# 1979–80 Boston Celtics season

The 1979–80 Boston Celtics season was the 34th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bolstered by the play of 23-year-old rookie Larry Bird, the Celtics improved from 29–53 the previous year, to 61–21, at the time the best NBA single season turnaround ever, and would cruise to the Eastern Conference finals but lose to the Philadelphia 76ers 4–1.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 3 | 53 | Wayne Kreklow | SG | United States | Drake |
| 3 | 61 | Ernesto Malcolm | SG | Panama | Briar Cliff |
| 4 | 68 | Nick Galis | SG | United States | Seton Hall |
| 5 | 90 | Jimmy Allen | | United States | New Haven |
| 7 | 130 | Steve Castellan | PF | United States | Virginia |
| 8 | 149 | Glenn Sudhop | C | United States | NC State |
| 9 | 168 | Kevin Sinnett | | United States | Navy |
| 10 | 186 | Alton Byrd | PG | United States | Columbia |
* Forward Larry Bird was selected in the previous year's draft, then played his senior season at Indiana State

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Atlantic Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Boston Celtics | 61 | 21 | .744 | – | 35–6 | 26–15 | 17–7 |
| x-Philadelphia 76ers | 59 | 23 | .720 | 2 | 36–5 | 23–18 | 19–5 |
| x-Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 | 24–17 | 15–26 | 9–15 |
| New York Knicks | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 | 25–16 | 14–27 | 8–16 |
| New Jersey Nets | 34 | 48 | .415 | 27 | 22–19 | 12–29 | 7–17 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Boston Celtics | 61 | 21 | .744 | – |
| 2 | y-Atlanta Hawks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 11 |
| 3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 59 | 23 | .720 | 2 |
| 4 | x-Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 |
| 5 | x-San Antonio Spurs | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 |
| 6 | x-Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 |
| 7 | New York Knicks | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 |
| 8 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 37 | 45 | .451 | 24 |
| 8 | Indiana Pacers | 37 | 45 | .451 | 24 |
| 10 | New Jersey Nets | 34 | 48 | .415 | 27 |
| 11 | Detroit Pistons | 16 | 66 | .195 | 44 |

### Record vs. opponents

1979-80 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 |
| Boston | 4–2 | – | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Chicago | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | – | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | – | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Detroit | 0–6 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | – | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| Golden State | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
| Houston | 4–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | – | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 |
| Indiana | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | – | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Kansas City | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–0 |
| Los Angeles | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | – | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 1–1 |
| Milwaukee | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 3–3 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 1–1 |
| New Jersey | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | – | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| New York | 2–4 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | – | 0–6 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Philadelphia | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 6–0 | – | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | – | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 |
| Portland | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | – | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio | 1–5 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | – | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 |
| Seattle | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | – | 5–1 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | – | 0–2 |
| Washington | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

