1979–80 San Diego Clippers season

NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season

The 1979–80 NBA season was the Clippers’ 10th season in the NBA and their 2nd season in the city of San Diego.^[1]

Draft picks[edit]

San Diego Clippers roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Ht. Wt. From F 27 Barnes, Marvin 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Providence F 23 Bryant, Joe 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Penn G 24 Free, Lloyd 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Guilford G 30 Carrington, Bob 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Boston College G 43 Lee, Greg  6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) UCLA C 4 Malovic, Steve 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) San Diego C 31 Nater, Swen 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) UCLA F 40 Olive, John 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Villanova F 22 Pietkiewicz, Stan 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Auburn G 7 Smith, Bingo 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 212 lb (96 kg) Tulsa G 14 Taylor, Brian 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Princeton C 32 Walton, Bill 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) UCLA F 12 Weatherspoon, Nick 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 197 lb (89 kg) Illinois F 21 Wicks, Sidney 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) UCLA G 20 Williams, Freeman 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Portland State	Head coach Assistant coach(es) Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Roster Notes[edit]

Regular season[edit]

Game log[edit]

1979-80 Regular Season Game Log (35–47) (Home: 24–17; Road: 11–30)
October (4–7) (Home: 4–4; Road: 0–3) after-content-x4 Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record Report 1 October 12 Lakers L 102–103 Lloyd Free (46) Nick Weatherspoon (9) Lloyd Free (5) San Diego Sports Arena 8,503 0–1 [1] 2 October 14 SuperSonics W 98–93 Lloyd Free (35) Swen Nater (16) Tied (4) San Diego Sports Arena 7,242 1–1 [2] 3 October 16 @ Trail Blazers L 94–98 Lloyd Free (24) Swen Nater (16) Lloyd Free (4) Memorial Coliseum 12,666 1–2 [3] 4 October 18 Bulls W 111–107 Lloyd Free (32) Swen Nater (14) Brian Taylor (7) San Diego Sports Arena 6,844 2–2 [4] 5 October 19 @ SuperSonics L 98–106 Lloyd Free (41) Swen Nater (18) Tied (4) Kingdome 16,614 2–3 [5] 6 October 22 @ Jazz L 109–110 Lloyd Free (33) Swen Nater (13) World B. Free (4) Salt Palace 6,122 2–4 [6] 7 October 23 Nuggets W 132–127 Lloyd Free (32) Swen Nater (12) Tied (7) San Diego Sports Arena 6,660 3–4 [7] 8 October 25 Bucks L 115–118 Lloyd Free (30) Swen Nater (15) Tied (5) San Diego Sports Arena 6,617 3–5 [8] 9 October 27 SuperSonics W 110–105 Lloyd Free (33) Nick Weatherspoon (9) Lloyd Free (9) San Diego Sports Arena 7,224 4–5 [9] 10 October 28 Kings L 101–106 Joe Bryant (23) Swen Nater (13) Lloyd Free (5) San Diego Sports Arena 7,081 4–6 [10] 11 October 31 Spurs L 123–130 Lloyd Free (35) Swen Nater (21) Lloyd Free (6) San Diego Sports Arena 7,044 4–7 [11]
