# 1980–81 Washington Bullets season

The 1980–81 NBA season was the Bullets 20th season in the NBA and their 8th season in the city of Washington, D.C. Following the season, Wes Unseld retired, Elvin Hayes was traded to the Houston Rockets, and Mitch Kupchak signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 14 | Wes Matthews | G | United States | Wisconsin |
| 2 | 35 | Rick Mahorn | C/PF | United States | Hampton |
| 4 | 81 | Francois Wise | | United States | California State-Long Beach |
| 5 | 105 | Daryl Strickland | | United States | Rutgers |
| 6 | 127 | Ken Dancy | | United States | Chicago State |
| 7 | 151 | Karl Godine | | United States | Stephen F. Austin State |
| 8 | 170 | Rich Valavicius | | United States | Auburn |
| 9 | 191 | Clinton Wyatt | | United States | Alcorn State |
| 10 | 207 | Don Youman | | United States | Oklahoma State |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Atlantic Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Boston Celtics | 62 | 20 | .756 | – | 35–6 | 27–14 | 19–5 |
| x-Philadelphia 76ers | 62 | 20 | .756 | – | 37–4 | 25–16 | 15–9 |
| x-New York Knicks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 12.0 | 28–13 | 22–19 | 14–10 |
| Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 23.0 | 26–15 | 13–28 | 8–16 |
| New Jersey Nets | 24 | 58 | .293 | 38.0 | 16–25 | 8–33 | 8–16 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Boston Celtics | 62 | 20 | .756 | – |
| 2 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 60 | 22 | .732 | 2 |
| 3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 62 | 20 | .756 | – |
| 4 | x-New York Knicks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 12 |
| 5 | x-Chicago Bulls | 45 | 37 | .549 | 17 |
| 6 | x-Indiana Pacers | 44 | 38 | .537 | 18 |
| 7 | Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 23 |
| 8 | Atlanta Hawks | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 |
| 9 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 28 | 54 | .341 | 34 |
| 10 | New Jersey Nets | 24 | 58 | .293 | 38 |
| 11 | Detroit Pistons | 21 | 61 | .256 | 41 |
Notes
* z, y – division champions
* x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1980-81 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 | — | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 |
| Boston | 4–2 | — | 5–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 |
| Chicago | 4–2 | 1–5 | — | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 |
| Cleveland | 5–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 0–5 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Dallas | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | — | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 |
| Detroit | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 |
| Golden State | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | — | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | — | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 |
| Indiana | 5–1 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Kansas City | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 0–2 | — | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 5–0 | — | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Milwaukee | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 |
| New Jersey | 2–3 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | — | 0–6 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| New York | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 6–0 | — | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Philadelphia | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| Phoenix | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 3–3 | 3–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 |
| Portland | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | — | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | — | 4–1 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 2–4 | 1–4 | — | 5–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–5 | — | 4–1 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | — | 0–2 |
| Washington | 4–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

1980–81 game log Total: 39–43 (Home: 26–15; Road: 13–28) :
October: 2–8 (home: 1–3; road: 1–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 10
@ Detroit
W 95–85
Pontiac Silverdome
1–0
2
October 11
Philadelphia
L 120–126 (2OT)
Capital Centre
1–1
3
October 16
@ Cleveland
L 88–90
Richfield Coliseum
1–2
4
October 17
New Jersey
L 112–114
Capital Centre
1–3
5
October 18
@ Philadelphia
L 101–117
The Spectrum
1–4
6
October 22
Cleveland
W 109–96
Capital Centre
2–4
7
October 24
@ Chicago
L 96–104
Chicago Stadium
2–5
8
