1976–77 Washington Bullets season

1976–77 Washington Bullets season
Head coachDick Motta
General managerBob Ferry
Owner(s)Abe Pollin
ArenaCapital Centre
Results
Record48–34 (.585)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Central)
Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishConference Semi-finals
(lost to Rockets 2–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWDCA
RadioWTOP
< 1975–76 1977–78 >

The 1976–77 NBA season was the Bullets 16th season in the NBA and their 4th season in the city of Washington, D.C.[1]

Offseason

Draft picks

Main article: 1976 NBA draft

Roster

1976–77 Washington Bullets roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
SG 21 Bing, Dave 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1943-11-24 Syracuse
SG 45 Chenier, Phil 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1950-10-30 California
PF 12 Gray, Leonard 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1951-12-19 Long Beach State
SF 35 Grevey, Kevin 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1953-05-12 Kentucky
PF 11 Hayes, Elvin 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1945-11-17 Houston
PG 14 Henderson, Tom 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1952-01-26 Hawaiʻi
C 25 Kupchak, Mitch 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1954-05-24 North Carolina
C 44 Pace, Joe 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1953-12-18 Coppin State
SF 6 Riordan, Mike 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1945-07-09 Providence
C 41 Unseld, Wes 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1946-03-14 Louisville
PG 8 Weiss, Bob 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1942-05-07 Penn State
PG 32 Wright, Larry 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 1954–11–23 Grambling State
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: January 20, 1977

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Houston Rockets 49 33 .598 – 34–7 15–26 13–7
x-Washington Bullets 48 34 .585 1 32–9 16–25 11–9
x-San Antonio Spurs 44 38 .537 5 31–10 13–28 9–11
x-Cleveland Cavaliers 43 39 .524 6 29–12 14–27 8–12
New Orleans Jazz 35 47 .427 14 26–15 9–32 10–10
Atlanta Hawks 31 51 .378 18 19–22 12–29 9–11
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Philadelphia 76ers 50 32 .610 –
2 y-Houston Rockets 49 33 .598 1
3 x-Washington Bullets 48 34 .585 2
4 x-Boston Celtics 44 38 .537 6
5 x-San Antonio Spurs 44 38 .537 6
6 x-Cleveland Cavaliers 43 39 .524 7
7 New York Knicks 40 42 .488 10
8 New Orleans Jazz 35 47 .427 15
9 Atlanta Hawks 31 51 .378 19
10 Buffalo Braves 30 52 .366 20
11 New York Nets 22 60 .268 28

