1978–79 Kansas City Kings season

The 1978–79 NBA season was the Kings 30th season in the NBA and their seventh season in the city of Kansas City.^[1]

1978–79 Kansas City Kings season
Division champions
Head coach	Cotton Fitzsimmons
Owners	Leon Karosen Robert Margolin H. Paul Rosenberg
Arena	Kemper Arena
Results
Record	48–34 (.585)
Place	Division: 1st (Midwest) Conference: 2nd (Western)
Playoff finish	West Conference Semi-finals (eliminated 1-4)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	KBMA-TV
Radio	KCMO
< 1977–78 1979–80 >

Roster

Kansas City Kings roster

• v
• t
• e

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From G 42 Lucius Allen 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) UCLA G 10 Otis Birdsong 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Houston C 16 Tom Burleson 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 225 lb (102 kg) NC State G 1 Phil Ford 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) North Carolina F 22 Gus Gerard 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Virginia F/C 30 Darnell Hillman 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) San José State C 44 Sam Lacey 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) New Mexico State G 25 Billy McKinney 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Northwestern F 55 Bob Nash 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Hawaiʻi F 52 Bill Robinzine 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) DePaul F 31 Richard Washington 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) UCLA F 15 Scott Wedman 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Colorado

Head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons Assistant(s) Frank Hamblen Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Kansas City Kings	48	34	.585	–	32–9	16–25	12–4
x-Denver Nuggets	47	35	.573	1	29–12	18–23	8–8
Indiana Pacers	38	44	.463	10	25–16	13–28	6–10
Milwaukee Bucks	38	44	.463	10	28–13	10–31	9–7
Chicago Bulls	31	51	.378	17	19–22	12–29	5–11

#	Western Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Seattle SuperSonics	52	30	.634	–
2	y-Kansas City Kings	48	34	.585	4
3	x-Phoenix Suns	50	32	.610	2
4	x-Denver Nuggets	47	35	.573	5
5	x-Los Angeles Lakers	47	35	.573	5
6	x-Portland Trail Blazers	45	37	.549	7
7	San Diego Clippers	43	39	.524	9
8	Indiana Pacers	38	44	.463	14
9	Milwaukee Bucks	38	44	.463	14
10	Golden State Warriors	38	44	.463	14
11	Chicago Bulls	31	51	.378	21