October 25
Boston
L 87–103
Capital Centre
2–6
9
October 26
@ Milwaukee
L 88–111
MECCA Arena
2–7
10
January 25
@ New Jersey
L 98–100
Rutgers Athletic Center
2–8 :
November: 8–6 (home: 7–1; road: 1–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
11
November 1
@ New York
L 93–111
Madison Square Garden
2–9
12
November 4
Atlanta
W 122–98
Capital Centre
3–9
13
November 6
Dallas
W 116–95
Capital Centre
4–9
14
November 7
Detroit
W 114–88
Capital Centre
5–9
15
November 11
Denver
W 107–92
Capital Centre
6–9
16
November 12
@ Boston
L 86–93
Boston Garden
6–10
17
November 14
@ Indiana
L 108–118
Market Square Arena
6–11
18
November 15
@ Atlanta
W 100–88
The Omni
7–11
19
November 18
Golden State
L 97–103
Capital Centre
7–12
20
November 21
San Diego
W 102–90
Capital Centre
8–12
21
November 22
@ Chicago
L 101–114
Chicago Stadium
8–13
22
November 27
Indiana
W 123–108
Capital Centre
9–13
24
November 28
@ Cleveland
L 105–126
Richfield Coliseum
9–14
24
November 29
Milwaukee
W 98–89
Capital Centre
10–14 :
December: 6–8 (home: 5–4; road: 1–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
25
December 2
Kansas City
W 107–103
Capital Centre
11–14
26
December 3
@ Indiana
L 115–128
Market Square Arena
11–15
27
December 5
Detroit
W 103–92
Capital Centre
12–15
28
December 7
@ Boston (at Hartford, Connecticut)
W 113–103
Hartford Civic Center
13–15
29
December 9
@ New York
L 104–107
Madison Square Garden
13–16
30
December 10
Boston
L 99–101
Capital Centre
13–17
31
December 12
@ Philadelphia
L 79–95
The Spectrum
13–18
32
December 13
Indiana
W 114–105
Capital Centre
14–18
33
December 16
Chicago
L 94–96
Capital Centre
14–19
34
December 19
New York
L 96–102
Capital Centre
14–20
35
December 23
@ Atlanta
L 83–100
The Omni
14–21
36
December 25
New Jersey
W 109–94
Capital Centre
15–21
37
December 27
Houston
W 115–97
Capital Centre
16–21
38
December 30
Milwaukee
L 94–115
Capital Centre
16–22 :
January: 10–6 (home: 6–2; road: 4–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
39
January 2
Chicago
L 82–92
Capital Centre
16–23
40
January 3
@ Cleveland
L 112–132
Richfield Coliseum
16–24
41
January 6
@ Los Angeles
L 98–107
The Forum
16–25
42
January 8
@ Kansas City
L 118–136
Kemper Arena
16–26
43
January 10
@ Dallas
W 106–94
Reunion Arena
17–26
44
January 11
@ San Antonio
L 106–137
HemisFair Arena
17–27
45
January 14
Los Angeles
W 114–104
Capital Centre
18–27
46
January 15
@ Detroit
W 106–89
Pontiac Silverdome
19–27
47
January 17
San Antonio
W 103–93
Capital Centre
20–27
48
January 18
New Jersey
W 110–99
Capital Centre
21–27
49
January 20
Utah
W 121–113
Capital Centre
22–27
50
January 22
Philadelphia
L 116–128
Capital Centre
22–28
51
January 23
Seattle
W 103–91
Capital Centre
23–28
54
January 25
@ New Jersey
W 118–100
Rutgers Athletic Center
24–28
53
January 27
@ Atlanta
W 105–104
The Omni
25–28
54
January 28
Phoenix
W 108–98
Capital Centre
26–28 :
February: 5–8 (home: 2–2; road: 3–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
55
February 3
@ Portland
L 104–111 (OT)
Memorial Coliseum
26–29
56
February 4
@ Seattle
L 99–108
Kingdome
26–30
57
February 6
@ Golden State
W 116–110
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
27–30
58
February 8
@ Phoenix
L 107–113 (OT)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
27–31
59
February 10
@ Denver
W 115–110
McNichols Sports Arena
28–31
60
February 13
@ Philadelphia
W 104–102
The Spectrum
29–31
61
February 14
@ Detroit
L 103–105
Pontiac Silverdome
29–32
62
February 17
Portland
L 104–124
Capital Centre
29–33
63
February 19
Philadelphia
W 129–108
Capital Centre
30–33
64
February 20
@ New York
L 112–124
Madison Square Garden
30–34
65
February 22
Milwaukee
L 93–102
Capital Centre
30–35
66
February 25
New York
W 120–105
Capital Centre
31–35
67
February 27
@ Chicago
L 100–112
Chicago Stadium
31–36 :
March: 8–7 (home: 5–3; road: 3–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
68
March 1
@ Milwaukee
L 107–137
MECCA Arena
31–37
69
March 3
@ Utah
W 121–113
Salt Palace Acord Arena
32–37
70
March 4
@ San Diego
W 115–103
San Diego Sports Arena
33–37
71
March 6
@ Houston
W 105–104
The Summit
34–37
72
March 8
Chicago
W 103–99
Capital Centre
35–37
73
March 11
@ New Jersey
L 104–109
Rutgers Athletic Center
35–38
74
March 12
Indiana
L 107–114
Capital Centre
35–39
75
March 15
Cleveland
L 100–101
Capital Centre
35–40
76
March 17
Boston
L 91–112
Capital Centre
35–41
77
March 20
@ Boston
L 116–128
Boston Garden
35–42
78
March 22
Atlanta
W 121–101
Capital Centre
36–42
79
March 25
New York
W 120–105
Capital Centre
37–42
80
March 27
@ Indiana
L 107–122
Market Square Arena
37–43
81
March 28
Detroit
W 108–103
Capital Centre
38–43
82
March 29
Cleveland
W 138–103
Capital Centre
39–43 :
1980–81 schedule :