1979–80 Boston Celtics season
NBA basketball team season
NBA professional basketball team season
1979–80 Boston Celtics season | |||
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Division champions | |||
Head coach | Bill Fitch | ||
General manager | Red Auerbach | ||
Owner(s) | Harry T. Mangurian Jr. | ||
Arena | Boston Garden Hartford Civic Center | ||
Results | |||
Record | 61–21 (.744) | ||
Place | Division: 1st (Atlantic) Conference: 1st (Eastern) | ||
Playoff finish | Eastern Conference finals (lost to 76ers 1–4) | ||
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |||
Local media | |||
Television | WBZ-TV | ||
Radio | WBZ | ||
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The 1979–80 Boston Celtics season was the 34th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bolstered by the play of 23-year-old rookie Larry Bird, the Celtics improved from 29–53 the previous year, to 61–21, at the time the best NBA single season turnaround ever, and would cruise to the Eastern Conference finals but lose to the Philadelphia 76ers 4–1.[1][2]
Draft picks
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | 53 | Wayne Kreklow | SG | United States | Drake |
3 | 61 | Ernesto Malcolm | SG | Panama | Briar Cliff |
4 | 68 | Nick Galis | SG | United States | Seton Hall |
5 | 90 | Jimmy Allen | United States | New Haven | |
7 | 130 | Steve Castellan | PF | United States | Virginia |
8 | 149 | Glenn Sudhop | C | United States | NC State |
9 | 168 | Kevin Sinnett | United States | Navy | |
10 | 186 | Alton Byrd | PG | United States | Columbia |
- Forward Larry Bird was selected in the previous year's draft, then played his senior season at Indiana State
Roster
Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Roster |
Regular season
Season standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-Boston Celtics | 61 | 21 | .744 | – | 35–6 | 26–15 | 17–7 |
x-Philadelphia 76ers | 59 | 23 | .720 | 2 | 36–5 | 23–18 | 19–5 |
x-Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 | 24–17 | 15–26 | 9–15 |
New York Knicks | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 | 25–16 | 14–27 | 8–16 |
New Jersey Nets | 34 | 48 | .415 | 27 | 22–19 | 12–29 | 7–17 |
# | Eastern Conference
| ||||
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Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
1 | z-Boston Celtics | 61 | 21 | .744 | – |
2 | y-Atlanta Hawks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 11 |
3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 59 | 23 | .720 | 2 |
4 | x-Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 |
5 | x-San Antonio Spurs | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 |
6 | x-Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 |
7 | New York Knicks | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 |
8 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 37 | 45 | .451 | 24 |
8 | Indiana Pacers | 37 | 45 | .451 | 24 |
10 | New Jersey Nets | 34 | 48 | .415 | 27 |
11 | Detroit Pistons | 16 | 66 | .195 | 44 |
Record vs. opponents
1979-80 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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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
Regular season
1979–80 game log Total: 61–21 (home: 35–6; road: 26–15) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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October: 7–2 (home: 3–0; road: 4–2)
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November: 10–2 (home: 8–0; road: 2–2)
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December: 12–5 (home: 5–1; road: 7–4)
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January: 11–4 (home: 7–3; road: 4–1)
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February: 9–2 (home: 6–0; road: 3–2)
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March: 12–6 (home: 6–2; road: 6–4)
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1979–80 schedule |
Playoffs
1980 playoff game log | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conference semifinals: 4–0 (home: 2–0; road: 2–0)
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Conference finals: 1–4 (home: 1–2; road: 0–2)
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1980 schedule |