Notes

  • z, y – division champions
  • x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1976–77 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS BUF CHI CLE DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NOJ NYK NYN PHI PHO POR SAS SEA WAS
Atlanta – 0–4 4–0 2–2 2–2 2–2 0–4 0–4 1–3 0–4 1–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–1 1–3 0–4 3–1 4–0 1–2 1–3
Boston 4–0 – 3–1 2–2 1–3 3–1 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–2 3–1 2–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 1–3 4–0 2–2 0–4
Buffalo 0–4 1–3 – 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 0–3 1–3 1–3 0–3 1–3 3–1 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 0–4 3–1 0–4
Chicago 2–2 2–2 3–1 – 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 2–2 2–1 2–2 2–2 0–4 3–1 2–2 1–2
Cleveland 2–2 3–1 2–2 1–3 – 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–1 3–1 2–2 4–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3
Denver 2–2 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–2 – 3–1 2–2 3–0 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 1–3 3–1 2–2 1–2 4–0 2–2
Detroit 4–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–3 – 3–1 2–2 2–2 4–0 1–3 3–1 3–1 1–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–2 1–3 1–3
Golden State 4–0 3–1 3–0 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 – 2–1 4–0 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 3–1 3–1 4–0 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1
Houston 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 0–3 2–2 1–2 – 4–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–1
Indiana 4–0 2–1 3–1 2–2 1–2 1–3 2–2 0–4 0–4 – 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2 4–0 2–2 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4
Kansas City 2–1 1–3 3–0 2–2 1–3 1–3 0–4 3–1 2–2 2–2 – 1–3 2–2 2–2 4–0 4–0 1–3 3–1 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2
Los Angeles 2–2 1–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 – 3–1 3–0 1–3 4–0 2–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 4–0
Milwaukee 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 0–4 1–3 1–3 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–3 – 1–2 1–3 3–1 1–2 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3
New Orleans 3–1 2–2 1–3 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 0–3 2–1 – 3–1 2–2 0–4 3–1 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2
N.Y. Knicks 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 0–4 3–1 3–1 1–3 – 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–2 2–2
N.Y. Nets 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 2–2 2–2 – 1–3 2–2 0–3 1–3 1–3 1–3
Philadelphia 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–1 4–0 3–1 3–1 – 1–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 3–1
Phoenix 4–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–2 1–3 2–2 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–1 – 1–3 1–3 3–1 1–3
Portland 1–3 3–1 3–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 4–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–0 2–2 3–1 – 2–2 3–1 1–2
San Antonio 0–4 0–4 4–0 1–3 2–2 2–1 2–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 – 3–1 2–2
Seattle 2–1 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 0–4 3–1 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 – 3–1
Washington 3–1 4–0 4–0 2–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 4–0 2–2 0–4 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 3–1 2–1 2–2 1–3 —

Game log

Regular season

1976–77 game log
Total: 48–34 (home: 32–9; road: 16–25)
October: 1–4 (home: 0–1; road: 1–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
November: 6–8 (home: 5–1; road: 1–7)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
17 November 27 @ Portland L 95–103 Memorial Coliseum 7–10
December: 8–5 (home: 5–2; road: 3–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
January: 12–2 (home: 8–1; road: 4–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
40 January 15 Portland W 113–107 Capital Centre 21–19
February: 9–5 (home: 5–1; road: 4–4)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
49 February 5 @ Portland W 116–104 Memorial Coliseum 29–20
All-Star Break
March: 8–8 (home: 6–2; road: 2–6)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
April: 4–2 (home: 3–1; road: 1–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1976–77 schedule

Playoffs

1977 playoff game log
Eastern Conference First Round: 2–1 (home: 2–0; road: 0–1)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 13 Cleveland W 109–100 Phil Chenier (38) Wes Unseld (16) Tom Henderson (11) Capital Centre
11,240 		1–0
2 April 15 @ Cleveland L 83–91 Phil Chenier (24) Elvin Hayes (23) Wes Unseld (5) Richfield Coliseum
19,545 		1–1
3 April 17 Cleveland W 104–98 Tom Henderson (31) Elvin Hayes (15) Tom Henderson (6) Capital Centre
10,488 		2–1
Eastern Conference Semifinals: 2–4 (home: 1–2; road: 1–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 19 @ Houston W 111–101 Mitch Kupchak (32) Mitch Kupchak (16) Tom Henderson (8) The Summit
15,458 		1–0
2 April 21 @ Houston L 118–124 (OT) Phil Chenier (37) Elvin Hayes (15) Tom Henderson (8) The Summit
15,676 		1–1
3 April 24 Houston W 93–90 Mitch Kupchak (23) Hayes, Unseld (12) Tom Henderson (6) Capital Centre
16,842 		2–1
4 April 26 Houston L 103–107 Phil Chenier (29) Wes Unseld (15) Tom Henderson (12) Capital Centre
19,035 		2–2
5 April 29 @ Houston L 115–123 Elvin Hayes (30) Elvin Hayes (13) Wes Unseld (6) The Summit
15,676 		2–3
6 May 1 Houston L 103–108 Phil Chenier (21) Wes Unseld (16) Tom Henderson (7) Capital Centre
12,393 		2–4
1977 schedule

Awards and records

References

  1. ^ "1976-77 Washington Bullets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 24, 2024.