1980-81 NBA Season
As originally posted by Tony Miller:
Before the 1980-1981 NBA season, the Dallas Mavericks joined the league, playing at Reunion Arena. They joined the Midwest Division, so the 23-team league had three divisions with six teams and only one (the Atlantic) with five. The Mavericks first hosted a national audience on March 12.
In other realignment news, San Antonio and Houston both moved from the Central Division (Eastern Conference) to the Midwest Division (Western Conference). The Bulls and Bucks moved from the Midwest to the Central.
None of the 22 previously-existing teams moved. UA-Columbia, in its second year as cable partner, changed its name to USA Network.
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.
OCTOBER
Friday 10/10:
Lakers-Sonics, 11:30 (taped in MT/PT), CBS. Brent Musburger, Rod Hundley, Bill Russell
Thursday 10/16:
Spurs-Pistons, 8:00, USA. Announcers unknown (jk-rp)
Thursday 10/23:
Warriors-Spurs, 8:00, USA. Announcers unknown (ed-sj)
Thursday 10/30:
Hawks-Knicks, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
NOVEMBER
Thursday 11/6:
Mavericks-Bullets, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Cavaliers-Jazz, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
Thursday 11/13:
76ers-Pacers, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Spurs-Clippers, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
Thursday 11/20:
Rockets-Cavaliers, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Lakers-Suns, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
Thursday 11/27:
Pacers-Bullets, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Lakers-Warriors, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Jon McGlocklin
DECEMBER
Thursday 12/4:
Cavaliers-Spurs, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Nuggets-Jazz, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
Thursday 12/11:
Knicks-Bucks, 8:00, USA. Announcers unknown (ed-sj)
Thursday 12/18:
Nuggets-Cavaliers, 8:00, USA. Announcers unknown (jk-rp)
Thursday 12/25:
Celtics-Knicks, 12:30, CBS. Gary Bender, Bill Russell, Rick Barry
Nets-Bullets, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Warriors-Blazers, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
JANUARY
Thursday 1/1:
Jazz-Rockets, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Celtics-Clippers, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
Thursday 1/8:
Bullets-Kings, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Mavericks-Jazz, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
Thursday 1/15:
76ers-Bucks, 8:00, USA. Announcers unknown (ed-sj)
Sunday 1/18:
Lakers-Celtics, 1:00, CBS. Gary Bender, Bill Russell, Rick Barry
Thursday 1/22:
76ers-Bullets, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Knicks-Clippers, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
Sunday 1/25:
Suns-76ers, 12:00, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Bill Russell, Rick Barry
Sonics-Celtics, 12:00, CBS regional. Dick Stockton, Kevin Loughery
Thursday 1/29:
Celtics-Bulls, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Kings-Lakers, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Jon McGlocklin
FEBRUARY
Sunday 2/1:
NBA All-Star Game at Richfield, Ohio (Cleveland)
West-East, 1:00, CBS. Gary Bender, Bill Russell, Rick Barry, Rod Hundley
Thursday 2/5:
Celtics-Bucks, 8:00, USA. Announcers unknown (jk-rp)
Sunday 2/8:
Lakers-76ers, 1:00, CBS. Gary Bender, Bill Russell, Rick Barry
Thursday 2/12:
Knicks-Cavaliers, 8:00, USA. Announcers unknown (ed-sj)
Thursday 2/19:
76ers-Bullets, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Suns-Nuggets, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
Sunday 2/22:
Lakers-Knicks, 1:00, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Bill Russell, Rick Barry
76ers-Suns, 1:00, CBS regional. Dick Stockton, Kevin Loughery
Thursday 2/26:
Sonics-Spurs, 8:00, USA. Announcers unknown (jk-rp)
MARCH
Sunday 3/1:
76ers-Celtics, 1:00, CBS. Dick Stockton, Kevin Loughery
Suns-Lakers, 3:30, CBS. Gary Bender, Bill Russell, Rick Barry
Thursday 3/5:
Blazers-Kings, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Suns-Jazz, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
Sunday 3/8:
Bucks-76ers, 1:00, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Bill Russell, Rick Barry
Bulls-Bullets, 1:00, CBS regional. Dick Stockton, Kevin Loughery
Thursday 3/12:
Warriors-Mavericks, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Lakers-Clippers, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
Sunday 3/15:
76ers-Knicks, 1:00, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Bill Russell, Rick Barry
Bulls-Kings, 1:00, CBS regional. Dick Stockton, Kevin Loughery
Thursday 3/19:
Bulls-Cavaliers, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Warriors-Clippers, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
Sunday 3/22:
Celtics-76ers, 1:00, CBS. Gary Bender, Bill Russell, Rick Barry
Thursday 3/26:
Cavaliers-Bucks, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas, Richie Powers
Spurs-Jazz, 10:30, USA. Eddie Doucette, Steve Jones
Friday 3/27:
Lakers-Sonics, 11:30 (taped in MT/PT), CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Sunday 3/29:
76ers-Celtics, 1:00, CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
APRIL
Wednesday 4/1:
West 1st rd, g1: Rockets-Lakers, 11:30, CBS. Gary Bender, Bill Russell, Rick Barry
Thursday 4/2:
East 1st rd, g2: 76ers-Pacers, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas(?), Richie Powers(?)
