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1978–79 Philadelphia 76ers season

{{short description|NBA professional basketball team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{NBA season

| team = Philadelphia 76ers

| end_year = 1979

| wins = 47

| losses = 35

| division = Atlantic

| division_place = 2

| conf_place = 3

| coach = Billy Cunningham

| gm = Pat Williams

| arena = The Spectrum

| television = WKBS-TV
PRISM

| radio = WCAU

| playoffs = East Conference Semifinals
(eliminated 3–4)

| bbr_team = PHI

}}

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.[https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHI/1979.html 1978-79 Philadelphia 76ers]

Draft picks

{{main article|1978 NBA draft}}

class="wikitable sortable sortable"

! style="background:#d22; color:#FFFFFF" width="10%"| Round

! style="background:#d22; color:#FFFFFF" width="10%"| Pick

! style="background:#d22; color:#FFFFFF" width="20%"| Player

! style="background:#d22; color:#FFFFFF" width="15%"| Position

! style="background:#d22; color:#FFFFFF" width="15%"| Nationality

! style="background:#d22; color:#FFFFFF" width="20%"| College

style="text-align: center"

| 2

36Maurice CheeksPG{{USA}}West Texas A&M
style="text-align: center"

| 2

43Glenn HaganG{{USA}}St. Bonaventure
style="text-align: center"

| 4

87Brett VromanC{{USA}}{{college|UNLV}}
style="text-align: center"

| 5

109Mark HaymorePF/C{{USA}}{{college|Massachusetts}}
style="text-align: center"

| 6

130Osborne Lockhart{{USA}}{{college|Minnesota}}
style="text-align: center"

| 7

151Anthony Murray{{USA}}{{college|Alabama}}
style="text-align: center"

| 8

169Alan CunninghamF{{USA}}Colorado State
style="text-align: center"

| 10

201Dennis James{{USA}}Widener

Roster

{{NBA roster header|team = Philadelphia 76ers}}

{{player2 | num = 14 | first = Henry | last = Bibby | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 185 | college = UCLA | DOB = 1949–11–24 }}

{{player2 | num = 23 | first = Joe | last = Bryant | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 185 | college = La Salle | DOB = 1954–10–19 }}

{{player2 | num = 42 | first = Harvey | last = Catchings | pos = C/F | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 218 | college = Hardin–Simmons | DOB = 1951–09–02 }}

{{player2 | num = 10 | first = Maurice | last = Cheeks | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 180 | college = West Texas A&M | DOB = 1956–09–08 }}

{{player2 | num = 20 | first = Doug | last = Collins | dab = basketball | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 180 | college = Illinois State | DOB = 1951-07-28 }}

{{player2 | num = 53 | first = Darryl | last = Dawkins | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 11 | lbs = 251 | school = Maynard Evans HS (FL) | DOB = 1957-01-11 }}

{{player2 | num = 6 | first = Julius | last = Erving | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 210 | college = Massachusetts | DOB = 1950-02-22 }}

{{player2 | num = 24 | first = Bobby | last = Jones | dab = basketball, born 1951 | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 210 | college = North Carolina | DOB = 1951–12–18 }}

{{player2 | num = 11 | first = Caldwell | last = Jones | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 11 | lbs = 217 | college = Albany State | DOB = 1950–08–04 }}

{{player2 | num = 50 | first = Steve | last = Mix | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 215 | college = Toledo | DOB = 1947–12–30 }}

{{player2 | num = 22 | first = Eric | last = Money | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 170 | college = Arizona | DOB = 1955–02–06 }}

{{player2 | num = 4 | first = Marlon | last = Redmond | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 188 | college = San Francisco | DOB = 1955–04–15 }}

{{player2 | num = 30 | first = Al | last = Skinner | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 190 | college = Massachusetts | DOB = 1952–06–16 }}

