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1977–78  San Antonio Spurs season
Division champions
Head coach Doug Moe
General manager John Begzos
Owner(s) Angelo Drossos
Arena HemisFair Arena
Results
Record52–30 (.634)
PlaceDivision: 1st ( Central)
Conference: 2nd ( Eastern)
Playoff finish Conference semifinals
(lost to Bullets 2–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television KMOL
Radio WOAI
< 1976–77 1978–79 >

The 1977–78 NBA season was the second in the NBA, the 5th in San Antonio, and the 11th as a franchise. While George Gervin was lighting up the scoreboard with his first point title, the Spurs won the Central Division with a 52–30 record. [1] In the playoffs the Spurs would be stunned in 6 games by the eventual champion Washington Bullets In the series, Gervin averaged 33.2 points per game. [1]

Draft picks

Main article: 1977 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
2 37 Jeff Wilkins C/PF   United States Illinois State
3 59 Dan Henderson   United States Arkansas State
4 81 Matt Hicks   United States Northern Illinois
5 103 Scott Sims G   United States Missouri
6 125 Bruce Buckley   United States North Carolina
7 145 Richard Robinson   United States New Mexico
8 164 Jerome Gladney   United States Arizona

Roster

1977–78 San Antonio Spurs roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
F 30 Bristow, Allan 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Virginia Tech
G 10 Dampier, Louie 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Kentucky
F/C 25 Dietrick, Coby 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) San José State
G 12 Gale, Mike 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Elizabeth City State
G/F 44 Gervin, George 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Eastern Michigan
C 23 Green, Mike 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Louisiana Tech
G 22 Karl, George 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) North Carolina
F 35 Kenon, Larry 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Memphis
G 1 Layton, Mo 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) USC
F 53 Olberding, Mark 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Minnesota
F/C 5 Paultz, Billy 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) St. John's
G 13 Silas, James 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Stephen F. Austin
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

George Gervin and David Thompson of the Denver Nuggets would battle all season for the NBA scoring title. On the final day of the season, Thompson would take the lead by scoring 73 points in an afternoon game against the Detroit Pistons. [1] That night, Gervin needed 58 points against the Jazz in New Orleans. Gervin got to a good start by scoring 20 points in the 1st Quarter. In the 2nd, Gervin set a single period record with 33 points. [1] Early on in the 3rd, Gervin would score his 58 points on the way to 63 points, capturing the scoring title. [1] While Gervin was lighting up the scoreboard, the Spurs won the Central Division with a 52–30 record.

Season Standings

Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y- San Antonio Spurs 52 30 .634 – 32–9 20–21 15–5
x- Washington Bullets 44 38 .537 8 29–12 15–26 14–6
x- Cleveland Cavaliers 43 39 .524 9 27–14 16–25 9–11
x- Atlanta Hawks 41 41 .500 11 29–12 12–29 8–12
New Orleans Jazz 39 43 .476 13 27–14 12–29 8–12
Houston Rockets 28 54 .341 24 21-20 7-34 6–14
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z- Philadelphia 76ers 55 27 .671 –
2 y- San Antonio Spurs 52 30 .634 3
3 x- Washington Bullets 44 38 .537 11
4 x- Cleveland Cavaliers 43 39 .524 12
5 x- New York Knicks 43 39 .524 12
6 x- Atlanta Hawks 41 41 .500 14
7 New Orleans Jazz 39 43 .476 16
8 Boston Celtics 32 50 .390 23
9 Houston Rockets 28 54 .341 27
10 Buffalo Braves 27 55 .329 28
11 New Jersey Nets 24 58 .293 31
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1977–78 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS BUF CHI CLE DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NJN NOJ NYK PHI PHO POR SAS SEA WAS
Atlanta — 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–1 1–3
Boston 2–2 — 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–1 2–2 1–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 0–4 2–2 1–3 0–4 0–4 1–3
Buffalo 1–3 1–3 — 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 0–3 3–1 1–3 1–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 0–4 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3
Chicago 3–1 3–1 1–3 — 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–2 2–2 1–3 3–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–1
Cleveland 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 — 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 2–2
Denver 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 — 2–2 2–2 3–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–1 1–3 3–1
Detroit 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 — 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–0 0–4 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2
Golden State 3–1 2–2 3–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 — 2–1 3–1 3–1 0–4 2–2 3–1 0–4 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 2–2 2–2
Houston 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 0–3 1–3 1–2 — 3–1 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 0–4 1–3
Indiana 1–3 1–2 3–1 1–3 1–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 — 2–2 1–3 0–4 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 3–1
Kansas City 1–2 2–2 2–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 — 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 2–2
Los Angeles 1–3 2–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 2–2 — 3–1 4–0 2–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 0–4 2–2 1–3 2–2
Milwaukee 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 4–0 4–0 1–3 — 3–1 2–1 3–1 1–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1
New Jersey 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 — 0–4 1–3 0–4 2–2 0–3 0–4 2–2 2–2
New Orleans 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–2 1–2 4–0 — 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 1–3 2–2 0–4
New York 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 1–3 3–1 3–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 4–0 1–3 1–3 3–1 3–1 — 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–1 2–2
Philadelphia 2–2 4–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 3–1 4–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–1 4–0 2–2 3–1 — 2–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2
Phoenix 1–3 2–2 4–0 2–2 2–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 1–2 — 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2
Portland 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 4–0 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 4–0 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–3 3–0 2–2 3–1 — 2–2 3–1 2–1
San Antonio 3–1 4–0 3–1 2–2 4–0 1–2 2–1 1–3 3–1 3–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 — 2–2 2–2
Seattle 1–2 4–0 3–1 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–2 — 1–3
Washington 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 4–0 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–2 2–2 3–1 —

Playoffs

1978 playoff game log
Conference semifinals: 2–4 (home: 2–1; road: 0–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 16 Washington W 114–103 George Gervin (35) Larry Kenon (9) Gervin, Kenon (5) HemisFair Arena
9,669 		1–0
2 April 18 Washington L 117–121 George Gervin (46) Larry Kenon (8) Larry Kenon (6) HemisFair Arena
9,871 		1–1
3 April 21 @ Washington L 105–118 George Gervin (33) Larry Kenon (9) Larry Kenon (4) Capital Centre
17,417 		2–1
4 April 23 @ Washington L 95–98 George Gervin (35) Billy Paultz (8) Mike Gale (7) Capital Centre
13,459 		3–1
5 April 25 Washington W 116–105 George Gervin (27) Larry Kenon (14) Louie Dampier (6) HemisFair Arena
9,709 		3–2
6 April 28 @ Washington L 100–103 Mark Olberding (24) Green, Paultz (9) Mike Gale (9) Capital Centre
19,035 		4–2
1978 schedule

Awards and honors

References

  1. ^ a b c d e San Antonio Spurs (1973–Present)
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