1979–80 Portland Trail Blazers season

The 1979–80 season was the 10th season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] The Blazers lost seven more games than the previous season, ending with a record of 38–44, their first losing record since the 1975–76 season; despite that, they qualified for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

1979–80 Portland Trail Blazers season
Head coachJack Ramsay
General managerHarry Glickman
Owner(s)Larry Weinberg
ArenaMemorial Coliseum
Results
Record38–44 (.463)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Pacific)
Conference: 6th (Western)
Playoff finishFirst round
(lost to SuperSonics 1–2)

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKOIN
RadioKEX
< 1978–79 1980–81 >

The Blazers were ousted from the 1980 NBA Playoffs after losing their best-of-three series to the Seattle SuperSonics, two games to one.

The Blazers' season was documented in The Breaks of the Game, a book published in 1981 by journalist David Halberstam. The Breaks of the Game was a New York Times best-seller and is considered one of the greatest sports books ever written.[2]

Draft picks

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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 12 Jim Paxson G/F   United States Dayton
2 40 Andrew Fields F   United States Cheyney State

Roster

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1979–80 Portland Trail Blazers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
G 12 Bates, Billy Ray 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1956–05–31 Kentucky State
PF 52 Brewer, Jim 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1951–12–02 Minnesota
G 10 Brewer, Ron 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1955–07–16 Arkansas
F 30 Gross, Bob 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1953–08–03 Long Beach State
F 11 Jeelani, Abdul 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1954–02–10 UW–Parkside
C 44 Kunnert, Kevin   6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1951–11–11 Iowa
SF 33 Natt, Calvin 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1957–01–08 Louisiana–Monroe
F/C 25 Owens, Tom 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1949–06–28 South Carolina
G 4 Paxson, Jim 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1957–07–09 Dayton
F 15 Steele, Larry 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1949–05–05 Kentucky
F/C 43 Thompson, Mychal   (IN) 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 226 lb (103 kg) 1955–01–30 Minnesota
G 13 Twardzik, Dave 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1950–09–20 Old Dominion
F 42 Washington, Kermit 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1951–09–17 American
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  •   Injured

Regular season

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The Trail Blazers played their home games at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Season standings

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W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers 60 22 .732 37–4 23–18 19–11
x-Seattle SuperSonics 56 26 .683 4 33–8 23–18 18–12
x-Phoenix Suns 55 27 .671 5 37–5 18–22 19–11
x-Portland Trail Blazers 38 44 .463 22 26–15 12–29 13–17
San Diego Clippers 35 47 .427 25 24–17 11–30 13–17
Golden State Warriors 24 58 .293 36 15–26 9–32 8–22
#
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Los Angeles Lakers 60 22 .732
2 y-Milwaukee Bucks 49 33 .598 11
3 x-Seattle SuperSonics 56 26 .683 4
4 x-Phoenix Suns 55 27 .671 5
5 x-Kansas City Kings 47 35 .573 13
6 x-Portland Trail Blazers 38 44 .463 22
7 San Diego Clippers 35 47 .427 25
8 Chicago Bulls 30 52 .366 30
9 Denver Nuggets 30 52 .366 30
10 Utah Jazz 24 58 .293 36
11 Golden State Warriors 24 58 .293 36
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

