1978-79 NBA
Expansion & ABA Rivalry
Seattle SuperSonics won the title.
- Teams
- 22
- Games per team
- 82
- Pace (poss. per 48 min)
- 105.8
- Points per team game
- 110.3
- League true shooting
- .530
- Share of shots from three
- No line
Award winners
- MVPMoses Malone
- Rookie of the YearPhil Ford
Standings and postseason
East
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Bullets | 54 | 28 | 4.75 | Lost Finals |
| San Antonio Spurs | 48 | 34 | 4.97 | Lost conf. finals |
| Houston Rockets | 47 | 35 | 0.92 | Lost conf. finals |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | 1.74 | Lost conf. finals |
| Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | 1.92 | Lost conf. finals |
| New Jersey Nets | 37 | 45 | -4.00 | Lost conf. finals |
| New York Knicks | 31 | 51 | -3.29 | Missed playoffs |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 30 | 52 | -3.57 | Missed playoffs |
| Detroit Pistons | 30 | 52 | -2.60 | Missed playoffs |
| Boston Celtics | 29 | 53 | -4.78 | Missed playoffs |
| New Orleans Jazz | 26 | 56 | -5.97 | Missed playoffs |
West
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle SuperSonics | 52 | 30 | 2.69 | Won title |
| Phoenix Suns | 50 | 32 | 3.55 | Lost conf. finals |
| Kansas City Kings | 48 | 34 | 2.73 | Lost conf. finals |
| Denver Nuggets | 47 | 35 | 1.24 | Lost conf. finals |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 47 | 35 | 2.95 | Lost conf. finals |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 45 | 37 | 1.12 | Lost 2nd round |
| San Diego Clippers | 43 | 39 | -1.76 | Missed playoffs |
| Golden State Warriors | 38 | 44 | 0.46 | Missed playoffs |
| Indiana Pacers | 38 | 44 | -1.41 | Missed playoffs |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 38 | 44 | 2.12 | Missed playoffs |
| Chicago Bulls | 31 | 51 | -3.78 | Missed playoffs |
Rules in force
| Free-throw lane width | 16 ft |
|---|---|
| Three-point line | none |
| Arm bar / forearm contact | allowed (source pending) |
| Hand-checking | allowed |
| Zone defense | not permitted (source pending) |
| Team foul penalty (bonus) | bonus after team foul limit |
| Backcourt count | 10 seconds (source pending) |
| Shot clock | 24 seconds |
See how each rule changed over time on the rules timeline.
What changed this season
No league-wide rule or format changes recorded for this season.