NBA professional basketball team season
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
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 (DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended 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
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)
1978 schedule
Player statistics
Ragular season
Player
POS
GP
GS
MP
REB
AST
STL
BLK
PTS
MPG
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PPG
George Gervin
SG
82
82
2,857
420
302
136
110
2,232
34.8
5.1
3.7
1.7
1.3
27.2
Louie Dampier
PG
82
2,037
122
285
87
13
748
24.8
1.5
3.5
1.1
.2
9.1
Allan Bristow
SF
82
1,481
257
194
69
4
666
18.1
3.1
2.4
.8
.0
8.1
Larry Kenon
SF
81
2,869
773
268
115
24
1,672
35.4
9.5
3.3
1.4
.3
20.6
Billy Paultz
C
80
2,479
675
213
42
194
1,266
31.0
8.4
2.7
.5
2.4
15.8
Coby Dietrick
PF
79
1,876
358
217
81
55
589
23.7
4.5
2.7
1.0
.7
7.5
Mark Olberding
PF
79
1,773
373
131
45
26
646
22.4
4.7
1.7
.6
.3
8.2
Mike Gale
SG
70
2,091
223
376
159
25
637
29.9
3.2
5.4
2.3
.4
9.1
Mike Green †
C
63
1,132
304
66
24
87
476
18.0
4.8
1.0
.4
1.4
7.6
Mo Layton
PG
41
498
32
108
21
4
182
12.1
.8
2.6
.5
.1
4.4
James Silas
PG
37
311
23
38
11
1
146
8.4
.6
1.0
.3
.0
3.9
Jim Eakins †
C
16
251
46
17
3
10
89
15.7
2.9
1.1
.2
.6
5.6
Scott Sims
PG
12
95
13
20
3
0
30
7.9
1.1
1.7
.3
.0
2.5
George Karl
PG
4
30
5
5
1
0
6
7.5
1.3
1.3
.3
.0
1.5
† Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Spurs only.
Playoffs
Player
POS
GP
GS
MP
REB
AST
STL
BLK
PTS
MPG
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PPG
George Gervin
SG
6
227
34
19
6
16
199
37.8
5.7
3.2
1.0
2.7
33.2
Mike Gale
SG
6
201
25
31
7
4
52
33.5
4.2
5.2
1.2
.7
8.7
Larry Kenon
SF
6
200
55
22
5
2
106
33.3
9.2
3.7
.8
.3
17.7
Billy Paultz
C
6
191
41
14
5
5
69
31.8
6.8
2.3
.8
.8
11.5
Mike Green
C
6
174
44
11
5
16
65
29.0
7.3
1.8
.8
2.7
10.8
Mark Olberding
PF
6
152
30
14
6
6
63
25.3
5.0
2.3
1.0
1.0
10.5
Louie Dampier
PG
6
129
7
15
4
2
35
21.5
1.2
2.5
.7
.3
5.8
Coby Dietrick
PF
6
96
25
4
5
5
29
16.0
4.2
.7
.8
.8
4.8
Allan Bristow
SF
5
51
11
7
2
0
22
10.2
2.2
1.4
.4
.0
4.4
James Silas
PG
3
19
0
1
1
0
7
6.3
.0
.3
.3
.0
2.3
Awards and honors
References
Franchise Arenas Personnel G League affiliate Retired numbers NBA championships Rivalries Culture and lore
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