1973–74 Capital Bullets season
1973–74 Capital Bullets season | |
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Division champions | |
Head coach | K. C. Jones |
General manager | Bob Ferry |
Owner(s) | Abe Pollin |
Arena | Capital Centre Cole Field House (until Dec) |
Results | |
Record | 47–35 (.573) |
Place | Division: 1st (Central) Conference: 3rd (Eastern) |
Playoff finish | Conference semifinals (lost to Knicks 3–4) |
Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Local media | |
Television | WDCA |
Radio | WWDC (Frank Herzog) |
The 1973–74 Capital Bullets season was the team's first in Washington, D.C. area, southwest 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] It was also their only season under the Capital Bullets name. They also rebranded their jerseys, eschewing the previous orange and blue look for red, white, and blue.
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
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 13 | Nick Weatherspoon | F | United States | Illinois |
2 | 19 | Louie Nelson | G | United States | Washington |
3 | 48 | Tom Kozelko | F | United States | Toledo |
4 | 65 | Aron Stewart | G | United States | Richmond |
5 | 82 | Danny Traylor | C | United States | South Carolina |
6 | 99 | Mike Allocco | F | United States | Stonehill |
7 | 116 | Ronnie Hogue | G | United States | Georgia |
8 | 133 | Mark Jellison | G | United States | Northeastern |
9 | 148 | Mike Boylan | F | United States | Assumption |
10 | 162 | Dickie Kelly | G | United States | Bay CC |
11 | 172 | Dale Adams | F | United States | St. Mary's (Maryland) |
12 | 181 | Mike Battle | F | United States | George Washington |
13 | 187 | Chet Davis | G | United States | Morgan State |
14 | 192 | Howard White | G | United States | Maryland |
15 | 197 | Shorty Simmons | F | United States | St. Mary's (Maryland) |
Roster
Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
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Regular season
Season standings
W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
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y- | 47 | 35 | .573 | – | 31–10 | 15–25 | 1–0 | 14–8 |
Atlanta Hawks | 35 | 47 | .427 | 12 | 23–18 | 12–25 | 0–4 | 13–9 |
Houston Rockets | 32 | 50 | .390 | 15 | 18–23 | 13–25 | 1–2 | 9–13 |
Cleveland Cavaliers | 29 | 53 | .354 | 18 | 18–23 | 11–28 | 0–2 | 8–14 |
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Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
1 | z-Boston Celtics | 56 | 26 | .683 | – |
2 | x-New York Knicks | 49 | 33 | .598 | 7 |
3 | y- | 47 | 35 | .573 | 9 |
4 | x-Buffalo Braves | 42 | 40 | .512 | 14 |
5 | Atlanta Hawks | 35 | 47 | .427 | 21 |
6 | Houston Rockets | 32 | 50 | .390 | 24 |
7 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 29 | 53 | .354 | 27 |
8 | Philadelphia 76ers | 25 | 57 | .305 | 31 |
Record vs. opponents
1973–74 NBA records | |||||||||||||||||
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Team | ATL | BOS | BUF | CAP | CHI | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | KCO | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
Atlanta | — | 1–5 | 2–4 | 4–4 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 5–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 |
Boston | 5–1 | — | 5–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 7–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 |
Buffalo | 4–2 | 2–5 | — | 3–3 | 1–3 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 6–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
Capital | 4–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 1–3 | 6–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 |
Chicago | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | — | 4–0 | 5–2 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 5–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 4–2 |
Cleveland | 3–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–6 | 0–4 | — | 2–2 | 0–4 | 4–4 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 |
