1979–80 Cleveland Cavaliers season

1979–80 Cleveland Cavaliers season
Head coachStan Albeck
OwnersNick Mileti
ArenaColiseum at Richfield
Results
Record37–45 (.451)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Central)
Conference: 8th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWJKW
RadioWWWE
< 1978–79 1980–81 >

The 1979-80 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the tenth season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Key Dates

Offseason

Free agents

Trades

Draft picks

Main article: 1979 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Nationality School/Club Team

Roster

1979–80 Cleveland Cavaliers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
SG 34 Carr, Austin 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Notre Dame
F 2 Carr, Kenny 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) NC State
F 35 Ford, Don 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) UC Santa Barbara
PF 24 Lambert, John 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) USC
F 30 Mitchell, Mike 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Auburn
F/C 25 Robisch, Dave 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Kansas
SF 21 Russell, Campy Injured 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Michigan
C 3 Smith, Elmore Injured (IN) 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Kentucky State
G 9 Smith, Randy 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Buffalo State
G 11 Smith, Willie 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Missouri
G/F 43 Tatum, Earl 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Marquette
PG 14 Walker, Foots 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 184 lb (83 kg) West Georgia
F 33 Willoughby, Bill 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Dwight Morrow HS (NJ)
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Atlanta Hawks 50 32 .610 – 32–9 18–23 21–9
x-Houston Rockets 41 41 .500 9 29–12 12–29 20–10
x-San Antonio Spurs 41 41 .500 9 27–14 14–27 14–16
Cleveland Cavaliers 37 45 .451 13 28–13 9–32 16–14
Indiana Pacers 37 45 .451 13 26–15 11–30 15–15
Detroit Pistons 16 66 .195 34 13–28 3–38 4–26
#
Eastern Conference
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
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

1979–80 game log
Total: 37–45 (Home: 28–13; Road: 9–32)
October: 3–8 (home: 3–3; road: 0–5)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
7 October 23, 1979 Atlanta L 111–121 Coliseum at Richfield
3,946 		2–5
8 October 24, 1979 @ Atlanta L 118–128 The Omni
5,729 		2–6
November: 8–7 (home: 6–0; road: 2–7)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
December: 8–5 (home: 7–1; road: 1–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
28 December 2, 1979 Atlanta W 126–108 Coliseum at Richfield
4,844 		12–16
January: 4–12 (home: 3–4; road: 1–8)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
44 January 9, 1980 @ Atlanta L 107–111 The Omni
7,589 		19–25
February: 3–10 (home: 2–4; road: 1–6)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
68 February 29, 1980 @ Atlanta L 103–111 (OT) The Omni
11,655 		26–42
March: 11–3 (home: 7–1; road: 4–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
82 March 30, 1980 Atlanta W 111–102 Coliseum at Richfield
7,762 		37–45
1979–80 schedule

Player stats

Note: GP= Games played; GS = Games started; MIN= Minutes; FG% = field goal %, FT% = free throw %, 3FG% = 3 point % STL= Steals; BLK = Blocks; AST = Assists; REB = Rebounds; PTS = Points

Regular Season

Playoffs

Awards and records

Awards

Records

Milestones

All-Star

Transactions

Trades

Free agents

References