Philadelphia 76ers: 15 greatest NBA playoff moments

14. Sixers upset Magic in 1999

The Sixers finished the lockout-shortened 1998-99 regular season with a 28-22 record, good enough for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. It was Allen Iverson’s first trip to the playoffs and the Sixers’ first go-around since 1991, when Charles Barkley and company lost to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

It was a statement series for the Sixers, as Iverson asserted his dominance on both ends. The Sixers were finally contending again, and it only took them four games to dispatch the third-seeded Orlando Magic.

Orlando, with Basketball Hall of Famer Chuck Daly coaching and Penny Hardaway roaming the perimeter, were heavy favorites. Iverson wasn’t to be deterred, though, putting together his most masterful performance in Game 3. He scored 33 points in that game, grabbing a playoff-record 10 steals to boot. The diminutive guard put in work on both ends.

Iverson dumped 37 on Orlando in the final game, securing a 3-1 series victory and establishing himself as one of the NBA’s premier stars. This was fresh on the heels of Iverson’s first scoring title, so it was a year of accomplishments for the 23-year-old.

After the series, the Magic coach had words of praise for the young Iverson.

"“It pretty much was the Allen Iverson show. What he does for that team, I don’t even know if they realize it.” — Chuck Daly, via the Washington Post"

It’s safe to say the Sixers ended up realizing it. This was the first of several impressive runs for Iverson, who became one of the NBA’s most celebrated players in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It was very much the beginning of an era for Sixers basketball.