Detroit | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–5 | 2–2 | — | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 5–1 |
Golden State | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 1–5 | — | 4–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 3–4 | 3–3 |
Houston | 2–5 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 0–4 | 4–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 |
Kansas City-Omaha | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–2 | — | 1–5 | 0–7 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 |
Los Angeles | 0–4 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 5–1 | — | 4–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 4–3 | 4–3 |
Milwaukee | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 4–3 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 7–0 | 2–4 | — | 2–2 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 4–2 |
New York | 5–1 | 2–5 | 4–4 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 4–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 |
Philadelphia | 3–3 | 1–7 | 1–6 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 3–4 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 |
Phoenix | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — | 3–3 | 4–3 |
Portland | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 4–3 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 0–6 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–3 | — | 3–3 |
Seattle | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 3–4 | 3–3 | — |
Game log
Preseason
1973 preseason game log Total: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0) | |||||||||
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Preseason: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
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1973–74 schedule |
Regular season
1973–74 game log Total: 47–35 (home: 31–10; road: 16–25) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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October: 3–5 (home: 2–1; road: 1–4)
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November: 8–4 (home: 3–3; road: 5–1)
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December: 9–6 (home: 3–2; road: 6–4)
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January: 7–8 (home: 6–2; road: 1–6)
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February: 11–6 (home: 8–1; road: 3–5)
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March: 9–6 (home: 9–1; road: 0–5)
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1973–74 schedule |
Player stats
Note: GP=Games played; MP=Minutes Played; FG=Field Goals; FGA=Field Goal Attempts; FG%=Field Goal Percentage; FT=Free Throws; FTA=Free Throws Attempts; FT%=Free Throw Percentage; ORB=Offensive Rebounds; DRB=Defensive Rebounds; TRB=Total Rebounds; AST=Assists; STL=Steals; BLK=Blocks; PF=Personal Fouls; PTS=Points; AVG=Average
Player | GP | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | FT | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | PF | PTS | AVG |
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Hayes | 81 | 3602 | 689 | 1627 | .423 | 357 | 495 | .721 | 354 | 1109 | 1463 | 163 | 86 | 240 | 252 | 1735 | 21.4 |
Chenier | 76 | 2942 | 697 | 1607 | .434 | 274 | 334 | .820 | 114 | 274 | 388 | 239 | 155 | 67 | 135 | 1668 | 21.9 |
Riordan | 81 | 3230 | 577 | 1223 | .472 | 136 | 174 | .782 | 120 | 260 | 380 | 264 | 102 | 14 | 237 | 1290 | 15.9 |
Porter | 81 | 2339 | 477 | 997 | .478 | 180 | 249 | .723 | 79 | 100 | 179 | 469 | 95 | 9 | 319 | 1134 | 14.0 |
Clark | 56 | 1786 | 315 | 675 | .467 | 103 | 131 | .786 | 44 | 97 | 141 | 285 | 59 | 6 | 122 | 733 | 13.1 |
Weatherspoon | 65 | 1216 | 199 | 483 | .412 | 96 | 139 | .691 | 133 | 264 | 397 | 38 | 48 | 16 | 179 | 494 | 7.6 |
Unseld | 56 | 1727 | 146 | 333 | .438 | 36 | 55 | .655 | 152 | 365 | 517 | 159 | 56 | 16 | 121 | 328 | 5.9 |
Nelson | 49 | 556 | 93 | 215 | .433 | 53 | 73 | .726 | 26 | 44 | 70 | 52 | 31 | 2 | 62 | 239 | 4.9 |
Leaks | 53 | 845 | 79 | 232 | .341 | 58 | 83 | .699 | 94 | 150 | 244 | 25 | 10 | 39 | 95 | 216 | 4.1 |
