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1980–81 Kansas City Kings season

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1980–81 Kansas City Kings season
Head coachCotton Fitzsimmons
ArenaKemper Arena
Results
Record40–42 (.488)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Midwest)
Conference: 5th (Western)
Playoff finishWestern Conference Finals
(Eliminated 1-4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKBMA-TV
RadioKCMO
< 1979–80 1981–82 >

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

Main article: 1980 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club Team
1 16 Hawkeye Whitney SG/SF  United States North Carolina State
3 62 Tony Murphy SG  United States Southern
5 108 Kevin Blakley  United States Eastern Michigan
6 131 Trent Grooms  United States Kent State
7 154 Arnold McDowell  United States Montana State
9 193 Charley Cole  United States Delta State

Roster

Kansas City Kings 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 Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Midwest Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-San Antonio Spurs 52 30 .634 – 34–7 18–23 21–9
x-Kansas City Kings 40 42 .488 12.0 24–17 16–25 19–11
x-Houston Rockets 40 42 .488 12.0 25–16 15–26 19–11
Denver Nuggets 37 45 .451 15.0 23–18 14–27 13–17
Utah Jazz 28 54 .341 24.0 20–21 8–33 13–17
Dallas Mavericks 15 67 .183 37.0 11–30 4–37 5–25
#
Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Phoenix Suns 57 25 .695 –
2 y-San Antonio Spurs 52 30 .634 5
3 x-Los Angeles Lakers 54 28 .659 3
4 x-Portland Trail Blazers 45 37 .549 12
5 x-Kansas City Kings 40 42 .488 17
6 x-Houston Rockets 40 42 .488 17
7 Golden State Warriors 39 43 .476 18
8 Denver Nuggets 37 45 .451 20
9 San Diego Clippers 36 46 .439 21
10 Seattle SuperSonics 34 48 .415 23
11 Utah Jazz 28 54 .341 29
12 Dallas Mavericks 15 67 .183 42

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

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

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

References

  1. ^ 1980-81 Kansas City Kings
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