Nov 27, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; An official game ball rest on the court during the game between the Houston Rockets and against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia 76ers have one of the most historic franchises of all time. It’s only fitting that we take a look at their respectable history.
The Philadelphia 76ers have had on their roster some of the most influental basketball players of all-time. From Charles Barkley, to Moses Malone, to Allen Iverson. The team has had some big names.
Since the team’s inception in Syracuse, New York, the team has won three championships and appeared in the playoffs 47 times. Although the recent past for the Sixers has been filled with mostly tough times and hard-to-swallow seasons due to an intense rebuilding process put in place by Sam Hinkie, general manager, the past is something Sixers fans will always be able to hold onto.
We decided to take a storybook route with this post, putting each of our 30 most memorable moments in chronological order. So as you read this post, you can take a journey on the franchise, from the beginning in upstate New York, to its move down to southeastern Pennsylvania, and even through Jahlil Okafor being drafted.
This was a team effort. Much of the staff of The Sixer Sense chipped in and wrote up a few of their favorite moments. Their author pages are linked at the bottom of their respective slides. Feel free to click on and see some of their more personal work.
So, without further ado, I give you the top 30 most memorable moments in Phialdelphia 76ers history.
Next: Starting the Syracuse Nationals
Starting the Syracuse Nationals
Today, $5000 seems like a fairly small sum of money, especially to start a professional basketball team. But that’s the amount of money Daniel Biasone sent the NBA to establish the Syracuse Nationals, who would eventually become the Philadelphia 76ers.
The team would become an instant success, having a great year in even their first season. Their inaugural year would end with them losing in the Finals, but still, going to the Finals in your debut year as a franchise? Not a bad start. It would be a precedent that would carry out, going to three finals in the first six years of their existince.
This $5000 would turn into one of the longstanding basketball franchises in America, and the one that now has its home at the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia. Although the team hasn’t won a championship since 1983, and hasn’t been in a title game since 2001, Philly fans still have their pride about their hometown team, and most still trust the rebuilding process implemented by general manager Sam Hinkie. Even those that don’t agree with the current tanking still watch, and wait for the day the Sixers are back in the playoff conversation.
Syracuse is now left without a pro basketball team, but still produces plenty of big name NBA stars through its university. Syracuse is a smaller city compared to Philadelphia, but it forever has a home in the Philadelphia 76ers history.
The Nationals started playing at the State Fair Colesium in Syracuse, and ended playing at the Onandoga War Memorial. The State Fair Colesium held just 7,500 people. The memorial was a bit of an upgrade, holding 8,000 people with a court down.
The Nationals were involved in three championships in their short 14 year history, and won one of them. They made the playoffs in every single year that they existed, although, it was much easier to make the playoffs then, and often impossible to miss the playoffs.
Next: Nationals keep the small town dream alive
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.
Next: The Sixers acquire Wilt
The arrival of Wilt Chamberlain
The mid-1960s served as a lively time in Philadelphia sports, especially for professional basketball. For starters, the city acquired a team, the newly relocated Syracuse Nationals. Additionally, midway through the 1965 season, the 76ers acquired one of the great athletes in world history: local product Wilt Chamberlain. In the following 1964–65 NBA season, the Warriors got off to a terrible start and ran into financial trouble. At the 1965 All-Star break Chamberlain was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, the new name of the relocated Syracuse Nationals. Chamberlain left a financially struggling Warrior team for a few role players and some cash.
Getting Wilton, or “Wilt the Stilt,” Chamberlain to return to Philly marked a major event. In 1965 a wide-eyed rookie named Billy Cunningham learned a lot from the arrival of Wilt. After seeing the contrast in coaching styles ranging from the player’s coach Dolph Schayes to the more demanding Alex Hannum, the 1967 world championship undoubtedly the shaping of Billy Cunningham as a head coach. The arrival made Bill Russell both concerned and interested. Hal Greer was a star, but now he shared the spotlight. In all, the Sixers acquisition of Chamberlain was a blockbuster move.
Chamberlain teamed up with Hall of Famer Hal Greer and instantly amassed incredible numbers. He averaged over 34 points per game and close to 23 rebounds for the latter part of the 1965 season as a Sixer. He helped lead the Sixers to the finals and collected a 32 rebound night versus Bill Russell. The game ended however with the infamous John Havlicek steal. Wilt criticized his teammates with failing to get over the Celtics proverbial hump.
Wilt Chamberlain won his second MVP award in 1966 again as a Sixer, leading the league in points and rebounding. Wilt wore on his teammates, however, in his second season as he dictated the practice schedule and insisted that the team revolve around him.
How good do you have to be to skip practice? Maybe 46 points and 34 rebounds good, as Wilt did skip after this Game 5 of the 1966 finals performance, but to some, his behavior had deleterious results on the team.
For the historic 1967 run the 76ers were coached by Alex Hannum, who managed to earn Wilt’s respect. The two simply wanted the same thing: a title. Hannum proved a great motivator and got Wilt to approach the domination of a basketball game defensively. Wilt followed through and submitted to the coaching, while collecting a third straight MVP and interacting positively with teammates on and off the court.
Next: Winning the first championship as the Sixers
Winning the first Sixers franchise championship
In 1967 Muhammad Ali was stripped of his heavyweight boxing title, the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL’s first Superbowl, and the Philadelphia 76ers dominated the NBA, with arguably one of the best teams in league history.
After a disappointing Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Boston Celtics the year before, The Sixers came into the ’67 season with tunnel vision.
With the NBA’s reigning MVP Wilt Chamberlain, the team won 45 of its first 49 games, while only losing at home twice. They ended the season at a league best 68-13.