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1979-80 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NJN NYK PHI PHO POR SAS SDC SEA UTA WAS
Atlanta 2–4 1–1 4–2 1–1 6–0 2–0 2–4 4–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 4–2 4–2 4–2 1–1 2–0 5–1 1–1 0–2 2–0 3–3
Boston 4–2 2–0 4–2 2–0 6–0 2–0 6–0 4–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 5–1 5–1 3–3 1–1 2–0 4–2 2–0 0–2 2–0 4–2
Chicago 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–4 1–1 4–2 1–1 0–2 3–3 1–5 1–5 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–5 3–3 0–2 4–2 2–4 2–4 0–2
Cleveland 2–4 2–4 0–2 1–1 6–0 2–0 2–4 2–4 2–0 1–1 0–2 3–3 3–3 1–5 1–1 0–2 4–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–3
Denver 1–1 0–2 4–2 1–1 1–1 3–3 1–1 1–1 0–6 1–5 3–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–5 2–4 1–1 3–3 1–5 3–3 1–1
Detroit 0–6 0–6 1–1 0–6 1–1 1–1 1–5 1–5 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–4 2–4 1–5 0–2 0–2 2–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–4
Golden State 0–2 0–2 2–4 0–2 3–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–3 1–5 0–6 2–0 0–2 0–2 2–4 2–4 0–2 3–3 0–6 3–3 0–2
Houston 4–2 0–6 1–1 4–2 1–1 5–1 1–1 4–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 3–3 3–3 2–4 1–1 1–1 3–3 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–4
Indiana 2–4 2–4 2–0 4–2 1–1 5–1 1–1 2–4 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–4 4–2 1–5 0–2 2–0 2–4 1–1 0–2 1–1 4–2
Kansas City 2–0 1–1 3–3 0–2 6–0 2–0 3–3 2–0 1–1 2–4 3–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–5 1–5 1–1 5–1 3–3 6–0 2–0
Los Angeles 1–1 2–0 5–1 1–1 5–1 2–0 5–1 2–0 2–0 4–2 3–3 2–0 2–0 1–1 3–3 2–4 2–0 5–1 4–2 6–0 1–1
Milwaukee 1–1 0–2 5–1 2–0 3–3 1–1 6–0 1–1 2–0 3–3 3–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 4–2 5–1 0–2 4–2 2–4 4–2 1–1
New Jersey 2–4 1–5 1–1 3–3 1–1 4–2 0–2 3–3 4–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–4 1–5 1–1 0–2 3–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–3
New York 2–4 1–5 2–0 3–3 1–1 4–2 2–0 3–3 2–4 1–1 0–2 1–1 4–2 0–6 2–0 2–0 4–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–3
Philadelphia 2–4 3–3 1–1 5–1 2–0 5–1 2–0 4–2 5–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 5–1 6–0 1–1 2–0 4–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 5–1
Phoenix 1–1 1–1 5–1 1–1 5–1 2–0 4–2 1–1 2–0 5–1 3–3 2–4 1–1 0–2 1–1 6–0 1–1 2–4 4–2 6–0 2–0
Portland 0–2 0–2 3–3 2–0 4–2 2–0 4–2 1–1 0–2 5–1 4–2 1–5 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–6 1–1 4–2 1–5 3–3 1–1
San Antonio 1–5 2–4 2–0 2–4 1–1 4–2 2–0 3–3 4–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 3–3 2–4 2–4 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 4–2
San Diego 1–1 0–2 2–4 1–1 3–3 2–0 3–3 0–2 1–1 1–5 1–5 2–4 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–2 2–4 0–2 3–3 5–1 1–1
Seattle 2–0 2–0 4–2 2–0 5–1 2–0 6–0 1–1 2–0 3–3 2–4 4–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–4 5–1 1–1 3–3 5–1 1–1
Utah 0–2 0–2 4–2 1–1 3–3 1–1 3–3 0–2 1–1 0–6 0–6 2–4 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–6 3–3 1–1 1–5 1–5 0–2
Washington 3–3 2–4 2–0 3–3 1–1 4–2 2–0 4–2 2–4 0–2 1–1 1–1 3–3 3–3 1–5 0–2 1–1 2–4 1–1 1–1 2–0

Game log

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Playoffs

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1980 playoff game log
First round: 1–2 (home: 1–0; road: 0–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Series
1 April 2 @ Seattle L 110–120 Ron Brewer (24) Kermit Washington (7) Kermit Washington (12) Kingdome
26,412
0–1
2 April 4 Seattle W 105–95 (OT) Natt, R. Brewer (27) Jim Brewer (12) T. R. Dunn (4) Memorial Coliseum
12,666
1–1
3 April 6 @ Seattle L 86–103 Billy Ray Bates (26) Tom Owens (16) Billy Ray Bates (3) Kingdome
23,546
1–2
1980 schedule

Player statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Season

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Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG

Playoffs

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Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG

Awards and honors

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Transactions

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References

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  1. ^ 1979-80 Portland Trail Blazers
  2. ^ "The Top 100 Sports Books of All Time".