Washington Wizards Playoff History

The Washington Wizards compete in the Southeast division in the Eastern conference in the NBA. The team plays its home games at the Capital One Arena, which has a seating capacity of over 20,000. The Wizards are known to have undergone multiple name changes. They were established as the Chicago Packers in 1961, Chicago Zephyrs in 1962, Baltimore Bullets in 1963, Capital Bullets in 1973, Washington Bullets in 1974 and were finally fixated on Washington Wizards in 1997.

The team is owned by Monumental Sports & Entertainment and has won one championship in its history. The Wizards have seen their own share of historical players on their roster. Some of them include Elvin Hayes, Gilbert Arenas, Earl Monroe, Wes Unseld and Bernard King. More recently, Bradley Beal and John Wall also played for the franchise. The franchise is now looking to become a contending team in the coming seasons by building around the likes of Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma.

How many times has the Washington Wizards made the playoffs?

The Washington Wizards have made the playoffs 30 times in franchise history. Most of their success came when they were called the Washington Bullets. As the Baltimore Bullets, the team reached the postseason seven times. As the Washington Wizards, the team has reached the postseason nine times in 26 years.

As the Washington Bullets, the team made it to the playoffs 13 times in 23 seasons. The team made deep playoff runs, reaching the Conference Finals a few times as opposed to when they were named the Washington Wizards, where the team’s postseason was mainly defined by first round exits.

The Wizards have made multiple roster defining decisions that eventually led to the success of the team. The acquisition of Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld brought the Wizards a great deal of success, leading to a Finals appearance in 1971. In 1997, the Wizards drafted Gilbert Arenas which brought about renewed success for the team. More recently, the Wizards acquired John Wall and Bradley Beal to form a formidable duo in Washington and make it to the postseason.

Washington Wizards Playoff Record

The Washington Wizards have played 237 playoff games since their inception into the league. In these games, the Wizards have a losing record, having won 99 and losing 138. This means that they have won 41% of their post season games. In terms of most playoff wins, the Wizards are placed 19th in the league. They are placed 16th on the most number of playoff games lost by an NBA team.

The Washington Wizards experienced their most memorable playoff run in the 1978/79 NBA season. This was when the team reached their second NBA Finals. Unlike the previous trip to the Finals, the 1978 season saw the team win the title.

Number of conference championships won by Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards have won four conference championships. Three of these were won between 1974 and 1979, when the team was known as the Washington Bullets. The fourth was won in 1971, as the Baltimore Bullets. The Wizards beat opponents like the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and the San Antonio Spurs in each of these conference finals matchups. The series against the Knicks and Spurs went to seven games, while the series against the Celtics and 76ers were completed in six games each.

Number of NBA championships won by Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards have won one NBA title in franchise history. The Wizards won the NBA trophy in the 1977/78 NBA season. The team was led by Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes at this point of time, with Dick Motta as head coach.

The Wizards faced the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs after which they bested the San Antonio Spurs in the second round. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Wizards were pitched against the Philadelphia 76ers who they beat in six games. The Finals was a thrilling matchup between the Wizards and the Seattle SuperSonics. The brilliance of Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes brought victory to the Wizards after a close Game 7 and Unseld was named Finals MVP.

Washington Wizards Last Playoff Appearance

The Washington Wizards most recent playoff appearance was in the 2020/21 NBA season. The Wizards finished the regular season as the eighth seed and played against the first seeded Philadelphia 76ers, led by Joel Embid. They lost the series in five games. The 76ers dominated throughout the series with Embiid averaging over 25 points and 10 rebounds per game.

The Wizards were led by the duo of Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal, who despite their efforts, were unable to match up to the offensive power and defensive tenacity of the 76ers. The series brought out the lack of offensive support and experience in the Wizards roster which led them to make roster changes in the following season.

What is the biggest playoff series comeback in Washington Wizards history?

The Washington Wizards had their biggest comeback in playoff history in the first round of the 2005 playoffs. The Wizards played against the Chicago Bulls and found themselves 2-0 down in the series. They won the next four to progress to the second round. However, the Wizards faced the Miami Heat in the conference semifinals, where they got swept.