Chamberlain continued to monopolize rebounds that year averaging 24.2 a game. He also averaged 24.1 points a contest and learned how to share the ball, at 7.8 assists per game, third best in the league.
The fact of the matter was the Sixers complimented Chamberlain with two of the best small forwards in the NBA. Chet Walker and Billy Cunningham nearly averaged a double-double a game, allowing Philadelphia to seize and conquer any activity in the paint.
The Sixers started their playoff run defeating the Cincinnati Royals in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. They trumped their Conference rivals, the Boston Celtics in five games to reach the championship. Then in the NBA Finals, the Sixers beat the San Francisco Warriors four games to two, embedding the 1967 Sixers as one of the most dominant and successful teams in NBA history.
Next: Dr. J joins Philadelphia
Dr J joins Philadelphia
Julius Erving is one of the biggest names to ever play for the 76ers, but he wasn’t always a Sixer. In fact, he was involved with a few teams before he ever came to Philly.
When the New York Nets joined the NBA, Erving was on their roster, and he was a huge part of their mission. Erving had previously led the Nets to great success, including an ABA title just two years prior to them joining the NBA. Although they had high hopes to join the NBA and dominate right away, the New York Knicks complained about the merger and demanded that the Nets pay up for invading the Knicks NBA territory.
After holding out with the Nets, Erving, after a lot of drama, was finally moved. The Sixers offered to buy out Erving’s contract for $3 million dollars, which covered the Nets fees for joining the NBA. The Nets were ultimately forced to accept so that they could pay the fees, and Dr. J was brought to Philly.
This was a transaction that was well worth the money, as Erving went on to put up a huge 22 points per game in his time as a Sixer.
Ultimately, the Sixers lucked out getting Erving from the Nets. The Nets won in a way, getting to join the NBA, but losing their best player was a huge blow, and they were unable to dominate like they did in the ABA.
Next: Darryl Dawkins breaks backboards
Darryl Dawkins breaks backboards
When Darryl Dawkins had a mission, he set out to complete that mission. When he had a mission to destroy the backboard, it was no different. Darryl Dawkins, who passed away this summer, was one of the first players to ever break a backboard with such a powerful dunk. He didn’t just do it once, though, he did it twice.
“Chocolate Thunder” was his nickname, and he was also another charismatic Philadelphia icon. He had awesome post-game comments when speaking to media that would have done great in today’s Twitter-focused media world. He had swagger, for sure.
Dawkins breaking the backboard–along with some other culprits–prompted the league to eventually look at how the backboards were constructed, and led the league to look into breakaway rims so that cleaning glass off of the floor didn’t become a regular activity for the arena crews.
There’s no doubt that Dawkins changed the equipment of the game, but he changed the game itself too, especially for Philly. He was involved with a lot of success as a Sixer, and in his time in Philly averaged 11.2 points per game.
Next: Celtics fans chanting Beat LA
Celtics fans chanting “Beat LA”
Allow me to set a stage for you. It’s 1982, and game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals is in Boston. The Sixers have a comfortable lead, and are very clearly going to be heading to the Finals, to take on the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Beat LA” is a chant that is used a ton, but here’s where it got it’s start.
Boston fans are recognized (sometimes) for being classy, and this was a classy moment for them. Rather than being angry at their team for being unable to take Philadelphia down, the crowd, realizing their defeat, showed support for the team that was about to knock them out of the playoffs.
Knowing the Finals would be played against Los Angeles, the crowd brought up a loud chant, screaming “Beat LA” and showing support for Philadelphia who beat Boston fair and square.
At the time, the Celtics/Sixers rivalry was just heating up, so it’s a huge moment for fans of Boston to be showing any support whatsoever for the Sixers, even if it was against the Lakers.
The Sixers would be unable to take the Lakers down this year, but would complete the task soon after.
Next: The iconic Julius Erving layup
The Julius Erving iconic layup
Julius Erving had one of the greatest lay ups of all time, that really demonstrated his long arms. Going up against the Los Angeles Lakers, he ran along the baseline, and hit a seemingly impossible shot that really showed just how much of a legend he was.
The Lakers were playing shut down defense, guarding the key and making sure if Erving had a chance at a shot, he would have to do it from behind the backboard. But don’t give Erving a challenge like that, because he just might go and prove you wrong.
Prove them wrong he did, running along the baseline, extending his arm while still having his body mostly behind the backboard, and laying the ball in with apparent ease. His grace made this shot seem like child’s play, but I dare you to go out to a hoop tonight and try it. I think you’d find it’s more difficult than it appears. Then, add defense into the equation, and it becomes even harder. But not for the Doctor.
Next: Acquiring Moses Malone
Acquiring Moses Malone
The Philadelphia 76ers were oh so close, so very good but not quite great. It was a team of Julius “Doctor J” Irving, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Daryl Dawkins, Bobby Jones and Caldwell Jones. Of that group in the championship series, the 76ers simply did not have an answer for Kareem Abdul Jabar. So in 1982, the Sixers agreed to trade Caldwell Jones and a first round pick of the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Houston Rockers for center Moses Malone.
“I know it’s Doc’s show,” Malone said, “and I’m happy to be part of Doc’s show . . . Doc’ll still be the show, but maybe now it’ll be a better show.”
Owner Harold Katz wasn’t worried about any backlash the contract might have brought.
“I did what I felt I had to do for my team,” Katz said. “I want to go for the whole thing, the championship, and the only thing we lacked was rebounding. Now we’ve got the best rebounder in the game. I can’t wait until the season starts.”
