The 1979-80 Chicago Bulls season marked a challenging era for the franchise. Under the guidance of head coach Jerry Sloan, the team struggled to find consistency in their performance. The Bulls ended the season with a record of 30 wins and 52 losses, placing them fifth in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. This record was not sufficient to qualify for the playoffs, extending their postseason drought.
Throughout the season, the Bulls faced numerous difficulties, including injuries and lack of depth in their roster. Reggie Theus emerged as a standout player, leading the team in scoring with an average of 20.2 points per game. Theus also contributed significantly in assists, showcasing his versatility and importance to the team’s dynamics. Despite his efforts, the team struggled defensively and often found themselves outmatched by stronger opponents.
In terms of draft picks, the Bulls selected David Greenwood as the second overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. Greenwood showed promise, but his impact was not enough to lift the team out of the lower ranks of the conference. The season was a period of rebuilding and transition, as the franchise sought to establish a stronger foundation for future success. The challenges faced during the 1979-80 season underscored the need for strategic changes and player development to revive the team’s competitive edge in subsequent seasons.
- Regular Season Record: 30-52
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Chicago Bulls 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% |
| Reggie Theus | 82 | 20.2 | 4.0 | 6.3 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 26.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Artis Gilmore | 48 | 17.8 | 9.0 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dave Greenwood | 82 | 16.3 | 9.4 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 1.6 | 14.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ricky Sobers | 82 | 14.2 | 3.0 | 5.2 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 30.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Scott May | 54 | 12.4 | 4.0 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dwight Jones | 53 | 10.1 | 5.6 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Sam Smith | 30 | 8.6 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 22.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mark Landsberger | 54 | 8.4 | 8.3 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ollie Mack | 23 | 8.0 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ollie Johnson | 79 | 7.7 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 9.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Coby Dietrick | 79 | 6.9 | 4.6 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 11.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Mengelt | 36 | 6.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Del Beshore | 68 | 3.6 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 38.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dennis Awtrey | 26 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Roger Brown | 4 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Chicago Bulls 1979-80 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1979-80 season for the Chicago Bulls.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 1979 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 102-96 | |
| Oct 14, 1979 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 112-102 | |
| Oct 16, 1979 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 105-96 | |
| Oct 18, 1979 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 111-107 | |
| Oct 20, 1979 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 116-104 | |
| Oct 21, 1979 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-111 | |
| Oct 23, 1979 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 108-103 | |
| Oct 25, 1979 | @ Utah Jazz | L 113-105 | |
| Oct 26, 1979 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 95-93 | |
| Oct 28, 1979 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 108-97 | |
| Oct 30, 1979 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 111-105 | |
| Nov 02, 1979 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 113-99 | |
| Nov 03, 1979 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 136-134 | |
| Nov 06, 1979 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 114-97 | |
| Nov 09, 1979 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 107-92 | |
| Nov 10, 1979 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 94-90 | |
| Nov 13, 1979 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 128-127 | |
| Nov 14, 1979 | @ Washington Bullets | L 118-105 | |
| Nov 16, 1979 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 103-97 | |
| Nov 17, 1979 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 106-103 | |
| Nov 20, 1979 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 124-91 | |
| Nov 23, 1979 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 103-98 | |
| Nov 24, 1979 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 106-101 | |
| Nov 27, 1979 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 128-103 | |
| Nov 30, 1979 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 107-100 | |
| Dec 01, 1979 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 99-86 | |
| Dec 05, 1979 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 97-90 | |
| Dec 07, 1979 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 95-93 | |
| Dec 09, 1979 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 121-112 | |
| Dec 11, 1979 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 104-93 | |
| Dec 15, 1979 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 115-113 | |
| Dec 18, 1979 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 129-118 | |
| Dec 19, 1979 | @ Houston Rockets | W 108-102 | |
| Dec 21, 1979 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 127-117 | |
| Dec 22, 1979 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 126-117 | |
| Dec 26, 1979 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 110-101 | |
| Dec 28, 1979 | vs. New York Knicks | L 120-102 | |
| Jan 04, 1980 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 121-118 | |
| Jan 05, 1980 | @ New York Knicks | L 124-117 | |
| Jan 08, 1980 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 110-102 | |
| Jan 10, 1980 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 104-83 | |
| Jan 11, 1980 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 110-105 | |
| Jan 13, 1980 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 107-102 | |
| Jan 15, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 111-109 | |
| Jan 16, 1980 | @ Boston Celtics | L 114-104 | |
| Jan 18, 1980 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 107-102 | |
| Jan 19, 1980 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 117-108 | |
| Jan 22, 1980 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 145-131 | |
| Jan 25, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 113-107 | |
| Jan 26, 1980 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 109-104 | |
| Jan 27, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 128-127 | |
| Jan 29, 1980 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 103-99 | |
| Jan 31, 1980 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 107-97 | |
| Feb 05, 1980 | @ Utah Jazz | L 116-106 | |
| Feb 06, 1980 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 122-111 | |
| Feb 08, 1980 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 113-109 | |
| Feb 10, 1980 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 123-117 | |
| Feb 12, 1980 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 100-94 | |
| Feb 13, 1980 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 111-101 | |
| Feb 15, 1980 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 131-124 | |
| Feb 16, 1980 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 100-92 | |
| Feb 17, 1980 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 108-100 | |
| Feb 19, 1980 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 115-106 | |
| Feb 20, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 125-117 | |
| Feb 24, 1980 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 110-102 | |
| Feb 26, 1980 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 105-85 | |
| Feb 29, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 108-101 | |
| Mar 02, 1980 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 110-107 | |
| Mar 05, 1980 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 106-105 | |
| Mar 07, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 101-99 | |
| Mar 09, 1980 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 113-103 | |
| Mar 11, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 100-98 | |
| Mar 14, 1980 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 122-101 | |
| Mar 15, 1980 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 110-108 | |
| Mar 18, 1980 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 115-101 | |
| Mar 19, 1980 | @ Utah Jazz | L 103-100 | |
| Mar 21, 1980 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 134-128 | |
| Mar 23, 1980 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 129-115 | |
| Mar 25, 1980 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 122-111 | |
| Mar 26, 1980 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 122-115 | |
| Mar 29, 1980 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 111-106 | |
| Mar 30, 1980 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 114-110 |