1978-79 NBA Season
As originally posted by Tony Miller:
In 1978-1979, the Pistons moved out of Detroit, from Cobo Arena to the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, which they shared with the Lions. The Sonics moved from Seattle Center Coliseum to the Kingdome, where they were co-tenants with the Mariners and Seahawks, which meant they would play a number of playoff games at other places in the next decade. Finally, the Braves left Buffalo for greener pastures in San Diego, as the Clippers, at the San Diego Sports Arena.
(Yes, I just used an agricultural metaphor about Southern California. Yes, I know that’s ironic.)
The Clippers moved from the Atlantic Division to the Pacific, becoming the sixth team in that division. Washington moved from the Central Division to Buffalo’s Atlantic slot, and the Pistons switched conferences to take Washington’s Central position ... begging the question of what Washington was doing in the Central in the first place.
This year saw the first playoff game on tape delay and was the final year of a period in which CBS aired inordinate numbers of simultaneous regionalized games. Since cable and satellite (DBS or C-band) weren't really a thing on a large scale yet, most people only got one game per week. jtgrace1, whose list I compiled this from, only got one game each week. I was a decade-plus away from being born, let alone tracking these things. So if you have records of who called your game, those are going to be appreciated.
Data transcribed from ”’NBA on CBS’ Regular Season Schedules” and ”NBA on CBS Playoff Games”. Additional listings and significant clarifications on which games have been confirmed came from jtgrace1 and Jeff79.
For the numerous games that are not confirmed, the initials of jtgrace1's guesses are given in parentheses. These are, for the sake of emphasis, GUESSES.
(Note: in this season’s thread, “jk” refers to Jim Kelly, not Jim Karvellas; “bm” refers to Brent Musburger, not Bill Mazer or... the other thing that set of initials usually stands for.)
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER
Friday 10/27:
Bucks-Sonics, 11:30, CBS regional. Don Criqui, Steve Jones
Bullets-Warriors, 11:30, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, John Havlicek
These come from dvdby in the source thread and are not in jt’s listings.
DECEMBER
Monday 12/25:
76ers-Knicks, 4:00, CBS. Brent Musburger, Keith Erickson
Joined in progress after Peach Bowl.
JANUARY
Sunday 1/14:
Knicks-Kings, 1:45, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, Keith Erickson
Bulls-Bucks, 1:45, CBS regional. Don Criqui, Jon McGlocklin
Lakers-Sonics, 6:45, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Steve Jones
Sunday 1/21:
76ers-Celtics, 12:00, CBS regional. Don Criqui, John Havlicek
Bulls-Cavaliers, 12:00, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Rod Hundley
Sunday 1/28:
Nets-Suns, 1:45, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley
Bulls-Nuggets, 1:45, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Steve Jones
Knicks-Bullets, 1:45, CBS regional. Don Criqui, John Havlicek
76ers-Blazers, 6:45, CBS regional. Tim Ryan, Keith Erickson
FEBRUARY
Sunday 2/4:
NBA All-Star Game at Pontiac, Mich. (Detroit)
West-East, 1:45, CBS. Brent Musburger, Steve Jones, John Havlicek, Rod Hundley
Sunday 2/11:
Bullets-76ers, 1:45, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley
Nuggets-Bucks, 1:45, CBS regional. Gary Bender, John Havlicek
Lakers-Kings, 6:45, CBS regional. Don Criqui, Keith Erickson
Sunday 2/18:
Bullets-Sonics, 3:45, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Keith Erickson
Bulls-Kings, 3:45, CBS regional. Don Criqui, Jon McGlocklin
jt's original guesses were Musburger/Hundley on WSH/SEA and Ryan/Erickson on SA/DET; listing included Costas/?? on BOS/POR, Kelly/McGlocklin on MIL/PHI, Criqui/?? on HOU/NJ, Bender/?? on CHI/KC, and ATL/SD and UTA/DEN with unknown announcers.
Sunday 2/25:
Rockets-Spurs, 1:45, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley
Knicks-Nets, 1:45, CBS regional. Don Criqui, Keith Erickson
76ers-Nuggets, 1:45, CBS regional. Tim Ryan, John Havlicek
Sonics-Kings, 6:45, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Steve Jones
MARCH
Sunday 3/4:
76ers-Suns, 1:45, CBS regional. Don Criqui, Keith Erickson
Nuggets-Lakers, 4:00, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley
Rockets-Sonics, 6:45, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Steve Jones
All markets got the 4:00 game and one of the other two.
