1978–79 New Orleans Jazz season
The 1978–79 New Orleans Jazz season was their fifth season in the NBA and its last in New Orleans. The Jazz averaged 108.3 points per game (ranked 15th in NBA) while allowing an average of 114.6 points per game (ranked 21st in NBA).[1] The attendance was 364,205 (ranked 18th in NBA).
1978–79 New Orleans Jazz season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Elgin Baylor |
Arena | Louisiana Superdome |
Results | |
Record | 26–56 (.317) |
Place | Division: 6th (Central) Conference: 11th (Eastern) |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | WGNO |
Radio | WWL |
Draft picks
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 11 | James Hardy | United States | San Francisco | |
Regular season
Season standings
Central Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-San Antonio Spurs | 48 | 34 | .585 | – | 29–12 | 19–22 | 11–9 |
x-Houston Rockets | 47 | 35 | .573 | 1 | 30–11 | 17–24 | 12–8 |
x-Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | .561 | 2 | 34–7 | 12–29 | 14–6 |
Cleveland Cavaliers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 18 | 20–21 | 10–31 | 6–14 |
Detroit Pistons | 30 | 52 | .366 | 18 | 22–19 | 8–33 | 9–11 |
New Orleans Jazz | 26 | 56 | .317 | 22 | 21–20 | 8–33 | 9–15 |
# | Eastern Conference | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
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 | — |
Player stats
Note: GP= Games played; REB= Rebounds; AST= Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; AVG = Average
Player | GP | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jim McElroy | 79 | 215 | 453 | 148 | 49 | 1337 |
Rich Kelley | 80 | 1026 | 285 | 126 | 166 | 1253 |
Pete Maravich | 79 | 422 | 488 | 120 | 18 | 1700 |
Truck Robinson | 43 | 577 | 74 | 29 | 63 | 1039 |
Gail Goodrich | 74 | 183 | 357 | 90 | 13 | 938 |
Spencer Haywood | 34 | 327 | 71 | 30 | 53 | 816 |
Aaron James | 73 | 248 | 78 | 28 | 21 | 727 |
James Hardy | 68 | 310 | 65 | 52 | 61 | 453 |
Paul Griffin | 77 | 391 | 138 | 54 | 36 | 303 |
Tommie Green | 59 | 68 | 140 | 61 | 6 | 232 |
Joe Meriweather | 36 | 184 | 31 | 17 | 41 | 219 |
Marty Byrnes | 36 | 94 | 43 | 12 | 8 | 189 |
Ira Terrell | 31 | 109 | 26 | 15 | 22 | 153 |
Ron Lee | 17 | 55 | 73 | 38 | 2 | 114 |
Gus Bailey | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Relocation to Utah
By 1979, the Jazz were sinking under the weight of $5 million in losses over five years. Original owner Sam Battistone decided to move to Salt Lake City, even though it was a smaller market than New Orleans at the time. However, Salt Lake City had proven it could support a pro basketball team when it played host to the American Basketball Association's Utah Stars from 1970 to 1976.