The 1977-78 Chicago Bulls season was a challenging campaign for the franchise. Coached by Ed Badger, the Bulls ended the season with a disappointing record of 40-42. Despite their struggles, the team managed to finish third in the Midwest Division of the Western Conference, but this performance was not sufficient to secure a playoff berth.
Artis Gilmore, the team’s standout center, was a significant contributor throughout the season. Gilmore averaged 22.9 points and 13.1 rebounds per game, solidifying his reputation as one of the league’s dominant big men. His efforts earned him a spot in the 1978 NBA All-Star Game, where he represented the Bulls admirably.
Another key player for the Bulls was forward Wilbur Holland, who provided additional scoring support with an average of 16.6 points per game. The team also saw contributions from guard Norm Van Lier, known for his tenacious defense and leadership on the court.
Despite individual successes, the Bulls struggled to find consistency. Their performance was hindered by a lack of depth and challenges in closing out games. The season highlighted the need for further development and changes to become a more competitive force in subsequent years.
Overall, the 1977-78 season was a period of transition for the Chicago Bulls. Although they did not achieve postseason success, the performances of key players like Gilmore laid the groundwork for future improvements and aspirations. The team aimed to build on these foundations in the seasons that followed.
- Regular Season Record: 40-42
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats for 1977-78 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Artis Gilmore | 82 | 22.9 | 13.1 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mickey Johnson | 81 | 18.3 | 9.1 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Wilbur Holland | 82 | 16.6 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Scott May | 55 | 13.4 | 6.0 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Mengelt | 81 | 10.3 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Cazzie Russell | 36 | 8.8 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Norm Van Lier | 78 | 7.3 | 3.6 | 6.8 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mark Landsberger | 62 | 5.6 | 4.9 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Nick Weatherspoon | 41 | 5.1 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Tate Armstrong | 66 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Steve Sheppard | 64 | 4.3 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Derrek Dickey | 25 | 2.7 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Tom Boerwinkle | 22 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Cliff Pondexter | 44 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jim Ard | 14 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Glenn Hansen | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Chicago Bulls 1977-78 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1977-78 season for the Chicago Bulls.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 1977 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 91-88 | |
| Oct 19, 1977 | @ Houston Rockets | W 107-103 | |
| Oct 21, 1977 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 122-119 | |
| Oct 22, 1977 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-95 | |
| Oct 25, 1977 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 105-98 | |
| Oct 29, 1977 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 101-97 | |
| Nov 01, 1977 | @ New Orleans Jazz | L 99-88 | |
| Nov 02, 1977 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 103-102 | |
| Nov 04, 1977 | vs. Buffalo Braves | L 100-92 | |
| Nov 05, 1977 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 111-94 | |
| Nov 08, 1977 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 117-104 | |
| Nov 11, 1977 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 91-89 | |
| Nov 12, 1977 | @ Buffalo Braves | L 106-103 | |
| Nov 18, 1977 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 103-101 | |
| Nov 20, 1977 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 102-80 | |
| Nov 23, 1977 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 116-111 | |
| Nov 25, 1977 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 106-89 | |
| Nov 29, 1977 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 95-87 | |
| Nov 30, 1977 | @ Boston Celtics | L 98-92 | |
| Dec 02, 1977 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 107-102 | |
| Dec 03, 1977 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 111-97 | |
| Dec 06, 1977 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 116-108 | |
| Dec 08, 1977 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 104-78 | |
| Dec 10, 1977 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 121-119 | |
| Dec 13, 1977 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 99-96 | |
| Dec 14, 1977 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 116-108 | |
| Dec 16, 1977 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 115-110 | |
| Dec 17, 1977 | @ New York Knicks | L 112-103 | |
| Dec 20, 1977 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 94-86 | |
| Dec 22, 1977 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 113-110 | |
| Dec 23, 1977 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 108-107 | |
| Dec 27, 1977 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 115-106 | |
| Dec 28, 1977 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 129-125 | |
| Dec 30, 1977 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 102-97 | |
| Jan 01, 1978 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 114-96 | |
| Jan 03, 1978 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 92-90 | |
| Jan 04, 1978 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 115-94 | |
| Jan 06, 1978 | vs. New York Knicks | L 99-97 | |
| Jan 08, 1978 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 109-104 | |
| Jan 10, 1978 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 110-106 | |
| Jan 13, 1978 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 128-111 | |
| Jan 15, 1978 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 107-101 | |
| Jan 17, 1978 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 105-104 | |
| Jan 19, 1978 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 105-95 | |
| Jan 22, 1978 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 112-90 | |
| Jan 24, 1978 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 131-114 | |
| Jan 26, 1978 | @ Washington Bullets | L 135-107 | |
| Jan 28, 1978 | @ New York Knicks | L 108-96 | |
| Jan 31, 1978 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 106-103 | |
| Feb 01, 1978 | @ New Orleans Jazz | L 117-111 | |
| Feb 03, 1978 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 110-107 | |
| Feb 07, 1978 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 108-106 | |
| Feb 08, 1978 | @ Houston Rockets | L 105-101 | |
| Feb 10, 1978 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 106-93 | |
| Feb 11, 1978 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 95-90 | |
| Feb 12, 1978 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 111-94 | |
| Feb 14, 1978 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 102-95 | |
| Feb 17, 1978 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 106-98 | |
| Feb 18, 1978 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 124-103 | |
| Feb 20, 1978 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 106-95 | |
| Feb 21, 1978 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 106-104 | |
| Feb 24, 1978 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 112-109 | |
| Feb 26, 1978 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 100-99 | |
| Feb 28, 1978 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 126-115 | |
| Mar 05, 1978 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 96-95 | |
| Mar 09, 1978 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 112-103 | |
| Mar 10, 1978 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 115-109 | |
| Mar 12, 1978 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 98-95 | |
| Mar 14, 1978 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 103-96 | |
| Mar 16, 1978 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 111-107 | |
| Mar 17, 1978 | vs. New York Knicks | W 129-117 | |
| Mar 19, 1978 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 112-92 | |
| Mar 21, 1978 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 101-99 | |
| Mar 22, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 105-99 | |
| Mar 24, 1978 | @ Boston Celtics | W 97-96 | |
| Mar 26, 1978 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 95-78 | |
| Mar 28, 1978 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 128-105 | |
| Mar 31, 1978 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 117-107 | |
| Apr 01, 1978 | @ Buffalo Braves | W 110-102 | |
| Apr 04, 1978 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 116-104 | |
| Apr 07, 1978 | vs. Buffalo Braves | L 113-103 | |
| Apr 09, 1978 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 99-85 |