The resulting team dominated the NBA the following year, with the cherry on top ending with a four game sweep of the LA Lakers. Moses Malone proved to be that missing link, and the 76ers of the 1982-1983 series were one of the best teams ever assembled in the NBA.
Next: Fo, fo, fo
“Fo, fo, fo” — Moses Malone
If it’s not “practice,” then “Fo, fo, fo” may be the most notorious quote from a Sixers player all time. Going into the 1983 playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers were incredibly confident about what the outcome would be for them, knowing that they were undoubtedly the best team in the league.
Moses Malone was just one of the many pieces to the Sixers that season, but he may have been the most important. Malone would end up being the league MVP, and also was the All-Star game MVP. Reporters were grilling Malone leading up to the playoffs, trying to figure out how he thought they would go. Malone answered with that notorious quote, saying “Fo, fo, fo,” which was to mean “Four, four four.”
For those of you not getting it, Malone was predicting that the Sixers, alongside the leadership of Julius Erving and Malone himself would sweep every series in the playoffs that year.
Malone was nearly right, but his quote would have to get changed to “Fo, fi, fo,” as the Sixers would lose just one game in the entire playoffs that year, in the conference championship.
This was the last time the Sixers won a title, and it was one of the greatest title runs of all time.
Next: 1983 Philadelphia 76ers Champions
Philadelphia 76ers 1982-83 champions
This is a fantastic team to look back on, and possibly one of the greatest NBA teams of all time. The Sixers took steps to build a team that could go up against the Los Angeles Lakers, since they had problems beating them in the NBA Finals in the past. Billy Cunningham, who was a former Sixer, was the coach of this great team.
The Sixers had been to the Finals three times within six years, and lost every time. The Lakers were their road block, and a large part of that road block was Kareem Abdul Jabaar, who absolutely destroyed the Sixers on the boards. Darryl Dawkins and Cadwell Jones were unable to contain Kareem, so they had to try something else. They moved both Dawkins and Jones to acquire Moses Malone in order to try and diminish Jabaar’s impact.
Although this seemed like a risky move at the time, moving both the parts of your starting front court, it ended up working. It reminds me of some of the risky moves Hinkie makes. Although he’s not looking to make any moves that directly lead to a championship right now, there’s still similarities in making the roster changes.
The Lakers had some roster changes too, drafting James Worthy who was going to be big in beating the Sixers. Worthy injured himself before the Finals though, and wouldn’t play a single game against the Sixers. Some think that if Worthy–who was having a fantastic 13.4 point per game rookie year–were to be with the Lakers in the Finals, the Lakers would have won.
Four Sixers players this season averaged double digit points, and Malone had 15 rebounds per game this seaosn.
This was the year Malone claimed “fo, fo, fo,” that would ultimately become “fo, fi, fo.” The Sixers dominated, and the team they put together to beat the Lakers would, in a clean sweep of four games.
This was the Sixers last championship, and until the team gets another one, it’s the championship that’s looked back on, and remembered with great pride.
Next: Rockin' the cradle
Dr. J rocks the cradle
Julius Erving, perhaps known better as “The Doctor” or “Doctor J” had so many memorable moments as a Sixer. In today’s game, and with today’s Sixers players, we don’t get as many of these moments that we can cling to for years, so reminiscing on some of these is never a bad thing.
Against the Los Angeles Lakers, Dr. J stole the ball, stormed down the court, taking two huge last steps, while rocking the basketball in his arms back and forth as if it was a baby in a cradle. With grace like that, some would think it was a baby, but then he then slammed the ball in for a huge dunk.
Erving shows up so many times on the top 30 Sixers moments, and this is just a small part of his career. By the time things were all said and done for him, he had averaged 24.2 points per game, and 8.5 rebounds per a game throughout his career. He spent 11 years with the Sixers, and was a part of the great 1983 championship team.
Oh, and by the way, he’s still got it, putting up dunks.
If there’s a more subtle way to tell a team, “look what I can do!” than this cradle rocking dunk, I would like to see it.
Next: Bird vs. Erving brawl
The Brawl Between Dr. J and Bird
Boston Celtic legend Larry Bird. Philadelphia 76er legend Julius Erving, a.k.a. “Dr. J.”.
On November 9, 1984 Larry Bird fought Dr. J.
Or did Dr. J fight Bird? With less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Doctor aggressively approached Bird and both benches cleared.
In any event, this featured the rivals of Larry Bird and Dr. J as co-initiators, and key members of the Sixers roster.
Multiple factors accounted for the obvious rivalry. Both teams entered the game undefeated at the Garden that night. One fighter proved graceful and athletic, the other, not so much. Bird’s game plan? Win.
If you go to the footage you see Dr. J getting in plenty of ferocious punches, and both players ejected from the game. Whatever you think about the fight, Bird proved the victor to the tune of a whopping 42 points in three quarters. The Doctor only posted 6.
$30,500 in fines later we discovered that Bird set off Doc by instructing him to “retire.” This according to Danny Ainge. It’s very possible, Dr. J thought this true enough to react. He too, a man possessed and driven much like Bird.
Sadly the Celtics routed Philly and won the game by a score of 130-119.
What’s the historical Context for this fight?
The Boston Celtics never really perceived the Sixers as a threat to their dominance until Julius Erving‘s arrival in the late 1970s. Bird’s impact shortly thereafter provided Boston a huge boost as well. For a good part of the next decade the fate of the Eastern Conference ventured through Philly and Boston.
In 1980, the Sixers beat Boston in five games in the conference finals.
In 1981, the Celtics beat the Sixers in seven games.
In 1982 and 1983, the Sixers managed to advance again. The famous “beat LA” chant emanates from these Sixers victories.