1979–80 game log Total: 61–21 (home: 35–6; road: 26–15) :
October: 7–2 (home: 3–0; road: 4–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 12
Houston
W 114–106
Boston Garden
1–0
2
October 13
@ Cleveland
W 139–117
Richfield Coliseum
2–0
3
October 17
Cleveland
W 127–108
Boston Garden
3–0
4
October 19
Washington
W 130–93
Boston Garden
4–0
5
October 20
@ Indiana
L 128–131 (OT)
Market Square Arena
4–1
6
October 23
@ San Antonio
L 120–129
HemisFair Arena
4–2
7
October 24
@ Houston
W 100–99
The Summit
5–2
8
October 27
@ Atlanta
W 100–95
The Omni
6–2
9
October 31
@ New Jersey
W 116–79
Rutgers Athletic Center
7–2 :
November: 10–2 (home: 8–0; road: 2–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
10
November 3
@ Washington
W 118–97
Capital Centre
8–2
11
November 7
San Antonio
W 117–105
Boston Garden
9–2
12
November 9
Kansas City
W 127–119
Boston Garden
10–2
13
November 10
@ Philadelphia
L 94–95
The Spectrum
10–3
14
November 14
Detroit
W 115–111
Boston Garden
11–3
15
November 16
Utah
W 113–97
Boston Garden
12–3
16
November 17
@ New York
L 109–113
Madison Square Garden
12–4
17
November 21
New Jersey
W 111–103
Boston Garden
13–4
18
November 23
Indiana
W 118–103
Boston Garden
14–4
19
November 24
@ Atlanta
W 106–101
The Omni
15–4
20
November 28
Denver
W 119–97
Boston Garden
16–4
21
November 30
New York
W 100–97
Boston Garden
17–4 :
December: 12–5 (home: 5–1; road: 7–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
22
December 1
@ Indiana
W 106–102 (OT)
Market Square Arena
18–4
23
December 2
@ Kansas City
L 88–94
Municipal Auditorium
18–5
24
December 4
@ Detroit
W 118–114 (OT)
Pontiac Silverdome
19–5
25
December 5
Atlanta
L 92–120
Boston Garden
19–6
26
December 7
Phoenix
W 100–92
Boston Garden
20–6
27
December 8
@ Cleveland
L 100–116
Richfield Coliseum
20–7
28
December 9
@ Milwaukee
W 113–108
MECCA Arena
21–7
29
December 12
New Jersey
W 116–102
Boston Garden
22–7
30
December 14
Milwaukee
W 97–94
Boston Garden
23–7
31
December 15
@ New York
W 99–96
Madison Square Garden
24–7
32
December 16
@ New Jersey
W 115–112 (OT)
Rutgers Athletic Center
25–7
33
December 19
Philadelphia
W 112–89
Boston Garden
26–7
34
December 21
San Antonio
W 133–114
Boston Garden
27–7
35
December 22
@ Philadelphia
L 113–126
The Spectrum
27–8
36
December 27
@ San Diego
W 118–97
San Diego Sports Arena
28–8
37
December 28
@ Los Angeles
L 105–123
The Forum
28–9
38
December 29
@ Golden State
W 104–88
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
29–9 :
January: 11–4 (home: 7–3; road: 4–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
39
January 2
@ Houston
W 111–103
The Summit
30–9
40
January 5
@ San Antonio
L 111–119
HemisFair Arena
30–10
41
January 9
New York
W 112–95
Boston Garden
31–10
42
January 11
Atlanta
W 108–93
Boston Garden
32–10
43
January 13
Los Angeles
L 98–100
Boston Garden
32–11
44
January 16
Chicago
W 114–104
Boston Garden
33–11
45
January 18
Portland
W 111–93
Boston Garden
34–11
46
January 20
Seattle
L 106–108 (2OT)
Boston Garden
34–12
47
January 22
Houston
W 112–106
Boston Garden
35–12
48
January 23
@ Detroit
W 131–104
Pontiac Silverdome
36–12
49
January 25
Washington
L 107–118
Boston Garden
36–13
50
January 27
San Diego
W 131–108
Boston Garden
37–13
51
January 29
@ Chicago
W 103–99
Chicago Stadium
38–13
52
January 30
Cleveland
W 110–103
Boston Garden
39–13
53
January 31
@ Washington
W 119–103
Capital Centre
40–13 :
February: 9–2 (home: 6–0; road: 3–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
54
February 6
Philadelphia
W 129–110
Boston Garden
41–13
55
February 8
Indiana
W 130–108
Boston Garden
42–13
56
February 10
Detroit
W 128–111
Boston Garden
43–13
57
February 13
@ Phoenix
L 134–135
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
43–14
58
February 15
@ Portland
W 106–91
Memorial Coliseum
44–14
59
February 17
@ Seattle
L 108–109
Kingdome
44–15
60
February 20
@ Utah
W 105–98
Salt Palace
45–15
61
February 23
@ Denver
W 124–105
McNichols Sports Arena
46–15
62
February 26
Atlanta
W 108–97
Hartford Civic Center
47–15
63
February 27
San Antonio
W 130–125
Boston Garden
48–15
64
February 29
Golden State
W 110–99
Boston Garden
49–15 :
March: 12–6 (home: 6–2; road: 6–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
65
March 2
Detroit
W 118–115
Boston Garden
50–15
66
March 4
@ San Antonio
W 137–108
HemisFair Arena
51–15
67
March 5
@ Houston
W 103–99 (OT)
The Summit
52–15
68
March 7
Philadelphia
W 111–92
Boston Garden
53–15
69
March 9
Washington
L 128–133 (OT)
Boston Garden
53–16
70
March 11
@ Indiana
L 108–114
Market Square Arena
53–17
71
March 12
Houston
W 121–105
Boston Garden
54–17
72
March 14
@ Atlanta
L 87–88
The Omni
54–18
73
March 15
@ New York
W 123–120
Madison Square Garden
55–18
74
March 17
@ New Jersey
W 117–92
Rutgers Athletic Center
56–18
75
March 18
Indiana
W 114–102
Hartford Civic Center
57–18
76
March 20
@ Detroit
W 124–106
Pontiac Silverdome
58–18
77
March 22
@ Cleveland
L 105–109
Richfield Coliseum
58–19
78
March 23
New Jersey
L 96–101
Boston Garden
58–20
79
March 25
@ Washington
W 96–95
Capital Centre
59–20
80
March 26
New York
W 129–121
Boston Garden
60–20
81
March 28
Cleveland
W 130–122
Boston Garden
61–20
82
March 30
@ Philadelphia
L 110–116
The Spectrum
61–21 :
1979–80 schedule :

### Playoffs

1980 playoff game log :
Conference semifinals: 4–0 (home: 2–0; road: 2–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 9
Houston
W 119–101
Chris Ford (19)
Cedric Maxwell (12)
Tiny Archibald (9)
Boston Garden 15,320
1–0
2
April 11
Houston
W 95–75
Larry Bird (14)
Cedric Maxwell (10)
Tiny Archibald (7)
Boston Garden 15,320
2–0
3
April 13
@ Houston
W 100–81
Tiny Archibald (20)
Cedric Maxwell (12)
Tiny Archibald (10)
The Summit 14,243
3–0
4
April 14
@ Houston
W 138–121
Larry Bird (34)
Larry Bird (10)
Tiny Archibald (10)
The Summit 13,106
4–0 :
Conference finals: 1–4 (home: 1–2; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 18
Philadelphia
L 93–96
Larry Bird (27)
Dave Cowens (10)
Tiny Archibald (7)
Boston Garden 15,320
0–1
2
April 20
Philadelphia
W 96–90
Larry Bird (31)
Cedric Maxwell (15)
Tiny Archibald (8)
Boston Garden 15,320
1–1
3
April 23
@ Philadelphia
L 97–99
Larry Bird (22)
Larry Bird (21)
Tiny Archibald (7)
Spectrum 18,276
1–2
4
April 25
@ Philadelphia
L 90–102
Larry Bird (19)
Larry Bird (13)
Gerald Henderson (6)
Spectrum 18,276
1–3
5
April 27
Philadelphia
L 94–105
Archibald, Cowens (22)
Larry Bird (14)
Tiny Archibald (9)
Boston Garden 15,320
1–4 :
1980 schedule :