1980-81 NBA
Early Three-Point Era
Boston Celtics won the title.
- Teams
- 23
- Games per team
- 82
- Pace (poss. per 48 min)
- 101.8
- Points per team game
- 108.1
- League true shooting
- .534
- Share of shots from three
- 2.3%
Award winners
- MVPJulius Erving
- Rookie of the YearDarrell Griffith
Standings and postseason
East
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | 62 | 20 | 6.05 | Won title |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 62 | 20 | 7.76 | Lost conf. finals |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 60 | 22 | 7.14 | Lost conf. finals |
| New York Knicks | 50 | 32 | 2.00 | Lost conf. finals |
| Chicago Bulls | 45 | 37 | 2.34 | Lost conf. finals |
| Indiana Pacers | 44 | 38 | 1.72 | Lost 2nd round |
| Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | 0.42 | Missed playoffs |
| Atlanta Hawks | 31 | 51 | -2.37 | Missed playoffs |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 28 | 54 | -4.15 | Missed playoffs |
| New Jersey Nets | 24 | 58 | -5.15 | Missed playoffs |
| Detroit Pistons | 21 | 61 | -5.58 | Missed playoffs |
West
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Suns | 57 | 25 | 4.83 | Lost conf. finals |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 54 | 28 | 3.27 | Lost 1st round |
| San Antonio Spurs | 52 | 30 | 2.18 | Lost 2nd round |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 45 | 37 | 0.52 | Lost 2nd round |
| Houston Rockets | 40 | 42 | -0.20 | Lost Finals |
| Kansas City Kings | 40 | 42 | -0.49 | Lost conf. finals |
| Golden State Warriors | 39 | 43 | -1.41 | Missed playoffs |
| Denver Nuggets | 37 | 45 | -0.95 | Missed playoffs |
| San Diego Clippers | 36 | 46 | -1.78 | Missed playoffs |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 34 | 48 | -1.84 | Missed playoffs |
| Utah Jazz | 28 | 54 | -5.99 | Missed playoffs |
| Dallas Mavericks | 15 | 67 | -8.33 | 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
No league-wide rule or format changes recorded for this season.