1983 set the stage for 1984’s brawl. Early in the season Moses Malone fought Cedric Maxwell. Larry Bird fought Marc Ivaroni, and Gerald Henderson squared off against Sedale Threatt.
Furthermore, Larry Bird managed to pull in and grab Sixers Coach Billy Cunningham prompting Red Auerbach to issue in from the bleachers. Red even reportedly called Moses a slur in Yiddish during the melee.
Another Hall of Famer on the court that night was NBA official Dick Bavetta. Bavetta refereed almost 300 NBA alone over his career including 27 NBA Finals games and an amazing 2,635 consecutive regular-season games.
From all of this experience Bavetta recalls the fights in 1984.
“It turned out to be the game where Bird and Erving decided to start choking each other.”
In some ways perhaps, rivalries consist of seeing yourself in the other.
A great writer once wrote, “I can entertain the proposition that life is a metaphor for boxing-for one of those bouts that go on and on, round following round, jabs, missed punches, clinches, nothing determined, again the bell and again and you and your opponent so evenly matched it’s impossible to see your opponent is you …”
Next: Drafting Charles Barkley
Drafting of Charles Barkley
“The round mound of rebound… He is one of the most exciting players to come out of college!”
Look at him in that video. I mean LOOK AT HIM. (I’ll give you a second…)
You could tell by his gait that the guy had confidence oozing out of him the moment the Philadelphia 76ers drafted him. He knew he was good and he knew that YOU knew that he was good. Belying what power forwards in the NBA should be, Sir Charles was undersized vertically and oversized horizontally (coming out of Auburn, he was listed at 6’6” and 270 pounds which are not good measurements for the position), but it was his unreal athleticism that made him a historically good player.
He came to the perfect situation for a brash player when arriving in Philadelphia. The team still had the core who won the championship in 1983, which exposed Sir Charles to early playoff success, while also giving him a father figure in Moses Malone, who took the young Barkley under his wing. Barkley thrived with his teammates and found a spot on the All-Rookie team his first year, and was given the starting spot his second year where he made the All-NBA Second Team.
As his older teammates moved on from the team, Barkley took on more responsibility and was given more personal accolades as a result. During his time with the Sixers, he was a six time All Star, he won the All Star game MVP in 1991, MVP runner-up in the 1989-90 season (despite accumulating more first-place votes), four-time All-NBA First Team, three-time All-NBA Second Team, and NBA rebound leader in the ‘86-87 season in addition to his All-Rookie honors.
Despite the awards he still stirred controversy in the headlines. The most notorious is when he spit on a young girl when trying to aim at a fan who was racially heckling him. He did realize the error in his ways after that incident and befriended the young girl and her family. What he did was not right, but he did try to rectify his errors.
In the offseason before the ‘92-93 season he was traded to the Phoenix Suns.
Sir Charles accomplished a lot in his eight years in Philly, who recognized his efforts by retiring his #34 on March 30, 2001. The highlight of that night come from Barkley himself:
“I really can’t tell you what tonight means to me, ‘cause words do not do it justice and if I’m fortunate and blessed enough to go in the Hall of Fame it will be as a Sixer.”
Next: Charles Barkley locker room fight
May 20, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Former NBA player and current TNT television personality Charles Barkley prior to game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs between the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Barkley gets into a locker room fight
Although this might not be seen as a “positive” moment by some, I do think that it’s important now that we know about it, and since it pulls together what embodies a Sixers player, and what it takes to be a memorable face on this team.
ESPN recently had an interview with Charles Barkley in which he told about a locker room fight he was involved in. The Sixers owner kicked all of the coaches out of the locker room and demanded that the players tell them why the Sixers were no longer winning.
Barkley claims that a lot of guys were giving “regular” answers that didn’t fully answer the question, something Barkley wasn’t supportive of. So he sat back until he was addressed. Finally, when the owner asked him why he was so quiet, he told him what he felt was the truth, calling out players that he thought were not playing well.
"Finally, the owner turned to me and said, ‘Charles, why are you not saying anything? Why are you just sitting there in the back, shaking your head?’ And I said, ‘Because you don’t really want to hear the truth. Nobody does. The truth is, that guy sucks, and that guy sucks."
Barkley was immediately addressed by the two players he called out, as they hopped up and came near him. Barkley grabbed a stool, fully prepared to hit both of them over the head with it. Luckily, players stepped between them.
Like I said, this can be seen as a negative event, but I think it embodies what it means to be a Sixers player. Sixers players have personality. Sixers players have heart. Sixers players aren’t afraid to tell the truth. Barkley showed that he was fully prepared to tell the truth, and fully prepared to let the team know why they were really losing. Although wanting to hit them over the head with a stool isn’t great, I think him having the guts to call out his teammates is a sign of a leader.
Next: Allen Iverson gets drafted
Drafting Allen Iverson
Drafting Allen Iverson was one of the biggest turning points of the Sixers franchise up to this point. In many ways, they didn’t know what they had gotten themselves into with this charismatic fellow, but it all ended up being alright in the end.
Iverson was one of the most charismatic players to ever put a Sixers jersey on. He led the team to a lot of success, including an Eastern Conference Champiosnhip. Over the years, as a Sixer he averaged 27.6 points and 6.1 assists as a Sixer.
The number three sits in the rafters at the Wells Fargo Center. Recently Iverson’s number was retired, and it was a great ceremony that remembered the All-Time great.
Iverson paved the way for short players in the NBA, and proved you can have success, even if you’re an average height.
