# 1977–78 Kansas City Kings season

The 1977–78 Kansas City Kings season was their sixth season in Kansas City. The Kings had a losing record for the third consecutive season which resulted in missing the playoffs. The club started the season with 13 wins and 24 losses, which led to the dismissal of coach Phil Johnson. Under his replacement Larry Staverman the Kings would not play any better as they finished in last place with a 31–51 record.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 2 | Otis Birdsong | United States | University of Houston |
| 2 | 31 | Eddie Owens | United States | University of Nevada Las Vegas |
| 3 | 45 | Bill Paterno | United States | Notre Dame |
| 3 | 53 | John Kuester | United States | University of North Carolina |
| 4 | 75 | Larry Williams | United States | Texas Southern University |
| 5 | 97 | Bob Chapman | United States | Michigan State University |
| 7 | 139 | Bruce Jenner | United States | Graceland College |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Midwest Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Denver Nuggets | 48 | 34 | .585 | – | 33–8 | 15–26 | 11–9 |
| x-Milwaukee Bucks | 44 | 38 | .537 | 4 | 28–13 | 16–25 | 14–6 |
| Chicago Bulls | 40 | 42 | .488 | 8 | 29–12 | 11–30 | 8–12 |
| Detroit Pistons | 38 | 44 | .463 | 10 | 24–17 | 14–27 | 8–12 |
| Indiana Pacers | 31 | 51 | .378 | 17 | 21–20 | 10–31 | 8–12 |
| Kansas City Kings | 31 | 51 | .378 | 17 | 22–19 | 9–32 | 11–9 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Portland Trail Blazers | 58 | 24 | .707 | – |
| 2 | y-Denver Nuggets | 48 | 34 | .585 | 10 |
| 3 | x-Phoenix Suns | 49 | 33 | .598 | 9 |
| 4 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 47 | 35 | .573 | 11 |
| 5 | x-Los Angeles Lakers | 45 | 37 | .549 | 13 |
| 6 | x-Milwaukee Bucks | 44 | 38 | .537 | 14 |
| 7 | Golden State Warriors | 43 | 39 | .524 | 15 |
| 8 | Chicago Bulls | 40 | 42 | .488 | 18 |
| 9 | Detroit Pistons | 38 | 44 | .463 | 20 |
| 10 | Indiana Pacers | 31 | 51 | .378 | 27 |
| 11 | Kansas City Kings | 31 | 51 | .378 | 27 |

