According to Google:
Topps could not put official team logos on their early 1970s basketball cards because they did not have a licensing agreement with the NBA itself, only with the NBA Players Association (NBPA).
Topps had a contract with the players' association allowing them to use player images and names. They did not have a separate agreement with the NBA league office, which owned the rights to the official team names and logos.
As a result, early 70s Topps cards often featured:
Photos of players with the backs of their jerseys showing (to hide front logos and team names).
Players in warm-up gear or practice uniforms without logos.
Airbrushed-out logos where they might have appeared on uniforms or other gear.
Generic team names printed on the card borders or vertical edges, rather than the official logo.
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