1973–74 Capital Bullets season

1973–74 Capital Bullets season
Head coach K. C. Jones
Arena Capital Centre
Cole Field House (until Dec)
Results
Record 4735 (.573)
Place Division: 1st (Central)
Conference: 2nd (Eastern)
Playoff finish East Conference Semifinals
(Eliminated 3–4)

Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television WDCA
Radio WTOP
(Frank Herzog)

The 1973–74 Capital Bullets season was the team's first in Washington, D.C. area, southeast from nearby Baltimore. Prior to the 1973–74 season, the Baltimore Bullets relocated to Landover, Maryland, a suburb east of Washington, and became the Capital Bullets.[1]

The Bullets finished with a 47–35 record and won the Central Division. Wes Unseld was limited to 56 games due to injuries. In the playoffs, the Bullets fell to the New York Knicks for the fifth time in six years, eliminated in seven games.[1] Following the season, the team was renamed as the Washington Bullets.

The new Capital Centre opened on December 2, 1973; the Bullets played their earlier home games this season at Cole Field House at the University of Maryland in College Park. They played several home games at Cole during their last seasons in Baltimore.[2][3]

Draft picks

Roster

Capital Bullets roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
C 11 Hayes, Elvin 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Houston
PF 22 Kozelko, Tom 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Toledo
G 15 Nelson, Louie 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Washington
SG 6 Riordan, Mike 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Providence
F 41 Unseld, Wes 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Louisville
Head coach

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division
TeamWLPCT.GB
Capital Bullets4735.573
Atlanta Hawks3547.42712
Houston Rockets3250.39015
Cleveland Cavaliers2953.35418

[4]

Record vs. opponents

1973–74 NBA records
Team ATL BOS BUF CAP CHI CLE DET GSW HOU KCO LAL MIL NYK PHI PHO POR SEA
Atlanta 1–52–44–41–34–30–41–35–21–34–01–31–53–31–32–24–0
Boston 5–15–22–42–24–23–13–14–23–12–22–25–27–13–14–02–2
Buffalo 4–22–53–31–35–11–31–34–22–20–41–34–46–13–13–12–2
Capital 4–44–23–31–36–12–23–14–33–12–21–33–34–22–23–12–2
Chicago 3–12–23–13–14–05–24–24–05–21–53–32–23–14–24–24–2
Cleveland 3–42–41–51–60–42–20–44–40–43–10–41–55–11–34–02–2
Detroit 4–01–33–12–22–52–25–13–14–24–23–41–32–26–05–15–1
Golden State 3–11–33–11–32–44–01–54–03–34–23–31–33–15–23–43–3
Houston 2–52–42–43–40–44–41–30–42–22–20–44–24–22–23–11–3
Kansas City-Omaha 3–11–32–21–32–54–02–43–32–21–50–71–31–34–24–22–4
Los Angeles 0–42–24–02–25–11–32–42–42–25–14–22–24–04–24–34–3
Milwaukee 3–12–23–13–13–34–04–33–34–07–02–42–24–05–16–04–2
New York 5–12–54–43–32–25–13–13–12–43–12–22–24–33–12–24–0
Philadelphia 3–31–71–62–41–31–52–21–32–43–10–40–43–43–12–20–4
Phoenix 3–11–31–32–22–43–10–62–52–22–42–41–51–31–33–34–3
Portland 2–20–41–31–32–40–41–54–31–32–43–40–62–22–23–33–3
Seattle 0–42–22–22–22–42–21–53–33–14–23–42–40–44–03–43–3

Playoffs

East Conference Semifinals

  • (2) New York Knicks vs. (3) Capital Bullets: Knicks win series 4-3
  • Game 1 @ New York: New York 102, Capital 91
  • Game 2 @ Capital: Capital 99, New York 87
  • Game 3 @ New York: Capital 88, New York 79
  • Game 4 @ Capital: New York 101, Capital 93 (OT)
  • Game 5 @ New York: New York 106, Capital 105
  • Game 6 @ Capital: Capital 109, New York 92
  • Game 7 @ New York: New York 91, Capital 81

Awards and honors

References

  1. 1 2 Washington Wizards (1963–Present)
  2. "Yule-conscious Bullets facing crowded schedule". Baltimore Afro-American. December 26, 1970. p. 16.
  3. "Bullets set 8 games at College Park". Baltimore Afro-American. July 24, 1971. p. D9.
  4. 1973–74 NBA season summary Basketball-Reference.com
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