{{NBA roster footer

| head_coach =

| asst_coach =

}}

Regular season

=Season standings=

{{1978–79 NBA Atlantic standings|team=PHI}}

{{1978–79 NBA East standings|team=PHI}}

:z - clinched division title

:y - clinched division title

:x - clinched playoff spot

=Record vs. opponents=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center;"
colspan=23|1978-79 NBA Records
width=100|Team

!style="background:#FF0000;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|ATL

!style="background:#006400;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|BOS

!style="background:#FF0000;color:#000000;width=35"|CHI

!style="background:#FFD700;color:#8B0000;width=35"|CLE

!style="background:#0000CD;color:#FFD700;width=35"|DEN

!style="background:#0000FF;color:#FF0000;width=35"|DET

!style="background:#0000FF;color:#FFD700;width=35"|GSW

!style="background:#FF0000;color:#FFD700;width=35"|HOU

!style="background:#000080;color:#FFD700;width=35"|IND

!style="background:#0000FF;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|KCK

!style="background:#800080;color:#FFD700;width=35"|LAL

!style="background:#006400;color:#B22222;width=35"|MIL

!style="background:#B0170C;color:#00056D;width=35"|NJN

!style="background:#36004A;color:#FFFF00;width=35"|NOJ

!style="background:#0000FF;color:#FF8C00;width=35"|NYK

!style="background:#FF0000;color:#0000FF;width=35"|PHI

!style="background:#800080;color:#FF4500;width=35"|PHO

!style="background:#000000;color:#FF0000;width=35"|POR

!style="background:#000000;color:#C0C0C0;width=35"|SAS

!style="background:#87CEEB;color:#FF8C00;width=35"|SDC

!style="background:#005831;color:#FFC322;width=35"|SEA

!style="background:#DC143C;color:#0000CD;width=35"|WAS

style="text-align:left;" | Atlanta—2–23–13–13–13–11–33–11–32–21–33–02–22–22–22–22–12–23–13–11–32–2
style="text-align:left;" | Boston2–2—1–22–21–32–22–11–33–11–31–31–31–32–23–12–20–41–30–41–32–20–4
style="text-align:left;" | Chicago1–32–1—1–32–22–23–12–22–20–41–31–32–22–23–11–31–34–00–30–40–41–3
style="text-align:left;" | Cleveland1–32–23–1—1–21–32–12–21–31–32–21–33–12–22–22–20–40–40–42–22–20–4
style="text-align:left;" | Denver1–33–12–22–1—2–24–01–33–11–33–12–24–03–13–10–33–11–33–12–23–11–3
style="text-align:left;" | Detroit1–32–22–23–12–2—1–32–22–22–22–22–10–42–21–31–30–41–31–32–20–31–3
style="text-align:left;" | Golden State3–11–21–31–20–43–1—2–22–22–21–32–21–33–13–13–11–32–21–31–33–12–2
style="text-align:left;" | Houston1–33–12–22–23–12–22–2—0–43–12–12–23–14–04–00–42–23–13–12–12–22–2
style="text-align:left;" | Indiana3–11–32–23–11–32–22–24–0—1–30–42–21–22–12–22–22–23–13–11–30–41–3
style="text-align:left;" | Kansas City2–23–14–03–13–12–22–21–33–1—2–22–23–13–12–12–22–21–31–32–22–23–0
style="text-align:left;" | Los Angeles3–13–13–12–21–32–23–11–24–02–2—3–12–22–23–01–32–22–22–22–22–22–2
style="text-align:left;" | Milwaukee0–33–13–13–12–21–22–22–22–22–21–3—2–23–11–32–22–22–21–31–32–21–3
style="text-align:left;" | New Jersey2–23–12–21–30–44–03–11–32–11–32–22–2—3–11–32–23–02–20–42–20–41–3
style="text-align:left;" | New Orleans2–22–22–22–21–32–21–30–41–21–32–21–31–3—2–22–21–31–32–20–40–30–4
style="text-align:left;" | New York2–21–31–32–21–33–11–30–42–21–20–33–13–12–2—2–20–41–31–32–22–21–3
style="text-align:left;" | Philadelphia2–22–23–12–23–03–11–34–02–22–23–12–22–22–22–2—1–31–23–13–11–33–1
style="text-align:left;" | Phoenix1–24–03–14–01–34–03–12–22–22–22–22–20–33–14–03–1—3–13–12–21–31–3
style="text-align:left;" | Portland2–23–10–44–03–13–12–21–31–33–12–22–22–23–13–12–11–3—2–12–21–33–1
style="text-align:left;" | San Antonio1–34–03–04–01–33–13–11–31–33–12–23–14–02–23–11–31–31–2—4–02–21–3
style="text-align:left;" | San Diego1–33–14–02–22–22–23–11–23–12–22–23–12–24–02–21–32–22–20–4—2–20–3
style="text-align:left;" | Seattle3–12–24–02–21–33–01–32–24–02–22–22–24–03–02–23–13–13–12–22–2—2–2
style="text-align:left;" | Washington2–24–03–14–03–13–12–22–23–10–32–23–13–14–03–11–33–11–33–13–02–2—

