1979 NBA Playoffs
Encyclopedia
The 1979 NBA Playoffs
was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association
's 1978-1979 season
. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference
champion Seattle SuperSonics
defeating the Eastern Conference
champion Washington Bullets four games to one in the Finals
. The Sonics earned their first (and as of 2011, only) NBA championship. Seattle's Dennis Johnson
won the NBA Finals MVP award.
The Finals were a rematch of the previous year's
championship series; the Bullets had defeated the Sonics four games to three in the 1978 Finals. As of 2010, the Bullets (later the Washington Wizards) have not returned to the championship series.
The San Antonio Spurs
made their first visit to the conference finals in the 1979 playoffs.
The 1979 playoffs also marked the first time that three of the former ABA teams would make the postseason, as it marked the NBA playoff debut of the New Jersey Nets
.
1st Round
(1) Seattle SuperSonics & (2) Kansas City Kings have first round byes.
(3) Phoenix Suns
vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers
:
Suns win series 2-1
(4) Denver Nuggets
vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers
:
Lakers win series 2-1
Conference Semifinals
(1) Seattle SuperSonics
vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers
:
Sonics win series 4-1
(2) Kansas City Kings vs. (3) Phoenix Suns
:
Suns win series 4-1
Conference Finals
(1) Seattle SuperSonics
vs. (3) Phoenix Suns
:
Sonics win series 4-3
(1) Washington Bullets & (2) San Antonio Spurs have first round byes.
(3) Philadelphia 76ers
vs. (6) New Jersey Nets
:
76ers win series 2-0
(4) Houston Rockets
vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
:
Hawks win series 2-0
Conference Semifinals
(1) Washington Bullets vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
:
Bullets win series 4-3
(2) San Antonio Spurs
vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers
:
Spurs win series 4-3
Conference Finals
(1) Washington Bullets vs. (2) San Antonio Spurs
:
Bullets win series 4-3
:
Sonics win series 4-1
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
was the postseason tournament of 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...
's 1978-1979 season
1978-79 NBA season
The 1978–79 NBA season was the 33rd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Seattle SuperSonics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Washington Bullets 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals, a rematch of the previous year's Finals, but with the opposite...
. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
champion Seattle SuperSonics
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
defeating the Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (NBA)
The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
champion Washington Bullets four games to one in the Finals
1979 NBA Finals
The 1979 NBA World Championship Series at the conclusion of the 1978-79 season were won by the Seattle SuperSonics defeating the Washington Bullets 4 games to 1. The series was a rematch of the 1978 NBA Finals which the Washington Bullets had won 4-3...
. The Sonics earned their first (and as of 2011, only) NBA championship. Seattle's Dennis Johnson
Dennis Johnson
Dennis Wayne Johnson nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers...
won the NBA Finals MVP award.
The Finals were a rematch of the previous year's
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...
championship series; the Bullets had defeated the Sonics four games to three in the 1978 Finals. As of 2010, the Bullets (later the Washington Wizards) have not returned to the championship series.
The San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
made their first visit to the conference finals in the 1979 playoffs.
The 1979 playoffs also marked the first time that three of the former ABA teams would make the postseason, as it marked the NBA playoff debut of the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
Bracket
Western Conference
Champion: Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle 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...
1st Round
(1) Seattle SuperSonics & (2) Kansas City Kings have first round byes.
(3) Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers
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...
:
Suns win series 2-1
- Game 1 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 107, Portland 103
- Game 2 @ Portland: Portland 96, Phoenix 92
- Game 3 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 101, Portland 91
(4) Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
:
Lakers win series 2-1
- Game 1 @ Denver: Denver 110, Los Angeles 105
- Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 121, Denver 109
- Game 3 @ Denver: Los Angeles 112, Denver 111
Conference Semifinals
(1) 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...
vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
:
Sonics win series 4-1
- Game 1 @ Seattle: Seattle 112, Los Angeles 101
- Game 2 @ Seattle: Seattle 108, Los Angeles 103
- Game 3 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 118, Seattle 112
- Game 4 @ Los Angeles: Seattle 117, Los Angeles 115
- Game 5 @ Seattle: Seattle 106, Los Angeles 100
(2) Kansas City Kings vs. (3) Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
:
Suns win series 4-1
- Game 1 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 102, Kansas City 99
- Game 2 @ Kansas City: Kansas City 111, Phoenix 91
- Game 3 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 108, Kansas City 93
- Game 4 @ Kansas City: Phoenix 108, Kansas City 94
- Game 5 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 120, Kansas City 99
Conference Finals
(1) 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...
vs. (3) Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
:
Sonics win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Seattle: Seattle 108, Phoenix 93
- Game 2 @ Seattle: Seattle 103, Phoenix 97
- Game 3 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 113, Seattle 103
- Game 4 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 100, Seattle 91
- Game 5 @ Seattle: Phoenix 99, Seattle 93
- Game 6 @ Phoenix: Seattle 106, Phoenix 105
- Game 7 @ Seattle: Seattle 114, Phoenix 110
Eastern Conference
Champion: Washington Bullets(1) Washington Bullets & (2) San Antonio Spurs have first round byes.
(3) Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
vs. (6) New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
:
76ers win series 2-0
- Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 122, New Jersey 114
- Game 2 @ New Jersey: Philadelphia 111, New Jersey 101
(4) Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
:
Hawks win series 2-0
- Game 1 @ Houston: Atlanta 109, Houston 106
- Game 2 @ Atlanta: Atlanta 100, Houston 91
Conference Semifinals
(1) Washington Bullets vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
:
Bullets win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Washington: Washington 103, Atlanta 89
- Game 2 @ Washington: Atlanta 107, Washington 99
- Game 3 @ Atlanta: Washington 89, Atlanta 77
- Game 4 @ Atlanta: Washington 120, Atlanta 118
- Game 5 @ Washington: Atlanta 107, Washington 103
- Game 6 @ Atlanta: Atlanta 104, Washington 86
- Game 7 @ Washington: Washington 100, Atlanta 94
(2) San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
:
Spurs win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ San Antonio: San Antonio 119, Philadelphia 106
- Game 2 @ San Antonio: San Antonio 121, Philadelphia 120
- Game 3 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 123, San Antonio 115
- Game 4 @ Philadelphia: San Antonio 115, Philadelphia 112
- Game 5 @ San Antonio: Philadelphia 120, San Antonio 97
- Game 6 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 92, San Antonio 90
- Game 7 @ San Antonio: San Antonio 111, Philadelphia 108
Conference Finals
(1) Washington Bullets vs. (2) San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
:
Bullets win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Washington: San Antonio 118, Washington 97
- Game 2 @ Washington: Washington 115, San Antonio 95
- Game 3 @ San Antonio: San Antonio 116, Washington 114
- Game 4 @ San Antonio: San Antonio 118, Washington 102
- Game 5 @ Washington: Washington 107, San Antonio 103
- Game 6 @ San Antonio: Washington 108, San Antonio 100
- Game 7 @ Washington: Washington 107, San Antonio 105
NBA finals
(1) Washington Bullets vs. (1) Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle 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...
:
Sonics win series 4-1
- Game 1 @ Washington: Washington 99, Seattle 97
- Game 2 @ Washington: Seattle 92, Washington 82
- Game 3 @ Seattle: Seattle 105, Washington 95
- Game 4 @ Seattle: Seattle 114, Washington 112
- Game 5 @ Washington: Seattle 97, Washington 93