Editing Washington Wizards (section)

===1967–1981: The Wes Unseld era===
[[File:Wes Unseld 1975.jpeg|225px|right|thumb|[[Wes Unseld]], who won the NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA Regular Season MVP, and NBA Finals MVP awards, played all 13 seasons of his career with the Bullets.]]
In the late 1960s, the Bullets drafted two future Hall of Fame members: [[Earl Monroe]], in the [[1967 NBA draft|1967 draft]], number two overall, and [[Wes Unseld]], in the [[1968 NBA draft|following year's draft]], also number two overall.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1967.html|title=1967 NBA Draft|work=Basketball Reference|access-date=December 7, 2022|archive-date=August 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807035313/http://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1967.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1968.html|title=1968 NBA Draft|access-date=December 7, 2022|work=Basketball Reference|archive-date=December 7, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207224737/http://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1968.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The team improved dramatically, from 36 wins the previous season to 57 in the [[1968–69 Baltimore Bullets season|1968–69 season]], and Unseld received both the rookie of the year and MVP awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1969.html|title=1968-69 NBA Season Summary|work=Basketball Reference|access-date=December 7, 2022|archive-date=October 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018142031/http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1969.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Bullets hosted the [[1969 NBA All-Star Game]] and reached the playoffs with high expectations, but they were eliminated by the [[1968–69 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] in the first round.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1969-nba-eastern-division-semifinals-knicks-vs-bullets.html|title=1969 NBA Eastern Division Semifinals Knicks vs. Bullets|work=Basketball Reference|access-date=December 7, 2022|archive-date=December 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207041756/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1969-nba-eastern-division-semifinals-knicks-vs-bullets.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The next season the two teams met again in the first round, and although this one went to seven games, the Knicks emerged victorious again.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1970-nba-eastern-division-semifinals-bullets-vs-knicks.html|title=1970 NBA Eastern Division Seminfinals Bullets vs. Knicks|work=Basketball Reference|access-date=December 7, 2022|archive-date=December 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207041752/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1970-nba-eastern-division-semifinals-bullets-vs-knicks.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[1970–71 Baltimore Bullets season|1970–71 season]], the 42–40 Bullets again met the [[1970–71 New York Knicks season|Knicks]], this time though in the Eastern Conference finals. With the Knicks team captain [[Willis Reed]] injured in the finals, the injury-free Bullets took advantage of his absence, and in game seven, at New York's [[Madison Square Garden]], the Bullets' [[Gus Johnson (basketball)|Gus Johnson]] made a critical basket late in the game to lift the Bullets over the Knicks 93–91 and advance to their first [[NBA Finals]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1971-nba-eastern-conference-finals-bullets-vs-knicks.html|title=1971 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Bullets vs. Knicks|work=Basketball Reference|access-date=December 7, 2022|archive-date=December 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207041800/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1971-nba-eastern-conference-finals-bullets-vs-knicks.html|url-status=live}}</ref> They were swept in four games by the powerful [[1970–71 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] led by future Hall of Fame members [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]] (known in 1971 as Lew Alcindor) and [[Oscar Robertson]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1971-nba-finals-bullets-vs-bucks.html|title=1971 NBA Finals Bullets vs. Bucks|work=Basketball Reference|access-date=December 7, 2022|archive-date=April 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190419200218/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1971-nba-finals-bullets-vs-bucks.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Even after the trades of Earl Monroe (to the Knicks) and [[Gus Johnson (basketball)|Gus Johnson]] (to the Suns), the Bullets remained a playoff contender throughout the 1970s. Following a less than spectacular [[1971–72 Baltimore Bullets season|1971–72 season]], Baltimore acquired [[Elvin Hayes]] from the [[1971–72 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]] and drafted [[Kevin Porter (basketball, born 1950)|Kevin Porter]] in the third round of the [[1972 NBA draft]], out of [[Saint Francis Red Flash men's basketball|St. Francis]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/06/24/archives/rockets-hayes-sent-to-bullets-center-who-didnt-fit-in-is-traded-for.html|title=Rockets' Hayes Sent to Bullets|date=June 24, 1972|access-date=December 9, 2022|work=The New York Times|agency=United Press International|archive-date=December 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209060409/https://www.nytimes.com/1972/06/24/archives/rockets-hayes-sent-to-bullets-center-who-didnt-fit-in-is-traded-for.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1972.html|title=1972 NBA Draft|work=Basketball Reference|access-date=December 9, 2022|archive-date=January 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125074623/https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_1972.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

