The 1978-79 Chicago Bulls season was a challenging campaign for the franchise. The team finished with a record of 31-51, placing them fifth in the Midwest Division of the Western Conference. This season marked a period of struggle as the Bulls failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The team was coached by Larry Costello, who took over mid-season from Jerry Sloan, attempting to steer the team back to competitive form.
The Bulls were led by Artis Gilmore, their standout center, who continued to be a dominant force on the court. Gilmore averaged 23.7 points and 12.7 rebounds per game, showcasing his consistent ability to contribute both offensively and defensively. Despite Gilmore’s efforts, the team struggled with depth and consistency across the roster. Reggie Theus, the young shooting guard, also showed promise by contributing an average of 16.3 points per game, indicating potential for the future.
Throughout the season, the Bulls grappled with injuries and lacked the firepower to compete with the top teams in the league. Their defense was particularly problematic, as they allowed an average of 110.8 points per game, which ranked them towards the bottom of the league. This season highlighted the need for a stronger supporting cast and strategic adjustments. As a result, the 1978-79 season was a period of reflection and rebuilding for the Chicago Bulls, setting the stage for subsequent changes in their quest to return to playoff contention.
- Regular Season Record: 31-51
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats for 1978-79 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Artis Gilmore | 82 | 23.7 | 12.7 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Reggie Theus | 82 | 16.3 | 2.8 | 5.2 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mickey Johnson | 82 | 15.4 | 7.6 | 4.6 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Wilbur Holland | 82 | 12.6 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Mengelt | 75 | 11.0 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ollie Johnson | 71 | 9.2 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mark Landsberger | 80 | 8.1 | 9.3 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Brown | 77 | 5.0 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Scott May | 37 | 4.0 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Charles Dudley | 43 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Steve Sheppard | 22 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Tate Armstrong | 26 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Scott Lloyd | 67 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Andre Wakefield | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Chicago Bulls 1978-79 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1978-79 season for the Chicago Bulls.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 1978 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 104-86 | |
| Oct 15, 1978 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 108-97 | |
| Oct 17, 1978 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 99-94 | |
| Oct 20, 1978 | vs. San Diego Clippers | L 110-94 | |
| Oct 21, 1978 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 113-104 | |
| Oct 24, 1978 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 123-117 | |
| Oct 27, 1978 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 115-110 | |
| Oct 28, 1978 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 116-92 | |
| Oct 31, 1978 | @ New Orleans Jazz | L 97-92 | |
| Nov 01, 1978 | @ Boston Celtics | L 118-112 | |
| Nov 03, 1978 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 99-93 | |
| Nov 04, 1978 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 97-84 | |
| Nov 07, 1978 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 112-111 | |
| Nov 10, 1978 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 115-101 | |
| Nov 11, 1978 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 125-112 | |
| Nov 15, 1978 | @ Houston Rockets | W 117-103 | |
| Nov 17, 1978 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 100-89 | |
| Nov 19, 1978 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 104-95 | |
| Nov 22, 1978 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 98-96 | |
| Nov 24, 1978 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 100-99 | |
| Nov 26, 1978 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 125-109 | |
| Nov 28, 1978 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 124-112 | |
| Dec 02, 1978 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 105-91 | |
| Dec 05, 1978 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 96-91 | |
| Dec 08, 1978 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 100-99 | |
| Dec 09, 1978 | @ New York Knicks | W 101-96 | |
| Dec 12, 1978 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 99-94 | |
| Dec 15, 1978 | vs. New York Knicks | L 118-94 | |
| Dec 16, 1978 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 108-100 | |
| Dec 17, 1978 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 117-101 | |
| Dec 19, 1978 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 101-95 | |
| Dec 20, 1978 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 131-102 | |
| Dec 22, 1978 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 103-92 | |
| Dec 26, 1978 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 115-109 | |
| Dec 28, 1978 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 111-107 | |
| Dec 29, 1978 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 123-117 | |
| Jan 02, 1979 | @ Washington Bullets | L 109-86 | |
| Jan 03, 1979 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 111-98 | |
| Jan 05, 1979 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 124-119 | |
| Jan 09, 1979 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 103-101 | |
| Jan 10, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 120-116 | |
| Jan 12, 1979 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 100-93 | |
| Jan 14, 1979 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 104-99 | |
| Jan 19, 1979 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 113-102 | |
| Jan 20, 1979 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 107-101 | |
| Jan 21, 1979 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 94-93 | |
| Jan 23, 1979 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 100-90 | |
| Jan 26, 1979 | vs. San Diego Clippers | L 107-91 | |
| Jan 28, 1979 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 98-87 | |
| Jan 30, 1979 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 112-108 | |
| Feb 01, 1979 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 128-105 | |
| Feb 02, 1979 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 116-110 | |
| Feb 06, 1979 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 110-107 | |
| Feb 09, 1979 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 124-114 | |
| Feb 11, 1979 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 110-108 | |
| Feb 13, 1979 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 104-94 | |
| Feb 16, 1979 | vs. New York Knicks | W 107-104 | |
| Feb 18, 1979 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 130-107 | |
| Feb 20, 1979 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 99-97 | |
| Feb 23, 1979 | @ New Orleans Jazz | L 111-102 | |
| Feb 25, 1979 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 117-108 | |
| Feb 27, 1979 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 124-117 | |
| Feb 28, 1979 | @ Washington Bullets | L 124-113 | |
| Mar 03, 1979 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 119-101 | |
| Mar 08, 1979 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 132-117 | |
| Mar 09, 1979 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 102-92 | |
| Mar 11, 1979 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 109-107 | |
| Mar 13, 1979 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 105-102 | |
| Mar 16, 1979 | @ Houston Rockets | L 124-118 | |
| Mar 17, 1979 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 106-88 | |
| Mar 18, 1979 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 114-103 | |
| Mar 21, 1979 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 114-105 | |
| Mar 23, 1979 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 116-99 | |
| Mar 24, 1979 | @ New York Knicks | W 148-143 | |
| Mar 25, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 99-88 | |
| Mar 27, 1979 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 122-116 | |
| Mar 28, 1979 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 112-96 | |
| Mar 30, 1979 | @ Boston Celtics | W 121-105 | |
| Mar 31, 1979 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 108-99 | |
| Apr 03, 1979 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 97-95 | |
| Apr 06, 1979 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 128-114 | |
| Apr 08, 1979 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 117-107 |