# 1980–81 Portland Trail Blazers season

The 1980–81 Portland Trail Blazers season was the 11th season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Blazers won seven more games than the previous season, ending with a record of 45–37 and making the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
The Blazers were eliminated from the 1981 NBA Playoffs after losing their best-of-three first-round series to the Kansas City Kings, two games to one.

## Draft picks

Note: This is not a complete list; only the first two rounds are covered, as well as any other picks by the franchise who played at least one NBA game.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 10 | Ronnie Lester | G | United States | Iowa |
| 2 | 32 | David Lawrence | F | United States | McNeese State |
| 2 | 33 | Bruce Collins | G/F | United States | Weber State |
| 3 | 56 | Mike Harper | F/C | United States | North Park |
| 8 | 168 | John Stroeder | F | United States | Montana |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Phoenix Suns | 57 | 25 | .695 | – | 36–5 | 21–20 | 22–8 |
| x-Los Angeles Lakers | 54 | 28 | .659 | 3.0 | 30–11 | 24–17 | 19–11 |
| x-Portland Trail Blazers | 45 | 37 | .549 | 12.0 | 30–11 | 15–26 | 18–12 |
| Golden State Warriors | 39 | 43 | .476 | 18.0 | 26–15 | 13–28 | 10–20 |
| San Diego Clippers | 36 | 46 | .439 | 21.0 | 22–19 | 14–27 | 14–16 |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 34 | 48 | .415 | 23.0 | 22–19 | 12–29 | 7–23 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | c-Phoenix Suns | 57 | 25 | .695 | – |
| 2 | y-San Antonio Spurs | 52 | 30 | .634 | 5 |
| 3 | x-Los Angeles Lakers | 54 | 28 | .659 | 3 |
| 4 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 45 | 37 | .549 | 12 |
| 5 | x-Kansas City Kings | 40 | 42 | .488 | 17 |
| 6 | x-Houston Rockets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 17 |
| 7 | Golden State Warriors | 39 | 43 | .476 | 18 |
| 8 | Denver Nuggets | 37 | 45 | .451 | 20 |
| 9 | San Diego Clippers | 36 | 46 | .439 | 21 |
| 10 | Seattle SuperSonics | 34 | 48 | .415 | 23 |
| 11 | Utah Jazz | 28 | 54 | .341 | 29 |
| 12 | Dallas Mavericks | 15 | 67 | .183 | 42 |
    z – clinched division title
    y – clinched division title
    x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1980–81 NBA records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | – | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 |
| Boston | 4–2 | – | 5–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 |
| Chicago | 4–2 | 1–5 | – | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 |
| Cleveland | 5–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | – | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 0–5 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Dallas | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | – | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | – | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 |
| Detroit | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 |
| Golden State | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | – | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | – | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 |
| Indiana | 5–1 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Kansas City | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 0–2 | – | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 5–0 | – | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Milwaukee | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | – | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 |
| New Jersey | 2–3 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | – | 0–6 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| New York | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 6–0 | – | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Philadelphia | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Phoenix | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 3–3 | 3–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 |
| Portland | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | – | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | – | 4–1 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 2–4 | 1–4 | – | 5–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–5 | – | 4–1 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | – | 0–2 |
| Washington | 4–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

