# 1981–82 Washington Bullets season

The 1981–82 NBA season was the Bullets’ 21st season in the NBA and their ninth in the city of Washington, D.C. This for first since 1967–68 season Wes Unseld was not on the opening day roster. The Bullets finished 43–39 and won their first playoff round against the New Jersey Nets. They lost the semifinals to a powerful Boston Celtic outfit and their Nets win would prove their last playoff series win until 2004–05 against the Chicago Bulls.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 11 | Frank Johnson | PG | United States | Wake Forest |
| 2 | 35 | Charles Davis | SF | United States | Vanderbilt |
| 2 | 41 | Claude Gregory | PF | United States | Wisconsin |
| 2 | 44 | Steve Lingenfelter | PF | United States | South Dakota State |
| 3 | 48 | Mike Ferrara | | United States | Colgate |
| 4 | 79 | Ron Davis | | United States | Arizona |
| 5 | 103 | Garry Witts | | United States | Holy Cross |
| 6 | 125 | Robert Williams | | United States | Grambling State |
| 7 | 149 | Randy Martel | | United States | Houston Baptist |
| 8 | 170 | Mike Howard | | United States | Wofford |
| 9 | 193 | Eddie Brown | | United States | Valdosta State |
| 10 | 212 | Ralton Way | | United States | Houston Baptist |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Atlantic Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Boston Celtics | 63 | 19 | .768 | – | 35–6 | 28–13 | 20–4 |
| x-Philadelphia 76ers | 58 | 24 | .707 | 5.0 | 32–9 | 26–15 | 16–8 |
| x-New Jersey Nets | 44 | 38 | .537 | 19.0 | 25–16 | 19–22 | 12–12 |
| x-Washington Bullets | 43 | 39 | .524 | 20.0 | 22–19 | 21–20 | 7–17 |
| New York Knicks | 33 | 49 | .402 | 30.0 | 19–22 | 14–27 | 5–19 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Boston Celtics | 63 | 19 | .768 | – |
| 2 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 55 | 27 | .671 | 8 |
| 3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 58 | 24 | .707 | 5 |
| 4 | x-New Jersey Nets | 44 | 38 | .537 | 19 |
| 5 | x-Washington Bullets | 43 | 39 | .524 | 20 |
| 6 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 42 | 40 | .512 | 21 |
| 7 | Detroit Pistons | 39 | 43 | .476 | 24 |
| 8 | Indiana Pacers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 28 |
| 9 | Chicago Bulls | 34 | 48 | .415 | 29 |
| 10 | New York Knicks | 33 | 49 | .402 | 30 |
| 11 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | .183 | 48 |
Notes
* z, y – division champions
* x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1981–82 NBA records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 1–5 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 |
| Boston | 5–1 | — | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 |
| Chicago | 3–2 | 2–4 | — | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 0–5 | 1–5 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | — | 1–1 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
| Detroit | 4–2 | 0–6 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | — | 1–4 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 4–1 | — | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 2–0 |
| Indiana | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 |
| Kansas City | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | — | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| New Jersey | 2–3 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | — | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| New York | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | — | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 3–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Portland | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | — | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–2 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | — | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | — | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 5–1 | — | 5–0 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–5 | — | 1–1 |
| Washington | 4–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

