1978–79 Washington Bullets season

NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season

1978–79 Washington Bullets season

Conference champions

Division champions

Head coach| Dick Motta
Arena| Capital Centre
Results
Record| 54-28 (.659)
Place| Division: 1st (Atlantic)
Conference: 1st (Eastern)
Playoff finish| NBA Finals
(lost to SuperSonics 1–4)

* * *

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television| WDCA
Radio| WTOP
| < 1977–78  | 1979–80 >

|

The 1978–79 Washington Bullets won their second consecutive Eastern Conference Championship, making it to the NBA Finals before losing to the Seattle SuperSonics. They finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA, at 54-28.

Coming off of their NBA Championship the previous season, the Bullets were transferred to the Atlantic Division.[1] The Bullets would continue to remain one of the top teams in the league, as they captured the Atlantic Division championship with a league best record of 54–28. The Bullets ended the regular season losing 8 of their last 11 games, but rebounded in the playoffs with victories in both the Eastern Conference semifinals and Eastern Conference finals over the Atlanta Hawks and the San Antonio Spurs, respectively. The Bullets would proceed to have a 38-year drought without a division title until 2017; by then they had been renamed the Washington Wizards. This is the most recent appearance in the conference finals or NBA Finals for the franchise.

## Offseason[edit]

### NBA draft[edit]

* Round 1: Roger Phegley, Dave Corzine
* Round 2: Terry Sykes (Never played in the NBA)
* Round 4: Lawrence Boston

## Roster[edit]

Washington Bullets roster

* v
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* e

Players  | Coaches
| Pos. | No. | Name | Height | Weight | DOB | From

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F | 42 | Ballard, Greg | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)  | 215 lb (98 kg)  |  | Oregon
C | 40 | Corzine, Dave | 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)  | 250 lb (113 kg)  |  | DePaul
G | 45 | Chenier, Phil | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)  | 180 lb (82 kg)  |  | California
SF | 10 | Dandridge, Bob | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)  | 195 lb (88 kg)  |  | Norfolk State
F | 35 | Grevey, Kevin | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)  | 210 lb (95 kg)  |  | Kentucky
G | 14 | Henderson, Tom | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)  | 190 lb (86 kg)  |  | Hawaiʻi
C | 11 | Hayes, Elvin | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 235 lb (107 kg)  |  | Houston
PF | 25 | Kupchak, Mitch | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)  | 230 lb (104 kg)  |  | North Carolina
G | 15 | Johnson, Charles | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)  | 170 lb (77 kg)  |  | California
G | 22 | Phegley, Roger | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)  | 205 lb (93 kg)  |  | Bradley
F | 41 | Unseld, Wes | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)  | 245 lb (111 kg)  |  | Louisville
G | 32 | Wright, Larry | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)  | 160 lb (73 kg)  |  | Grambling State

Head coach

* Dick Motta

Assistant coach(es)

* Bernie Bickerstaff

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (DP) Unsigned draft pick
* (FA) Free agent
* (S) Suspended
* Injured

## Regular season[edit]

### Season standings[edit]

Atlantic Division

* v
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|  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB  |  Home  |  Road  |  Div

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y-Washington Bullets | 54 | 28 | .659 | – | 31–10 | 23–18 | 11–5
x-Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 7 | 31–10 | 16–25 | 9–7
x-New Jersey Nets | 37 | 45 | .451 | 17 | 25–16 | 12–29 | 7–9
New York Knicks | 31 | 51 | .378 | 23 | 23–18 | 8–33 | 7–9
Boston Celtics | 29 | 53 | .354 | 25 | 21–20 | 8–33 | 6–10
#  |

