Top 30 Memorable Philadelphia 76ers Moments Of All Time
By Josh Wilson
Nationals keep the small town dream alive
Detroit, Michigan and Cincinnati, Ohio had been the landing spot for two small-town teams that were previously located in Fort Wayne and Rochester. Although an eventual move due to the structure of the business was inevitable, the Nationals dominated from their original hometown in Syracuse, despite moving locations of their home court within the city. Even when everyone else was moving, Syracuse kept its big-name team in their small town.
The Sixers, in the first season as the only “small town” team left boasted a record of 41-31, proving that there was still power to them, despite the town they played in. The next season, the Nationals made it to the Finals, only to lose.
By 1960, the Nationals were the only NBL team in the NBA that still retained their original location since coming into the NBA, according to Wikipedia.
The Sixers had dominance in the league for a few years despite their small-town status, but after the Phildaelphia Warriors moved to California, the team would move there, likely to seek higher revenue. There was more opportunity for money in a bigger location.
Still, the time spent in Syracuse is important to the team’s history, despite being recognized as a Philadelphia team for a long time to this point.
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