Sunday 3/11:
Bullets-Nuggets, 1:45, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Keith Erickson
Blazers-Kings, 6:45, CBS regional. Don Criqui, Jon McGlocklin
jt's original guesses were Musburger/Hundley on WSH/DEN, Ryan/Erickson on LA/BOS, Bender/Jones on DET/MIL and Criqui/McGlocklin on POR/KC with unknown announcers on PHX/IND, PHI/NJ, SEA/ATL and CHI/GS.
Sunday 3/18:
Spurs-Bucks, 1:45, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Keith Erickson
Nets-Clippers, 6:45, CBS regional. Don Criqui, Steve Jones
Sunday 3/25:
Lakers-Nuggets, 1:45, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley
Kings-Sonics, 6:45, CBS regional. Don Criqui, Steve Jones
Friday 3/30:
Sonics-Suns, 11:30, CBS. Brent Musburger, Keith Erickson
APRIL
Sunday 4/1:
Lakers-76ers, 1:45, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley
Nuggets-Bullets, 1:45, CBS regional. Announcers unknown (tr-??)
Warriors-Sonics, 6:45, CBS regional. Announcers unknown
jt's original list included NJ/ATL, HOU/CLE, POR/MIL with Criqui/McGlocklin and SA/BOS with Bender/Jones.
Friday 4/6:
Sonics-Lakers, 11:30, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley
Sunday 4/8:
Nuggets-76ers, 1:30, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, John Havlicek
Kings-Pacers, 1:30, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Steve Jones
Sonics-Warriors, 6:30, CBS regional. Announcers unknown (dc-ke)
jt's original guesses included Musburger/Hundley on NJ/BOS, Kelly/?? on DEN/PHI, Ryan/?? on SA/CLE, and CHI/DET with unknown announcers.
Friday 4/13:
West 1st rd, g2: Suns-Blazers, 11:40, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley
Sunday 4/15:
East semis, g1: Hawks-Bullets, 1:00, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley
East semis, g1: 76ers-Spurs, 1:00, CBS regional. Don Criqui, Jon McGlocklin
West 1st rd, g3: Blazers-Suns, 6:30, CBS regional. Announcers unknown
West 1st rd, g3: Lakers-Nuggets, 6:30, CBS regional. Tim Ryan, Steve Jones
Late games JIP midway through first quarter due to Masters playoff.
Friday 4/20:
West semis, g3: Sonics-Lakers, 11:30, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Rick Barry
Sunday 4/22:
East semis, g4: Bullets-Hawks, 1:30, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Rod Hundley
East semis, g4: Spurs-76ers, 1:30, CBS regional. Tim Ryan, Steve Jones
West semis, g3: Kings-Suns (at Tempe, Ariz.), 3:45, CBS regional. Dick Stockton, Keith Erickson
West semis, g4: Sonics-Lakers, 3:45, CBS regional. Brent Musburger, Rick Barry
Friday 4/27:
West semis, g5: Kings-Suns, 11:30, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Rick Barry
Sunday 4/29:
East semis, g6: Spurs-76ers, 1:30, CBS. Don Criqui, Rod Hundley
East semis, g7: Hawks-Bullets, 3:45, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rick Barry
MAY-JUNE
Friday 5/4:
West finals, g2: Suns-Sonics, 11:30, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Rick Barry
Sunday 5/6:
East finals, g2: Spurs-Bullets, 1:30, CBS. Gary Bender, Rod Hundley
West finals, g3: Sonics-Suns, 3:45, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rick Barry
Friday 5/11:
West finals, g5: Suns-Sonics, 11:30, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Rick Barry
Sunday 5/13:
East finals, g5: Spurs-Bullets, 1:30, CBS. Don Criqui, Rod Hundley
West finals, g6: Sonics-Suns, 3:45, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rick Barry
Thursday 5/17:
West finals, g7: Suns-Sonics, 11:30, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Rick Barry
Sunday 5/20:
NBA Finals, g1: Sonics-Bullets, 1:30, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Rick Barry
Thursday 5/24:
NBA Finals, g2: Sonics-Bullets, 11:30 (taped 8:30), CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Rick Barry
Sunday 5/27:
NBA Finals, g3: Bullets-Sonics, 3:00, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Rick Barry
Tuesday 5/29:
NBA Finals, g4: Bullets-Sonics (at Seattle Center Coliseum), 11:30 (live), CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Rick Barry
Friday 6/1:
NBA Finals, g5: Sonics-Bullets, 9:00, CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Rick Barry
(Notes, paraphrased from Jeff79’s in the source thread: Finals g2 was live in the local markets; Finals g4 was live in the east [and presumably the northwest], but on tape at 11:30 PT in most of the west.)