1980–81 Portland Trail Blazers season
Encyclopedia
The 1980–81 season was the 11th season of the Portland Trail Blazers
in the National Basketball Association
(NBA). The Blazers won seven more games than the previous season, ending with a record of 45–37 and making the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
The Blazers were eliminated from the 1980 NBA Playoffs
after losing their best-of-three first-round series to the Kansas City Kings
, two games to one.
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). The Blazers won seven more games than the previous season, ending with a record of 45–37 and making the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
The Blazers were eliminated from the 1980 NBA Playoffs
1980 NBA Playoffs
The 1980 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1979-1980 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers four games to two in the Finals...
after losing their best-of-three first-round series to the Kansas City Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, two games to one.
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 | 10 | Ronnie Lester Ronnie Lester Ronnie Lester is an American sports figure in the areas of collegiate and professional basketball.-High school career:... |
G | Iowa Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball The Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team represents the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, as a member of the Big Ten Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. They currently play in 15,500-seat Carver-Hawkeye Arena, along with the school's women's basketball, wrestling, and... |
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| 2 | 32 | David Lawrence | F | McNeese State McNeese State University McNeese State University is a public university located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, in the United States. Founded in 1939 as a junior college, McNeese experienced growth due to economic activity in the region. It adopted its present name in 1970.... |
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| 2 | 33 | Bruce Collins | G/F | Weber State Weber State University Weber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees... |
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| 3 | 56 | Mike Harper | F/C | North Park North Park University North Park University is a four-year university located at 3225 W. Foster Avenue on the north side of Chicago, Illinois in the North Park neighborhood. It was founded in 1891 by the Evangelical Covenant Church and shares its campus with the denomination's only seminary... |
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| 8 | 168 | John Stroeder John Stroeder John Stroeder is a retired American professional basketball player. He attended the University of Montana.... |
F | Montana Montana Grizzlies Montana Grizzlies is the nickname given to the athletic teams of the University of Montana. The women's basketball team, however, uses the moniker Lady Griz... |
Awards and honors
- Kelvin RanseyKelvin RanseyKelvin Ransey is a retired American collegiate and professional basketball player of the 1970s and 1980s, respectively.Ransey attended Toledo's Macomber High School in the mid 1970s...
, All-NBA Rookie Team - Kermit WashingtonKermit WashingtonKermit Alan Washington is an American former professional basketball player. Washington is best remembered for punching opposing player Rudy Tomjanovich during an on-court fight in 1977. The punch nearly killed Tomjanovich, and it resulted in severe medical problems that ultimately ended his...
, NBA All-Defensive Second Team