Playoffs

{{NBA game log start|Philadelphia 76ers|end_year=1979|bgcolor=#0067B1|color=white|playoffs=yes}}

{{NBA game log section|Philadelphia 76ers|First Round|first=yes|bgcolor=#ED174C|color=white|playoffs=yes|show=no

| home_wins = 1

| home_losses = 0

| road_wins = 1

| road_losses = 0

}}

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 1

| April 11

| New Jersey

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197904110PHI.html W 122–114]

| Julius Erving (37)

| George McGinnis (14)

| Henry Bibby (8)

| Spectrum
8,846

| 1–0

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 2

| April 13

| @ New Jersey

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197904130NJN.html W 111–101]

| Caldwell Jones (24)

| Caldwell Jones (21)

| three players tied (5)

| Rutgers Athletic Center
9,126

| 2–0

|-

{{NBA game log section|Philadelphia 76ers|Conference Semifinals|bgcolor=#ED174C|color=white|playoffs=yes|show=no

| home_wins = 2

| home_losses = 1

| road_wins = 1

| road_losses = 3

}}

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 1

| April 15

| @ San Antonio

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197904150SAS.html L 106–119]

| Darryl Dawkins (25)

| Caldwell Jones (15)

| Julius Erving (7)

| HemisFair Arena
10,253

| 0–1

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 2

| April 17

| @ San Antonio

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197904170SAS.html L 120–121]

| Julius Erving (25)

| Caldwell Jones (11)

| Henry Bibby (10)

| HemisFair Arena
16,709

| 0–2

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 3

| April 20

| San Antonio

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197904200PHI.html W 123–115]

| Julius Erving (39)

| Caldwell Jones (12)

| Maurice Cheeks (9)

| Spectrum
14,039

| 1–2

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 4

| April 22

| San Antonio

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197904220PHI.html L 112–115]

| Maurice Cheeks (33)

| Steve Mix (9)

| Maurice Cheeks (9)

| Spectrum
11,163

| 1–3

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 5

| April 26

| @ San Antonio

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197904260SAS.html W 120–97]

| Julius Erving (32)

| Caldwell Jones (14)

| Maurice Cheeks (12)

| HemisFair Arena
16,055

| 2–3

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 6

| April 29

| San Antonio

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197904290PHI.html W 92–90]

| Caldwell Jones (20)

| Caldwell Jones (17)

| Maurice Cheeks (6)

| Spectrum
18,276

| 3–3

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 7

| May 2

| @ San Antonio

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/197905020SAS.html L 108–111]

| Julius Erving (34)

| Caldwell Jones (14)

| Maurice Cheeks (13)

| HemisFair Arena
16,055

| 3–4

|-

{{NBA game log end|bbr_team=PHI|end_year=1979|playoffs=yes}}

Awards and records

References

{{reflist}}

{{1978–79 NBA season by team}}

{{Philadelphia 76ers seasons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1978-79 Philadelphia 76ers Season}}

Category:Philadelphia 76ers seasons

Philadelphia

Philadel

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