1977–78 Portland Trail Blazers season
Encyclopedia
The 1977–78 season was the eighth season of the Portland Trail Blazers
in the National Basketball Association
(NBA).
Fresh off their first NBA Championship win the previous season
, the Blazers led the league with a franchise-best 58–24 record, earning a first-round bye in the 1978 NBA Playoffs
. However, they were defeated by the eventual Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics
four games to two.
The Blazers eventually eclipsed their franchise-record win total from this season with a 59–23 showing in 1989–90
.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA).
Fresh off their first NBA Championship win the previous season
1976–77 Portland Trail Blazers season
The 1976-77 season was the seventh for the Portland Trail Blazers 7th season in the National Basketball Association . The revamped Blazers would end up getting off to a terrific start winning 22 of their first 29 games....
, the Blazers led the league with a franchise-best 58–24 record, earning a first-round bye in the 1978 NBA Playoffs
1978 NBA Playoffs
The 1978 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1977-1978 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Washington Bullets defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics four games to three in the Finals. Wes...
. However, they were defeated by the eventual Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
four games to two.
The Blazers eventually eclipsed their franchise-record win total from this season with a 59–23 showing in 1989–90
1989–90 Portland Trail Blazers season
The 1989-90 season was the 20th season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association , in which the Blazers finished with a franchise-high 59–23 record and returned to the NBA Finals for the first time since their championship season of 1976–77...
.
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 | 19 | Rich Laurel Rich Laurel Richard Laurel is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'6" guard from Hofstra University, Laurel played one season in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. Laurel scored 24 points in ten games. He later played in Italy , France and Belgium.-Note:... |
G | Hofstra Hofstra University Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car... |
|
| 2 | 28 | Kim Anderson Kim Anderson (basketball) - References :http://www.ucmo.edu/athletics/mules/summary/... |
F | Missouri Missouri Tigers men's basketball The Missouri Tigers men's basketball team represents the University of Missouri in the Big 12 Conference. The Tigers are located in Columbia, Missouri. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2011. The Missouri Tigers men's basketball team plays its home games at... |
|
| 2 | 41 | T. R. Dunn | G | Alabama Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball The Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball program has a history of being among the best of the Southeastern Conference . It trails only Kentucky in basketball wins, SEC tournament titles, and SEC regular season titles in the 12-member conference. The team is coached by head coach Anthony Grant,... |
Awards and honors
- Bill WaltonBill WaltonWilliam Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
, NBA Most Valuable Player AwardNBA Most Valuable Player AwardThe National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1955–56 NBA season. The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is named in honor of the first commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement... - Bill WaltonBill WaltonWilliam Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
, All-NBA First-Team - Bill WaltonBill WaltonWilliam Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
, NBA All-Defensive First Team - Bill WaltonBill WaltonWilliam Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
, NBA All-Star1978 NBA All-Star GameGAME 28: at Atlanta, Feb. 5, 1978MVP: Randy SmithCoaches: East: Billy Cunningham, West: Jack Ramsay.-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by periods: *Halftime— West, 66-57*Third Quarter— West, 100-92... - Maurice LucasMaurice LucasMaurice Lucas was an American professional basketball player. The first two years of his postcollegiate career were spent in the American Basketball Association with the Spirits of St. Louis and Kentucky Colonels...
, NBA All-Defensive First Team - Maurice LucasMaurice LucasMaurice Lucas was an American professional basketball player. The first two years of his postcollegiate career were spent in the American Basketball Association with the Spirits of St. Louis and Kentucky Colonels...
, NBA All-Star1978 NBA All-Star GameGAME 28: at Atlanta, Feb. 5, 1978MVP: Randy SmithCoaches: East: Billy Cunningham, West: Jack Ramsay.-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by periods: *Halftime— West, 66-57*Third Quarter— West, 100-92... - Lionel HollinsLionel Hollins-External links:***...
, NBA All-Defensive First Team - Lionel HollinsLionel Hollins-External links:***...
, NBA All-Star1978 NBA All-Star GameGAME 28: at Atlanta, Feb. 5, 1978MVP: Randy SmithCoaches: East: Billy Cunningham, West: Jack Ramsay.-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by periods: *Halftime— West, 66-57*Third Quarter— West, 100-92... - Bob GrossBob GrossRobert Edwin Gross is a retired American basketball player formerly in the NBA. A 6'6" 200 lb forward, he attended Seattle University and California State University, Long Beach, and was selected in the 1975 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He was also selected in the 1975 ABA Draft by...
, NBA All-Defensive Second Team