After a slow start in [[1972–73 Baltimore Bullets season|1972–73]], Baltimore made their charge in December, posting a 10–4 record on the way to capturing the Central Division title for the third straight year. The Bullets again faced the [[1972–73 New York Knicks season|Knicks]] in the [[1973 NBA playoffs]], losing for the fourth time in five series against New York.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1973-nba-eastern-conference-semifinals-bullets-vs-knicks.html|title=1973 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals Bullets vs. Knicks|access-date=December 7, 2022|work=Basketball Reference|archive-date=December 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207145149/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1973-nba-eastern-conference-semifinals-bullets-vs-knicks.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 1973, the team announced its pending move {{convert|30|mi|-1}} southwest to the [[Capital Centre (Landover, Maryland)|Capital Centre]] in [[Landover, Maryland|Landover]], a Washington, D.C. suburb, and became the Capital Bullets.<ref name=bfstbcb>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nKUzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dTgHAAAAIBAJ&pg=4727%2C577353 |newspaper=Bangor Daily News |location=Maine |agency=Associated Press |title=Baltimore five set to become Capital Bullets |date=February 17, 1973 |page=21 |access-date=December 19, 2015 |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222214432/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nKUzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dTgHAAAAIBAJ&pg=4727%2C577353 |url-status=live }}</ref> After that [[1973–74 Capital Bullets season|1973–74 season]], they changed their geographic identifier name to the Washington Bullets.<ref name=bchnmagn>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZxBIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qQANAAAAIBAJ&pg=5269%2C3317003 |newspaper=Morning Record |location=Meriden, Connecticut |agency=Associated Press |title=Bullets change name again |date=April 23, 1974 |page=15 |access-date=December 19, 2015 |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222210808/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZxBIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qQANAAAAIBAJ&pg=5269%2C3317003 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=bchnmagup>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tWE0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=UQoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5770%2C5657117 |newspaper=Wilmington Morning Star |location=North Carolina |agency=UPI |title=Bullets change name |date=April 23, 1974 |page=16 |access-date=December 19, 2015 |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222173320/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tWE0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=UQoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5770%2C5657117 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Bullets would return to [[Baltimore]] to play a few home games per season during the late 1980s and 1990s.<ref name="baltimoresun.com">[https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1997-03-30-1997089160-story.html "Bullets leave Baltimore with win Mavericks fall, 94–87"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810151106/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1997-03-30-1997089160-story.html |date=August 10, 2023 }} ''The Baltimore Sun''</ref>

During November 1973, while waiting for the completion of their new arena in Landover, the Bullets played their home games at [[Cole Field House]] on the campus of the [[University of Maryland, College Park|University of Maryland]] in [[College Park, Maryland|College Park]]. The [[Capital Centre (Landover, Maryland)|Capital Centre]] (later known as the US Airways Arena) opened on December 2, 1973, with the Bullets defeating the [[1973–74 Seattle SuperSonics season|SuperSonics]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/reminiscing-about-abe-pollins-capital-idea-the-capital-centre/2017/04/19/36a53baa-250d-11e7-a1b3-faff0034e2de_story.html|title=Reminiscing about Abe Pollin's Capital idea: The Capital Centre|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=April 19, 2017|access-date=December 9, 2022|last=Kelly|first=John|archive-date=July 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704083049/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/reminiscing-about-abe-pollins-capital-idea-the-capital-centre/2017/04/19/36a53baa-250d-11e7-a1b3-faff0034e2de_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Elvin Hayes 1975.jpeg|thumb|160px|left|During his nine seasons with the Bullets, [[Elvin Hayes]] averaged 21.3 points per game and 12.7 rebounds per game. He led the NBA in rebounding in the 1973–74 season with an average of 18.1 rebounds per game.]]
The 60–22 Bullets made it back to the [[1975 NBA playoffs]]. In the [[1974–75 Washington Bullets season|regular season]], Washington posted a 36–5 home record at the Capital Centre.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/standings?Season=1974-75|title=1974-75 NBA Season Summary|work=Basketball Reference|access-date=December 9, 2022|archive-date=December 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209060416/https://www.nba.com/standings?Season=1974-75|url-status=live}}</ref> In the first round of the playoffs, they survived a seven-game series against the [[1974–75 Buffalo Braves season|Buffalo Braves]] as both teams won all of their games at home.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1975-nba-eastern-conference-semifinals-braves-vs-bullets.html|title=1975 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals Braves vs. Bullets|access-date=December 9, 2022|archive-date=December 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209060430/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1975-nba-eastern-conference-semifinals-braves-vs-bullets.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In the Eastern Conference finals, they beat the defending NBA champion [[1974–75 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] in six games to advance to the [[1975 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1975-nba-eastern-conference-finals-bullets-vs-celtics.html|title=1975 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Bullets vs. Celtics|access-date=December 9, 2022|archive-date=December 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209060426/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1975-nba-eastern-conference-finals-bullets-vs-celtics.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Bullets were favorites to win the NBA championship, but were swept by the Al Attles-led [[1974–75 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] in four games, losing games one and four at the Capital Centre.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nba.com/news/history-finals-moments-rick-barry-underdog-warriors-sweep-bullets|title=Top NBA Finals moments: Rick Barry, underdog Warriors sweep Bullets|work=NBA|date=September 14, 2021|access-date=December 9, 2022|archive-date=December 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209060409/https://www.nba.com/news/history-finals-moments-rick-barry-underdog-warriors-sweep-bullets|url-status=live}}</ref>

