Bullets vs Boston Celtics

Lore & Background

The franchise was established in 1961 as the Chicago Packers in Chicago; they were renamed the Chicago Zephyrs in the following season. In 1963, they moved to Baltimore, and became the Baltimore Bullets, taking the name from a previous team of the same name. In 1973, the team moved to the Washington metropolitan area and changed its name first to the Capital Bullets, then the following season to Washington Bullets. In 1997, they rebranded themselves as the Wizards. The franchise has played in four NBA Finals, winning in 1978. They have appeared in 28 playoffs, won four conference titles (1971, 1975, 1978, 1979), and won eight division titles (1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 2017). Their best season record, in 1974–75, was 60–22. Wes Unseld is the only player in franchise history to be named NBA MVP (1969) and Finals MVP (1978). Four players (Walt Bellamy, Terry Dischinger, Earl Monroe, and Unseld) have won the Rookie of the Year award. Unseld won both league MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season.

Reader's Guide

The 60–22 Bullets made it back to the 1975 NBA playoffs. In the regular season, Washington posted a 36–5 home record at the Capital Centre. In the first round of the playoffs, they survived a seven-game series against the Buffalo Braves as both teams won all of their games at home. In the Eastern Conference finals, they beat the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in six games to advance to the NBA Finals. The Bullets were favorites to win the NBA championship, but were swept by the Al Attles-led Golden State Warriors in four games, losing games one and four at the Capital Centre.

Did You Know?

• The franchise began as the Chicago Packers in 1961, the NBA's first expansion team.
• The Bullets defeated the Boston Celtics in the 1975 Eastern Conference finals to reach the NBA Finals.