Stallworth | 45 | 458 | 75 | 187 | .401 | 47 | 55 | .855 | 52 | 73 | 125 | 25 | 28 | 4 | 61 | 197 | 4.4 |
Wesley | 39 | 400 | 71 | 151 | .470 | 26 | 43 | .605 | 63 | 73 | 136 | 14 | 9 | 20 | 74 | 168 | 4.3 |
Kozelko | 49 | 573 | 59 | 133 | .444 | 23 | 32 | .719 | 52 | 72 | 124 | 25 | 21 | 7 | 82 | 141 | 2.9 |
Rinaldi | 7 | 48 | 3 | 22 | .136 | 3 | 4 | .750 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 1.3 |
Patterson | 2 | 8 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1 | 2 | .500 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 |
Team Stats
Note: G=Games; MP=Minutes Played; FG=Field Goals; FGA=Field Goal Attempts; FG%=Field Goal Percentage; FT=Free Throws; FTA=Free Throw Attempts; FT%=Free Throw Percentage; ORB=Offensive Rebounds; DRB=Defensive Rebounds; TRB=Total Rebounds; AST=Assists; STL=Steals; BLK=Blocks; TOV=Turnovers; PF=Personal Fouls; PTS=Points
G | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | FT | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS | |
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Team | 82 | 19730 | 3480 | 7886 | .441 | 1393 | 1869 | .745 | 1286 | 2887 | 4173 | 1770 | 703 | 441 | 1568 | 1746 | 8353 |
Team/G | 240.6 | 42.4 | 96.2 | .441 | 17.0 | 22.8 | .745 | 15.7 | 35.2 | 50.9 | 21.6 | 8.6 | 5.4 | 19.1 | 21.3 | 101.9 | |
Lg Rank | 13 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 14 | |
Year/Year | 0.0% | -4.8% | 0.0% | -.022 | 7.7% | 7.3 | +.002 | -0.8% | -13.7% | 4.4% | -2.9% | ||||||
Opponent | 82 | 19730 | 3496 | 7760 | .451 | 1239 | 1639 | .756 | 1206 | 2915 | 4121 | 1900 | 651 | 350 | 1651 | 1840 | 8231 |
Opponent/G | 240.6 | 42.6 | 94.6 | .451 | 15.1 | 20.0 | .756 | 14.7 | 35.5 | 50.3 | 23.2 | 7.9 | 4.3 | 20.1 | 22.4 | 100.4 | |
Lg Rank | 13 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 5 | |
Year/Year | 0.0% | -1.0% | -3.1% | +.010 | -2.4% | -3.7% | +.010 | -2.5% | 2.6% | 9.4% | -1.2% |
Playoffs
1974 playoff game log | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Eastern Conference semifinals: 3–4 (home: 2–1; road: 1–3)
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1974 schedule |
Playoffs player stats
Note: GP=Games played; MP=Minutes Played; FG=Field Goals; FGA=Field Goal Attempts; FG%=Field Goal Percentage; FT=Free Throws; FTA=Free Throw Attempts; FT%=Free Throw Percentage; ORB=Offensive Rebounds; DRB=Defensive Rebounds; TRB=Total Rebounds; AST=Assists; STL=Steals; BLK=Blocks; PF=Personal Fouls; PTS=Points; AVG=Average
Player | GP | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | FT | FTA | FT% | ORB | DRB | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | PF | PTS | AVG |
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Hayes | 7 | 323 | 76 | 143 | .531 | 29 | 41 | .701 | 31 | 80 | 111 | 21 | 5 | 15 | 23 | 181 | 25.9 |
Chenier | 7 | 310 | 62 | 137 | .453 | 33 | 37 | .892 | 6 | 37 | 43 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 19 | 157 | 22.4 |
Riordan | 7 | 267 | 36 | 87 | .414 | 14 | 16 | .875 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 28 | 86 | 12.3 |
Porter | 7 | 195 | 33 | 85 | .388 | 9 | 14 | .643 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 32 | 8 | 0 | 30 | 75 | 10.7 |
Unseld | 7 | 297 | 31 | 63 | .492 | 9 | 15 | .600 | 22 | 63 | 85 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 71 | 10.1 |
Clark | 7 | 162 | 20 | 59 | .339 | 11 | 20 | .550 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 51 | 7.3 |
Kozelko | 7 | 58 | 10 | 13 | .769 | 3 | 4 | .750 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 23 | 3.3 |
Weatherspoon | 7 | 9 | 19 | .474 | 2 | 5 | .400 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 20 | 2.9 | |
Leaks | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1.0 | |
Wesley | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
Awards and honors
References
- ^ a b Washington Wizards (1963–Present)
- ^ "Yule-conscious Bullets facing crowded schedule". Baltimore Afro-American. December 26, 1970. p. 16.
- ^ "Bullets set 8 games at College Park". Baltimore Afro-American. July 24, 1971. p. D9.