November (6–8) (Home: 5–3; Road: 2–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record Report 12 November 2 Trail Blazers L 102–123 Freeman Williams (29) Swen Nater (12) Brian Taylor (4) San Diego Sports Arena 7,319 4–8 [12] 13 November 3 Jazz W 126–109 Lloyd Free (28) Swen Nater (19) Swen Nater (10) San Diego Sports Arena 6,428 5–8 [13] 14 November 6 @ Lakers L 112–127 Lloyd Free (29) Swen Nater (15) Joe Bryant (7) The Forum 12,817 5–9 [14] 15 November 7 @ Suns W 114–102 Lloyd Free (45) Swen Nater (13) Lloyd Free (5) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 11,097 6–9 [15] 16 November 9 @ Bulls L 92–107 Freeman Williams (26) Swen Nater (16) Lloyd Free (7) Chicago Stadium 8,014 6–10 [16] 17 November 10 @ Bucks L 104–133 Freeman Williams (33) Swen Nater (15) Tied (6) MECCA Arena 10,938 6–11 [17] 18 November 13 Lakers L 91–137 Swen Nater (15) Swen Nater (10) Brian Taylor (7) San Diego Sports Arena 9,068 6–12 [18] 19 November 16 Pacers W 105–97 Freeman Williams (35) Swen Nater (15) Brian Taylor (6) San Diego Sports Arena 7,221 7–12 [19] 20 November 18 Bucks W 112–96 Brian Taylor (23) Swen Nater (21) Brian Taylor (9) San Diego Sports Arena 6,342 8–12 [20] 21 November 20 Suns W 117–110 Brian Taylor (28) Swen Nater (15) Lloyd Free (6) San Diego Sports Arena 6,992 9–12 [21] 22 November 21 @ Nuggets L 84–105 Lloyd Free (27) Tied (11) Joe Bryant (5) McNichols Sports Arena 5,922 9–13 [22] 23 November 23 Kings L 91–107 Lloyd Free (32) Swen Nater (14) Lloyd Free (3) San Diego Sports Arena 6,940 9–14 [23] 24 November 27 Bulls W 128–103 Lloyd Free (23) Swen Nater (16) Tied (7) San Diego Sports Arena 8,075 10–14 [24] 25 November 28 @ Warriors W 114–108 Lloyd Free (28) Swen Nater (17) Brian Taylor (9) Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 10,726 11–14 [25] 26 November 30 @ 76ers L 101–104 Lloyd Free (29) Swen Nater (16) Brian Taylor (7) The Spectrum 10,726 11–15 [26]
December (9–6) (Home: 5–2; Road: 4–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record Report 27 December 1 @ Hawks L 96–106 Lloyd Free (35) Joe Bryant (12) Joe Bryant (5) Omni Coliseum 9,373 11–16 [27] 28 December 4 @ Cavaliers L 112–115 Lloyd Free (28) Swen Nater (15) Freeman Williams (5) Richfield Coliseum 7,155 11–17 [28] 29 December 6 Warriors W 105–103 Lloyd Free (30) Swen Nater (11) Brian Taylor (6) San Diego Sports Arena 8,664 12–17 [29] 30 December 7 @ Lakers W 116–108 Lloyd Free (42) Swen Nater (27) Tied (4) The Forum 12,222 13–17 [30] 31 December 9 @ Trail Blazers W 98–96 Lloyd Free (25) Swen Nater (16) Lloyd Free (6) Memorial Coliseum 12,666 14–17 [31] 32 December 12 Rockets L 107–118 Lloyd Free (29) Swen Nater (17) Tied (3) San Diego Sports Arena 6,756 14–18 [32] 33 December 14 Nuggets W 112–108 Lloyd Free (37) Swen Nater (32) Lloyd Free (7) San Diego Sports Arena 6,684 15–18 [33] 34 December 16 Pistons W 113–124 Lloyd Free (49) Swen Nater (15) Tied (5) San Diego Sports