The 1980-81 Utah Jazz season marked the team’s seventh season in the NBA and their second in Utah after relocating from New Orleans. Under head coach Tom Nissalke, the Jazz struggled to find consistency, finishing with a 28-54 record. This performance placed them at the bottom of the Midwest Division standings and well out of playoff contention. The team faced challenges on both ends of the court, which contributed to their inability to compete effectively within a tough division.
Adrian Dantley was a standout player for the Jazz, delivering impressive individual performances throughout the season. He averaged 30.7 points per game, making him one of the league’s leading scorers and earning him a spot in the All-Star Game. Despite Dantley’s scoring prowess, the team struggled defensively, allowing opponents to score with relative ease, which was a significant factor in their disappointing record.
The Jazz also faced issues with team depth and injuries, further complicating their season. Although they showed flashes of potential, the lack of a reliable supporting cast around Dantley meant the team could not maintain competitiveness over the course of the season. Despite these challenges, the 1980-81 season served as a learning experience for the franchise, setting the stage for future improvements. Moving forward, the Jazz aimed to build around Dantley and address their weaknesses in hopes of becoming a more competitive team in the league.
- Regular Season Record: 28-54
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Utah Jazz Roster and Stats for 1980-81 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Adrian Dantley | 80 | 30.6 | 6.4 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Darrell Griffith | 81 | 20.6 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 20.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ben Poquette | 82 | 9.5 | 7.7 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Rickey Green | 47 | 9.0 | 2.5 | 4.9 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Allan Bristow | 82 | 8.7 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 29.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Billy McKinney | 35 | 8.4 | 2.1 | 4.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 50.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ron Boone | 52 | 7.8 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 29.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Wayne Cooper | 71 | 6.9 | 6.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Carl Nicks | 40 | 6.2 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| James Hardy | 23 | 5.0 | 5.8 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jeff Wilkins | 56 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jeff Judkins | 62 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 34.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mel Bennett | 28 | 3.8 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Brett Vroman | 11 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Duren | 40 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dick Miller | 3 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Utah Jazz 1980-81 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1980-81 season for the Utah Jazz.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 1980 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 96-86 | |
| Oct 11, 1980 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 98-91 | |
| Oct 12, 1980 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 125-121 | |
| Oct 15, 1980 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 107-93 | |
| Oct 18, 1980 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 117-115 | |
| Oct 20, 1980 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 98-92 | |
| Oct 24, 1980 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 103-100 | |
| Oct 25, 1980 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 127-99 | |
| Oct 28, 1980 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 104-96 | |
| Oct 29, 1980 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 109-96 | |
| Oct 31, 1980 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 144-122 | |
| Nov 01, 1980 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 95-87 | |
| Nov 04, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 107-104 | |
| Nov 06, 1980 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 112-96 | |
| Nov 08, 1980 | vs. New York Knicks | L 109-102 | |
| Nov 10, 1980 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 108-106 | |
| Nov 12, 1980 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 114-106 | |
| Nov 14, 1980 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 117-115 | |
| Nov 15, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 120-104 | |
| Nov 18, 1980 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 126-93 | |
| Nov 22, 1980 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 99-93 | |
| Nov 26, 1980 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 104-97 | |
| Nov 28, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 122-95 | |
| Nov 29, 1980 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 113-93 | |
| Dec 02, 1980 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 119-108 | |
| Dec 04, 1980 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 122-118 | |
| Dec 06, 1980 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 108-98 | |
| Dec 07, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 113-100 | |
| Dec 09, 1980 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 115-90 | |
| Dec 12, 1980 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 118-98 | |
| Dec 13, 1980 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 110-103 | |
| Dec 16, 1980 | @ New York Knicks | L 112-97 | |
| Dec 18, 1980 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 109-97 | |
| Dec 19, 1980 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 108-90 | |
| Dec 20, 1980 | vs. San Diego Clippers | L 103-91 | |
| Dec 23, 1980 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 101-96 | |
| Dec 26, 1980 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 110-109 | |
| Dec 27, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 142-117 | |
| Dec 30, 1980 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 110-100 | |
| Jan 01, 1981 | @ Houston Rockets | L 117-103 | |
| Jan 02, 1981 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 101-95 | |
| Jan 03, 1981 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 109-103 | |
| Jan 07, 1981 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 121-117 | |
| Jan 08, 1981 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 99-97 | |
| Jan 10, 1981 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 99-92 | |
| Jan 14, 1981 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 110-107 | |
| Jan 16, 1981 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 112-109 | |
| Jan 18, 1981 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 110-89 | |
| Jan 20, 1981 | @ Washington Bullets | L 121-113 | |
| Jan 21, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 117-87 | |
| Jan 23, 1981 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 103-101 | |
| Jan 24, 1981 | @ Houston Rockets | L 106-91 | |
| Jan 26, 1981 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 102-99 | |
| Jan 27, 1981 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 111-104 | |
| Jan 29, 1981 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 99-97 | |
| Feb 04, 1981 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 114-89 | |
| Feb 06, 1981 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 120-116 | |
| Feb 07, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 96-89 | |
| Feb 08, 1981 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 107-101 | |
| Feb 11, 1981 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 99-87 | |
| Feb 13, 1981 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 104-89 | |
| Feb 15, 1981 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 118-84 | |
| Feb 17, 1981 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 101-98 | |
| Feb 20, 1981 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 92-84 | |
| Feb 22, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 108-93 | |
| Feb 23, 1981 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 106-102 | |
| Feb 25, 1981 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 132-106 | |
| Feb 27, 1981 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 87-83 | |
| Mar 01, 1981 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 108-97 | |
| Mar 03, 1981 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 112-93 | |
| Mar 04, 1981 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 107-105 | |
| Mar 05, 1981 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 112-100 | |
| Mar 07, 1981 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 97-94 | |
| Mar 14, 1981 | @ Houston Rockets | L 101-82 | |
| Mar 17, 1981 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 94-86 | |
| Mar 18, 1981 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 120-113 | |
| Mar 21, 1981 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 105-95 | |
| Mar 22, 1981 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 113-108 | |
| Mar 24, 1981 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 105-92 | |
| Mar 26, 1981 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 98-97 | |
| Mar 28, 1981 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 112-110 | |
| Mar 29, 1981 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 105-90 |