The 1982-83 Chicago Bulls season was a challenging period for the franchise. The team, playing their 17th season in the NBA, struggled to find consistency and competitiveness throughout the year. They finished with a record of 28 wins and 54 losses, placing them fifth in the Central Division and missing the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.
Under the guidance of head coach Paul Westhead, who was replaced mid-season by assistant coach Rod Thorn, the Bulls faced numerous obstacles, including injuries and a lack of depth in their roster. The team’s performance was marred by inconsistency on both ends of the court, which contributed significantly to their disappointing record.
Reggie Theus emerged as a standout performer for the Bulls during this season. The guard averaged 23.8 points per game, leading the team in scoring and showcasing his prowess as an offensive threat. Despite Theus’s impressive individual performance, the team struggled to find additional scoring options and reliable defensive play.
The Bulls’ roster also featured players like David Greenwood and Orlando Woolridge, who contributed significantly but were unable to turn the tide for the team. Woolridge, a promising forward, averaged 9.4 points per game, while Greenwood added 12.5 points per game and provided a strong presence on the boards, with 8.5 rebounds per game.
During the off-season, the team made several moves to revamp the roster and improve their chances for the future. Notably, this season set the stage for significant changes, as the Bulls were preparing for a transformative period that would eventually usher in a new era of success with the drafting of Michael Jordan in the following year’s NBA Draft.
The 1982-83 season, while disappointing in terms of results, was pivotal in setting the groundwork for the franchise’s future development and eventual rise to prominence in the NBA during the late 1980s and 1990s.
- Regular Season Record: 28-54
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats for 1982-83 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Reggie Theus | 82 | 23.8 | 3.7 | 5.9 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 23.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Orlando Woolridge | 57 | 16.5 | 5.2 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Quintin Dailey | 76 | 15.1 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dave Corzine | 82 | 14.0 | 8.7 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Rod Higgins | 82 | 10.3 | 4.5 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 31.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dave Greenwood | 79 | 10.0 | 9.7 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mark Olberding | 80 | 8.7 | 4.5 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 16.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ronnie Lester | 65 | 8.1 | 2.6 | 5.1 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Tracy Jackson | 78 | 6.3 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 15.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jawann Oldham | 16 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dwight Jones | 49 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dudley Bradley | 58 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mike Bratz | 15 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 12.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Larry Spriggs | 9 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Larry Kenon | 5 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Chicago Bulls 1982-83 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1982-83 season for the Chicago Bulls.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 1982 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 114-102 | |
| Oct 30, 1982 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 143-125 | |
| Nov 03, 1982 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 152-144 | |
| Nov 04, 1982 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 118-111 | |
| Nov 06, 1982 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 129-124 | |
| Nov 09, 1982 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 112-111 | |
| Nov 10, 1982 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 145-108 | |
| Nov 12, 1982 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 113-105 | |
| Nov 13, 1982 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 119-115 | |
| Nov 16, 1982 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 125-120 | |
| Nov 19, 1982 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 127-111 | |
| Nov 20, 1982 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 131-128 | |
| Nov 23, 1982 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 132-102 | |
| Nov 24, 1982 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 133-127 | |
| Nov 26, 1982 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 122-120 | |
| Nov 27, 1982 | @ Houston Rockets | L 108-99 | |
| Dec 01, 1982 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 143-132 | |
| Dec 03, 1982 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 132-124 | |
| Dec 04, 1982 | @ Utah Jazz | L 131-124 | |
| Dec 07, 1982 | vs. New York Knicks | W 91-85 | |
| Dec 08, 1982 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 111-101 | |
| Dec 11, 1982 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 117-107 | |
| Dec 14, 1982 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 108-102 | |
| Dec 17, 1982 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 115-93 | |
| Dec 18, 1982 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 131-127 | |
| Dec 21, 1982 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 124-116 | |
| Dec 22, 1982 | @ Boston Celtics | L 140-131 | |
| Dec 27, 1982 | @ Washington Bullets | L 89-87 | |
| Dec 28, 1982 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-103 | |
| Dec 30, 1982 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 105-102 | |
| Jan 04, 1983 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 147-138 | |
| Jan 07, 1983 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 111-98 | |
| Jan 08, 1983 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 109-89 | |
| Jan 11, 1983 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 109-96 | |
| Jan 12, 1983 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 98-96 | |
| Jan 14, 1983 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 126-123 | |
| Jan 15, 1983 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 128-126 | |
| Jan 17, 1983 | @ New York Knicks | L 119-109 | |
| Jan 19, 1983 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 126-106 | |
| Jan 21, 1983 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 117-106 | |
| Jan 22, 1983 | @ Washington Bullets | W 95-86 | |
| Jan 25, 1983 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 116-99 | |
| Jan 26, 1983 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 124-119 | |
| Jan 28, 1983 | vs. New York Knicks | L 93-91 | |
| Jan 29, 1983 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 128-126 | |
| Jan 31, 1983 | @ Boston Celtics | L 110-104 | |
| Feb 01, 1983 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 129-76 | |
| Feb 04, 1983 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 120-98 | |
| Feb 05, 1983 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 117-113 | |
| Feb 08, 1983 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 109-93 | |
| Feb 10, 1983 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 116-110 | |
| Feb 15, 1983 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 113-110 | |
| Feb 16, 1983 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 117-113 | |
| Feb 20, 1983 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 124-111 | |
| Feb 22, 1983 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 144-133 | |
| Feb 23, 1983 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 119-86 | |
| Feb 25, 1983 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 116-111 | |
| Feb 26, 1983 | @ New York Knicks | L 94-79 | |
| Mar 01, 1983 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 114-111 | |
| Mar 04, 1983 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 124-119 | |
| Mar 06, 1983 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 106-98 | |
| Mar 09, 1983 | @ Washington Bullets | L 110-92 | |
| Mar 11, 1983 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 130-123 | |
| Mar 12, 1983 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 123-116 | |
| Mar 15, 1983 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 116-108 | |
| Mar 16, 1983 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 113-111 | |
| Mar 18, 1983 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 117-101 | |
| Mar 20, 1983 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 128-116 | |
| Mar 22, 1983 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 134-116 | |
| Mar 24, 1983 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 102-96 | |
| Mar 26, 1983 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 118-108 | |
| Mar 29, 1983 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 97-95 | |
| Apr 01, 1983 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 108-107 | |
| Apr 03, 1983 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 122-107 | |
| Apr 05, 1983 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 101-91 | |
| Apr 08, 1983 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 138-101 | |
| Apr 09, 1983 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 115-104 | |
| Apr 10, 1983 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 121-91 | |
| Apr 12, 1983 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 112-102 | |
| Apr 13, 1983 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 107-98 | |
| Apr 15, 1983 | @ Boston Celtics | W 120-117 | |
| Apr 17, 1983 | vs. New York Knicks | L 120-103 |