Arena 7,571 16–18 [34] 35 December 18 @ Kings L 96–110 Lloyd Free (25) Swen Nater (8) Tied (3) Municipal Auditorium 6,935 16–19 [35] 36 December 20 Knicks W 128–118 Lloyd Free (32) Swen Nater (17) Sidney Wicks (6) San Diego Sports Arena 6,843 17–19 [36] 37 December 21 @ Jazz W 110–98 Freeman Williams (28) Joe Bryant (9) Sidney Wicks (7) Salt Palace 5,141 18–19 [37] 38 December 23 Jazz W 124–118 OT Lloyd Free (41) Swen Nater (22) Lloyd Free (8) San Diego Sports Arena 6,548 19–19 [38] 39 December 26 @ SuperSonics L 104–124 Brian Taylor (28) Swen Nater (10) Sidney Wicks (10) Kingdome 24,958 19–20 [39] 40 December 27 Celtics L 97–118 Lloyd Free (28) Swen Nater (15) Freeman Williams (3) San Diego Sports Arena 13,841 19–21 [40] 41 December 29 @ Bullets W 93–90 Freeman Williams (24) Swen Nater (17) Tied (3) Capital Centre 15,989 20–21 [41]
January (8–8) (Home: 5–0; Road: 3–8) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record Report 42 January 2 @ Nets W 103–97 Lloyd Free (31) Swen Nater (23) Freeman Williams (7) Rutgers Athletic Center 5,204 21–21 [42] 43 January 3 @ Knicks L 114–107 Lloyd Free (30) Freeman Williams (8) Tied (4) Madison Square Garden 11,375 21–22 [43] 44 January 4 @ Bulls L 118–121 Lloyd Free (38) Swen Nater (11) Brian Taylor (9) Chicago Stadium 10,538 21–23 [44] 45 January 6 SuperSonics W 105–103 Lloyd Free (34) Swen Nater (17) Tied (7) San Diego Sports Arena 7,622 22–23 [45] 46 January 8 @ Kings W 124–116 Lloyd Free (33) Swen Nater (26) Tied (4) Municipal Auditorium 7,387 23–23 [46] 47 January 9 @ Bucks W 111–107 Lloyd Free (33) Swen Nater (14) Lloyd Free (7) MECCA Arena 10,938 24–23 [47] 48 January 11 Warriors W 116–112 Lloyd Free (39) Swen Nater (16) Brian Taylor (5) San Diego Sports Arena 8,165 25–23 [48] 49 January 12 Jazz W 119–102 Lloyd Free (32) Swen Nater (28) Lloyd Free (7) San Diego Sports Arena 9,287 26–23 [49] 50 January 16 Hawks W 111–108 Lloyd Free (33) Swen Nater (16) Tied (4) San Diego Sports Arena 11,266 27–23 [50] 51 January 18 @ Warriors L 91–92 Lloyd Free (32) Swen Nater (17) Brian Taylor (7) Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 7,741 27–24 [51] 52 January 19 @ Suns L 123–137 Freeman Williams (51) Nick Weatherspoon (8) Stan Pietkiewicz (8) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 12,660 27–25 [52] 53 January 22 @ Spurs L 109–129 Freeman Williams (21) Sidney Wicks (11) Sidney Wicks (8) HemisFair Arena 10,049 27–26 [53] 54 January 23 @ Rockets L 110–111 2OT Lloyd Free (33) Swen Nater (23) Lloyd Free (9) The Summit 7,159 27–27 [54] 55 January 25 @ Pacers L 117–139 Lloyd Free (27) Swen Nater (16) Lloyd Free (7) Market Square Arena 8,794 27–28 [55] 56 January 27 @ Celtics L 108–131 Lloyd Free (35) Swen Nater (11) Tied (4) Boston Garden 15,320 27–29 [56] 57 January 29 Suns W 133–121 Lloyd Free (32) Swen Nater (21) Swen Nater (8) San Diego Sports Arena 11,428 28–29 [57]
