1979-80 NBA
Early Three-Point Era
Los Angeles Lakers won the title.
- Teams
- 22
- Games per team
- 82
- Pace (poss. per 48 min)
- 103.1
- Points per team game
- 109.3
- League true shooting
- .531
- Share of shots from three
- 3.1%
Award winners
- MVPKareem Abdul-Jabbar
- Rookie of the YearLarry Bird
Standings and postseason
East
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 61 | 21 | 7.37 | Lost conf. finals |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 59 | 23 | 4.04 | Lost Finals |
| Atlanta Hawks | 50 | 32 | 2.83 | Lost 2nd round |
| Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | 0.27 | Lost conf. finals |
| San Antonio Spurs | 41 | 41 | -0.24 | Lost conf. finals |
| New York Knicks | 39 | 43 | -0.96 | Missed playoffs |
| Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | -2.27 | Lost 1st round |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 37 | 45 | 0.43 | Missed playoffs |
| Indiana Pacers | 37 | 45 | -0.54 | Missed playoffs |
| New Jersey Nets | 34 | 48 | -0.98 | Missed playoffs |
| Detroit Pistons | 16 | 66 | -7.57 | Missed playoffs |
West
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | 60 | 22 | 5.40 | Won title |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 56 | 26 | 4.24 | Lost conf. finals |
| Phoenix Suns | 55 | 27 | 3.25 | Lost conf. finals |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 49 | 33 | 3.57 | Lost conf. finals |
| Kansas City Kings | 47 | 35 | 2.82 | Lost conf. finals |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 38 | 44 | -0.87 | Lost 2nd round |
| San Diego Clippers | 35 | 47 | -3.97 | Missed playoffs |
| Chicago Bulls | 30 | 52 | -2.63 | Missed playoffs |
| Denver Nuggets | 30 | 52 | -4.22 | Missed playoffs |
| Golden State Warriors | 24 | 58 | -4.20 | Missed playoffs |
| Utah Jazz | 24 | 58 | -5.71 | Missed playoffs |
Rules in force
| Free-throw lane width | 16 ft |
|---|---|
| Three-point line | 23 ft 9 in (22 ft corners) |
| 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
Three-point line adopted
The NBA adds a three-point line at 23 feet 9 inches (22 feet in the corners). Usage stays low for over a decade.