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NBA Playoffs: 10 Biggest Conference/Division Finals Upsets

By Phil Watson

The 1975-76 Phoenix Suns authored the biggest upset in the history of the conference/division finals. (And, yes, that IS Pat Riley wearing No. 12 at the far right of the first row.)
The 1975-76 Phoenix Suns authored the biggest upset in the history of the conference/division finals. (And, yes, that IS Pat Riley wearing No. 12 at the far right of the first row.) /
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6. Washington Bullets over Philadelphia 76ers, 1978

The Philadelphia 76ers had a galaxy of stars, including Julius Erving, George McGinnis and Doug Collins, and they had reached the NBA Finals the previous season before losing to the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Washington Bullets, meanwhile, limped into the postseason with a 44-38 record, but had surprised the division champion San Antonio Spurs in the conference semifinals. The Bullets, who had moved from Baltimore five years earlier, were a perennial playoff team, but were still looking for their first title. They had made the Finals twice and were 0-8 in their two appearances, being swept in both 1971 and 1975.

Julius Erving couldn't carry the Philadelphia 76ers back to the NBA Finals in 1978, as they were stunned by the Washington Bullets in the Eastern Conference Finals. (US PRESSWIRE)
Julius Erving couldn’t carry the Philadelphia 76ers back to the NBA Finals in 1978, as they were stunned by the Washington Bullets in the Eastern Conference Finals. (US PRESSWIRE) /

The Bullets struck first with a 122-117 overtime win in Game 1 at The Spectrum. Elvin Hayes led the way for Washington with 28 points, Kevin Grevey added 26 and Bob Dandridge tossed in 22. Erving scored 25 points for the 76ers and World B. Free (then known simply as Lloyd Free) had 21.

Philadelphia evened the series with a 110-104 home-court win in Game 2, behind 28 points from Collins. Erving and Steve Mix added 22 points each for the Sixers. Hayes paced the Bullets with 26 points and Larry Wright added 22.

Washington rode a strong second quarter to a 123-108 win in Game 3 at the Capital Centre in suburban Landover, Md. Dandridge led the Bullets with 30 points and Grevey had 21. McGinnis scored 16 points to lead Philadelphia before he fouled out.

The Bullets took a 3-1 series lead with another convincing win in Landover in Game 4, taking down a 121-105 decision. Hayes went off for 35 points and Dandridge poured in 27 for Washington. Erving had 24 points for the Sixers and McGinnis tossed in 22.

Back at The Spectrum for Game 5, Collins and Erving had 24 points apiece in Philadelphia’s 107-94 win in Game 5 that kept the series alive. Wright led the Bullets with 18 points.

In Game 6 back at the Capital Centre, Wes Unseld scored with 12 seconds left and the Bullets closed out the series with a 101-99 win. Dandridge had 28 points before fouling out in the clincher and Hayes added 21. Collins did what he could to keep Philadelphia afloat with 33 points and Erving added 22 for the Sixers.

Hayes averaged 23 points a game in the series for the Bullets and Dandridge scored at a 22.8 clip.

Washington would go on to win the franchise’s first title, knocking off the Seattle SuperSonics in a seven-game thriller. Their Game 7 win in Seattle is still the last time a road team won Game 7 in the NBA Finals.