# 1976–77 Washington Bullets season

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

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Central Divisionvte | 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 Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | 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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
November: 6–8 (home: 5–1; road: 1–7)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
17
November 27
@ Portland
L 95–103
Memorial Coliseum
7–10 :
December: 8–5 (home: 5–2; road: 3–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
January: 12–2 (home: 8–1; road: 4–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
40
January 15
Portland
W 113–107
Capital Centre
21–19 :
February: 9–5 (home: 5–1; road: 4–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
49
February 5
@ Portland
W 116–104
Memorial Coliseum
29–20
All-Star Break :
March: 8–8 (home: 6–2; road: 2–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
April: 4–2 (home: 3–1; road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
1976–77 schedule :

### Playoffs

1977 playoff game log :
Eastern Conference First Round: 2–1 (home: 2–0; road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
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

* Elvin Hayes, All-NBA First Team
* Mitch Kupchak, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team