It’s nearly impossible to think about the Sixers and not have Iverson come into the picture. He’s forever in the same conversation as Charles Barkley, Darryl Dawkins, Moses Malone, and much, much, more.
Next: Sixers upset the Orlando Magic
Sixers upset the Orlando Magic in ‘99
Excitement was building around the Sixers in the late ’90s as Allen Iverson torched the league with his torrid scoring and ankle-breaking crossovers. But no one takes you seriously until you win when it matters: in the playoffs.
The Sixers had last visited the postseason in the ‘90-91 season when Charles Barkley led them to a first round victory before falling to Michael Jordan and the Bulls in the second round. Just making it back to the postseason was reason enough to celebrate, but Allen Iverson was not simply happy to be there. It was his first postseason appearance, coming on the heels of his first scoring title, and Bubba Chuck was determined to make a statement.
The Sixers entered the ‘99 postseason as the 6th seed, earning a date with Penny Hardaway and the Orlando Magic. The underdog Sixers wasted no time in proving they belonged, jumping all over the Magic in Orlando in Game 1 and dominating in surprising fashion en route to a 104-90 victory.
The real statement game came in Game 3, which the Sixers won 97-85 to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Iverson had 33 points and 10 steals, an NBA playoff record that stands today. Chris Broussard wrote in the New York Times, “But the Magic’s supposed maturity was nowhere to be found tonight at the First Union Center. Whatever savvy Orlando brought to Philadelphia crumbled beneath the pressure of a smothering 76ers assault that was sparked by quickness, enforced by strength and fed by fan fervor.” Those smothering Sixers wrapped up the series in the next game, in the process sending the Magic into retooling mode as thier coach, Hall of Famer Chuck Daly, went into retirement and the team traded away their leader in Hardaway.
Iverson always knew how to send a message, and it took a single playoff series for him to put the entire league on notice. The Sixers were going to be in the playoffs for years to come, Iverson would make sure of it, and underdog status served him just fine.
Next: Larry Brown wins coach of the year
Mar 19, 2015; Louisville, KY, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs head coach Larry Brown reacts against the UCLA Bruins during the first half in the second round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at KFC Yum! Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
Larry Brown wins coach of the year
It was never easy for Larry Brown and these 76ers. Before coming to Philadelphia he had a reputation of being a nomad coach, never staying with one team for too long before moving on to the next. Not only that, but while he was with a team, he loved to overturn the roster to fit his needs, alienating the front office and his players. Everyone knew that teams that he coached made almost immediate improvements, but for how long and at what cost?
And then the 2000-2001 season happened, and a switch was flipped.
That season was the perfect storm for Coach Brown and Philadelphia, as Brown won the Coach of the Year honors, Allen Iverson won MVP, Dikembe Mutombo won Defensive Player of the Year after coming to Philly from the Atlanta Hawks, Aaron McKie won the Sixth Man of the Year, and the Sixers made it all the way to the Finals. Coach Brown maximized the talent around Iverson, curating the perfect defensive-minded team around his lone offensive powerhouse. Despite having so much on-court success, the biggest thing that happened that season, where the foundation for his deserved COY award was borne from, was getting Iverson to buy into the team.
Until that season AI and Larry clashed constantly about everything, especially Iverson’s practice habits (or lack thereof), having the strict father-rebellious son dynamic between the two. Once the 2000-2001 season started, the coach and player put aside their differences and came together for one of the best seasons the Sixers have ever experienced. Beyond that special season, Brown and Iverson’s close relationship goes on to this day, with both praising each other long after they left the team.
Next: Eastern Conference Finals Game 7
Winning Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Raptors
That shot should have gone down, even Vince Carter knew that.
"“When we got into the huddle getting ready for that last shot before [head coach Lenny Wilkens] even drew up a play, I said, ‘Coach, I want the ball… Pump fake, swing through, and by halfway it looked good and it ended up hitting the back rim.”"
While the out of bounds play wasn’t the best (as we all know, long 2-pointers are one of the least efficient shots in basketball), Vince Carter was able to pump-fake Tyrone Hill out of his shoes for the open jumper. It’s a play that he’s made a thousand times before and a play he’d make a thousand times again.
This series was as even as it got, with the Philadelphia 76ers eeking this one 4-3, as Carter’s miss was the ultimate decider. After the Toronto Raptors upset the Sixers in Philadelphia in game one, the stars came out with Allen Iverson scoring 54 points in Game 2 to even the series, and Carter with 50 in the game after. Philly won Game 4, clamping down on VC, making him shoot 8/27, but the scoring came back in Games 5 and 6, where AI scored 52 in the former and VC had 39 in the latter, both of them leading their teams to wins.
With the series tied at 3 games apiece, the seventh game came under the microscope. Unfortunately for Carter, this couldn’t have come at a worse time for his personal life. On the morning before the game, Carter took a private plane down to North Carolina to receive his diploma from the university and flew back before the game. Was it an act to celebrate the importance of education or did Carter let his team down by letting something other than a series-clinching game take his focus? Discussion ensued on both sides before the critical game.
While Carter didn’t perform well during the game, Toronto was still in it until the end setting up his shot. Things came full-circle for Vince Carter in game three of the first round of the playoffs in 2014. Check it out for yourself:
We 76ers fans are ecstatic that he missed in the Eastern Conference semis, but I wouldn’t blame anyone if things suddenly got a little dusty after watching that video.
Next: Winning the 2001 ECF
Winning the 2001 Eastern Conference Championship
The Sixers’ 2000-2001 season is, in part, so memorable because nothing came easy for that team of underdogs. At so many points during the season and playoffs, fans couldn’t help but wonder, “Do they really have anything left?” The 2001 Eastern Conference Finals was the epitome of this feeling.