Eastern Conference

* v
* t
* e

|

Team  |  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB
1  | z-Washington Bullets | 54 | 28 | .659 | –
2  | y-San Antonio Spurs | 48 | 34 | .585 | 6
3  | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 47 | 35 | .573 | 7
4  | x-Houston Rockets | 47 | 35 | .573 | 7
5  | x-Atlanta Hawks | 46 | 36 | .561 | 8
6  | x-New Jersey Nets | 37 | 45 | .451 | 17
7  | New York Knicks | 31 | 51 | .378 | 23
8  | Cleveland Cavaliers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 24
8  | Detroit Pistons | 30 | 52 | .366 | 24
10  | Boston Celtics | 29 | 53 | .354 | 25
11  | New Orleans Jazz | 26 | 56 | .317 | 28

### Record vs. opponents[edit]

1978-79 NBA Records

Team  | ATL  | BOS  | CHI  | CLE  | DEN  | DET  | GSW  | HOU  | IND  | KCK  | LAL  | MIL  | NJN  | NOJ  | NYK  | PHI  | PHO  | POR  | SAS  | SDC  | SEA  | WAS
Atlanta | — | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2
Boston | 2–2 | — | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4
Chicago | 1–3 | 2–1 | — | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3
Cleveland | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | — | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4
Denver | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | — | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3
Detroit | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | — | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–3
Golden State | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 3–1 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2
Houston | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2
Indiana | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | — | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3
Kansas City | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–0
Los Angeles | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2
Milwaukee | 0–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3
New Jersey | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3
New Orleans | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 0–4
New York | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | — | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3
Philadelphia | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 1–3 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1
Phoenix | 1–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3
Portland | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | — | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1
San Antonio | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | — | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3
San Diego | 1–3 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | — | 2–2 | 0–3
Seattle | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 2–2
Washington  | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | —

## Playoffs[edit]

1979 playoff game log

Conference semifinals: 4–3 (home: 2–2; road: 2–1)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Series

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1  | April 15  | Atlanta | W 103–89 | Elvin Hayes (31)  | Elvin Hayes (15)  | Larry Wright (6)  | Capital Centre
15,721  | 1–0
2  | April 17  | Atlanta | L 99–107 | Bob Dandridge (36)  | Wes Unseld (10)  | Tom Henderson (8)  | Capital Centre
19,035  | 1–1
3  | April 20  | @ Atlanta | W 89–77 | Elvin Hayes (19)  | Wes Unseld (16)  | Wes Unseld (8)  | Omni Coliseum
15,798  | 2–1
4  | April 22  | @ Atlanta | W 120–115 (OT) | Elvin Hayes (29)  | Elvin Hayes (17)  | Bob Dandridge (5)  | Omni Coliseum
15,798  | 3–1
5  | April 24  | Atlanta | L 103–107 | Elvin Hayes (26)  | Elvin Hayes (14)  | Tom Henderson (11)  | Capital Centre
19,035  | 3–2
6  | April 26  | @ Atlanta | L 86–104 | Elvin Hayes (24)  | Wes Unseld (12)  | Wes Unseld (6)  | Omni Coliseum
15,978  | 3–3
7  | April 29  | Atlanta | W 100–94 | Elvin Hayes (39)  | Elvin Hayes (15)  | Bob Dandridge (8)  | Capital Centre
19,035  | 4–3

Conference finals: 4–3 (home: 3–1; road: 1–2)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Series

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1  | May 4  | San Antonio | L 97–118 | Bob Dandridge (25)  | Elvin Hayes (20)  | Tom Henderson (5)  | Capital Centre
19,035  | 0–1
2  | May 6  | San Antonio | W 115–95 | Wes Unseld (26)  | Wes Unseld (22)  | Tom Henderson (9)  | Capital Centre
19,035  | 1–1
3  | May 9  | @ San Antonio | L 114–116 | Bob Dandridge (28)  | Elvin Hayes (23)  | Wes Unseld (8)  | HemisFair Arena
15,318  | 1–2
4  | May 11  | @ San Antonio | L 102–118 | Elvin Hayes (23)  | Wes Unseld (21)  | Bob Dandridge (9)  | HemisFair Arena
16,055  | 1–3
5  | May 13  | San Antonio | W 107–103 | Elvin Hayes (24)  | Elvin Hayes (22)  | Tom Henderson (9)  | Capital Centre
19,035  | 2–3
6  | May 16  | @ San Antonio | W 108–100 | Elvin Hayes (25)  | Elvin Hayes (14)  | Dandridge, Henderson (8)  | HemisFair Arena
16,055  | 3–3
7  | May 18  | San Antonio | W 107–105 | Bob Dandridge (37)  | Elvin Hayes (15)  | Larry Wright (7)  | Capital Centre
19,035  | 4–3

