The 1979-80 New Jersey Nets season marked the franchise’s fourth year in the NBA. Under head coach Kevin Loughery, the team struggled to find consistency, finishing with a 34-48 record. This placed them fourth in the Atlantic Division, missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Despite the team’s overall struggles, forward Bernard King emerged as a standout performer, leading the team in scoring with an average of 21.6 points per game and earning an All-Star selection.
During the season, the Nets had difficulty maintaining momentum, reflected in their lackluster win-loss record. The season also saw the team transition to the newly built Brendan Byrne Arena in New Jersey, after spending their early years sharing arenas in New York. This move was part of a larger effort to solidify their identity in the New Jersey market. Despite the challenges faced, the season laid groundwork for future improvements and growth within the organization.
- Regular Season Record: 34-48
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
New Jersey Nets Roster and Stats for 1979-80 Season
POINTS
Mike Newlin
20.9
REBOUNDS
Calvin Natt
9.7
ASSISTS
Eddie Jordan
6.8
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Mike Newlin | 78 | 20.9 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 40.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Calvin Natt | 53 | 19.7 | 9.7 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 25.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| John Williamson | 28 | 17.7 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 57.1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Maurice Lucas | 22 | 15.2 | 9.5 | 3.6 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Cliff Robinson | 70 | 13.6 | 7.1 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 25.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Eddie Jordan | 82 | 13.3 | 3.2 | 6.8 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 35.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Roger Phegley | 28 | 11.7 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rich Kelley | 57 | 10.0 | 7.0 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Winford Boynes | 64 | 8.5 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| George Johnson | 81 | 7.2 | 7.4 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jan van Breda Kolff | 82 | 6.8 | 5.2 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 53.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Elliott | 54 | 5.7 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 100.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Robert Smith | 59 | 5.2 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 34.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ralph Simpson | 8 | 5.1 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Phil Jackson | 16 | 4.1 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Tim Bassett | 7 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
New Jersey Nets 1979-80 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1979-80 season for the New Jersey Nets.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 102-95 | |
| Oct 16, 1979 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 113-100 | |
| Oct 17, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 113-88 | |
| Oct 19, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 111-106 | |
| Oct 23, 1979 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 108-103 | |
| Oct 26, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 94-90 | |
| Oct 27, 1979 | @ New York Knicks | L 94-92 | |
| Oct 28, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 120-115 | |
| Oct 31, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 116-79 | |
| Nov 02, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 115-93 | |
| Nov 03, 1979 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 110-107 | |
| Nov 04, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 101-98 | |
| Nov 06, 1979 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 108-95 | |
| Nov 07, 1979 | @ Houston Rockets | L 106-101 | |
| Nov 13, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 101-82 | |
| Nov 16, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 92-91 | |
| Nov 17, 1979 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 98-93 | |
| Nov 18, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 107-105 | |
| Nov 21, 1979 | @ Boston Celtics | L 111-103 | |
| Nov 22, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 117-109 | |
| Nov 24, 1979 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 91-82 | |
| Nov 25, 1979 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 112-103 | |
| Nov 27, 1979 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 118-93 | |
| Nov 28, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 98-89 | |
| Nov 30, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 127-118 | |
| Dec 01, 1979 | @ Washington Bullets | L 104-100 | |
| Dec 05, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 115-100 | |
| Dec 09, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 122-85 | |
| Dec 12, 1979 | @ Boston Celtics | L 116-102 | |
| Dec 14, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 118-105 | |
| Dec 15, 1979 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 117-111 | |
| Dec 16, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 115-112 | |
| Dec 19, 1979 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 122-114 | |
| Dec 21, 1979 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 100-97 | |
| Dec 22, 1979 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 107-101 | |
| Dec 25, 1979 | @ New York Knicks | L 131-102 | |
| Dec 26, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 116-104 | |
| Dec 28, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 116-101 | |
| Jan 02, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 103-97 | |
| Jan 03, 1980 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 126-119 | |
| Jan 04, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 104-101 | |
| Jan 06, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 108-100 | |
| Jan 09, 1980 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 108-105 | |
| Jan 11, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 128-107 | |
| Jan 13, 1980 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 120-101 | |
| Jan 15, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 123-119 | |
| Jan 16, 1980 | @ Houston Rockets | W 122-112 | |
| Jan 18, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 112-105 | |
| Jan 23, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 117-103 | |
| Jan 24, 1980 | @ Washington Bullets | W 98-87 | |
| Jan 25, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 119-116 | |
| Jan 27, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 128-127 | |
| Jan 30, 1980 | @ Utah Jazz | L 102-100 | |
| Jan 31, 1980 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 127-126 | |
| Feb 05, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 123-115 | |
| Feb 06, 1980 | @ Houston Rockets | L 115-114 | |
| Feb 08, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 125-120 | |
| Feb 10, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 122-107 | |
| Feb 13, 1980 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 98-96 | |
| Feb 14, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 137-96 | |
| Feb 17, 1980 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 128-98 | |
| Feb 19, 1980 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 123-113 | |
| Feb 22, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 132-110 | |
| Feb 24, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 129-123 | |
| Feb 27, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 133-120 | |
| Feb 29, 1980 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 137-128 | |
| Mar 01, 1980 | @ New York Knicks | L 115-108 | |
| Mar 02, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 113-96 | |
| Mar 04, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 114-109 | |
| Mar 06, 1980 | @ Washington Bullets | W 122-96 | |
| Mar 07, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 111-110 | |
| Mar 09, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 140-100 | |
| Mar 11, 1980 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 122-119 | |
| Mar 12, 1980 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 137-119 | |
| Mar 16, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 120-107 | |
| Mar 17, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 117-92 | |
| Mar 19, 1980 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 125-112 | |
| Mar 21, 1980 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 108-99 | |
| Mar 23, 1980 | @ Boston Celtics | W 101-96 | |
| Mar 27, 1980 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 117-100 | |
| Mar 28, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 99-92 | |
| Mar 30, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 93-87 |