1978–79 Portland Trail Blazers season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Jack Ramsay |
General manager | Harry Glickman |
Owner(s) | Larry Weinberg |
Arena | Memorial Coliseum |
Results | |
Record | 45–37 (.549) |
Place | Division: 4th (Pacific) Conference: 6th (Western) |
Playoff finish | First round (lost to Suns 1–2) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | KOIN |
Radio | KWJJ |
The 1978–79 Portland Trail Blazers season was the ninth season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
During the offseason, MVP Bill Walton demanded to be traded, citing unethical and incompetent treatment of his and other players' injuries by the Blazers' front office. He did not get his wish and sat out the 1978–79 season in protest, signing with the San Diego Clippers when he became a free agent in 1979.[1]
Before the draft, Larry Bird had just finished his junior year at Indiana State. However, he was eligible to be drafted without applying for "hardship" because his original college class at the Indiana University had graduated.[2][3] He initially enrolled at Indiana in 1974 but dropped out before the season began. After sitting out a year, he enrolled at Indiana State.[4] Despite being eligible for the draft, he stated that he would return to college for his senior season. His hometown team, the Indiana Pacers, initially held the first overall pick. However, when they failed to persuade him to leave college early, they traded the first pick to the Blazers, who also failed to convince him into signing; ultimately the Blazers used the first pick on Minnesota standout center Mychal Thompson.[5][6]
As a result, the Blazers fell 13 games from their franchise-best record of the previous year, barely squeezing into the playoffs with a 45–37 record that earned them the sixth and final seed, only two games better than the Clippers.
The Blazers were ousted from the 1979 NBA Playoffs after losing their best-of-three series to the Phoenix Suns, two games to one.
Draft picks
Note: This is not a complete list; only the first two rounds are covered, as well as any other picks by the franchise who played at least one NBA game.
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Mychal Thompson | F/C | Bahamas | Minnesota |
1 | 7 | Ron Brewer | G | United States | Arkansas |
2 | 24 | Keith Herron | G/F | United States | Villanova |
2 | 44 | Clemon Johnson | F/C | United States | Florida A&M |
5 | 110 | Clay Johnson | G | United States | Missouri |
Roster
Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regular season
Season standings
W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-Seattle SuperSonics | 52 | 30 | .634 | – | 31–10 | 21–20 | 11–9 |
x-Phoenix Suns | 50 | 32 | .610 | 2 | 32–9 | 18–23 | 11–9 |
x-Los Angeles Lakers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 5 | 31–10 | 16–25 | 11–9 |
x-Portland Trail Blazers | 45 | 37 | .549 | 7 | 33–8 | 12–29 | 8–12 |
San Diego Clippers | 43 | 39 | .524 | 9 | 29–12 | 14–27 | 11–9 |
Golden State Warriors | 38 | 44 | .463 | 14 | 23–18 | 15–26 | 8–12 |
# | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
1 | z-Seattle SuperSonics | 52 | 30 | .634 | – |
2 | y-Kansas City Kings | 48 | 34 | .585 | 4 |
3 | x-Phoenix Suns | 50 | 32 | .610 | 2 |
4 | x-Denver Nuggets | 47 | 35 | .573 | 5 |
5 | x-Los Angeles Lakers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 5 |
6 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 45 | 37 | .549 | 7 |
7 | San Diego Clippers | 43 | 39 | .524 | 9 |
8 | Indiana Pacers | 38 | 44 | .463 | 14 |
9 | Milwaukee Bucks | 38 | 44 | .463 | 14 |
10 | Golden State Warriors | 38 | 44 | .463 | 14 |
11 | Chicago Bulls | 31 | 51 | .378 | 21 |
- z – clinched division title
- y – clinched division title
- x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1978–79 NBA records | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NOJ | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | WAS |
Atlanta | – | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 |
Boston | 2–2 | – | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 |
Chicago | 1–3 | 2–1 | – | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 |
Cleveland | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | – | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 |
Denver | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | – | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 |
Detroit | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | – | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–3 |
Golden State | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | – | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
Houston | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | – | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
Indiana | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | – | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 |
Kansas City | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | – | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–0 |
Los Angeles | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | – | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 |
Milwaukee | 0–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | – | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
New Jersey | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | – | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 |
New Orleans | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | – | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 0–4 |
New York | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | – | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
Philadelphia | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | – | 1–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 |
Phoenix | 1–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | – | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 |
Portland | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | – | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 |
San Antonio | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | – | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 |
San Diego | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | – | 2–2 | 0–3 |
Seattle | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | – | 2–2 |
Washington | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | — |
Game log
Playoffs
1979 playoff game log | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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First round: 1–2 (home: 1–0; road: 0–2)
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1979 schedule |
Awards and honors
- Mychal Thompson, All-NBA Rookie Team
- Ron Brewer, All-NBA Rookie Team
- Maurice Lucas, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- Lionel Hollins, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- Maurice Lucas, NBA All-Star
References
- ↑ Love, Matt (2007). Red Hot and Rollin': A Retrospection of the Portland Trail Blazers' 1976–77 NBA Championship Season. Pacific City, Oregon: Nestucca Spit Press. p. 119. ISBN 978-0-9744364-8-7.
- ↑ "Larry Bird Bio". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on September 1, 2010. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
- ↑ "If Blazers draft Bird, they won't wait year to sign him". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. June 6, 2010. Retrieved October 1, 2010.
- ↑ Deford, Frank (March 21, 1988). "A Player for the Ages". Sports Illustrated. Time Warner Company. Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2010.
- ↑ Sachare, Alex (June 11, 1978). "Thompson picked first". Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. Retrieved October 1, 2010.
- ↑ "Blazers Get No. 1 Pick". Sarasota Journal. Sarasota, Florida: Lindsay Newspapers Inc. June 9, 2010. Retrieved October 1, 2010.