NBA Finals: 1–4 (home: 1–2; road: 0–2)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Location
Attendance | Series

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1  | May 20  | Seattle | W 99–97 | Larry Wright (26)  | Wes Unseld (12)  | Tom Henderson (6)  | Capital Centre
19,035  | 1–0
2  | May 24  | Seattle | L 82–92 | Bob Dandridge (21)  | Elvin Hayes (14)  | Bob Dandridge (5)  | Capital Centre
19,035  | 1–1
3  | May 27  | @ Seattle | L 95–105 | Bob Dandridge (28)  | Unseld, Hayes (14)  | Bob Dandridge (5)  | Kingdome
35,928  | 1–2
4  | May 29  | @ Seattle | L 112–114 (OT) | three players tied (18)  | Wes Unseld (16)  | Tom Henderson (8)  | Seattle Center Coliseum
14,098  | 1–3
5  | June 1  | Seattle | L 93–97 | Elvin Hayes (29)  | Elvin Hayes (14)  | Bob Dandridge (7)  | Capital Centre
19,035  | 1–4

1979 schedule

## Awards and honors[edit]

* Bob Ferry, NBA Executive of the Year Award
* Elvin Hayes, All-NBA First Team
* Bob Dandridge, All-NBA Second Team
* Bob Dandridge, NBA All-Defensive First Team

## References[edit]

1. ^ Washington Wizards (1963–Present)

* Bullets on Basketball Reference

* v
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* e

1978–79 NBA season by team

* 1978 NBA draft
* All-Star Game
* Playoffs
* Finals
* Transactions

Eastern|

| Atlantic|

* Boston
* New Jersey
* New York
* Philadelphia
* Washington

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Central|

* Atlanta
* Cleveland
* Detroit
* Houston
* New Orleans
* San Antonio

Western|

| Midwest|

* Chicago
* Denver
* Indiana
* Kansas City
* Milwaukee

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Pacific|

* Golden State
* Los Angeles
* Phoenix
* Portland
* San Diego
* Seattle

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Washington Wizards seasons

* Franchise
* Seasons

1960s|

|  |  |  1961–62 |  1962–63 |  1963–64 |  1964–65 |  1965–66 |  1966–67 |  1967–68 |  1968–69

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1970s|

|  1969–70 |  1970–71 |  1971–72 |  1972–73 |  1973–74 |  1974–75 |  1975–76 |  1976–77 |  1977–78 |  1978–79

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1980s|

|  1979–80 |  1980–81 |  1981–82 |  1982–83 |  1983–84 |  1984–85 |  1985–86 |  1986–87 |  1987–88 |  1988–89

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1990s|

|  1989–90 |  1990–91 |  1991–92 |  1992–93 |  1993–94 |  1994–95 |  1995–96 |  1996–97 |  1997–98 |  1998–99

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2000s|

|  1999–00 |  2000–01 |  2001–02 |  2002–03 |  2003–04 |  2004–05 |  2005–06 |  2006–07 |  2007–08 |  2008–09

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2010s|

|  2009–10 |  2010–11 |  2011–12 |  2012–13 |  2013–14 |  2014–15 |  2015–16 |  2016–17 |  2017–18 |  2018–19

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2020s|

|  2019–20 |  2020–21 |  2021–22 |  2022–23 |  2023–24 |  |  |  |  |

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Bold indicates NBA Finals victory
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Pos.]: Position
*[No.]: Number
*[ W ]: Games won
*[ L ]: Games lost
*[ PCT ]: Winning percentage
*[ GB ]: Games behind
*[ Home ]: Home record
*[ Road ]: Road record
*[ Div ]: Division record