### 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 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

1977–78 game log Total: 31–51 (home: 22–19; road: 9–32) :
October: 3–4 (home: 2–0; road: 1–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 18, 1977
@ New York
L 113–120
Madison Square Garden
0–1
2
October 19, 1977
@ Buffalo
L 108–112
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
0–2
3
October 21, 1977
Houston
W 95–94
Kemper Arena
1–2
4
October 22, 1977
@ Indiana
L 101–106
Market Square Arena
1–3
5
October 25, 1977
@ Philadelphia
L 104–112
The Spectrum
1–4
6
October 27, 1977
@ Cleveland
W 119–104
Richfield Coliseum
2–4
7
October 29, 1977 7:35 p.m. CDT
Washington
W 120–106
Kemper Arena 9,220
3–4 :
November: 4–9 (home: 2–4; road: 2–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
8
November 1, 1977
@ Milwaukee
L 95–115
MECCA Arena
3–5
9
November 2, 1977
New Orleans
W 104–102
Kemper Arena
4–5
10
November 4, 1977
Atlanta
L 110–111
Kemper Arena
4–6
11
November 6, 1977
@ Seattle
W 99–83
Seattle Center Coliseum
5–6
12
November 8, 1977
@ Portland
L 104–130
Memorial Coliseum
5–7
13
November 11, 1977
@ Golden State
W 106–105
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
6–7
14
November 12, 1977
@ Denver
L 114–119
McNichols Sports Arena
6–8
15
November 15, 1977
@ San Antonio
L 107–113
HemisFair Arena
6–9
16
November 19, 1977 7:35 p.m. CST
Washington (at Omaha, Nebraska)
L 125–131 (OT)
Omaha Civic Auditorium 6,534
6–10
17
November 23, 1977
Milwaukee
L 116–122
Kemper Arena
6–11
18
November 26, 1977
Boston
W 110–108
Kemper Arena
7–11
19
November 27, 1977
@ New Orleans
L 106–115
Louisiana Superdome
7–12
20
November 30, 1977
Seattle
L 84–86
Kemper Arena
7–13 :
December: 6–8 (home: 6–3; road: 0–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
21
December 2, 1977
Detroit
W 108–97
Kemper Arena
8–13
22
December 3, 1977
New Jersey (at Omaha, Nebraska)
W 118–115 (OT)
Omaha Civic Auditorium
9–13
23
December 6, 1977
Phoenix
L 92–103
Kemper Arena
9–14
24
December 7, 1977
@ Boston
L 109–113
Boston Garden
9–15
25
December 9, 1977
@ New Jersey
L 114–122
Rutgers Athletic Center
9–16
26
December 10, 1977
Golden State
L 92–97 (OT)
Kemper Arena
9–17
27
December 14, 1977
Denver
W 124–98
Kemper Arena
10–17
28
December 17, 1977
New Orleans (at Omaha, Nebraska)
W 115–93
Omaha Civic Auditorium
12–16
29
December 18, 1977
Indiana
W 115–114
Kemper Arena
12–17
30
December 22, 1977
Chicago
W 113–110
Kemper Arena
13–17
31
December 25, 1977
Milwaukee
L 122–131
Kemper Arena
13–18
32
December 26, 1977
@ Houston
L 99–113
The Summit
13–19
33
December 29, 1977
@ Phoenix
L 104–110
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
13–20
34
December 30, 1977
@ Los Angeles
L 109–119
The Forum
13–21 :
January: 3–10 (home: 2–5; road: 1–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
35
January 1, 1978
@ Portland
L 102–107
Memorial Coliseum
13–22
36
January 4, 1978
@ Seattle
L 110–116
Seattle Center Coliseum
13–23
37
January 7, 1978
New York
L 93–100
Kemper Arena
13–24
38
January 8, 1978
@ Milwaukee
L 123–133
MECCA Arena
13–25
39
January 10, 1978 7:05 p.m. CST
@ Washington
L 115–123
Capital Centre 7,700
13–26
40
January 11, 1978
Los Angeles
W 102–94
Kemper Arena
14–26
41
January 13, 1978
@ Indiana
L 106–108
Market Square Arena
14–27
42
January 14, 1978
Atlanta
W 110–101
Kemper Arena
15–27
43
January 17, 1978
@ Atlanta
L 90–111
The Omni
15–28
44
January 18, 1978
Philadelphia
L 106–126
Kemper Arena
15–29
45
January 22, 1978
@ New Jersey
W 105–97
Rutgers Athletic Center
16–29
46
January 24, 1978
Portland
L 97–120
Kemper Arena
16–30
47
January 26, 1978
@ New York
L 105–112
Madison Square Garden
16–31
48
January 27, 1978
@ New Orleans
L 117–134
Louisiana Superdome
16–32
49
January 29, 1978
San Antonio
L 113–127
Kemper Arena
16–33
50
January 31, 1978
Phoenix (at Omaha, Nebraska)
L 102–112
Omaha Civic Auditorium
16–34 :
February: 8–4 (home: 6–2; road: 2–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
51
February 2, 1978
Detroit
W 113–101
Kemper Arena
17–34
All-Star Break
52
February 8, 1978
Boston
W 104–100
Kemper Arena
18–34
53
February 10, 1978
Chicago
W 106–93
Kemper Arena
19–34
54
February 11, 1978
@ Chicago
W 95–90
Chicago Stadium
20–34
55
February 12, 1978
Cleveland
W 101–88
Kemper Arena
21–34
56
February 14, 1978
Houston
W 125–102
Kemper Arena
22–34
57
February 17, 1978
@ Buffalo
W 108–100
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
23–34
58
February 18, 1978
@ Cleveland
L 101–105
Richfield Coliseum
23–35
59
February 19, 1978
@ Detroit
L 107–110
Cobo Arena
23–36
60
February 22, 1978
Los Angeles
W 127–122 (OT)
Kemper Arena
24–36
61
February 24, 1978
Portland
L 96–107
Kemper Arena
24–37
62
February 28, 1978
Seattle (at Omaha, Nebraska)
L 107–114 (OT)
Omaha Civic Auditorium
24–38 :
March: 7–8 (home: 4–3; road: 3–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
63
March 4, 1978
@ Denver
L 114–123
McNichols Sports Arena
24–39
64
March 6, 1978
Indiana
W 98–88
Kemper Arena
25–39
65
March 8, 1978
New Jersey
L 121–123
Kemper Arena
25–40
66
March 10, 1978
Denver
W 126–120
Kemper Arena
26–40
67
March 12, 1978
Golden State
L 106–113
Kemper Arena
26–41
68
March 17, 1978
@ Philadelphia
L 112–123
The Spectrum
26–42
69
March 18, 1978
@ Boston
L 110–117
Boston Garden
26–43
70
March 19, 1978
Buffalo
W 122–108
Kemper Arena
27–43
71
March 21, 1978
@ Detroit
W 116–111
Cobo Arena
28–43
72
March 22, 1978
Philadelphia
W 120–108
Kemper Arena
29–43
73
March 24, 1978
@ Houston
L 103–107
The Summit
29–44
74
March 25, 1978
San Antonio (at Omaha, Nebraska)
L 130–132
Omaha Civic Auditorium
29–45
75
March 28, 1978
@ Chicago
W 128–105
Chicago Stadium
30–45
76
March 29, 1978 7:05 p.m. CST
@ Washington
W 108–105 (OT)
Capital Centre 6,717
31–45
77
March 31, 1978
@ Phoenix
L 112–136
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
31–46 :
April: 0–5 (home: 0–2; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
78
April 2, 1978
@ Los Angeles
L 127–133
The Forum
31–47
79
April 4, 1978
@ Golden State
L 119–130
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
31–48
80
April 6, 1978
@ San Antonio
L 116–123
HemisFair Arena
31–49
81
April 7, 1978
New York
L 112–125
Kemper Arena
31–50
82
April 9, 1978
Cleveland
L 117–120
Kemper Arena
31–51 :
1977–78 schedule :