1977 Washington Bullets: Reshaping A Contender
The Bullets franchise had been a consistent contender through the 1970s, starting in Baltimore and continuing with their relocation to Washington D.C. mid-decade. They reached the NBA Finals in 1971 and 1975. The 1977 Washington Bullets continued the theme of contending basketball in the nation’s capital.
HIGH EXPECTATIONS IN WASHINGTON
Expectations in the nation’s capital were high enough that the Bullets winning 48 games in ’76 had been cause for a coaching change. K.C. Jones was fired and Dick Motta was brought in.
Regardless of who was on the sidelines, the lineup centered around Elvin Hayes. The 6’9” power forward was 1st-tea m All-NBA, averaging 24 points/13 rebounds per game. He was joined up front by Wes Unseld, who didn’t score a lot, but grabbed 11 boards a night and was a good passing big man, with four assists per game.
A lineup orientated towards the front line included Truck Robinson, and rookie center Mitch Kupchak, each of whom rebounded and scored in double figures. Washington had a prolific two-guard in Phil Chenier, who knocked down 20ppg and Dave Bing was a valuable contributor in the backcourt. But there was no doubt their lineup had a “tilt” towards the front, and that’s something the Bullets would boldly address before the season was out.
A ROCKY START
Washington stumbled out of the gate, losing four of their first five games. They worked their way back to .500 by early November when they swept a back-to-back with the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. On a Friday night in the old Boston Garden, they got 28 points from Hayes to get a road win. Hayes followed it up the following evening back home with a 36/13 line to complete the sweep.
But a week later, the same Friday-Saturday travel schedule got the Bullets swept by a rising Philadelphia 76ers team. Washington suffered a disastrous five-game road swing out West surrounding Thanksgiving, losing all five to good teams.
A home victory over playoff-bound Denver in early December finally stopped the bleeding and the Bullets began to stabilize. On New Year’s Day, with most of the country focused on college football, Washington won a key game over the Houston Rockets, getting 32 points/13 rebounds from Hayes in a 104-89 win.
Houston was in the Eastern Conference prior to 1981, as were the San Antonio Spurs. Both were rivals to Washington in the Central Division, as were the Cleveland Cavaliers. The format of the era called for the two division champions in each conference to receive byes into the conference semifinals, while four other teams met in a best-of-three “mini-series” in the first round.
Even with the New Year’s Day win, Washington was still 16-17 and narrowly outside the playoff structure. The Rockets were setting the pace in the Central.
THE BULLETS TAKE SHAPE
January was where the Washington Bullets took shape, not just for this season but for the balance of the decade. In the short-term, they ripped off an eight-game winning streak. The highlight was a 113-107 home win over the eventual champion Portland Trail Blazers, keyed by 32 from Chenier.
In the long-term, the Bullets reshaped their roster. On January 20, they dealt Robinson and a first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for point guard Tom Henderson, a double-digit scorer who also averaged five assists per game.
The lost draft pick turned into Tree Rollins, a quality big man. Consequently, it’s hard to look at a deal where one effectively gives up Truck Robinson and Tree Rollins in exchange for Tom Henderson and love it. But on the flip side, it was right for Washington at this point in time. They had the depth up front to absorb the loss, and Henderson balanced their lineup.
By the end of January, Washington had surged to 27-19 and had a one-game lead on the Rockets and Cavs in the Central. Things were falling into place.
The team’s improvement could be seen in another long West Coast trip in February. This time, the Bullets held their own, splitting six games and getting another win over Bill Walton’s Portland. They came back home and beat Boston.
A loss to the Lakers, who finished with the league’s best regular season record, slowed the momentum, but Washington responded with a four-game win streak.
On March 2, the Bullets were 36-24, and their lead in the Central had nudged out to 2 ½ games.
A LATE STUMBLE
But after 2 ½ months of sustained consistency, Washington started to slow in March. They lost six of eight, including another one to the Lakers. Houston took advantage and shot past Washington in the standings. The Bullets were 39-30, and three games back.
Moreover, even if the postseason was secure and the division was slipping away, there was still the matter of getting homecourt advantage for the mini-series. Washington needed a big win. San Antonio, in the same joust for seeding position, came to the nation’s capital for a Sunday game on March 20. Cleveland would follow.
The Bullets used balance to beat the Spurs, as four players scored 20-plus in a 135-116 rout. Against the Cavs, Hayes and Unseld hit the boards, combining for 28 rebounds in a 95-90 win.
Washington’s bid to catch Houston came up short when they lost to the Rockets at home, 91-85, on April 1. The Bullets would have to play the mini-series round. But they got to 48-34 and held down the 3-seed in the Eastern Conference.
SURVIVING THE LIGHTNING ROUND
Cleveland was the 6-seed, having won 43 games. The Cavs’ lineup could be characterized as balanced, but without a clear star. Five players averaged between 10-16 ppg.
Washington unloaded in Game 1 at home. Chenier poured in 38 points. Hayes posted a 21/10 line, while Unseld grabbed 16 boards. They held the Cavs to 39 percent shooting from the floor. The Bullets led by 25 after three quarters before the game ended with a deceptively respectable 109-100 final.
The road trip to Cleveland for Game 2 didn’t go quite as well. Washington was sloppy, with 23 turnovers, and didn’t shoot well. Hayes’ 21 points/23 rebounds weren’t enough to avert a 91-83 loss and a winner-take-all finale back home.
Hayes continued to play well in the decisive battle, with a 23/15 line. Henderson stepped up with a big 31-point game. Unseld only took one shot from the floor, but the big man hit the boards and ended up with 14 rebounds. Washington moved to an early eight-point lead after the first quarter and chiseled out a 104-98 win. They were moving on.
THE ROCKETS END THE RUN
Their season-long sparring partner from Houston was waiting in the conference semis. The Rockets were well-balanced, led by Rudy Tomjanovich at forward and a young Moses Malone at center. They had a skilled backcourt with Calvin Murphy and John Lucas.
But it was the Bullets who struck first. Hayes kept delivering, with a 22/14 line in Game 1. Kupchak exploded for 32 points and 16 rebounds. Washington grabbed the opener 111-100 and seized home court advantage.
They held it in Game 3, winning a hard-fought 93-90 game that gave them a 2-1 series lead. But that was the last time Washington would win in 1977.
The Bullets simply didn’t shoot the ball well over the final three games. Hayes averaged a 22/12 line for the series, but 43 percent shooting for a big man isn’t good. Henderson struggled to 42 percent. No one particularly stood out and the season ended with a six-game series loss.
THE BEST WAS STILL AHEAD
Even with the second round exit, Washington had continued its pattern of success and shaped their lineup. And their best years were in the immediate future. In 1978, they broke through and won the NBA championship, then made it back to the Finals in 1979.