1981–82 game log Total: 43–39 (home: 22–19; road: 21–20) :
October: 0–1 (home: 0–0; road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 30
@ Boston
L 100–124
Boston Garden
0–1 :
November: 4–9 (home: 3–5; road: 1–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
2
November 3
Philadelphia
L 99–112
Capital Centre
0–2
3
November 5
@ Milwaukee
L 90–98
MECCA Arena
0–3
4
November 6
Detroit
W 86–82
Capital Centre
1–3
5
November 10
Boston
L 84–90
Capital Centre
1–4
6
November 12
@ Atlanta
W 95–87
The Omni
2–4
7
November 14
Chicago
W 104–99
Capital Centre
3–4
8
November 17
Milwaukee
L 95–99
Capital Centre
3–5
9
November 19
@ Detroit
L 97–122
Pontiac Silverdome
3–6
10
November 20
Houston
L 94–95
Capital Centre
3–7
11
November 21
@ Chicago
L 105–117
Chicago Stadium
3–8
12
November 24
Golden State
W 107–88
Capital Centre
4–8
13
November 27
@ Boston
L 100–113
Boston Garden
4–9
14
November 28
Indiana
L 90–92
Capital Centre
4–10 :
December: 8–7 (home: 3–3; road: 5–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
15
December 1
San Antonio
L 99–110
Capital Centre
4–11
16
December 3
@ New York
W 114–88
Madison Square Garden
5–11
17
December 5
Cleveland
W 94–87
Capital Centre
6–11
18
December 8
@ Los Angeles
L 98–102
The Forum
6–12
19
December 11
@ San Diego
W 106–102
San Diego Sports Arena
7–12
20
December 12
@ Phoenix
W 105–98
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
8–12
21
December 15
Dallas
L 102–107
Capital Centre
8–13
22
December 16
@ Cleveland
W 106–102
Richfield Coliseum
9–13
23
December 18
Boston
L 98–99
Capital Centre
9–14
24
December 22
@ Chicago
L 90–92
Chicago Stadium
9–15
25
December 25
Indiana
W 115–98
Capital Centre
10–15
26
December 26
@ New Jersey
W 105–90
Brendan Byrne Arena
11–15
27
December 29
Detroit
W 129–125
Capital Centre
12–15
28
December 30
@ Milwaukee
L 103–107
MECCA Arena
12–16 :
January: 10–4 (home: 5–3; road: 5–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
29
January 2
@ Indiana
W 107–103
Market Square Arena
13–16
30
January 5
New Jersey
L 108–114
Capital Centre
13–17
31
January 6
@ Philadelphia
L 112–116
The Spectrum
13–18
32
January 7
@ Cleveland
W 109–100
Richfield Coliseum
14–18
33
January 10
@ New York
W 129–126 (OT)
Madison Square Garden
15–18
34
January 12
Philadelphia
L 92–95
Capital Centre
15–19
35
January 14
@ Detroit
W 121–114
Pontiac Silverdome
16–19
36
January 15
Chicago
W 93–90
Capital Centre
17–19
37
January 17
Atlanta
W 96–78
Capital Centre
18–19
38
January 20
Seattle
W 106–95
Capital Centre
19–19
39
January 22
Portland
W 110–97
Capital Centre
20–19
41
January 23
@ Kansas City
W 109–106 (OT)
Kemper Arena
21–19
41
January 26
Chicago
W 94–84
Capital Centre
22–19
42
January 28
New York
L 98–102
Capital Centre
22–20
All-Star Break :
February: 5–8 (home: 2–4; road: 3–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
43
February 2
Cleveland
L 99–100
Capital Centre
22–21
44
February 3
@ Philadelphia
L 96–122
The Spectrum
22–22
45
February 5
Los Angeles
L 87–90
Capital Centre
22–23
46
February 7
Denver
L 115–124
Capital Centre
22–24
47
February 9
@ San Antonio
W 112–110
HemisFair Arena
23–24
48
February 10
@ Dallas
W 119–102
Reunion Arena
24–24
49
February 13
@ Houston
L 104–111
The Summit
24–25
50
February 16
@ Portland
W 100–97
Memorial Coliseum
25–25
51
February 18
@ Seattle
L 87–105
Kingdome
25–26
52
February 20
@ Golden State
L 102–110
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
25–27
53
February 23
Utah
L 106–113
Capital Centre
25–28
54
February 26
Kansas City
W 100–98
Capital Centre
26–28
55
February 28
New York
W 113–109 (OT)
Capital Centre
27–28 :
March: 10–7 (home: 6–3; road: 4–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
56
March 2
New Jersey
L 124–130 (2OT)
Capital Centre
27–29
57
March 5
@ Denver
L 126–127
McNichols Sports Arena
27–30
58
March 6
@ Utah
W 127–113
Salt Palace Acord Arena
28–30
59
March 9
Phoenix
L 95–103
Capital Centre
28–31
60
March 12
Indiana
W 110–105
Capital Centre
29–31
61
March 13
@ New York
W 109–99
Madison Square Garden
30–31
62
March 14
Atlanta
W 92–85
Capital Centre
31–31
63
March 16
Boston
L 97–98 (OT)
Capital Centre
31–32
64
March 17
@ Philadelphia
L 93–102
The Spectrum
31–33
65
March 19
San Diego
W 108–98
Capital Centre
32–33
66
March 21
New York
W 110–109
Capital Centre
33–33
67
March 23
@ Atlanta
L 87–107
The Omni
33–34
68
March 24
@ Indiana
W 114–106
Market Square Arena
34–34
69
March 26
New Jersey
W 104–88
Capital Centre
35–34
70
March 28
@ Cleveland
W 104–101
Richfield Coliseum
36–34
71
March 30
Detroit
W 127–98
Capital Centre
37–34
72
March 31
@ Boston
L 109–119
Boston Garden
37–35 :
April: 6–4 (home: 3–1; road: 3–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
73
April 2
@ New Jersey
L 96–98
Brendan Byrne Arena
37–36
74
April 3
@ Atlanta
L 101–106
The Omni
37–37
75
April 6
Cleveland
W 94–85
Capital Centre
38–37
76
April 7
@ Indiana
W 97–85
Market Square Arena
39–37
77
April 9
@ Chicago
W 114–98
Chicago Stadium
40–37
78
April 10
Milwaukee
W 115–114
Capital Centre
41–37
79
April 13
@ Milwaukee
W 109–99
MECCA Arena
42–37
80
April 14
@ New Jersey
L 94–98
Brendan Byrne Arena
42–38
81
April 16
Philadelphia
L 96–100
Capital Centre
42–39
82
April 18
Atlanta
W 99–96
Capital Centre
43–39 :
1981–82 schedule :

### Playoffs

1982 playoff game log :
Eastern Conference First Round: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 20
@ New Jersey
W 96–83
Jeff Ruland (18)
Jeff Ruland (20)
Frank Johnson (11)
Brendan Byrne Arena 14,015
1–0
2
April 23
New Jersey
W 103–92
Kevin Grevey (23)
Rick Mahorn (11)
Frank Johnson (9)
Capital Centre 19,035
2–0 :
Eastern Conference Semifinals: 1–4 (home: 0–2; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 25
@ Boston
L 91–109
Spencer Haywood (17)
Greg Ballard (9)
Frank Johnson (6)
Boston Garden 15,320
0–1
2
April 28
@ Boston
W 103–102
Johnson, Haywood (26)
Jeff Ruland (10)
Frank Johnson (8)
Boston Garden 15,320
1–1
3
May 1
Boston
L 83–92
Spencer Haywood (19)
Rick Mahorn (14)
Frank Johnson (8)
Capital Centre 15,035
1–2
4
May 2
Boston
L 99–103 (OT)
Spencer Haywood (28)
Rick Mahorn (10)
Frank Johnson (7)
Capital Centre 16,295
1–3
5
May 5
@ Boston
L 126–131 (2OT)
Jeff Ruland (33)
Jeff Ruland (13)
Frank Johnson (10)
Boston Garden 15,320
1–4 :
1982 schedule :

## Awards and records

* Gene Shue, NBA Coach of the Year Award
* Bob Ferry, NBA Executive of the Year Award
* Jeff Ruland, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team