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1978–79 Denver Nuggets season

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(Redirected from 1978-79 Denver Nuggets season) Nuggets' 3rd season in the NBA

NBA professional basketball team season
1978–79 Denver Nuggets season
Head coachLarry Brown
Donnie Walsh
ArenaMcNichols Sports Arena
Results
Record47–35 (.573)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Midwest)
Conference: 4th (Western)
Playoff finishWest First Round
(lost to Lakers 1–2)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKWGN-TV
RadioKOA
< 1977–78 1979–80 >

The 1978–79 NBA season was the Nuggets' 3rd season in the NBA and 12th season as a franchise.

In the playoffs, the Nuggets lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in three games in the First Round.

The Nuggets would not make the playoffs again until 1982.

Draft picks

Main article: 1978 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 17 Rod Griffin PF  United States Wake Forest
1 21 Mike Evans PG  United States Kansas State
3 46 Hollis Copeland SF  United States Rutgers
5 106 Michael Edwards  United States Texas-Pan American
6 127 Robert Heard  United States Columbus State
7 148 Jack Gilloon  United States South Carolina
8 166 Larry Vaculik  United States Colorado
9 183 Tom Schneeburger  United States Air Force
10 198 Phil Taylor  United States Arizona

Roster

Denver Nuggets roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
F 41 Boswell, Tom 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) South Carolina
F 22 Crompton, Geoff 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 280 lb (127 kg) North Carolina
F 31 Ellis, Bo 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 197 lb (89 kg) Marquette
SF 55 Hicks, Phil 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Tulane
C 35 Hughes, Kim 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Wisconsin
C 44 Issel, Dan 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Kentucky
F 10 Kuester, John 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) North Carolina
F 30 McGinnis, George 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Indiana
F 21 Roberts, Anthony 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Oral Roberts
G 5 Smith, Robert 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 165 lb (75 kg) UNLV
G 11 Scott, Charlie 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 175 lb (79 kg) North Carolina
SF 33 Thompson, David 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) NC State
G 32 Wilkerson, Bob 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Indiana
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Kansas City Kings 48 34 .585 – 32–9 16–25 12–4
x-Denver Nuggets 47 35 .573 1 29–12 18–23 8–8
Indiana Pacers 38 44 .463 10 25–16 13–28 6–10
Milwaukee Bucks 38 44 .463 10 28–13 10–31 9–7
Chicago Bulls 31 51 .378 17 19–22 12–29 5–11
# Western Conference
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
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

Regular season

1978–79 game log
Total: 47–35 (home: 29–12; road: 18–23)
October: 6–3 (home: 4–0; road: 2–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
5 October 21 @ Atlanta L 125–130 The Omni 4–1
November: 4–10 (home: 2–3; road: 2–7)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
19 November 22 Atlanta L 111–113 McNichols Sports Arena 9–10
December: 7–6 (home: 5–3; road: 2–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
36 December 30 @ Atlanta L 87–113 The Omni 17–19
January: 11–6 (home: 7–2; road: 4–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
February: 7–6 (home: 5–2; road: 2–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
All-Star Break
March: 9–2 (home: 6–2; road: 3–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
72 March 17 Atlanta W 118–111 McNichols Sports Arena 39–33
April: 3–2 (home: 0–0; road: 3–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1978–79 schedule

Playoffs

1979 playoff game log
Western Conference First Round: 1–2 (home: 1–1; road: 0–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 10 Los Angeles W 119–105 Dan Issel (30) Dan Issel (10) Bob Wilkerson (7) McNichols Sports Arena
16,011 		1–0
2 April 13 @ Los Angeles L 109–121 David Thompson (29) Tom Boswell (12) Tom Boswell (7) The Forum
14,182 		1–1
3 April 16 Los Angeles L 111–112 David Thompson (28) Dan Issel (10) David Thompson (7) McNichols Sports Arena
16,181 		1–2
1979 schedule

References

  1. 1978-79 Denver Nuggets
1978–79 NBA season by team
Eastern
Atlantic
Central
Western
Midwest
Pacific
Denver Nuggets seasons
1960s
1967–68 1968–69
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Bold indicates NBA Finals victory
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