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NBA professional basketball team season
The 1980–81 NBA season was the Kings 32nd season in the NBA and their ninth season in the city of Kansas City .[ 1] The Kansas City Kings made the playoffs with a 40-42 win loss record and appeared in the western conference finals where they lost to the also 40-42 Houston Rockets. This is the only time two NBA teams with losing records have made it to the conference finals.
Draft picks
Roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
SG
10
Birdsong, Otis
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Houston
C
13
Douglas, Leon
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
Alabama
PG
1
Ford, Phil
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
North Carolina
F
22
Gerard, Gus
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Virginia
SG
20
Grunfeld, Ernie
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
Tennessee
F
51
King, Reggie
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Alabama
C
44
Lacey, Sam
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
New Mexico State
PF
24
Lambert, John
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
USC
F/C
50
Meriweather, Joe
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Southern Illinois
F
4
Sanders, Frankie
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
Southern
G
11
Walton, Lloyd
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
160 lb (73 kg)
Marquette
G
15
Wedman, Scott
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Colorado
G
12
White, Jo Jo
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Kansas
G
43
Whitney, Hawkeye
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
NC State
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Regular season
Season standings
Notes
z , y – division champions
x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1980-81 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
KCK
LAL
MIL
NJN
NYK
PHI
PHO
POR
SAS
SDC
SEA
UTA
WAS
Atlanta
—
2–4
2–4
1–5
2–0
1–1
4–2
2–0
1–1
1–5
1–1
0–2
1–5
3–2
2–4
1–5
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–4
Boston
4–2
—
5–1
4–1
2–0
2–0
4–1
1–1
2–0
3–3
1–1
2–0
3–3
6–0
5–1
3–3
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
5–1
Chicago
4–2
1–5
—
5–1
1–1
1–1
5–1
1–1
1–1
3–2
2–0
1–1
3–3
3–2
3–3
2–4
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
5–1
Cleveland
5–1
1–4
1–5
—
2–0
1–1
3–3
1–1
0–2
2–4
0–2
0–2
0–6
3–3
0–5
0–6
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
4–2
Dallas
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
—
3–3
0–2
2–3
0–6
0–2
0–6
0–5
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–4
1–4
1–5
2–3
1–4
1–5
0–2
Denver
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
3–3
—
2–0
3–2
2–4
1–1
4–2
3–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–4
2–3
2–4
3–2
3–2
2–4
0–2
Detroit
2–4
1–4
1–5
3–3
2–0
0–2
—
0–2
1–1
2–4
1–1
0–2
1–5
3–3
1–5
1–4
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–5
Golden State
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–2
2–3
2–0
—
3–2
1–1
5–0
1–5
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–4
2–4
1–4
2–4
3–3
4–1
1–1
Houston
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
6–0
4–2
1–1
2–3
—
1–1
2–4
2–3
0–2
2–0
0–2
0–2
1–4
3–2
3–3
1–4
4–1
4–2
0–2
Indiana
5–1
3–3
2–3
4–2
2–0
1–1
4–2
1–1
1–1
—
2–0
0–2
2–4
5–1
3–2
0–6
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
0–2
1–1
4–2
Kansas City
1–1
1–1
0–2
2–0
6–0
2–4
1–1
0–5
4–2
0–2
—
0–5
1–1
2–0
1–1
0–2
3–2
3–2
2–4
3–2
2–3
5–1
1–1
Los Angeles
2–0
0–2
1–1
2–0
5–0
2–3
2–0
5–1
3–2
2–0
5–0
—
0–2
2–0
2–0
1–1
2–4
3–3
2–3
3–3
6–0
3–2
1–1
Milwaukee
5–1
3–3
3–3
6–0
2–0
1–1
5–1
1–1
2–0
4–2
1–1
2–0
—
5–1
3–3
3–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
2–0
2–0
4–1
New Jersey
2–3
0–6
2–3
3–3
1–1
1–1
3–3
1–1
0–2
1–5
0–2
0–2
1–5
—
0–6
1–5
1–1
2–0
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
3–3
New York
4–2
1–5
3–3
5–0
1–1
2–0
5–1
0–2
2–0
2–3
1–1
0–2
3–3
6–0
—
3–3
1–1
1–1
0–2
2–0
2–0
2–0
4–2
Philadelphia
5–1
3–3
4–2
6–0
2–0
1–1
4–1
2–0
2–0
6–0
2–0
1–1
2–3
5–1
3–3
—
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
2–0
2–0
