1977–78 Portland Trail Blazers season

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.

1977–78 Portland Trail Blazers season
Division champions
Head coachJack Ramsay
ArenaMemorial Coliseum
Results
Record58–24 (.707)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Pacific)
Conference: 1st (Western)
Playoff finishWest Conference Semifinals (eliminated 2–4)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKOIN
RadioKYTE

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

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
Roster listing
Portland Trail Blazers roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
G 16 Davis, Johnny 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Dayton
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
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • 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 5824.707–36–522–1913–3
x-Phoenix Suns 4933.598934–715–268–8
x-Seattle SuperSonics 4735.5731131–1016–258–8
x-Los Angeles Lakers 4537.5491329–1216–256–10
Golden State Warriors 4339.5241530–1113–285–11
# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Portland Trail Blazers5824.707–
2 y-Denver Nuggets4834.58510
3 x-Phoenix Suns4933.5989
4 x-Seattle SuperSonics4735.57311
5 x-Los Angeles Lakers4537.54913
6 x-Milwaukee Bucks4438.53714
7 Golden State Warriors4339.52415
8 Chicago Bulls4042.48818
9 Detroit Pistons3844.46320
10 Indiana Pacers3151.37827
11 Kansas City Kings3151.37827


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 —2–23–11–31–31–32–21–33–13–12–13–12–23–12–22–22–23–11–31–32–11–3
Boston 2–2—3–11–31–31–31–32–22–22–12–21–23–13–12–22–20–42–21–30–40–41–3
Buffalo 1–31–3—3–11–31–31–30–33–11–31–21–31–32–22–23–11–30–41–31–31–31–3
Chicago 3–13–11–3—3–12–22–21–33–13–10–42–21–31–22–21–33–02–21–32–22–22–1
Cleveland 3–13–13–11–3—3–12–22–22–22–12–22–23–13–12–23–11–31–20–40–43–12–2
Denver 3–13–13–12–21–3—2–22–23–02–22–23–13–13–13–11–31–32–23–12–11–33–1
Detroit 2–23–13–12–22–22–2—2–23–11–31–32–22–23–13–00–40–42–21–31–31–32–2
Golden State 3–12–23–03–12–22–22–2—2–13–13–10–42–23–10–42–21–32–21–33–12–22–2
Houston 1–32–21–31–32–20–31–31–2—3–12–21–31–32–21–32–22–21–32–21–30–41–3
Indiana 1–31–23–11–31–22–23–11–31–3—2–21–30–42–22–21–32–21–31–31–31–33–1
Kansas City 1–22–22–14–02–22–23–11–32–22–2—2–20–42–22–20–41–30–40–40–41–32–2
Los Angeles 1–32–13–12–22–21–32–24–03–13–12–2—3–14–02–13–12–21–30–42–21–32–2
Milwaukee 2–21–33–13–11–31–32–22–23–14–04–01–3—3–12–13–11–21–31–32–21–33–1
New Jersey 1–31–32–22–11–31–31–31–32–22–22–20–41–3—0–41–30–42–20–30–42–22–2
New Orleans 2–22–22–22–22–21–31–34–03–12–22–21–21–24–0—1–32–21–33–11–32–20–4
New York 2–22–21–33–11–33–13–02–22–23–14–01–31–33–13–1—1–31–31–32–22–12–2
Philadelphia 2–24–03–11–33–13–14–03–12–22–23–12–22–14–02–23–1—2–12–23–13–12–2
Phoenix 1–32–24–02–22–12–22–22–23–13–14–03–13–12–23–13–11–2—1–32–22–22–2
Portland 3–13–13–13–14–01–33–13–12–23–14–04–03–13–11–33–02–23–1—2–23–12–1
San Antonio 3–14–03–12–24–01–22–11–33–13–14–02–22–24–03–12–21–32–22–2—2–22–2
Seattle 1–24–03–12–21–33–13–12–24–03–13–13–13–12–22–11–31–32–21–32–2—1–3
Washington 3–13–13–11–22–21–32–22–23–11–32–22–21–32–24–02–22–22–21–22–23–1—

Playoffs

West First Round

The Trail Blazers had a first round bye.

West Conference Semifinals

(1) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (4) Seattle SuperSonics: Sonics win series 4-2

  • Game 1 @ Portland: Seattle 104, Portland 95
  • Game 2 @ Portland: Portland 96, Seattle 93
  • Game 3 @ Seattle: Seattle 99, Portland 84
  • Game 4 @ Seattle: Seattle 100, Portland 98
  • Game 5 @ Portland: Portland 113, Seattle 89
  • Game 6 @ Seattle: Seattle 105, Portland 94

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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