1982–83 Portland Trail Blazers season

NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season

1982–83 Portland Trail Blazers season

Head coach| Jack Ramsay
General manager| Stu Inman
Owner(s)| Larry Weinberg
Arena| Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record| 46-36 (.561)
Place| Division: 4th (Pacific)
Conference: 5th (Western)
Playoff finish| Conference semifinals
(lost to Lakers 1–4)

* * *

Stats at Basketball Reference
| < 1981–82  | 1983–84 >

|

The 1982–83 Portland Trail Blazers season was the 13th season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] The Blazers finished 46–36, a four-game improvement from the previous season.

In the 1983 NBA Playoffs, the Blazers won their first playoff series since their championship season of 1976–77, defeating the Seattle SuperSonics in their first-round best-of-three series in a two-game sweep and gaining a measure of revenge for the Sonics' having eliminated them from the postseason in 1978 and 1980.

However, the Blazers were bested in their Western Conference semi-final series against the Los Angeles Lakers four games to one, on the Lakers' way to the 1983 NBA Finals.

The 1982–83 NBA season saw the beginning of an unprecedented playoff streak for the Blazers, as they would go on to qualify for 21 consecutive postseasons. The second longest NBA playoff streak behind the Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers who made the playoffs every year from 1950 to 1971, and the San Antonio Spurs who made the playoffs every year from 1998 to 2019.

## Draft picks

[edit]

Main article: 1982 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  | 11  | Lafayette Lever | G  |  United States | Arizona State

## Roster

[edit]

Portland Trail Blazers roster

* v
* t
* e

Players  | Coaches

|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|

G | 10 | Don Buse | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)  | 190 lb (86 kg)  |  | Evansville
F | 34 | Kenny Carr | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)  | 220 lb (100 kg)  |  | NC State
F/C | 42 | Wayne Cooper | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)  | 220 lb (100 kg)  |  | New Orleans
F | 22 | Jeff Judkins | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)  | 185 lb (84 kg)  |  | Utah
F | 3 | Jeff Lamp | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)  | 195 lb (88 kg)  |  | Virginia
PG | 12 | Fat Lever | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)  | 170 lb (77 kg)  |  | Arizona State
SF | 33 | Calvin Natt | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)  | 220 lb (100 kg)  |  | Louisiana–Monroe
C | 24 | Audie Norris | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 230 lb (104 kg)  |  | Jackson State
G | 4 | Jim Paxson | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)  | 200 lb (91 kg)  |  | Dayton
F/C | 43 | Mychal Thompson | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)  | 226 lb (103 kg)  |  | Minnesota
G | 10 | Darnell Valentine | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)  | 183 lb (83 kg)  |  | Kansas
F | 31 | Pete Verhoeven | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 215 lb (98 kg)  |  | Fresno State

Head coach

* Jack Ramsay

* * *

Legend

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

## Regular season

[edit]

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

### Season standings

[edit]

Pacific Division

* v
* t
* e

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

y-Los Angeles Lakers | 58 | 24 | .707 | – | 33–8 | 25–16 | 21–9
x-Phoenix Suns | 53 | 29 | .646 | 5 | 32–9 | 21–20 | 21–9
x-Seattle SuperSonics | 48 | 34 | .585 | 10 | 29–12 | 19–22 | 14–16
x-Portland Trail Blazers | 46 | 36 | .561 | 12 | 31–10 | 15–26 | 16–14
Golden State Warriors | 30 | 52 | .366 | 28 | 21–20 | 9–32 | 11–19
San Diego Clippers | 25 | 57 | .305 | 33 | 18–23 | 7–34 | 7–23
#  |

Western Conference

* v
* t
* e

|

Team  |  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB
1  | c-Los Angeles Lakers | 58 | 24 | .707 | –
2  | y-San Antonio Spurs | 53 | 29 | .646 | 5
3  | x-Phoenix Suns | 53 | 29 | .646 | 5
4  | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 48 | 34 | .585 | 10
5  | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 46 | 36 | .561 | 12
6  | x-Denver Nuggets | 45 | 37 | .549 | 13
7  |  Kansas City Kings | 45 | 37 | .549 | 13
8  | Dallas Mavericks | 38 | 44 | .463 | 20
9  | Utah Jazz | 30 | 52 | .366 | 28
9  | Golden State Warriors | 30 | 52 | .366 | 28
11  | San Diego Clippers | 25 | 57 | .305 | 33
12  | Houston Rockets | 14 | 68 | .171 | 44

