Philadelphia 76ers: 15 greatest seasons in franchise history

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(Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Philadelphia 76ers were established as an NBA franchise in 1949. A lot has happened since then. Here are the 15 best seasons.

In 1949, the Syracuse Nationals joined the burgeoning NBA. While both the franchise and the league struggled to traverse the choppy waters of professional sports in the mid-1900s, things worked out well on both accounts. In 1963, the team relocated and became the Philadelphia 76ers.

Celtics, Lakers, Sixers, Bulls. Those are the four most prominent teams when perusing the annals of NBA history. Few franchises can claim the degree of success and historical relevance Philadelphia has achieved.

During their NBA tenure, the Sixers have won three championships. They have come close on numerous other occasions — this past season being a prime example. The Sixers have been constantly relevant, a steady force in the ever-changing NBA landscape. There’s a lot to discuss.

As the 2019-20 season creeps closer, it’s time to open the history books and glance back at the events that shaped this Philadelphia franchise. We will break down the 15 greatest campaigns in Sixers history. Everything is fair game — even the earliest days in Syracuse.

Per usual, several factors determine these rankings. Regular season success, postseason success, historical relevance, individual performances — all played a role in pinpointing the right years to spotlight.

Here are the top 15.

Honorable mentions: 2017-18 (52-30), 1952-53 (47-24), 1989-90 (53-29), 1983-84 (52-30), 1951-52 (40-26)