1979–80 Cleveland Cavaliers season

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

1979–80 Cleveland Cavaliers season
Head coach	Stan Albeck
Owners	Nick Mileti
Arena	Coliseum at Richfield
Results
Record	37–45 (.451)
Place	Division: 4th (Central) Conference: 8th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	WJKW
Radio	WWWE

Offseason

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  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Michigan C 3 Smith, Elmore  (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 Stan Albeck Assistant coach(es) Morris McHone Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended 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

• Austin Carr, J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award

Transactions