1978–79 Philadelphia 76ers season

NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season

1978–79 Philadelphia 76ers season

Head coach| Billy Cunningham
General manager| Pat Williams
Arena| The Spectrum
Results
Record| 47-35 (.573)
Place| Division: 2nd (Atlantic)
Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finish| East Conference Semifinals
(eliminated 3–4)

* * *

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television| WKBS-TV
PRISM
Radio| WCAU
| < 1977–78  | 1979–80 >

|

The 1978–79 NBA season was the 76ers 30th season in the NBA and 16th season in Philadelphia. Coach Billy Cunningham began to mold a unit that played a team concept, as opposed to one made up of stars focusing on their own individual talents. The trade for forward Bobby Jones and the drafting of point guard Maurice Cheeks, further solidified this progression. The Sixers would finish the regular season at 47–35. They would lose in the Eastern Conference semi-finals to the San Antonio Spurs. From 1977 through 1983 (seven seasons), this would be the only year that the team failed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.[1]

## Draft picks

[edit]

Main article: 1978 NBA draft

Round  | Pick  | Player  | Position  | Nationality  | College

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2 | 36 | Maurice Cheeks | PG |  United States | West Texas A&M
2 | 43 | Glenn Hagan | G |  United States | St. Bonaventure
4 | 87 | Brett Vroman | C |  United States | UNLV
5 | 109 | Mark Haymore | PF/C |  United States | UMass
6 | 130 | Osborne Lockhart |  |  United States | Minnesota
7 | 151 | Anthony Murray |  |  United States | Alabama
8 | 169 | Alan Cunningham | F |  United States | Colorado State
10 | 201 | Dennis James |  |  United States | Widener

## Roster

[edit]

Philadelphia 76ers roster

* v
* t
* e

Players  | Coaches

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| Pos. | No. | Name  | Height  | Weight  | DOB  | From

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G | 14 | Bibby, Henry | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)  | 185 lb (84 kg)  | 1949–11–24  | UCLA
F/C | 23 | Bryant, Joe | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 185 lb (84 kg)  | 1954–10–19  | La Salle
F/C | 42 | Catchings, Harvey | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 218 lb (99 kg)  | 1951–09–02  | Hardin–Simmons
G | 10 | Cheeks, Maurice | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)  | 180 lb (82 kg)  | 1956–09–08  | West Texas A&M
G | 20 | Collins, Doug | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)  | 180 lb (82 kg)  | 1951-07-28  | Illinois State
C | 53 | Dawkins, Darryl | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)  | 251 lb (114 kg)  | 1957-01-11  | Maynard Evans HS (FL)
F | 6 | Erving, Julius | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)  | 210 lb (95 kg)  | 1950-02-22  | UMass
F | 24 | Jones, Bobby | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 210 lb (95 kg)  | 1951–12–18  | North Carolina
C | 11 | Jones, Caldwell | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)  | 217 lb (98 kg)  | 1950–08–04  | Albany State
F | 50 | Mix, Steve | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)  | 215 lb (98 kg)  | 1947–12–30  | Toledo
G | 22 | Money, Eric | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)  | 170 lb (77 kg)  | 1955–02–06  | Arizona
G | 4 | Redmond, Marlon | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)  | 188 lb (85 kg)  | 1955–04–15  | San Francisco
G | 30 | Skinner, Al | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)  | 190 lb (86 kg)  | 1952–06–16  | UMass

Head coach

* Billy Cunningham

Assistant coach(es)

* Chuck Daly
* Jack McMahon

* * *

Legend

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

## Regular season

[edit]

### Season standings

[edit]

Atlantic Division

* v
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|  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB  |  Home  |  Road  |  Div

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y-Washington Bullets | 54 | 28 | .659 | – | 31–10 | 23–18 | 11–5
x-Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 7 | 31–10 | 16–25 | 9–7
x-New Jersey Nets | 37 | 45 | .451 | 17 | 25–16 | 12–29 | 7–9
New York Knicks | 31 | 51 | .378 | 23 | 23–18 | 8–33 | 7–9
Boston Celtics | 29 | 53 | .354 | 25 | 21–20 | 8–33 | 6–10
#  |

Eastern Conference

* v
* t
* e

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Team  |  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB
1  | z-Washington Bullets | 54 | 28 | .659 | –
2  | y-San Antonio Spurs | 48 | 34 | .585 | 6
3  | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 7
4  | x-Houston Rockets | 47 | 35 | .573 | 7
5  | x-Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | .561 | 8
6  | x-New Jersey Nets | 37 | 45 | .451 | 17
7  | New York Knicks | 31 | 51 | .378 | 23
8  | Cleveland Cavaliers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 24
8  | Detroit Pistons | 30 | 52 | .366 | 24
10  | Boston Celtics | 29 | 53 | .354 | 25
11  | New Orleans Jazz | 26 | 56 | .317 | 28

z \- clinched division title
y \- clinched division title
x \- clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