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Game log

Regular season

1978–79 game log Total: 48–34 (Home: 32–9; Road: 16–25)
October: 4–5 (home: 3–1; road: 1–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 October 15, 1978 @ Seattle L 105–115 Kingdome 0–1 2 October 17, 1978 @ Portland L 112–115 Memorial Coliseum 0–2 3 October 19, 1978 Houston W 108–103 Kemper Arena 1–2 7 October 27, 1978 @ Detroit L 102–107 Pontiac Silverdome 3–4 8 October 28, 1978 Phoenix W 112–101 Kemper Arena 4–4
November: 8–3 (home: 6–1; road: 2–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 12 November 4, 1978 Denver W 109–107 Kemper Arena 6–6 14 November 10, 1978 @ Los Angeles L 127–136 The Forum 7–7 15 November 11, 1978 @ Denver W 117–113 McNichols Sports Arena 8–7 16 November 15, 1978 Atlanta W 109–100 Kemper Arena 9–7 17 November 18, 1978 New Jersey W 114–100 Kemper Arena 10–7 18 November 22, 1978 Portland W 115–96 Kemper Arena 11–7
December: 8–6 (home: 3–3; road: 5–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 21 December 2, 1978 @ Washington W 110–109 Capital Centre 13–8 23 December 6, 1978 Philadelphia L 106–114 Kemper Arena 14–9 24 December 9, 1978 Detroit W 132–108 Kemper Arena 15–9 25 December 13, 1978 @ Philadelphia L 100–120 The Spectrum 15–10 28 December 20, 1978 Seattle W 114–95 Kemper Arena 18–10 29 December 22, 1978 @ Phoenix L 103–123 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 18–11 31 December 26, 1978 Houston L 102–109 Kemper Arena 19–12 33 December 29, 1978 @ New Jersey W 137–126 Rutgers Athletic Center 20–13
January: 10–6 (home: 7–1; road: 3–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 35 January 2, 1979 Denver L 97–99 Kemper Arena 20–15 36 January 3, 1979 @ Denver W 108–101 McNichols Sports Arena 21–15 39 January 9, 1979 @ Houston L 110–126 The Summit 23–16 44 January 19, 1979 San Antonio W 115–113 Kemper Arena 28–16 45 January 20, 1979 @ Detroit L 110–122 Pontiac Silverdome 28–17 47 January 24, 1979 @ San Antonio L 95–124 HemisFair Arena 28–19 48 January 26, 1979 Washington W 142–128 Kemper Arena 29–19 50 January 31, 1979 @ Atlanta L 118–130 The Omni 30–20
February: 10–4 (home: 8–0; road: 2–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 51 February 2, 1979 Detroit W 114–95 Kemper Arena 31–20 All-Star Break 52 February 7, 1979 Atlanta W 124–108 Kemper Arena 32–20 54 February 11, 1979 Los Angeles W 104–103 Kemper Arena 34–20 55 February 13, 1979 @ New Jersey L 102–111 Rutgers Athletic Center 34–21 56 February 14, 1979 @ Philadelphia W 108–106 The Spectrum 35–21 57 February 16, 1979 Philadelphia W 119–104 Kemper Arena 36–21 61 February 23, 1979 Phoenix W 121–112 Kemper Arena 39–22 62 February 25, 1979 Seattle W 114–106 Kemper Arena 40–22 63 February 27, 1979 @ Los Angeles L 114–122 The Forum 40–23
March: 5–10 (home: 3–3; road: 2–7) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 65 March 2, 1979 @ San Antonio L 125–129 (OT) HemisFair Arena 40–25 67 March 7, 1979 @ Atlanta L 120–122 (OT) The Omni 40–27 68 March 9, 1979 Washington W 121–116 Kemper Arena 41–27 69 March 11, 1979 Portland L 100–115 Kemper Arena 41–28 70 March 14, 1979 @ Houston L 107–129 The Summit 41–29 73 March 21, 1979 San Antonio L 116–123 Kemper Arena 43–30 74 March 23, 1979 @ Phoenix L 107–126 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 43–31 75 March 24, 1979 @ Portland L 98–100 Memorial Coliseum 43–32 76 March 25, 1979 @ Seattle L 101–111 Kingdome 43–33
April: 3–0 (home: 2–0; road: 1–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 80 April 4, 1979 Los Angeles W 115–111 (OT) Kemper Arena 46–34 81 April 6, 1978 New Jersey W 117–114 (OT) Kemper Arena 47–34
1978–79 schedule

Playoffs

1979 playoff game log
Western Conference Semifinals: 1–4 (home: 1–1; road: 0–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 17, 1979 @ Phoenix L 99–102 Birdsong (20) Lacey (12) Ford (7) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 12,660 0–1 2 April 20, 1979 Phoenix W 111–91 Birdsong (23) Wedman (10) Ford (9) Kemper Arena 13,659 1–1 3 April 22, 1979 @ Phoenix L 93–108 Birdsong Wedman (22) Robinzine (10) Ford, Lacey, McKinney (5) Arizona State University Activity Center 14,301 1–2 4 April 25, 1979 Phoenix L 94–108 Wedman (21) Lacey (13) Ford Lacey (5) Kemper Arena 13,184 1–3 5 April 27, 1979 @ Phoenix L 99–120 Birdsong (21) Lacey (10) McKinney (7) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 12,660 1–4
1979 schedule

Awards and records

• Phil Ford, NBA Rookie of the Year Award
• Cotton Fitzsimmons, NBA Coach of the Year Award
• Phil Ford, All-NBA Second Team
• Phil Ford, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team