February (3–8) (Home: 2–3; Road: 1–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record Report 58 February 6 @ Warriors L 117–92 Freeman Williams (29) Swen Nater (11) Stan Pietkiewicz (5) Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 8,380 28–30 [58] 59 February 8 Trail Blazers W 118–104 Freeman Williams (29) Joe Bryant (12) Tied (7) San Diego Sports Arena 12,715 29–30 [59] 60 February 9 @ Nuggets L 104–123 Freeman Williams (33) Swen Nater (18) Stan Pietkiewicz (7) McNichols Sports Arena 14,662 29–31 [60] 61 February 13 Bullets L 103–108 Lloyd Free (28) Swen Nater (15) Brian Taylor (8) San Diego Sports Arena 9,472 29–32 [61] 62 February 17 Kings L 107–108 Lloyd Free (24) Swen Nater (10) Brian Taylor (6) San Diego Sports Arena 9,114 29–33 [62] 63 February 19 Nets L 113–123 Freeman Williams (24) Swen Nater (10) Brian Taylor (6) San Diego Sports Arena 11,709 29–34 [63] 64 February 21 76ers W 104–99 Lloyd Free (24) Swen Nater (16) Tied (3) San Diego Sports Arena 13,472 30–34 [64] 65 February 24 @ Bulls L 102–110 Lloyd Free (35) Swen Nater (10) Bill Walton (6) Chicago Stadium 7,257 30–35 [65] 66 February 26 @ Bucks L 88–122 Lloyd Free (21) Swen Nater (15) Lloyd Free (4) MECCA Arena 10,938 30–36 [66] 67 February 27 @ Pistons W 129–113 Lloyd Free (42) Bill Walton (13) Tied (7) Pontiac Silverdome 5,229 31–36 [67] 68 February 29 @ Kings L 93–98 Lloyd Free (34) Tied (13) Lloyd Free (4) Checkerdome 10,561 31–37 [68]
March (4–10) (Home: 3–5; Road: 1–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record Report 69 March 2 Bucks L 98–101 Lloyd Free (22) Swen Nater (14) Swen Nater (3) San Diego Sports Arena 13,841 31–38 [69] 70 March 4 Cavaliers W 116–105 Lloyd Free (24) Swen Nater (19) Tied (5) San Diego Sports Arena 9,024 32–38 [70] 71 March 8 @ Jazz W 113–98 Lloyd Free (38) Bill Walton (15) Tied (4) Salt Palace 9,462 33–38 [71] 72 March 9 Warriors L 107–125 Lloyd Free (26) Swen Nater (13) Swen Nater (8) San Diego Sports Arena 7,560 33–39 [72] 73 March 11 Lakers L 106–123 Lloyd Free (32) Swen Nater (16) Tied (4) San Diego Sports Arena 13,841 33–40 [73] 74 March 13 Nuggets W 116–102 Lloyd Free (26) Swen Nater (22) Brian Taylor (8) San Diego Sports Arena 6,798 34–40 [74] 75 March 15 Suns W 120–109 Lloyd Free (44) Swen Nater (16) Tied (6) San Diego Sports Arena 10,635 35–40 [75] 76 March 16 @ Nuggets L 107–127 Lloyd Free (29) Swen Nater (18) Lloyd Free (4) McNichols Sports Arena 12,497 35–41 [76] 77 March 18 Bulls L 101–115 Swen Nater (24) Swen Nater (10) Brian Taylor (7) San Diego Sports Arena 8,731 35–42 [77] 78 March 21 @ SuperSonics L 104–107 Freeman Williams (21) Swen Nater (9) Tied (7) Kingdome 22,695 35–43 [78] 79 March 23 @ Trail Blazers L 91–98 Freeman Williams (25) Swen Nater (13) Swen Nater (9) Memorial Coliseum 12,666 35–44 [79] 80 March 27 Trail Blazers L 93–96 Swen Nater (24) Swen Nater (19) Swen Nater (5) San Diego Sports Arena 10,863 35–45 [80] 81 March 28 @ Lakers L 88–126 Freeman Williams (20) Swen Nater (23) Sidney Wicks (10) The Forum 17,505 35–46 [81] 82 March 30 @ Suns L 104–122 Freeman Williams (24) Swen Nater (19) Tied (7) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 10,807 35–47 [82]

