Although they had future hall of famers Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld on the team, the Bullets finished the 77–78 season 44–38 and were a longshot to win the NBA Finals, but San Antonio journalist Dan Cook used the famed phrase "The opera ain't over 'til the fat lady sings". This became the rallying cry for the Bullets as they finished a playoff run that led to the NBA Finals, defeating the Seattle SuperSonics in seven games to bring a professional sports championship to Washington, D.C. for the first time in 36 years.

This Washington Post stein features the headline from the paper the morning after the Bullets won the NBA Championship. It stands roughly 5.5" tall and is in excellent condition.