1980–81 NBA season
| 1980–81 NBA season | |
|---|---|
| League | National Basketball Association |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Duration | October 10, 1980 – March 29, 1981 March 31 – May 3, 1981 (Playoffs) May 5–14, 1981 (Finals) |
| Number of teams | 23 |
| TV partner(s) | CBS, USA |
| Draft | |
| Top draft pick | Joe Barry Carroll |
| Picked by | Golden State Warriors |
| Regular season | |
| Top seed | Boston Celtics |
| Season MVP | Julius Erving (Philadelphia) |
| Top scorer | Adrian Dantley (Utah) |
| Playoffs | |
| Eastern champions | Boston Celtics |
| Eastern runners-up | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Western champions | Houston Rockets |
| Western runners-up | Kansas City Kings |
| Finals | |
| Venue | |
| Champions | Boston Celtics |
| Runners-up | Houston Rockets |
| Finals MVP | Cedric Maxwell (Boston) |
The 1980–81 NBA season was the 35th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. As of 2023, this was the last time an NBA season (including postseason) had ended before Memorial Day.