Hal Greer |
| 156 | Dave Newmark |
| 157 | Jimmy Collins |
| 158 | Bill Turner |
| 159 | Eddie Miles |
| 160 | Jerry West |
| 161 | Bob Quick |
| 162 | Fred Crawford |
| 163 | Tomnders |
| 164 | Dale Schlueter |
| 165 | Clem Haskins RC |
| 166 | Greg Smith |
| 167 | Rod Thorn RC |
| 168 | Playoff G1 / W.Reed |
| 169 | Playoff G2 / D.Garnett |
| 170 | Playoff G3 / DeBussch |
| 171 | Playoff G4 / J.West |
| 172 | Playoff G5 / Bradley |
| 173 | Playoff G6 / Wilt |
| 174 | Playoff G7 / Frazier |
| 175 | Knicks Celebrate |
Top 25 Singles
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