The 1979-80 Utah Jazz season was marked by significant transitions and challenges as the franchise continued to establish itself in the NBA. It was the team’s first season in Utah after relocating from New Orleans, which added an extra layer of complexity to their operations. The Jazz played their home games at the Salt Palace, bringing NBA basketball to Salt Lake City for the first time.
Under the coaching of Tom Nissalke, the Jazz ended the regular season with a record of 24 wins and 58 losses. This performance placed them last in the Midwest Division and kept them out of playoff contention. The team struggled to find consistency throughout the season, facing difficulties both offensively and defensively.
A bright spot for the Jazz was the performance of their star player, Adrian Dantley. Acquired via trade before the season, Dantley quickly became the focal point of the team’s offense. He averaged 28.0 points per game, ranking him among the top scorers in the league and earning him an All-Star selection. Despite Dantley’s efforts, the team lacked depth and struggled to compete against stronger opponents.
The 1979-80 season was pivotal for setting a foundation for the Jazz in Utah. Although the team faced challenges on the court, the move to Salt Lake City began to build a dedicated fan base that would support the franchise in the coming years. The season underscored the need for strategic player acquisitions and development to improve the team’s competitive stature in the NBA.
- Regular Season Record: 24-58
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Utah Jazz Roster and Stats for 1979-80 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Adrian Dantley | 68 | 28.0 | 7.6 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Pete Maravich | 17 | 17.1 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 63.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Terry Furlow | 55 | 16.0 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 32.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ron Boone | 75 | 12.9 | 2.9 | 4.0 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 41.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Allan Bristow | 82 | 11.6 | 6.2 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Tom Boswell | 61 | 11.5 | 5.4 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Bernard King | 19 | 9.3 | 4.6 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ben Poquette | 82 | 8.9 | 6.8 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Duck Williams | 77 | 6.6 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mack Calvin | 48 | 6.4 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 11.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Brad Davis | 13 | 5.8 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Paul Dawkins | 57 | 5.5 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| James Hardy | 76 | 5.5 | 5.3 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 50.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Gianelli | 17 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Robert Smith | 6 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jerome Whitehead | 32 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Andre Wakefield | 8 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Carl Kilpatrick | 2 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Greg Deane | 7 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Brown | 4 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Utah Jazz 1979-80 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1979-80 season for the Utah Jazz.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 1979 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 101-85 | |
| Oct 15, 1979 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 131-107 | |
| Oct 18, 1979 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 107-92 | |
| Oct 20, 1979 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 101-96 | |
| Oct 22, 1979 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 110-109 | |
| Oct 23, 1979 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 102-87 | |
| Oct 25, 1979 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 113-105 | |
| Oct 27, 1979 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 116-96 | |
| Oct 31, 1979 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 125-108 | |
| Nov 01, 1979 | vs. New York Knicks | L 134-118 | |
| Nov 03, 1979 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 126-109 | |
| Nov 06, 1979 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 120-107 | |
| Nov 08, 1979 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 96-92 | |
| Nov 10, 1979 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 88-87 | |
| Nov 12, 1979 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 113-105 | |
| Nov 14, 1979 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 108-97 | |
| Nov 16, 1979 | @ Boston Celtics | L 113-97 | |
| Nov 17, 1979 | @ Washington Bullets | L 111-103 | |
| Nov 20, 1979 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 119-107 | |
| Nov 21, 1979 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 98-93 | |
| Nov 27, 1979 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 122-118 | |
| Nov 30, 1979 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 112-104 | |
| Dec 01, 1979 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 97-95 | |
| Dec 03, 1979 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 96-89 | |
| Dec 05, 1979 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 115-96 | |
| Dec 06, 1979 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 87-82 | |
| Dec 08, 1979 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 119-103 | |
| Dec 10, 1979 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 100-93 | |
| Dec 13, 1979 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 144-114 | |
| Dec 14, 1979 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 103-87 | |
| Dec 16, 1979 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 104-79 | |
| Dec 18, 1979 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 105-103 | |
| Dec 19, 1979 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 117-99 | |
| Dec 21, 1979 | vs. San Diego Clippers | L 110-98 | |
| Dec 23, 1979 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 124-118 | |
| Dec 25, 1979 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 122-111 | |
| Dec 27, 1979 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 124-116 | |
| Dec 29, 1979 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 116-114 | |
| Dec 30, 1979 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 95-88 | |
| Jan 02, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 128-121 | |
| Jan 04, 1980 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 115-97 | |
| Jan 05, 1980 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 108-107 | |
| Jan 08, 1980 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 124-110 | |
| Jan 11, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 100-90 | |
| Jan 12, 1980 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 119-102 | |
| Jan 13, 1980 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 106-103 | |
| Jan 15, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 112-99 | |
| Jan 16, 1980 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 115-108 | |
| Jan 18, 1980 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 107-102 | |
| Jan 19, 1980 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 116-99 | |
| Jan 22, 1980 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 127-122 | |
| Jan 24, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 110-88 | |
| Jan 26, 1980 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 112-107 | |
| Jan 28, 1980 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 107-101 | |
| Jan 30, 1980 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 102-100 | |
| Feb 05, 1980 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 116-106 | |
| Feb 07, 1980 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 92-90 | |
| Feb 09, 1980 | @ Houston Rockets | L 117-95 | |
| Feb 10, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 148-128 | |
| Feb 13, 1980 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 107-85 | |
| Feb 14, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 137-96 | |
| Feb 16, 1980 | @ New York Knicks | W 121-102 | |
| Feb 20, 1980 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 105-98 | |
| Feb 22, 1980 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 94-82 | |
| Feb 23, 1980 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 105-95 | |
| Feb 26, 1980 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 105-85 | |
| Feb 28, 1980 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 111-101 | |
| Feb 29, 1980 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 91-87 | |
| Mar 02, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 103-91 | |
| Mar 04, 1980 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 111-105 | |
| Mar 06, 1980 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 117-110 | |
| Mar 07, 1980 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 110-94 | |
| Mar 08, 1980 | vs. San Diego Clippers | L 113-98 | |
| Mar 16, 1980 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 115-103 | |
| Mar 18, 1980 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 96-94 | |
| Mar 19, 1980 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 103-100 | |
| Mar 21, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 102-98 | |
| Mar 23, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 101-96 | |
| Mar 25, 1980 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 109-91 | |
| Mar 27, 1980 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 97-95 | |
| Mar 29, 1980 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 111-106 | |
| Mar 30, 1980 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 107-91 |