The 1978-79 New Jersey Nets season marked their second year in the NBA after transitioning from the ABA. The team struggled throughout the season, finishing with a record of 37-45. Despite their challenges, the Nets showed flashes of potential with standout performances from players like Bernard King, who averaged 21.6 points per game, and Eddie Jordan, who made significant contributions on both ends of the court.
Under the guidance of head coach Kevin Loughery, the Nets faced difficulties in maintaining consistency but managed to secure a place in the playoffs. Unfortunately, their postseason run was short-lived as they were eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers. The season highlighted the team’s need for more stability and depth to compete effectively in the league. Overall, the 1978-79 season was a building year for the Nets as they continued to adapt to the NBA’s competitive landscape.
- Regular Season Record: 37-45
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 0-2
New Jersey Nets 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% |
| John Williamson | 74 | 22.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 2 | 29.5 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bernard King | 82 | 21.6 | 8.2 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2 | 26.0 | 5.5 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Eric Money | 47 | 16.7 | 2.6 | 5.3 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Eddie Jordan | 82 | 12.4 | 2.6 | 4.4 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2 | 19.0 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| Winford Boynes | 69 | 9.3 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Elliott | 14 | 8.8 | 3.7 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Wilson Washington | 62 | 8.1 | 4.6 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Al Skinner | 23 | 7.9 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ralph Simpson | 32 | 6.9 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jan van Breda Kolff | 80 | 6.7 | 4.7 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 2 | 10.5 | 10.0 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| George Johnson | 78 | 6.6 | 7.7 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 2 | 14.5 | 12.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 0.0 |
| Phil Jackson | 59 | 6.3 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 2 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Harvey Catchings | 32 | 6.1 | 6.4 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Tim Bassett | 82 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 2 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
New Jersey Nets in the 1979 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Philadelphia 76ers
In the 1979 NBA Playoffs, the New Jersey Nets faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. Despite a valiant effort, the Nets were swept in the two-game mini-series, unable to overcome the star power of Julius Erving and a strong 76ers squad. This marked another early exit for the Nets, who struggled to make a deep playoff run in their early NBA years.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 11, 1979 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 122-114 | |
| Apr 13, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 111-101 |
New Jersey Nets 1978-79 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1978-79 season for the New Jersey Nets.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 1978 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 107-105 | |
| Oct 14, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 102-100 | |
| Oct 17, 1978 | @ Washington Bullets | L 113-109 | |
| Oct 18, 1978 | @ Houston Rockets | L 139-87 | |
| Oct 20, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 126-117 | |
| Oct 21, 1978 | @ New York Knicks | L 109-108 | |
| Oct 24, 1978 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 97-95 | |
| Oct 25, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 121-118 | |
| Oct 27, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 123-108 | |
| Oct 28, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 111-109 | |
| Nov 01, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 131-110 | |
| Nov 03, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 102-81 | |
| Nov 04, 1978 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 118-117 | |
| Nov 08, 1978 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 123-117 | |
| Nov 10, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 91-86 | |
| Nov 11, 1978 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 125-112 | |
| Nov 14, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 124-108 | |
| Nov 17, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 143-94 | |
| Nov 18, 1978 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 114-100 | |
| Nov 21, 1978 | @ New Orleans Jazz | L 140-118 | |
| Nov 22, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 100-92 | |
| Nov 24, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 103-100 | |
| Nov 25, 1978 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 151-110 | |
| Nov 29, 1978 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 125-111 | |
| Dec 01, 1978 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 120-110 | |
| Dec 03, 1978 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 107-105 | |
| Dec 06, 1978 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 92-83 | |
| Dec 08, 1978 | @ Washington Bullets | W 108-100 | |
| Dec 09, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 125-120 | |
| Dec 15, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 121-104 | |
| Dec 20, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 108-105 | |
| Dec 27, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 115-104 | |
| Dec 29, 1978 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 137-126 | |
| Dec 30, 1978 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 104-94 | |
| Jan 03, 1979 | @ Houston Rockets | L 127-122 | |
| Jan 04, 1979 | @ New Orleans Jazz | W 125-112 | |
| Jan 05, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 110-104 | |
| Jan 07, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 117-112 | |
| Jan 10, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 120-116 | |
| Jan 12, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 117-116 | |
| Jan 14, 1979 | @ Boston Celtics | W 110-100 | |
| Jan 17, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 106-99 | |
| Jan 24, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 123-114 | |
| Jan 26, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 110-104 | |
| Jan 28, 1979 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 117-114 | |
| Jan 30, 1979 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 127-108 | |
| Jan 31, 1979 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 112-104 | |
| Feb 01, 1979 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 107-102 | |
| Feb 02, 1979 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 117-100 | |
| Feb 06, 1979 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 119-100 | |
| Feb 07, 1979 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 90-84 | |
| Feb 08, 1979 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 106-105 | |
| Feb 11, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 104-98 | |
| Feb 13, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 111-102 | |
| Feb 14, 1979 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 115-94 | |
| Feb 16, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 105-100 | |
| Feb 18, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 126-124 | |
| Feb 21, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 123-112 | |
| Feb 23, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 110-99 | |
| Feb 24, 1979 | @ New York Knicks | L 111-107 | |
| Feb 25, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 116-102 | |
| Mar 02, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 99-91 | |
| Mar 06, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 103-99 | |
| Mar 07, 1979 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 133-98 | |
| Mar 09, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 108-100 | |
| Mar 11, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 104-103 | |
| Mar 13, 1979 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 105-102 | |
| Mar 14, 1979 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 120-100 | |
| Mar 16, 1979 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 117-102 | |
| Mar 17, 1979 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 124-113 | |
| Mar 18, 1979 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 110-98 | |
| Mar 20, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 117-110 | |
| Mar 23, 1979 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 110-98 | |
| Mar 25, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 99-88 | |
| Mar 28, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 127-108 | |
| Mar 30, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 117-106 | |
| Apr 01, 1979 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 109-98 | |
| Apr 03, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 110-97 | |
| Apr 04, 1979 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 110-103 | |
| Apr 06, 1979 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 117-114 | |
| Apr 07, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 126-112 | |
| Apr 08, 1979 | @ Boston Celtics | L 127-101 |