13. Sixers win 7-game series vs. Raptors in 2001
The Sixers’ 2001 playoff run was magical, even if it ended in defeat. The Eastern Conference was a challenging road, with several competitive teams on the docket. The Toronto Raptors were able to take Allen Iverson’s squad to seven games, coming painfully close to finishing the job.
In Game 7, the Raptors were primed to win it — cutting what ended up being Iverson’s longest postseason run short. Vince Carter pump-faked into an open jumper at the last second, only to watch it hit rim and bounce out. The Sixers were victorious, winning a close 4-3 series.
Iverson was his typical self, providing MVP-caliber production for a Sixers team that lacked high-end depth. He played 46 minutes per game during the series, averaging 33.7 points, 6.9 assists and 3.1 steals. We’ve almost reached a point where he’s underrated.
It was also one of Carter’s most impressive NBA stretches, giving fans a duel between two elite guards. Carter averaged 30.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game, lifting Toronto after a shakier first-round series against the New York Knicks.
The series featured several heavyweight performances between the two guards. Iverson dropped 54 points in a Game 2 win, while Carter responded with 50 points in Game 3. It was entertaining basketball for seven straight contests.
The Sixers prevailed in an all-time semifinals battle, with two teams slugging it out behind a pair of bona-fide superstars. It marked another step forward in one of the Sixers’ most memorable postseason runs, and perhaps one of the best seven-game series in franchise history.