The 1978-79 Indiana Pacers struggled during their third NBA season, finishing with a record of 38-44. Despite their efforts, they fell short of making the playoffs. The team was led by standout player Billy Knight, who was a consistent scoring threat and provided veteran leadership on the court. Head coach Slick Leonard faced challenges in maintaining consistency, as the team grappled with injuries and fluctuating performances throughout the season.
In terms of roster composition, the Pacers had a mix of young talent and experienced players, but they couldn’t find the winning formula needed to compete in a tough Central Division. The season highlighted the need for stronger defensive play and more reliable scoring options. Although the Pacers showed flashes of potential, their inability to close out tight games ultimately defined their season. The 1978-79 campaign underscored the need for strategic changes and player development moving forward.
- Regular Season Record: 38-44
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Indiana Pacers Roster and Stats for 1978-79 Season
POINTS
Johnny Davis
18.3
REBOUNDS
James Edwards
8.5
ASSISTS
Johnny Davis
5.7
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Johnny Davis | 79 | 18.3 | 2.4 | 5.7 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ricky Sobers | 81 | 17.3 | 3.7 | 5.6 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| James Edwards | 82 | 16.7 | 8.5 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Alex English | 81 | 16.0 | 8.1 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Billy Knight | 39 | 14.7 | 4.5 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mike Bantom | 81 | 14.7 | 8.0 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rick Robey | 43 | 8.6 | 5.9 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Corky Calhoun | 81 | 4.7 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Len Elmore | 80 | 4.2 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kevin Stacom | 44 | 4.2 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Wayne Radford | 52 | 3.9 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Brad Davis | 22 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Steve Green | 39 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Indiana Pacers 1978-79 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1978-79 season for the Indiana Pacers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 1978 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 117-104 | |
| Oct 18, 1978 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 99-92 | |
| Oct 21, 1978 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 125-119 | |
| Oct 24, 1978 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 97-95 | |
| Oct 27, 1978 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 112-99 | |
| Oct 28, 1978 | @ New York Knicks | L 111-106 | |
| Oct 31, 1978 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 119-114 | |
| Nov 01, 1978 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 124-113 | |
| Nov 03, 1978 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 115-108 | |
| Nov 04, 1978 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 97-84 | |
| Nov 08, 1978 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 113-111 | |
| Nov 10, 1978 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 116-111 | |
| Nov 12, 1978 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 134-106 | |
| Nov 14, 1978 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 109-106 | |
| Nov 17, 1978 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 126-115 | |
| Nov 18, 1978 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 123-111 | |
| Nov 21, 1978 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 108-103 | |
| Nov 22, 1978 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 115-110 | |
| Nov 24, 1978 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 104-98 | |
| Nov 26, 1978 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 114-112 | |
| Nov 29, 1978 | vs. New York Knicks | W 101-99 | |
| Dec 01, 1978 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 111-107 | |
| Dec 02, 1978 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 117-110 | |
| Dec 06, 1978 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 115-109 | |
| Dec 08, 1978 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 114-107 | |
| Dec 12, 1978 | @ New Orleans Jazz | L 109-103 | |
| Dec 13, 1978 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 117-101 | |
| Dec 15, 1978 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 125-113 | |
| Dec 19, 1978 | @ New York Knicks | L 130-102 | |
| Dec 20, 1978 | @ Boston Celtics | L 121-105 | |
| Dec 21, 1978 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 121-108 | |
| Dec 23, 1978 | vs. New Orleans Jazz | W 127-103 | |
| Dec 26, 1978 | @ Washington Bullets | L 108-104 | |
| Dec 27, 1978 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 122-110 | |
| Dec 30, 1978 | vs. San Diego Clippers | L 114-111 | |
| Jan 03, 1979 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 108-102 | |
| Jan 05, 1979 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 123-96 | |
| Jan 06, 1979 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 120-99 | |
| Jan 07, 1979 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 112-97 | |
| Jan 09, 1979 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 112-104 | |
| Jan 10, 1979 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 118-98 | |
| Jan 13, 1979 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 102-99 | |
| Jan 14, 1979 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 111-109 | |
| Jan 17, 1979 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 112-102 | |
| Jan 19, 1979 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 101-98 | |
| Jan 20, 1979 | @ Washington Bullets | L 109-104 | |
| Jan 23, 1979 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 110-107 | |
| Jan 26, 1979 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 119-106 | |
| Jan 28, 1979 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 123-110 | |
| Jan 30, 1979 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 112-106 | |
| Feb 02, 1979 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 87-84 | |
| Feb 06, 1979 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 110-107 | |
| Feb 07, 1979 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 90-84 | |
| Feb 09, 1979 | @ Boston Celtics | L 112-101 | |
| Feb 11, 1979 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 110-108 | |
| Feb 13, 1979 | @ Houston Rockets | W 124-120 | |
| Feb 14, 1979 | vs. New York Knicks | W 106-97 | |
| Feb 16, 1979 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 105-100 | |
| Feb 18, 1979 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 122-111 | |
| Feb 21, 1979 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 114-109 | |
| Feb 23, 1979 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 96-94 | |
| Feb 25, 1979 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 118-108 | |
| Feb 27, 1979 | @ San Diego Clippers | L 124-107 | |
| Feb 28, 1979 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 103-102 | |
| Mar 02, 1979 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 105-98 | |
| Mar 07, 1979 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 109-105 | |
| Mar 09, 1979 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 125-116 | |
| Mar 11, 1979 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 112-111 | |
| Mar 13, 1979 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 122-120 | |
| Mar 16, 1979 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 114-106 | |
| Mar 17, 1979 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 105-98 | |
| Mar 21, 1979 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 114-105 | |
| Mar 22, 1979 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 108-106 | |
| Mar 23, 1979 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 141-134 | |
| Mar 25, 1979 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 121-113 | |
| Mar 27, 1979 | @ New Orleans Jazz | W 104-101 | |
| Mar 28, 1979 | @ Houston Rockets | W 125-124 | |
| Mar 30, 1979 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 101-99 | |
| Mar 31, 1979 | @ Kansas City Kings | L 126-101 | |
| Apr 04, 1979 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 102-95 | |
| Apr 06, 1979 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 136-118 | |
| Apr 08, 1979 | vs. Kansas City Kings | L 107-101 |