1977–78 Portland Trail Blazers season

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1977–78 Portland Trail Blazers season
Division champions
Head coachJack Ramsay
General managerHarry Glickman
Owner(s)Larry Weinberg
ArenaMemorial Coliseum
Results
Record58–24 (.707)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Pacific)
Conference: 1st (Western)
Playoff finishConference semifinals
(lost to SuperSonics 2–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKOIN
RadioKYTE
< 1976–77 1978–79 >

The 1977–78 Portland Trail Blazers season was the eighth season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] Fresh off their first NBA Championship win the previous season, the Blazers led the league with a franchise-best 58–24 record, earning a first-round bye in the 1978 NBA Playoffs. However, they were defeated by the eventual Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics four games to two.

The team started with 50 wins in their first 60 games, but due to Bill Walton's foot injury they managed to go 8–14 the rest of the way.[2] This would be Walton's last season with the club, as he sat out the 1979 season and then was signed by the San Diego Clippers.

The Blazers eventually eclipsed their franchise-record win total from this season with a 59–23 showing in 1989–90.

Draft picks

Main article: 1977 NBA draft

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 19 Rich Laurel G  United States Hofstra
2 28 Kim Anderson F  United States Missouri
2 41 T. R. Dunn G  United States Alabama

Roster

1977–78 Portland Trail Blazers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
SF 10 Calhoun, Corky 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Penn
G 16 Davis, Johnny 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Dayton
SG 23 Dunn, T.R. 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 192 lb (87 kg) Alabama
F 30 Gross, Bob 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Long Beach State
G 14 Hollins, Lionel 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Arizona State
F 20 Lucas, Maurice 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Marquette
F 36 Neal, Lloyd 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Tennessee State
F/C 25 Owens, Tom 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) South Carolina
F 15 Steele, Larry 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Kentucky
G 13 Twardzik, Dave 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Old Dominion
C 32 Walton, Bill 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 210 lb (95 kg) UCLA
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

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

Season standings

Pacific Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Portland Trail Blazers 58 24 .707 – 36–5 22–19 13–3
x-Phoenix Suns 49 33 .598 9 34–7 15–26 8–8
x-Seattle SuperSonics 47 35 .573 11 31–10 16–25 8–8
x-Los Angeles Lakers 45 37 .549 13 29–12 16–25 6–10
Golden State Warriors 43 39 .524 15 30–11 13–28 5–11
#
Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Portland Trail Blazers 58 24 .707 –
2 y-Denver Nuggets 48 34 .585 10
3 x-Phoenix Suns 49 33 .598 9
4 x-Seattle SuperSonics 47 35 .573 11
5 x-Los Angeles Lakers 45 37 .549 13
6 x-Milwaukee Bucks 44 38 .537 14
7 Golden State Warriors 43 39 .524 15
8 Chicago Bulls 40 42 .488 18
9 Detroit Pistons 38 44 .463 20
10 Indiana Pacers 31 51 .378 27
11 Kansas City Kings 31 51 .378 27
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1977–78 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS BUF CHI CLE DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NJN NOJ NYK PHI PHO POR SAS SEA WAS
Atlanta – 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–1 1–3
Boston 2–2 – 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–1 2–2 1–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 0–4 2–2 1–3 0–4 0–4 1–3
Buffalo 1–3 1–3 – 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 0–3 3–1 1–3 1–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 0–4 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3
Chicago 3–1 3–1 1–3 – 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–2 2–2 1–3 3–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–1
Cleveland 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 – 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 2–2
Denver 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 – 2–2 2–2 3–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–1 1–3 3–1
Detroit 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 – 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–0 0–4 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2
Golden State 3–1 2–2 3–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 – 2–1 3–1 3–1 0–4 2–2 3–1 0–4 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 2–2 2–2
Houston 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 0–3 1–3 1–2 – 3–1 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 0–4 1–3
Indiana 1–3 1–2 3–1 1–3 1–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 – 2–2 1–3 0–4 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 3–1
Kansas City 1–2 2–2 2–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 – 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 2–2
Los Angeles 1–3 2–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 2–2 – 3–1 4–0 2–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 0–4 2–2 1–3 2–2
Milwaukee 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 4–0 4–0 1–3 – 3–1 2–1 3–1 1–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1
New Jersey 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 – 0–4 1–3 0–4 2–2 0–3 0–4 2–2 2–2
New Orleans 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–2 1–2 4–0 – 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 1–3 2–2 0–4
New York 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 1–3 3–1 3–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 4–0 1–3 1–3 3–1 3–1 – 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–1 2–2
Philadelphia 2–2 4–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 3–1 4–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–1 4–0 2–2 3–1 – 2–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2
Phoenix 1–3 2–2 4–0 2–2 2–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 1–2 – 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2
Portland 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 4–0 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 4–0 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–3 3–0 2–2 3–1 – 2–2 3–1 2–1
San Antonio 3–1 4–0 3–1 2–2 4–0 1–2 2–1 1–3 3–1 3–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 – 2–2 2–2
Seattle 1–2 4–0 3–1 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–2 – 1–3
Washington 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 4–0 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–2 2–2 3–1 —

Playoffs

1978 playoff game log
Conference Semi-finals: 2–4 (home: 2–1; road: 0–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 18 Seattle L 95–104 Johnny Davis (20) Bill Walton (16) Lionel Hollins (9) Memorial Coliseum
12,666 		0–1
2 April 21 Seattle W 96–93 Maurice Lucas (19) Maurice Lucas (14) Lionel Hollins (5) Memorial Coliseum
12,666 		1–1
3 April 23 @ Seattle L 84–99 Tom Owens (24) Owens, Lucas (9) Dave Twardzik (5) Seattle Center Coliseum
14,098 		1–2
4 April 26 @ Seattle L 98–100 Lionel Hollins (35) Maurice Lucas (16) Tom Owens (8) Seattle Center Coliseum
14,098 		1–3
5 April 30 Seattle W 113–89 Tom Owens (31) Maurice Lucas (13) Davis, Owens (6) Memorial Coliseum
12,666 		2–3
6 May 1 @ Seattle L 94–105 Johnny Davis (23) Maurice Lucas (12) Lionel Hollins (9) Seattle Center Coliseum
14,098 		2–4
1978 schedule

Player statistics

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

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

Playoffs

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

Awards and honors

References

  1. ^ 1977–78 Portland Trail Blazers
  2. ^ Off on a Wrong Foot - Sports Illustrated
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