Season standings[edit]

Notes

• z, y – division champions
• x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents[edit]

1979-80 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	KCK	LAL	MIL	NJN	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SAS	SDC	SEA	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	–	2–4	1–1	4–2	1–1	6–0	2–0	2–4	4–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–2	4–2	4–2	1–1	2–0	5–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–3
Boston	4–2	–	2–0	4–2	2–0	6–0	2–0	6–0	4–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	5–1	5–1	3–3	1–1	2–0	4–2	2–0	0–2	2–0	4–2
Chicago	1–1	0–2	–	2–0	2–4	1–1	4–2	1–1	0–2	3–3	1–5	1–5	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–5	3–3	0–2	4–2	2–4	2–4	0–2
Cleveland	2–4	2–4	0–2	–	1–1	6–0	2–0	2–4	2–4	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–3	3–3	1–5	1–1	0–2	4–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–3
Denver	1–1	0–2	4–2	1–1	–	1–1	3–3	1–1	1–1	0–6	1–5	3–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–5	2–4	1–1	3–3	1–5	3–3	1–1
Detroit	0–6	0–6	1–1	0–6	1–1	–	1–1	1–5	1–5	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–4	2–4	1–5	0–2	0–2	2–4	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–4
Golden State	0–2	0–2	2–4	0–2	3–3	1–1	–	1–1	1–1	3–3	1–5	0–6	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–4	2–4	0–2	3–3	0–6	3–3	0–2
Houston	4–2	0–6	1–1	4–2	1–1	5–1	1–1	–	4–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–3	3–3	2–4	1–1	1–1	3–3	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–4
Indiana	2–4	2–4	2–0	4–2	1–1	5–1	1–1	2–4	–	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–4	4–2	1–5	0–2	2–0	2–4	1–1	0–2	1–1	4–2
Kansas City	2–0	1–1	3–3	0–2	6–0	2–0	3–3	2–0	1–1	–	2–4	3–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–5	1–5	1–1	5–1	3–3	6–0	2–0
Los Angeles	1–1	2–0	5–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	5–1	2–0	2–0	4–2	–	3–3	2–0	2–0	1–1	3–3	2–4	2–0	5–1	4–2	6–0	1–1
Milwaukee	1–1	0–2	5–1	2–0	3–3	1–1	6–0	1–1	2–0	3–3	3–3	–	1–1	1–1	0–2	4–2	5–1	0–2	4–2	2–4	4–2	1–1
New Jersey	2–4	1–5	1–1	3–3	1–1	4–2	0–2	3–3	4–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	–	2–4	1–5	1–1	0–2	3–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–3
New York	2–4	1–5	2–0	3–3	1–1	4–2	2–0	3–3	2–4	1–1	0–2	1–1	4–2	–	0–6	2–0	2–0	4–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–3
Philadelphia	2–4	3–3	1–1	5–1	2–0	5–1	2–0	4–2	5–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	5–1	6–0	–	1–1	2–0	4–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	5–1
Phoenix	1–1	1–1	5–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	4–2	1–1	2–0	5–1	3–3	2–4	1–1	0–2	1–1	–	6–0	1–1	2–4	4–2	6–0	2–0
Portland	0–2	0–2	3–3	2–0	4–2	2–0	4–2	1–1	0–2	5–1	4–2	1–5	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–6	–	1–1	4–2	1–5	3–3	1–1
San Antonio	1–5	2–4	2–0	2–4	1–1	4–2	2–0	3–3	4–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–3	2–4	2–4	1–1	1–1	–	2–0	1–1	1–1	4–2
San Diego	1–1	0–2	2–4	1–1	3–3	2–0	3–3	0–2	1–1	1–5	1–5	2–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–2	2–4	0–2	–	3–3	5–1	1–1
Seattle	2–0	2–0	4–2	2–0	5–1	2–0	6–0	1–1	2–0	3–3	2–4	4–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–4	5–1	1–1	3–3	–	5–1	1–1
Utah	0–2	0–2	4–2	1–1	3–3	1–1	3–3	0–2	1–1	0–6	0–6	2–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–6	3–3	1–1	1–5	1–5	–	0–2
Washington	3–3	2–4	2–0	3–3	1–1	4–2	2–0	4–2	2–4	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–3	3–3	1–5	0–2	1–1	2–4	1–1	1–1	2–0	—

Player statistics[edit]

Awards, records and milestones[edit]

Awards[edit]

Week/Month[edit]

All-Star[edit]

• Lloyd Free selected as a reserve guard for the Western Conference All-Stars. Free would be the first and only San Diego Clipper All-Star.

Season[edit]

Records[edit]

• Swen Nater sets a franchise record of total rebounds in a single season with 1,216. This record will not be broken until 35 years later by DeAndre Jordan with 1,226 rebounds.

Milestones[edit]

Transactions[edit]

The Clippers were involved in the following transactions during the 1979–80 season.

Trades[edit]

Free agents[edit]

References[edit]