1980–81 game log Total: 45–37 (home: 30–11; road: 15–26) :
October: 3–7 (home: 3–1; road: 0–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 10
@ Utah
L 86–96
Salt Palace Acord Arena
0–1
2
October 12
Seattle
W 107–96
Memorial Coliseum
1–1
3
October 15
@ Golden State
L 92–95
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
1–2
4
October 17
Houston
L 99–102
Memorial Coliseum
1–3
5
October 21
Los Angeles
W 107–103
Memorial Coliseum
2–3
6
October 24
Dallas
W 120–105
Memorial Coliseum
3–3
7
October 26
@ Seattle
L 98–111
Kingdome
3–4
8
October 28
@ San Antonio
L 112–120
HemisFair Arena
3–5
9
October 29
@ Kansas City
L 98–115
Kemper Arena
3–6 :
November: 4–12 (home: 4–4; road: 0–8)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
10
November 1
Utah
L 87–95
Memorial Coliseum
3–7
11
November 2
Cleveland
W 102–96
Memorial Coliseum
4–7
12
November 4
@ Los Angeles
L 118–119
The Forum
4–8
13
November 7
Golden State
W 122–113
Memorial Coliseum
5–8
14
November 8
San Diego
L 106–110 (OT)
Memorial Coliseum
5–9
15
November 11
Kansas City
L 101–102
Memorial Coliseum
5–10
16
November 14
@ Dallas
L 106–113
Reunion Arena
5–11
17
November 15
@ Denver
L 123–125
McNichols Sports Arena
5–12
18
November 16
@ Phoenix
L 107–119
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
5–13
19
November 18
Denver
W 122–103
Memorial Coliseum
6–13
20
November 20
Milwaukee
L 93–97
Memorial Coliseum
6–14
21
November 23
Dallas
W 116–96
Memorial Coliseum
7–14
22
November 25
@ Atlanta
L 108–112
The Omni
7–15
23
November 26
@ Boston
L 101–126
Boston Garden
7–16
24
November 28
@ Philadelphia
L 103–116
The Spectrum
7–17
25
November 29
@ New York
L 110–111
Madison Square Garden
7–18 :
December: 13–2 (home: 8–2; road: 5–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
26
December 2
New Jersey
L 105–118
Memorial Coliseum
7–19
27
December 4
@ San Diego
W 103–100
San Diego Sports Arena
8–19
28
December 5
Chicago
W 116–115
Memorial Coliseum
9–19
29
December 7
San Antonio
W 116–115
Memorial Coliseum
10–19
30
December 9
Seattle
W 111–98
Memorial Coliseum
11–19
31
December 12
Houston
W 106–100
Memorial Coliseum
12–19
32
December 14
@ Phoenix
W 116–110
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
13–19
33
December 17
@ Golden State
W 115–113
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
14–19
34
December 19
@ Los Angeles
W 110–106
The Forum
15–19
35
December 20
Atlanta
W 122–119 (OT)
Memorial Coliseum
16–19
36
December 21
Phoenix
L 100–111
Memorial Coliseum
16–20
37
December 23
Los Angeles
W 108–102
Memorial Coliseum
17–20
38
December 25
Golden State
W 115–114
Memorial Coliseum
18–20
39
December 26
@ Seattle
W 96–90
Kingdome
19–20
40
December 30
Philadelphia
W 109–108
Memorial Coliseum
20–20 :
January: 7–7 (home: 4–1; road: 3–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
41
January 1
Denver
W 122–119
Memorial Coliseum
21–20
42
January 3
@ Utah
L 103–109
Salt Palace Acord Arena
21–21
43
January 4
Boston
L 111–120
Memorial Coliseum
21–22
44
January 6
Detroit
W 110–90
Memorial Coliseum
22–22
45
January 9
@ San Antonio
L 86–102
HemisFair Arena
22–23
46
January 10
@ Houston
L 105–106
The Summit
22–24
47
January 14
@ Kansas City
W 110–91
Kemper Arena
23–24
48
January 16
@ Chicago
W 113–112
Chicago Stadium
24–24
49
January 18
@ Milwaukee
L 103–110
MECCA Arena
24–25
50
January 20
@ Cleveland
L 94–99
Richfield Coliseum
24–26
51
January 23
New York
W 117–90
Memorial Coliseum
25–26
52
January 25
San Antonio
W 118–100
Memorial Coliseum
26–26
53
January 26
@ Los Angeles
L 112–124
The Forum
26–27
54
January 29
@ San Diego
W 108–106
San Diego Sports Arena
27–27 :
February: 7–6 (home: 4–2; road: 3–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
55
February 3
Washington
W 111–104 (OT)
Memorial Coliseum
28–27
56
February 4
@ Golden State
L 100–115
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
28–28
57
February 6
@ San Antonio
L 96–122
HemisFair Arena
28–29
58
February 8
Kansas City
W 129–123 (OT)
Memorial Coliseum
29–29
59
February 12
Seattle
L 109–112
Memorial Coliseum
29–30
60
February 13
@ Denver
L 143–162
McNichols Sports Arena
29–31
61
February 15
Utah
W 118–84
Memorial Coliseum
30–31
62
February 17
@ Washington
W 124–104
Capital Centre
31–31
63
February 19
@ Detroit
W 115–106
Pontiac Silverdome
32–31
64
February 20
@ New Jersey
L 113–123
Rutgers Athletic Center
32–32
65
February 22
@ Indiana
W 113–109 (OT)
Market Square Arena
33–32
66
February 24
San Diego
L 107–121
Memorial Coliseum
33–33
67
February 27
Phoenix
W 121–117
Memorial Coliseum
34–33 :
March: 11–4 (home: 7–1; road: 4–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
68
March 1
Utah
W 108–97
Memorial Coliseum
35–33
69
March 3
Indiana
W 117–112
Memorial Coliseum
36–33
70
March 5
@ Kansas City
L 100–106
Kemper Arena
36–34
71
March 6
@ Phoenix
L 107–128
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
36–35
72
March 8
Golden State
W 120–112 (OT)
Memorial Coliseum
37–35
73
March 10
@ Denver
W 142–137
McNichols Sports Arena
38–35
74
March 13
@ Houston
L 104–126
The Summit
38–36
75
March 15
Dallas
W 135–110
Memorial Coliseum
39–36
76
March 17
San Diego
W 127–112
Memorial Coliseum
40–36
77
March 20
Houston
W 107–103
Memorial Coliseum
41–36
78
March 21
Los Angeles
L 111–117
Memorial Coliseum
41–37
79
March 24
Phoenix
W 120–111
Memorial Coliseum
42–37
80
March 25
@ Seattle
W 112–103
Kingdome
43–37
81
March 27
@ Dallas
W 123–109
Reunion Arena
44–37
82
March 29
@ San Diego
W 144–129
San Diego Sports Arena
45–37 :
1980–81 schedule :