The road to the Finals went through the #2 seed Milwaukee Bucks, who boasted a Big 3 of Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson, and Sam Cassell. Ironically, the Sixers had to knock off the Bucks in the Conference Finals the last time they went to the Finals in ‘83. Both the Sixers and Bucks went 4 games in Round one and the full seven games in Round two. Both teams were wearing down and it showed. This series was a knockdown, drag out, 12 round fight, going the full seven games and complete with suspensions, injuries, low-scoring games and terrible shooting. It was ugly. It was Rocky versus Apollo. Thankfully though, it was the Rocky II version.
Unsurprisingly, for Sixers fans the story of this series was Allen Iverson. Bubba Chuck was beat up after the Toronto series and it showed early as he shot 13 for 35 in Game one and 5 for 26 from the field in Game two. AI ended up sitting out Game 3 with an injured tailbone and Sixers fell in Milwaukee 80-74. Down 2-1 and facing a must-win Game 4 on the road, Iverson returned and managed to drag the Sixers to an ugly 89-83 victory while shooting a terrible 31% from the floor, sending the series back to Philly tied up 2-2. Game five didn’t bring any comfort for Sixers fans. Though ultimately winning 89-88, Iverson continued his cold streak, and the Sixers nearly coughed up the game at the buzzer. Though the Sixers were up 3-2, it’s fair to say the fans felt little confidence that the 76ers could keep pulling out wins in this manner.
And for the first 36 minutes of Game 6, our worst fears were realized as the Sixers played terribly, entering the 4th quarter down 80-54. It was a rout, one that felt like the death knell for this team. Then something awesome happened.
It’s odd that one of my favorite Iverson moments of all-time came in a Sixers loss, but his performance in the 4th quarter of Game 6 is not spoken about enough. AI dropped 26 points in that final period. TWENTY-SIX. The Bucks were ready to rest their starters but instead had to fend off one of the most furious one-man comebacks I have ever witnessed. Iverson served notice to the Bucks AND the Lakers that he was not done, his shooting stroke was back, and he would drag the Sixers to the Finals single-handedly if he had to. It was, without a doubt, one of the most impressive single quarters of scoring I have ever witnessed.
After ending Game 6 on such a dominant note, Game 7 was an afterthought. A fired up Iverson hung 44 on the Bucks on 51% shooting and the outcome was never in doubt. The Sixers got their first Eastern Conference championship, and we all got to see Dikembe Mutombo yell, “WHO WANT TO GO TO L.A. WITH ME?!?!” It was a well earned series victory, totally in keeping with the character of the team, and a perfect prelude to what would happen next. For me though, this series was all about the final 12 minutes of Game 6. It was Iverson in his purest: unstoppable, indomitable, and ready to carry the team to the promised land.
Next: The step-over
The step-over in the 2001 NBA Finals
Although the Philadelphia 76ers never were able to win a championship with Allen Iverson leading the team, he did lead them to some very memorable moments in a season that nearly resulted in a championship win. In 2001, the Sixers had a fantastic season, boasting a regular season record of 56-26. They were the clear favorites in the Eastern Conference, and fairly easily moved their way into the NBA Finals that season.
They found themselves facing off against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, and were seen as the underdog for sure. In the first game, though, AI made it clear that he wasn’t going to make it easy for the Lakers to claim a title.
Iverson popped in the Staples Center in game one, scoring 48 points and leading the Sixers to a game one advantage, but the most memorable moment of the game was when Iverson hit a huge two pointer, his defender Tyronn Lue fell down, and he literally stepped over him.
At the time, it seemed like such a small occurrence, but it has since been recognized as one of the most memorable Iverson and Sixer moments of all time.
This is a key moment in Iverson’s history, and one that has been printed on posters, t-shirts, and more. No Sixers fan should ever forget it.
Next: Practice...
Allen Iverson goes on a “practice” rampage
This was another one of Allen Iverson’s biggest, most charismatic moments as a Sixers team member. For good reason, Iverson was one of the most popular Sixers players as far as media availability in his time in Philly, and this was one of his most popular moments.
Iverson apparently had two locker spots because of how much of the media would crowd around his locker. Any neighbor that he would have would have been bothered by Iverson’s media. To this day, it is rumored that no other player has used Iverson’s two lockers at the Wells Fargo Center.
Iverson went on a rant about the media asking him why he missed a team practice. He said “practice” several times in this rant, and the video has been made into a rap beat as well.
This was a viral moment for Iverson, and one of the reasons some fans started to not like him on the Sixers. Despite what he did on the floor, he often had antics such as this that made it tough to see value in keeping him around.
This, in addition to rumors that he would want to get traded (to this day he still denies these rumors) would eventually lead to him getting traded away from the Sixers.
Next: Iguodala's big weekend
Iguodala has a big all star weekend
Andre Iguodala is one of the more recent, but still important Sixers. He’s still in the league, and was NBA Finals MVP last year for the Golden State Warriors. His career–which is shaping up nicely–got its start in Philadelphia.
In his first two seasons, Iguodala would average 9.0 and 12.3 points per game, and in his rookie year he was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team.
Andre would lead the sophomore team in the Rookie Challenge, an event that used to take place during the All-Star weekend festivities that has since been erased. Iguodala earned MVP of the game as he led the sophomore team to a big win over the rookies with a 30 point performance.
Later that same weekend, Iguodala would prove his NBA presence by becoming a participant in the NBA Dunk Contest. He tried a simple windmill dunk, and then went on to finish a dunk that would stick with the contest forever as one of the best of all time. He had his teammate and friend Allen Iverson pass the ball off of the back of the glass, and Iguodala swooped in from behind the backboard, and dunked it in on the opposite side.
