The 1983-84 Chicago Bulls season was a transitional period for the franchise, marking their 18th season in the National Basketball Association. The team managed a record of 27 wins and 55 losses, finishing fifth in the Central Division and missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
During this season, the Bulls were led by head coach Kevin Loughery, who was in his second year with the team. The roster included notable players like Reggie Theus, who was the leading scorer, averaging 18.3 points per game. Another key player was David Greenwood, who contributed significantly on the boards, averaging 7.8 rebounds per game. However, the team struggled defensively and lacked the depth to compete consistently with stronger opponents.
Throughout the season, the Bulls underwent a significant change in ownership. Jerry Reinsdorf and a group of investors purchased the team in March 1984, setting the stage for future transformative changes. This change in management would soon prove pivotal, as it led to the hiring of general manager Jerry Krause and, eventually, the drafting of Michael Jordan in the subsequent 1984 NBA Draft.
The 1983-84 season also marked the end of an era for certain players. Reggie Theus was traded to the Kansas City Kings in February 1984, which signaled a shift in focus towards rebuilding the team around younger talent. Despite the poor overall record, the season was crucial in laying the groundwork for the team’s future success.
In summary, the 1983-84 Chicago Bulls season was characterized by on-court struggles and off-court changes that would eventually lead to a brighter future. While the season itself was lackluster in terms of wins, it became a stepping stone to the franchise’s eventual rise to prominence in the NBA during the late 1980s and 1990s.
- Regular Season Record: 27-55
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats for 1983-84 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Orlando Woolridge | 75 | 19.3 | 4.9 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 49.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Quintin Dailey | 82 | 18.2 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 12.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mitchell Wiggins | 82 | 12.4 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 24.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dave Corzine | 82 | 12.2 | 7.0 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dave Greenwood | 78 | 12.2 | 10.1 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Steve Johnson | 31 | 9.4 | 5.4 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Reggie Theus | 31 | 8.7 | 1.5 | 4.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ennis Whatley | 80 | 8.4 | 2.5 | 8.3 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Rod Higgins | 78 | 6.4 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ronnie Lester | 43 | 5.4 | 1.1 | 3.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Sidney Green | 49 | 5.2 | 3.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Wallace Bryant | 29 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jawann Oldham | 64 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Chicago Bulls 1983-84 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1983-84 season for the Chicago Bulls.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 1983 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 104-97 | |
| Nov 01, 1983 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 99-91 | |
| Nov 03, 1983 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 112-107 | |
| Nov 04, 1983 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 103-90 | |
| Nov 08, 1983 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 100-97 | |
| Nov 11, 1983 | @ Washington Bullets | L 125-124 | |
| Nov 12, 1983 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 116-101 | |
| Nov 15, 1983 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 112-110 | |
| Nov 17, 1983 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 119-110 | |
| Nov 19, 1983 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 110-105 | |
| Nov 23, 1983 | @ Utah Jazz | W 128-117 | |
| Nov 25, 1983 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 120-94 | |
| Nov 27, 1983 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 103-100 | |
| Nov 29, 1983 | @ Houston Rockets | L 116-110 | |
| Dec 02, 1983 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 123-94 | |
| Dec 03, 1983 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 110-100 | |
| Dec 06, 1983 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 118-105 | |
| Dec 09, 1983 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 115-112 | |
| Dec 10, 1983 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 101-95 | |
| Dec 13, 1983 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 96-88 | |
| Dec 15, 1983 | @ New York Knicks | W 113-107 | |
| Dec 17, 1983 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 102-84 | |
| Dec 22, 1983 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 116-99 | |
| Dec 23, 1983 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 114-93 | |
| Dec 27, 1983 | vs. New York Knicks | W 102-96 | |
| Dec 29, 1983 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 100-99 | |
| Dec 30, 1983 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 103-96 | |
| Jan 03, 1984 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 102-97 | |
| Jan 04, 1984 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 102-89 | |
| Jan 06, 1984 | @ Washington Bullets | L 96-88 | |
| Jan 07, 1984 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 87-73 | |
| Jan 10, 1984 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 105-104 | |
| Jan 11, 1984 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 120-105 | |
| Jan 13, 1984 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 115-104 | |
| Jan 14, 1984 | vs. New York Knicks | L 113-111 | |
| Jan 17, 1984 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 105-103 | |
| Jan 19, 1984 | @ New York Knicks | L 109-92 | |
| Jan 21, 1984 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 111-94 | |
| Jan 24, 1984 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 100-93 | |
| Jan 26, 1984 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 126-125 | |
| Jan 31, 1984 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 106-83 | |
| Feb 01, 1984 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 116-103 | |
| Feb 03, 1984 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 106-76 | |
| Feb 04, 1984 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 108-105 | |
| Feb 07, 1984 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 104-89 | |
| Feb 08, 1984 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 114-110 | |
| Feb 10, 1984 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 100-91 | |
| Feb 11, 1984 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 101-96 | |
| Feb 14, 1984 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 112-99 | |
| Feb 17, 1984 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 111-109 | |
| Feb 19, 1984 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-103 | |
| Feb 21, 1984 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 117-95 | |
| Feb 22, 1984 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 121-111 | |
| Feb 24, 1984 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 102-96 | |
| Feb 25, 1984 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 122-87 | |
| Feb 28, 1984 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 124-108 | |
| Feb 29, 1984 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 112-83 | |
| Mar 02, 1984 | @ Boston Celtics | L 104-100 | |
| Mar 03, 1984 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 102-98 | |
| Mar 06, 1984 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 124-108 | |
| Mar 08, 1984 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 115-110 | |
| Mar 10, 1984 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 115-110 | |
| Mar 13, 1984 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 112-101 | |
| Mar 15, 1984 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 106-90 | |
| Mar 16, 1984 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 156-155 | |
| Mar 18, 1984 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 107-104 | |
| Mar 20, 1984 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 108-104 | |
| Mar 23, 1984 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 119-112 | |
| Mar 25, 1984 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 102-99 | |
| Mar 27, 1984 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 111-83 | |
| Mar 28, 1984 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 108-101 | |
| Mar 30, 1984 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 119-86 | |
| Mar 31, 1984 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 111-104 | |
| Apr 02, 1984 | @ New York Knicks | L 115-113 | |
| Apr 03, 1984 | vs. New York Knicks | L 113-96 | |
| Apr 05, 1984 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 114-99 | |
| Apr 06, 1984 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 111-103 | |
| Apr 08, 1984 | @ Boston Celtics | L 117-110 | |
| Apr 09, 1984 | @ Washington Bullets | L 136-134 | |
| Apr 11, 1984 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 129-112 | |
| Apr 13, 1984 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 109-85 | |
| Apr 15, 1984 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 129-115 |