### Playoffs

1981 playoff game log :
First round: 1–2 (home: 0–2; road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 1
Kansas City
L 97–98 (OT)
Billy Ray Bates (25)
Kermit Washington (17)
Kelvin Ransey (10)
Memorial Coliseum 12,666
0–1
2
April 3
@ Kansas City
W 124–119 (OT)
Mychal Thompson (40)
Kermit Washington (18)
Kelvin Ransey (7)
Kemper Arena 11,088
1–1
3
April 5
Kansas City
L 95–104
Billy Ray Bates (34)
Kermit Washington (17)
Kelvin Ransey (8)
Memorial Coliseum 12,666
1–2 :
1981 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |

## Awards and honors

* Kelvin Ransey, All-NBA Rookie Team
* Kermit Washington, NBA All-Defensive Second Team

## Transactions
### July 21, 1980

* Waived Charles Jones

### August 15, 1980

* Traded T. R. Dunn and a first round pick in the 1983 NBA draft to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a 1983 first round draft pick and a second round pick in the 1984 NBA draft. Denver drafted Howard Carter and the Trail Blazers selected Clyde Drexler in 1983 and Steve Colter in 1984.

### September 24, 1980

* Signed free agent Roy Hamilton

### October 8, 1980

* Traded Jim Brewer to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for the a second round draft pick in the 1984 NBA draft. During the draft the Trail Blazers had the option to swap first round picks with the Lakers but declined. Portland selected Jerome Kersey with the Lakers pick.

### October 13, 1980

* Waived Roy Hamilton

### December 19, 1980

* Traded Ron Brewer to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Mike Gale and a first round pick in the 1982 NBA draft. The Trail Blazers later traded that pick which the Detroit Pistons used to select Ricky Pierce.

### February 2, 1981

* Signed free agent Geoff Crompton

### June 5, 1981

* Traded Tom Owens to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for a first round pick in the 1984 NBA draft. Portland selected Sam Bowie with the pick.

### June 8, 1981

* Traded Mike Gale to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for a second round pick in 1982 NBA draft and a 1985 second round pick. In 1982 Portland selected Audie Norris and Mike Smrek was chosen in 1985.