The loss at the NBA Finals lingered into the [[1975–76 Washington Bullets season|1975–76 season]], as they won 12 fewer games than last year, and in the playoffs they were eliminated by the [[1975–76 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] in seven games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1976-nba-eastern-conference-semifinals-bullets-vs-cavaliers.html|title=1976 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals Bullets vs. Cavaliers|access-date=December 9, 2022|archive-date=December 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209060423/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1976-nba-eastern-conference-semifinals-bullets-vs-cavaliers.html|url-status=live}}</ref> After the season, the Bullets fired head coach [[K.C. Jones]], despite having a career 62 percent winning percentage as the Bullets head coach.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/05/08/archives/kc-jones-discharged-as-bullets-coach-kc-jones-dismissed-by-bullets.html|title=K.C. Jones Discharged as Bullets' Coach|work=The New York Times|date=May 8, 1976|access-date=December 9, 2022|last=Goldaper|first=Sam|archive-date=December 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209060411/https://www.nytimes.com/1976/05/08/archives/kc-jones-discharged-as-bullets-coach-kc-jones-dismissed-by-bullets.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In [[1976–77 Washington Bullets season|1976–77]], under new head coach [[Dick Motta]], the Bullets again fell short of the Central Division title for the second straight year. Elvin Hayes finished sixth in the league in rebounds with 12.5 rebounds per game. After opening the [[1977 NBA playoffs]] with a three-game series victory over the [[1976–77 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]], the Bullets took a 2–1 series lead in the second round against the [[1976–77 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]]. With a chance to take a 3–1 series lead at home, the Bullets lost 107–103, and the Rockets took the series in six games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1977.html|title=1977 NBA Playoffs Summary|access-date=December 9, 2022|work=Basketball Reference|archive-date=July 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220711100930/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1977.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

====1977–78: NBA championship season====
<!-- This section is linked from [[Nils Lofgren]] -->
Although they had future hall of famers [[Elvin Hayes]] and [[Wes Unseld]] on the team, the Bullets finished the [[1977–78 Washington Bullets season|1977–78 season]] 44–38 and were a longshot to win the [[NBA Finals]], but San Antonio journalist [[Dan Cook]] used the famed phrase "[[It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings]]".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/fat-lady-sings-for-sports-icon-dan-cook-1.306659|title=Fat Lady sings for sports icon Dan Cook|work=CTV News|agency=The Associated Press|date=July 4, 2008|access-date=December 7, 2022|archive-date=December 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207041756/https://www.ctvnews.ca/fat-lady-sings-for-sports-icon-dan-cook-1.306659|url-status=live}}</ref> This became the rallying cry for the Bullets as they finished a playoff run that led to the [[NBA Finals]], defeating the [[1977–78 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle SuperSonics]] in seven games to bring a professional sports championship to Washington, D.C. for the first time in 36 years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nba.com/news/history-season-review-1977-78|title=Season Review: 1977-78|work=NBA.com Staff|publisher=NBA|date=September 13, 2021|access-date=December 7, 2022|archive-date=December 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207041750/https://www.nba.com/news/history-season-review-1977-78|url-status=live}}</ref> It remains the only NBA title won by the team as of 2025.

====1978–79: Finalists====
In the [[1978–79 Washington Bullets season|1978–79 season]] the Bullets moved to the Atlantic Division, capturing the title in their first season there.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1979.html|title=1978-79 NBA Season Summary|access-date=December 9, 2022|archive-date=October 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014055415/http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1979.html|url-status=live}}</ref> They entered the [[1979 NBA playoffs]] having lost eight of the final 11 games to finish the regular season at 54–28. In the playoffs the Bullets nearly blew a 3–1 series lead against the [[1978–79 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]], but managed to hold off the Hawks in seven games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1979-nba-eastern-conference-semifinals-hawks-vs-bullets.html|work=Basketball Reference|title=1979 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals Hawks vs. Bullets|access-date=December 9, 2022|archive-date=December 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209060417/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1979-nba-eastern-conference-semifinals-hawks-vs-bullets.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the Eastern Conference finals, they trailed the [[1978–79 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]] 3–1, but they mounted a comeback by winning two straight games to force a game seven at the Capital Centre. The Bullets rallied again, overcoming a fourth–quarter deficit to beat [[George Gervin]] and the Spurs 107–105 in one of the NBA's all-time greatest games and advance to the NBA Finals and a rematch with the [[1978–79 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle SuperSonics]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1979-nba-eastern-conference-finals-spurs-vs-bullets.html|work=Basketball Reference|title=1979 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Spurs vs. Bullets|access-date=December 9, 2022|archive-date=December 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209060412/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1979-nba-eastern-conference-finals-spurs-vs-bullets.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In Game 1 of the finals, the Bullets defeated the SuperSonics, 99–97, on two game-winning free throws. They lost the next four games, and the series, to Seattle. The Bullets were the only team to play in the NBA Finals four times during the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1979-nba-finals-supersonics-vs-bullets.html|title=1979 NBA Finals|work=Basketball Reference|access-date=December 9, 2022|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112042643/https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1979-nba-finals-supersonics-vs-bullets.html|url-status=live}}</ref>