4–2
Phoenix
2–0
0–2
2–0
1–1
4–1
4–1
2–0
4–2
4–1
1–1
2–3
4–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
—
3–3
3–2
6–0
5–1
5–0
1–1
Portland
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
4–1
3–2
2–0
4–2
2–3
2–0
2–3
3–3
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
3–3
—
2–3
4–2
4–2
2–3
2–0
San Antonio
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
5–1
4–2
2–0
4–1
3–3
0–2
4–2
3–2
1–1
2–0
2–0
0–2
2–3
3–2
—
4–1
3–2
5–1
1–1
San Diego
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
3–2
2–3
1–1
4–2
4–1
1–1
2–3
3–3
0–2
2–0
0–2
0–2
0–6
2–4
1–4
—
5–1
3–2
0–2
Seattle
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
4–1
2–3
2–0
3–3
1–4
2–0
3–2
0–6
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–5
2–4
2–3
1–5
—
4–1
1–1
Utah
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
5–1
4–2
2–0
1–4
2–4
1–1
1–5
2–3
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
0–5
3–2
1–5
2–3
1–4
—
0–2
Washington
4–1
1–5
1–5
2–4
2–0
2–0
5–1
1–1
2–0
2–4
1–1
1–1
1–4
3–3
2–4
2–4
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
—
Game log
Regular season
1980–81 game log Total: 40–42 (Home: 24–17; Road: 16–25)
October: 5–7 (home: 3–3; road: 2–4)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
November: 5–9 (home: 3–2; road: 2–7)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
December: 7–8 (home: 4–3; road: 3–5)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
January: 7–6 (home: 4–3; road: 3–3)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
February: 9–5 (home: 7–1; road: 2–4)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
March: 7–7 (home: 3–5; road: 4–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Record
1980–81 schedule
Playoffs
1981 playoff game log
Western Conference First Round: 2–1 (home: 0–1; road: 2–0)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Series
Western Conference Semifinals: 4–3 (home: 2–1; road: 2–2)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Series
Western Conference Finals: 1–4 (home: 1–1; road: 0–3)
Game
Date
Team
Score
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Location Attendance
Series
1981 schedule
Playoffs
The Kings won two playoff rounds in 1981, their only such victories while playing in Kansas City. The wins over Portland and Phoenix were the franchise's first playoff wins in 17 years (since the Cincinnati Royals defeated Philadelphia in 1964) and would be their last for another 20 years (when the now-Sacramento Kings toppled Phoenix again in 2001).
West First Round
(4) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (5) Kansas City Kings : Kings win series 2-1
Game 1 @ Portland: Kansas City 98 , Portland 97 (OT)
Game 2 @ Kansas City: Portland 124 , Kansas City 119 (OT)
Game 3 @ Portland: Kansas City 104 , Portland 95
West Conference Semifinals
(1) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) Kansas City Kings : Kings win series 4-3
Game 1 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 102 , Kansas City 80
Game 2 @ Phoenix: Kansas City 88 , Phoenix 83
Game 3 @ Kansas City: Kansas City 93 , Phoenix 92
Game 4 @ Kansas City: Kansas City 102 , Phoenix 95
Game 5 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 101 , Kansas City 89
Game 6 @ Kansas City: Phoenix 81 , Kansas City 76
Game 7 @ Phoenix: Kansas City 95 , Phoenix 88 (The Kings became the 2nd NBA road team to win Game 7 after leading series 3–1 and the 1st #5 seed to eliminate #1 seed)
West Conference Finals
(5) Kansas City Kings vs. (6) Houston Rockets : Rockets win series 4-1
Game 1 @ Kansas City: Houston 97 , Kansas City 78
Game 2 @ Kansas City: Kansas City 88 , Houston 79
Game 3 @ Houston: Houston 92 , Kansas City 88
Game 4 @ Houston: Houston 100 , Kansas City 89
Game 5 @ Kansas City: Houston 97 , Kansas City 88
Player statistics
Season
Player
GP
GS
MPG
FG%
3FG%
FT%
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PPG
Playoffs
Player
GP
GS
MPG
FG%
3FG%
FT%
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PPG
Awards and records
Transactions
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(February 2013 )
References
1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s