He had a great dunk performance, but was outdone by the very short Nate Robinson by just a single point. Still, Iguodala began to show the league here, as a Sixer, what he was all about.
Next: Iguodala becomes the leader
Nov 7, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala (9) goes up for a layup against the Sacramento Kings during the second quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Iguodala becomes the team leader
After Allen Iverson was traded to the Denver Nuggets, there was a big hole left to be filled by someone on the Sixers. Someone would have to step up and be the leader. Andre Iguodala would be the clear candidate, and in his first season without Iverson, he proved that he could be that leader averaging 18 points per game and nearly leading the Sixers to the playoffs.
For the next several years, the Sixers dealt with playoff mediocricy, but Iguodala never gave up as the leader of the team.
In 2011, Iguodala finally pushed himself to a leadership level that was recognized throughout the league, and he was selected to his first ever All Star game. That same season, he was a huge factor in the eighth seed Sixers upsetting the top seeded Chicago Bulls. This team made history, as they were one of the only teams to ever pull off this upset, only the fifth team to do it at the time.
Although Iverson leaving seems as if it could only mean the end of an era, it opened the door for Iguodala to begin his era in the 76ers franchise. Today, he can say he was an NBA Finals MVP (in 2015 for the Golden State Warriors) and I don’t think he could be at that level without having spent some time as the leader of the Philadelphia 76ers. He didn’t ever lead the team to a championship, in fact he was far from it, but still, his name is forever remembered with this franchise.
Next: Iverson comes back to the court
Iverson comes back to the court
On December 2nd, 2009, a lot of fans dreams came true, as the Philadelphia 76ers signed Allen Iverson to a one year contract. In the five days between him signing his contract and playing in his first game in his second stint as a 76er against the Denver Nuggets (who coincidentally was the team he was traded to on December 20th, 2006), the 34 year old Iverson, though not the same player he was when he was traded to the Nuggets, was still able to generate a buzz around the city unlike no other player.
Tickets for the game were sold out for the first time all season in a matter of minutes after the announcement of when he would make his debut. Fans rushed to buy number 3 jerseys. My team in the Kaiserman Jewish Community Center 18 and over league had a playoff game the same night that Iverson was making his debut. As the clock ran down for warm-ups, my team was outside the gym watching Iverson receive a deafening ovation from all in attendance as he went to center court to kiss the 76ers logo.
Iverson, who last played in a NBA game a month prior to his 76ers debut, played 37 minutes, scored 11 points on 4-11 shooting from the field, grabbed five rebounds, dished out six assists and did not commit a turnover in a 93-83 loss to the Nuggets. He played 25 games that season but none of them was able to garner the attention of the fans as much as his debut. As for my team, we lost because we did not practice before the game.
Next: Josh Harris buys the Sixers
Josh Harris buys the Sixers
Seeing the words distressed assets and businessman would give any sports fan pause.
“Where does winning fit in his priorities?”
“Will he treat the players like assets or human beings?
“Does he even care about the team?”
Yes, he’s a businessman and yes, his firm Apollo Global Management, LLC, specializes in distressed assets, but these points actually help him put the Philadelphia 76ers current situation into a context he can appreciate.
Harris purchased the team for $280 million, with the deal approved on October 13, 2011. While there are other investors, including Will and Jada Smith, Josh has become the face of the ownership group, the first guy taking punches for the team as it continues its road to contention. He has taken this road with honesty and resolution, as I am sure he and Sam Hinkie are the biggest believers of Trusting the Process, meaning he has had to face criticism of the process and speak to it.
Perhaps it is the businessman side of him who helps him through this trying time for the Sixers. He knows best that it will take time for the Sixers to be championship contenders and he understands the pitfalls and risks The Process entails. At the same time, he has also shown as much emotion as any other Sixer fan. As he said to Philly.com:
“I’m an impatient person at heart. I would rather get to the end point as fast as possible, but at the same time the goal is still the goal – to be an elite, extremely competitive team that goes deep into the playoffs. Unfortunately I’m very impatient and I always wish that we were further along than we are. But at the same time, there aren’t shortcuts to it. You have to react to the realities on the ground. Certainly I wish it was going faster but I’m happy with the progress.”
The guy is one of us in the truest sense of the phrase. Losses are excruciating, wins feel fantastic, and the road to glory isn’t always paved in gold. He cares about the team and is even an athlete of his own, running in the Philadelphia Marathon in 2011.
Is this too good to be true? Will he sell the team if they keep performing poorly? Not the way he sees it:
“… the reality is, I don’t think we’re going to sell this investment for a long time. I expect my kids to be around the Sixers. We’re building this thing for the long run.”
All of the evidence that we’ve seen points to an owner to genuinely cares about the team, his front office, his players, and also the city of Philadelphia. We are very lucky to have him as owner of the team.
Next: Sam Hinkie gets hired
Nov 2, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie prior to a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Sam Hinkie gets hired
The recent “tanking” and rebuilding effort can be traced back and credited to one man, essentially. So, if you didn’t already know who was causing your misery by being content with losing and getting top draft picks, that man is Sam Hinkie.
At this point, his motives are being questioned, but you can’t exactly blame him for all of the losses. Trying to pull together a formidable team is a tough task, and just because he’s going about it in an unconventional way doesn’t mean it won’t pay off someday.
It was in 2013 that this man was hired, and his efforts were very clear. He wanted to bring a “moneyball” approach to the game of basketball, using stats and analytics to his advantage in making a team that could contend for a championship title. Prior to being with the Sixers, Hinkie spent eight years with the Houston Rockets, and was the executive vice president of basketball operations there.
