NBA History: NBA 1978-NBA Finals-Washington Wizards vs Seattle Sonics: Highlights

Source: The NBA History 

Source: The NBA History: NBA 1978- NBA Finals- Washington Bullets vs Seattle Sonics: Highlights

Someone or somewhere, perhaps coming from Hollywood like on late night talk shows, said that the Bullets would win the NBA Finals when the Fat Lady sings. Which of course is an old American cliché. And they said that, because the Bullets by 1978 had already been to the NBA Finals twice in the 1970s and not only lost both times, but were swept both times. And they were a huge favorite in 1975 against the San Francisco Warriors, but were swept 4-0. So people knew the Bullets were good, if not real good, just not good enough to win the Finals. Perhaps they folded under pressure, or whatever the case.

So in 1978 when the Bullets just struggled to make the Eastern Conference Playoffs with a 44-38 record and then went on a great playoff run and won three series where they were never the favorite to win, including beating their big rival the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals. There was the local campaign going on in Washington, something to the effect that it is time to get the Fad Lady to sing, because this is the year the Bullets win the championship. The Bullets fans picked up on that and that is exactly what happened in 78 as the Bullets finally won the NBA Finals.