[edit]

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 | —

## Playoffs

[edit]

1979 playoff game log

First Round: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Series

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1  | April 11  | New Jersey | W 122–114 | Julius Erving (37)  | George McGinnis (14)  | Henry Bibby (8)  | Spectrum
8,846  | 1–0
2  | April 13  | @ New Jersey | W 111–101 | Caldwell Jones (24)  | Caldwell Jones (21)  | three players tied (5)  | Rutgers Athletic Center
9,126  | 2–0

Conference Semifinals: 3–4 (home: 2–1; road: 1–3)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Series

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1  | April 15  | @ San Antonio | L 106–119 | Darryl Dawkins (25)  | Caldwell Jones (15)  | Julius Erving (7)  | HemisFair Arena
10,253  | 0–1
2  | April 17  | @ San Antonio | L 120–121 | Julius Erving (25)  | Caldwell Jones (11)  | Henry Bibby (10)  | HemisFair Arena
16,709  | 0–2
3  | April 20  | San Antonio | W 123–115 | Julius Erving (39)  | Caldwell Jones (12)  | Maurice Cheeks (9)  | Spectrum
14,039  | 1–2
4  | April 22  | San Antonio | L 112–115 | Maurice Cheeks (33)  | Steve Mix (9)  | Maurice Cheeks (9)  | Spectrum
11,163  | 1–3
5  | April 26  | @ San Antonio | W 120–97 | Julius Erving (32)  | Caldwell Jones (14)  | Maurice Cheeks (12)  | HemisFair Arena
16,055  | 2–3
6  | April 29  | San Antonio | W 92–90 | Caldwell Jones (20)  | Caldwell Jones (17)  | Maurice Cheeks (6)  | Spectrum
18,276  | 3–3
7  | May 2  | @ San Antonio | L 108–111 | Julius Erving (34)  | Caldwell Jones (14)  | Maurice Cheeks (13)  | HemisFair Arena
16,055  | 3–4

1979 schedule

## Awards and records

[edit]

* Bobby Jones, NBA All-Defensive First Team

## References

[edit]

1. ^ 1978-79 Philadelphia 76ers

* v
* t
* e

1978–79 NBA season by team

* 1978 NBA draft
* All-Star Game
* Playoffs
* Finals
* Transactions

Eastern|

| Atlantic|

* Boston
* New Jersey
* New York
* Philadelphia
* Washington

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Central|

* Atlanta
* Cleveland
* Detroit
* Houston
* New Orleans
* San Antonio

Western|

| Midwest|

* Chicago
* Denver
* Indiana
* Kansas City
* Milwaukee

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Pacific|

* Golden State
* Los Angeles
* Phoenix
* Portland
* San Diego
* Seattle

* v
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* e

Philadelphia 76ers seasons

* Franchise
* Seasons

1940s|

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  1946–47 |  1947–48 |  1948–49

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1950s|

|  1949–50 |  1950–51 |  1951–52 |  1952–53 |  1953–54 |  1954–55 |  1955–56 |  1956–57 |  1957–58 |  1958–59

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1960s|

|  1959–60 |  1960–61 |  1961–62 |  1962–63 |  1963–64 |  1964–65 |  1965–66 |  1966–67 |  1967–68 |  1968–69

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1970s|

|  1969–70 |  1970–71 |  1971–72 |  1972–73 |  1973–74 |  1974–75 |  1975–76 |  1976–77 |  1977–78 |  1978–79

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1980s|

|  1979–80 |  1980–81 |  1981–82 |  1982–83 |  1983–84 |  1984–85 |  1985–86 |  1986–87 |  1987–88 |  1988–89

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1990s|

|  1989–90 |  1990–91 |  1991–92 |  1992–93 |  1993–94 |  1994–95 |  1995–96 |  1996–97 |  1997–98 |  1998–99

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2000s|

|  1999–00 |  2000–01 |  2001–02 |  2002–03 |  2003–04 |  2004–05 |  2005–06 |  2006–07 |  2007–08 |  2008–09

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2010s|

|  2009–10 |  2010–11 |  2011–12 |  2012–13 |  2013–14 |  2014–15 |  2015–16 |  2016–17 |  2017–18 |  2018–19

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2020s|

|  2019–20 |  2020–21 |  2021–22 |  2022–23 |  2023–24 |  2024–25 |  |  |  |

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Bold indicates NBA Finals victory
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Pos.]: Position
*[No.]: Number
*[ W ]: Games won
*[ L ]: Games lost
*[ PCT ]: Winning percentage
*[ GB ]: Games behind
*[ Home ]: Home record
*[ Road ]: Road record
*[ Div ]: Division record