1977-78 NBA
Expansion & ABA Rivalry
Washington Bullets won the title.
- Teams
- 22
- Games per team
- 82
- Pace (poss. per 48 min)
- 106.7
- Points per team game
- 108.5
- League true shooting
- .515
- Share of shots from three
- No line
Award winners
- MVPBill Walton
- Rookie of the YearWalter Davis
Standings and postseason
East
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers | 55 | 27 | 4.87 | Lost conf. finals |
| San Antonio Spurs | 52 | 30 | 3.20 | Lost 2nd round |
| Washington Bullets | 44 | 38 | 0.82 | Won title |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 43 | 39 | 0.44 | Lost conf. finals |
| New York Knicks | 43 | 39 | -0.53 | Lost conf. finals |
| Atlanta Hawks | 41 | 41 | -0.13 | Lost 1st round |
| New Orleans Jazz | 39 | 43 | -1.80 | Missed playoffs |
| Boston Celtics | 32 | 50 | -1.86 | Missed playoffs |
| Houston Rockets | 28 | 54 | -3.83 | Missed playoffs |
| Buffalo Braves | 27 | 55 | -3.55 | Missed playoffs |
| New Jersey Nets | 24 | 58 | -5.61 | Missed playoffs |
West
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Trail Blazers | 58 | 24 | 5.92 | Lost 2nd round |
| Phoenix Suns | 49 | 33 | 3.50 | Lost conf. finals |
| Denver Nuggets | 48 | 34 | 0.80 | Lost conf. finals |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 47 | 35 | 1.48 | Lost Finals |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 45 | 37 | 2.59 | Lost 1st round |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 44 | 38 | -0.59 | Lost conf. finals |
| Golden State Warriors | 43 | 39 | 0.41 | Missed playoffs |
| Chicago Bulls | 40 | 42 | -0.79 | Missed playoffs |
| Detroit Pistons | 38 | 44 | -1.22 | Missed playoffs |
| Indiana Pacers | 31 | 51 | -2.37 | Missed playoffs |
| Kansas City Kings | 31 | 51 | -1.76 | 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.