The NBA from about 1974-1979 was at its worst for a trio of reasons. First, the ABA was usurping great athletes like Doc, Skywalker, Ice, etc. Two, when the leagues merged, it took a while for teams to gel. The Sixers had an obscene amount of talent, but they didn't play well together...it was like a team of mercenaries. And the largest reason...cocaine. Yayo ran rampant in the NBA and you saw a lot of lethargic, scattered play as a result of it. Magic and Bird's impact really took 3-4 years
@cbaldwinjr Probably mostly true....but I liked it more back then because I didn't know squat about cocaine or care about the fact they made more than I'll ever see ...PLUS... it wasn't so top heavy with the anti caucasian feel
@cbaldwinjr True, but there were still plenty of things to like about that era: Game 5 of the '76 Finals, the improbable championship runs of the Warriors and Blazers (teams which relied heavily on team basketball), the magnificence of Bill Walton in '77, the splendour of Julius Erving. Obviously things got significantly better once Magic and Bird arrived on the scene - and after the league cracked down on drugs.
@staunchx which you can thank stern for. but i wonder if Walton and his foot issues may have altered the course of NBA history. maybe the blazers win 2 or 3 straight if he was healthy...
@xSoccerxCorex Definitely a good chance Portland would have repeated or even 3-peated. Portland had far and away the best record during the 77-78 season right up until the point where Walton got injured. Of course Portland's ownership dug their own grave by all but forcing the big redhead to return for the playoffs before he was fully healed. The rest as they say is history.
@threeby8887 i was watching the NBA at this time and tape delay sucked...actually tape delay went on in the regular season and early playoff rounds BEFORE the 79-80 season. a game would come on at 10:30 PM(central time) but before the game would come on, sometimes our local news would show the final score of the featured game. my family got cable in Oct-81 and i didnt have to watch tape delay anymore.
@brucedavis76 i understand where youre coming from though. one year of sonics-bullets was enough. but they ended up playing against each other the very next yr!!!!! now THAT series WAS boring. not saying that because seattle won, other than game 1,parts of games 3&4,this series sucked.Game 2 was NOT televised in the Memphis area locally(pre-empted by the CBS evening movie). there was no 3pt line either.
Glad to see the Bullets win the championship. I was bummed in '75 when they got swept by the Warriors. I was a big fan of Elvin Hayes. He had an awesome turnaround fadeaway jumper. Wes Unseld was a rock for that team. Bobby Dandrige put them over the top in '78.
This really takes me back. I was a young boy when this happened, and I haven't seen this since 1978. It was great to re-live this again. Thanks for posting this.
The Bulletts had the NBA's best record in the decade of the 70's.Wes Unseld was NBA MVP and rookie of the year in the SAME season 1968-69.Only he and Wilt Chamberlain can claim to have done that.
Amazing that two teams with a combined regular season win total of 91 actually made the finals in 1978. That's because Bill Walton injured himself 60 games into the season, when his Portland Trailblazers were 50-10.
The Washington Bullets were actually pretty good at one point
FRSFreeState 3 months ago
Its hard to win a game 7 in any sport, much less on the road
Suburbancowboy123 9 months ago
This was a game 7 of a NBA FInals? Are you kidding me? They play better basketball in Samoa nowadays
adikillah 9 months ago
the wizards shudent have changed there name from the bullets. washington bullets sounds better in my opinion.
firedevil400 10 months ago
@firedevil400 and gilbert arenas makes the name appropiate
samtheman7975 1 month ago
The NBA from about 1974-1979 was at its worst for a trio of reasons. First, the ABA was usurping great athletes like Doc, Skywalker, Ice, etc. Two, when the leagues merged, it took a while for teams to gel. The Sixers had an obscene amount of talent, but they didn't play well together...it was like a team of mercenaries. And the largest reason...cocaine. Yayo ran rampant in the NBA and you saw a lot of lethargic, scattered play as a result of it. Magic and Bird's impact really took 3-4 years
cbaldwinjr 11 months ago
@cbaldwinjr Probably mostly true....but I liked it more back then because I didn't know squat about cocaine or care about the fact they made more than I'll ever see ...PLUS... it wasn't so top heavy with the anti caucasian feel
Roggiedodgie 10 months ago
@cbaldwinjr True, but there were still plenty of things to like about that era: Game 5 of the '76 Finals, the improbable championship runs of the Warriors and Blazers (teams which relied heavily on team basketball), the magnificence of Bill Walton in '77, the splendour of Julius Erving. Obviously things got significantly better once Magic and Bird arrived on the scene - and after the league cracked down on drugs.