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

### Record vs. opponents

[edit]

1982-83 NBA Records

Team  | ATL  | BOS  | CHI  | CLE  | DAL  | DEN  | DET  | GSW  | HOU  | IND  | KCK  | LAL  | MIL  | NJN  | NYK  | PHI  | PHO  | POR  | SAS  | SDC  | SEA  | UTA  | WAS
Atlanta | – | 1–5 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2
Boston | 5–1 | – | 3–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3
Chicago | 1–5 | 2–3 | – | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5
Cleveland | 0–6 | 1–5 | 1–5 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2
Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 0–2
Denver | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | – | 2–0 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 1–1
Detroit | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | – | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2
Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | – | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 2–0
Houston | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 2–3 | – | 2–0 | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–6 | 1–1
Indiana | 0–6 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5
Kansas City | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | – | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 2–0
Los Angeles | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | – | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 1–1
Milwaukee | 4–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 3–2 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–2
New Jersey | 4–2 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | – | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2
New York | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | – | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2
Philadelphia | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2
Phoenix | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | – | 5–1 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 0–2
Portland  | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | – | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1
San Antonio | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | – | 4–1 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 2–0
San Diego | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | – | 0–6 | 2–3 | 0–2
Seattle | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 6–0 | – | 5–0 | 1–1
Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 0–5 | – | 0–2
Washington | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | —

### Game log

[edit]

## Playoffs

[edit]

1983 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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | April 20  | @ Seattle | W 108–97 | Thompson, Paxson (25)  | Calvin Natt (11)  | Mychal Thompson (8)  | Kingdome
9,211  | 1–0
2  | April 22  | Seattle | W 105–96 | Jim Paxson (26)  | Mychal Thompson (12)  | Thompson, Lever (6)  | Memorial Coliseum
12,666  | 2–0

Conference Semi-finals: 1–4 (home: 1–1; road: 0–3)

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  | April 24  | @ Los Angeles | L 97–118 | Mychal Thompson (22)  | Thompson, Natt (9)  | three players tied (7)  | The Forum
13,891  | 0–1
2  | April 26  | @ Los Angeles | L 106–112 | Calvin Natt (26)  | Wayne Cooper (7)  | Darnell Valentine (15)  | The Forum
16,239  | 0–2
3  | April 29  | Los Angeles | L 109–115 (OT) | Paxson, Natt (22)  | Natt, Cooper (10)  | Darnell Valentine (14)  | Memorial Coliseum
12,666  | 0–3
4  | May 1  | Los Angeles | W 108–95 | Jim Paxson (20)  | Calvin Natt (10)  | Darnell Valentine (11)  | Memorial Coliseum
12,666  | 1–3
5  | May 3  | @ Los Angeles | L 108–116 | Jim Paxson (32)  | Calvin Natt (11)  | Darnell Valentine (8)  | The Forum
16,739  | 1–4

1983 schedule

## Player statistics

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

### Playoffs

[edit]

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

## Awards and honors

[edit]

* Jim Paxson, NBA All-Star

## Transactions

[edit]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2013)

|

## References

[edit]

1. ^ 1982-83 Portland Trail Blazers

* v
* t
* e

1982–83 NBA season

* 1982 NBA draft
* All-Star Game
* Playoffs
* Finals
* Transactions

Eastern|

| Atlantic|

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

|

Central|

* Atlanta
* Chicago
* Cleveland
* Detroit
* Indiana
* Milwaukee

Western|

| Midwest|

* Dallas
* Denver
* Houston
* Kansas City
* San Antonio
* Utah

|

Pacific|

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

* v
* t
* e

Portland Trail Blazers seasons

* Franchise
* History
* Seasons

1970s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1980s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1990s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2000s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2010s|

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

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2020s|

|  2019–20 |  2020–21 |  2021–22 |  2022–23 |  2023–24 |  2024–25 |  2025–26 |  |  |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

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