Nearly three years later, and there has been hardly any progress. If anything, regression has been evident, with the team making record of consecutive losses. There’s no doubt that Hinkie is largely criticized, but he’s also trusted.
At this point, the success of the team under Hinkie is largely unknown because the process has not been completely played out, but success or not, his hiring has proved to be a big moment in the franchises’ long history.
Next: Allen Iverson gets his number retired
Allen Iverson gets his number retired
Wilt Chamberlain. Charles Barkley. Julius Erving. Maurice Cheeks. Hal Greer. Bobby Jones. Billy Cunningham. Not only are those seven players some of the most famous athletes in Philadelphia sports history, but all of them are NBA legends. They also populate the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center, all of their numbers retired by the Sixersorganization. But if your Philly fandom came of age in the late 1990s, one name was definitely missing.
That changed on March 1st, 2014, when Allen Iverson has his iconic number 3 retired, and his name joined those other 76ers legends up in the lights.
The retirement ceremony came at an good time for both the Sixers and Iverson. Sam Hinkie had become GM the summer before and promptly started tearing down whatever foundation was left from prior management. The Sixers entered the March 1st game against the Wizards with a 15-43 record, and the fans were looking for something to cheer for. As incredible as Iverson’s playing days were, his post-NBA life has been every bit as disconcerting. Filled with reports of bankruptcy, divorce, gambling, and alcoholism, the fans and organization needed a way to shift the spotlight from Iverson’s current woes back to his glory days.
The City of Philadelphia didn’t disappoint, packing the Wells Fargo Center to the brim. Iverson didn’t let anyone down either, giving an impassioned speech that, in typical Iverson fashion, felt heartfelt, genuine, and honest.
"“You have to show me the fool that says dreams don’t come true,” Iverson said. “Because they do. I love you, Philadelphia. I love y’all for accepting me and letting me be me. Letting me make my mistakes, letting me be human, let me learn from them. Just embracing me and making this my home forever.”"
For that one night, Iverson owned the 76ers home floor just one last time. He cupped his hand to his ear, he bathed in “M-V-P” chants, and he sent everyone home happy. It was a night befitting a giant legend, and one that I’m sure both he and the fans in attendance will never forget.
Next: Brett Brown hired as Sixers head coach
Nov 18, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown reacts to a non foul call against the Indiana Pacers during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Pacers won 112-85. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Brett Brown Hired as Philadelphia 76ers head coach
The 24th head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers has not had a winning season, in fact has not had enough wins to date in his third NBA career as head coach of the Sixers to even turn .500 in one year. But the hiring of new england/austrailian accened Brett Brown ranks as one of the top 30 moments of Philadelphia 76ers history.
“To be here is surreal. I can still see Doc and George McGinnis and trying to take their photos (as a kid),” Brown said after he was hired to replace Doug Collins.
The Sixers were at a cross roads when they brought on team president and general manager Sam Hinkie. They could tread water and try to remain average at best, or they could start over by shedding large veteran contracts and stockpiling future NBA assets in the form of draft picks, prospects stashed overseas, and loading the roster with undrafted players who might pan out for the team.
But few coaches would welcome the opportunity to ride a team down to the depths before resurfacing many years later. Who would risk their NBA careers at a chance of success in these odds?
Brett Brown.
Sam Hinkie said it best when he introduced their new coach:
“We went through an exhaustive search to find the right head coach for our organization, one who had a passion for developing talent, a strong work ethic to help create the kind of culture we hope for, and a desire to continually improve,” general manager Sam Hinkie said. “Brett has all of that. He also has a wealth of experience as a head coach and a championship pedigree, to boot. We are delighted to welcome him as our coach, and I am invigorated for the two of us to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”
The Sixers are in year three of what is likely to be up to a seven year rebuilding process. So far, the team has managed to stockpile talent in the form of Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel, gather as many as four first round draft picks in the 2016 NBA draft, and retain the rights to a number of prospects who play internationally–the most notable being Dario Saric.
Brown embraced the buzz surrounding Sam Hinkie – from basketball analytics to a slow painful rebuilding process. But Brett Brown also is ideally positioned to serve as mentor to the legion of young men who are working to build a successful NBA career.
Few can stand in Brett Brown’s shoes. No other can stand so proudly.
Next: Drafting Jahlil Okafor
Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Jahlil Okafor (Duke) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number three overall pick to the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Drafting Jahlil Okfaor
Jahlil Okafor getting drafted is proving to be one of the best roster moves in the past several years for the Sixers. Just a little bit into the season, he’s already making himself a staple to the Sixers offense, pulling in double digit points and over eight rebounds per game.
It’s early in the season, and fatigue could set in for the young rookie, but Okafor seems to be a huge part of the future for Philadelphia. The losing is (hopefully) almost over, and Okafor is a huge part of that, and the foundation that the next chapter will be built on.
Quickly, Okafor is proving he is going to be the center of the next chapter of this franchise. While most other notable players brought in during the Sam Hinkie era so far have been traded away, released, or for some other reason are no longer with the team, Okafor seems to be around for the long haul. Fans might have thought that about players like Michael Carter-Williams too though, who was moved away from Philly.
Okafor hasn’t had to deal with much losing, so the Sixers do need to bring in some others that will help them win soon, so that frustration doesn’t set in and inhibit both Okafor and the team.
Next: Top 5 rookie debuts in Sixers history
Okafor is already putting himself in the conversation with some of the top points scored for a 19 year old, alongside big names like Kevin Durant.