staunchx 6 months ago
@staunchx which you can thank stern for. but i wonder if Walton and his foot issues may have altered the course of NBA history. maybe the blazers win 2 or 3 straight if he was healthy...
xSoccerxCorex 3 months ago
@xSoccerxCorex Definitely a good chance Portland would have repeated or even 3-peated. Portland had far and away the best record during the 77-78 season right up until the point where Walton got injured. Of course Portland's ownership dug their own grave by all but forcing the big redhead to return for the playoffs before he was fully healed. The rest as they say is history.
staunchx 3 months ago
what a battle
Michaelslayer1 1 year ago
1978 still the last and only NBA Finals Championship for the Bullets
FRSFreeState 1 year ago
It's a damn shame that these 2 teams are both technically out of the NBA now. (The Bullets via name change and the Sonics have moved away.)
WatchVenusSpa 1 year ago
the nba almost died cuz of this series no one watched it it was a shame cuz the game was cool
brucedavis76 1 year ago
@brucedavis76 i watched every game!!! i dont think these games were tape delay either.
elwin38 1 year ago
@elwin38 The Tape Delay Era did not start until the 1979-80 season.
threeby8887 9 months ago
@threeby8887 i was watching the NBA at this time and tape delay sucked...actually tape delay went on in the regular season and early playoff rounds BEFORE the 79-80 season. a game would come on at 10:30 PM(central time) but before the game would come on, sometimes our local news would show the final score of the featured game. my family got cable in Oct-81 and i didnt have to watch tape delay anymore.
elwin38 9 months ago
@brucedavis76 i understand where youre coming from though. one year of sonics-bullets was enough. but they ended up playing against each other the very next yr!!!!! now THAT series WAS boring. not saying that because seattle won, other than game 1,parts of games 3&4,this series sucked.Game 2 was NOT televised in the Memphis area locally(pre-empted by the CBS evening movie). there was no 3pt line either.
elwin38 1 year ago
Comment removed
elwin38 9 months ago
Unseld was a stud
pretorious700 1 year ago
i was 10yrs old!! my 2nd NBA finals...the '77 finals was my 1st one(bill vs doc)
elwin38 2 years ago
Bullets finally accomplished what they should of years ago.
FrsBigeasy 2 years ago
thank you Mr. Polin..... resting in peace
ironsports 2 years ago
Glad to see the Bullets win the championship. I was bummed in '75 when they got swept by the Warriors. I was a big fan of Elvin Hayes. He had an awesome turnaround fadeaway jumper. Wes Unseld was a rock for that team. Bobby Dandrige put them over the top in '78.
jaybrank 2 years ago
This really takes me back. I was a young boy when this happened, and I haven't seen this since 1978. It was great to re-live this again. Thanks for posting this.
JesusIsMyHelp 2 years ago
The Bulletts had the NBA's best record in the decade of the 70's.Wes Unseld was NBA MVP and rookie of the year in the SAME season 1968-69.Only he and Wilt Chamberlain can claim to have done that.
yomamadontdanz 2 years ago 2
Good ole days. Gus Williams, Dennis Johnson, Downtown Freddy Brown, Paul Silas, Jack Sikma, Lonnie Shelton, etc.
petarep 2 years ago
yes good old days until Magic man came in and took the league by storm
Soundtrack1000 2 years ago
The Sonics won the title in 1978-79, making them the last team to win the NBA championship before the 3-pt. line was introduced the following year.
Jeff98177 3 years ago
These two teams were such a great match up ... Bullets won it in 78 Sonics beat um in 79 .. Sonics were that close to going back to back
funkyflights 3 years ago
Yes, but the Bullets might have gone back-to-back with a healthy Kupchak in '79. I agree, though, great match up for sure.
tgrsmuggs 3 years ago
The Spurs would have beg to differ.
Ariamaluum 2 years ago
Amazing that two teams with a combined regular season win total of 91 actually made the finals in 1978. That's because Bill Walton injured himself 60 games into the season, when his Portland Trailblazers were 50-10.
Gerkinstock 3 years ago
This was a very exciting game. Just think how exciting it would've been with the 3-pt line present.
yacsfc 3 years ago
How about CBS misspelling Jack Sikma's last name at the 1:02 mark?
threeby8887 3 years ago
@threeby8887 this is the last time a road team won the 7th game.
femgoo 1 year ago
@threeby8887 It wasn't misspelled. You're seeing thigns. :-)
Jeff98177 9 months ago