Friday 4/3:
West 1st rd, g2: Blazers-Kings, 8:00, USA. Eddie Doucette(?), Steve Jones(?)
West 1st rd, g2: Lakers-Rockets, 11:30 (taped 8:00), CBS. Gary Bender, Bill Russell, Rick Barry
Sunday 4/5:
East semis, g1: Bulls-Celtics, 1:00, CBS regional. Dick Stockton, Kevin Loughery
East semis, g1: Bucks-76ers, 1:00, CBS regional. Frank Glieber, Dick Motta
West 1st rd, g3: Rockets-Lakers, 3:30, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Bill Russell
West 1st rd, g3: Kings-Blazers, 3:30, CBS regional. Rick Barry, Rod Hundley
Tuesday 4/7:
East semis, g2: Bucks-76ers, 7:30, USA. Jim Karvellas(?), Richie Powers(?)
West semis, g1: Kings-Suns, 11:30, CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Wednesday 4/8:
West semis, g2: Rockets-Spurs, 8:00, USA. Eddie Doucette(?), Steve Jones(?)
West semis, g2: Kings-Suns, 11:30, CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Friday 4/10:
East semis, g3: 76ers-Bucks, 8:00, USA. Jim Karvellas(?), Richie Powers(?)
East semis, g3: Celtics-Bulls, 11:40 (taped 10:00), CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Sunday 4/12:
East semis, g4: 76ers-Bucks, 1:00, CBS regional. Dick Stockton, Kevin Loughery
East semis, g4: Celtics-Bulls, 1:00, CBS regional. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Wednesday 4/15:
West semis, g6: Spurs-Rockets, 8:00, USA. Eddie Doucette(?), Steve Jones(?)
East semis, g5: Bucks-76ers, 11:30 (taped 8:00), CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Friday 4/17:
West semis, g6: Suns-Kings, 8:00, USA. Eddie Doucette(?), Steve Jones(?)
East semis, g6: 76ers-Bucks, 11:30 (taped 10:00), CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Sunday 4/19:
East semis, g7: Bucks-76ers, 1:00, CBS. Dick Stockton, Kevin Loughery
West semis, g7: Kings-Suns, 3:30, CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Tuesday 4/21:
West finals, g1: Rockets-Kings, 11:30 (taped 10:00), CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Wednesday 4/22:
West finals, g2: Rockets-Kings, 11:30 (taped 10:00), CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Friday 4/24:
West finals, g3: Kings-Rockets, 11:30 (taped 10:00), CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Sunday 4/26:
East finals, g4: Celtics-76ers, 1:00, CBS. Dick Stockton, Kevin Loughery
West finals, g4: Kings-Rockets, 3:30, CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Wednesday 4/29:
East finals, g5: 76ers-Celtics, 11:30 (taped 7:30), CBS regional. Dick Stockton, Kevin Loughery
West finals, g5: Rockets-Kings, 11:30 (taped 10:00), CBS regional. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
MAY
Friday 5/1:
East finals, g6: Celtics-76ers, 11:30 (taped 8:00), CBS. Dick Stockton, Kevin Loughery
Sunday 5/3:
East finals, g7: 76ers-Celtics, 3:30, CBS. Dick Stockton, Kevin Loughery
Tuesday 5/5:
NBA Finals, g1: Rockets-Celtics, 11:30 (taped 7:30), CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Thursday 5/7:
NBA Finals, g2: Rockets-Celtics, 11:30 (taped 7:30), CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Saturday 5/9:
NBA Finals, g3: Celtics-Rockets, 3:30, CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Sunday 5/10:
NBA Finals, g4: Celtics-Rockets, 1:00, CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Tuesday 5/12:
NBA Finals, g5: Rockets-Celtics, 11:30 (taped 9:00), CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell
Thursday 5/14:
NBA Finals, g6: Celtics-Rockets, 11:30 (taped 10:00), CBS. Gary Bender, Rick Barry, Bill Russell