Philadelphia 76ers

1963/64:After the Syracuse Nationals and Philadelphia Warriors had many unforgettable playoff battles, it had to seem a little ironic that when the Warriors left for San Francisco that the Nationals would move into Philadelphia to take their place changing their name to the 76ers. After winning their first game on the road against the Detroit Pistons the 76ers would drop their home debut to the same Pistons on October 19th. The 76ers would go on to finish their first season in Philadelphia with a record of 34-46 that landed them in third place, as Dolph Schayes ended a 16-year Hall of Fame Career, while also leading the team as coach. In the playoffs the 76ers would but a strong showing forcing the Cincinnati Royals to a full 5 games before falling 130-124 in the finale.

1964/65:A year after the NBA returned to Philadelphia, the city’s all-time biggest star returned, as the 76ers acquired Wilt Chamberlain from the San Francisco Warriors in the middle of the season for Paul Neumann, Connie Dierking, Lee Shaffer, and cash. After the trade the 76ers would finish the season on a strong note posting a 40-40 record. In the playoffs the 76ers would make quick work of the Cincinnati Royals advancing to the Eastern Finals in four games. In the Eastern Finals the 76ers would give the Boston Celtics all they could handle as they trailed by only one point in the final seconds of Game 7. However, Celtics star John Havlicek would intercept an inbound pass dribbling out the clock.

1965/66:The 76ers capture the Division Title with a 55-25 record edging the Boston Celtics by one game as Wilt Chamberlain wins the MVP award while leading the lead with a league best 33.5 ppg. Winning the division gave the 76ers a first round bye. However, instead of being rested the 76ers seemed rusted as they were beaten by the Boston Celtics who went on to win their 8th straight NBA Championship in five games. Following the disappointing playoff performance Coach Dolph Schayes was fired and replaced by Alex Hannum.

1966/67:New Coach Alex Hannum instructed Wilt Chamberlain to pass more often to make the 76ers a more balanced team. It would be the first time in his career that he did not lead the NBA in scoring. However Wilt Chamberlain was still clearly the league’s MVP as the 76ers set a new NBA single season record with a 68-13 record, which was sparked by a 45-4 start. In the playoffs the 76ers would easily knock off the Cincinnati Royals to set up a rematch with the Boston Celtics, who had not lost a playoff series in nine years. However, not even the Celtics could stop the 76ers this time as they jumped out to a 3-0 series lead before advancing to the NBA Finals in five games. The NBA Finals would be a battle of Philadelphia as the 76ers took on the San Francisco Warriors who played in Philly from 1946-1962. Game 1 would be tough for the 76ers who needed overtime for a 141-135 win. However, the rest of the series was almost anticlimactic as they jumped out to a 3-1 series lead before taking the series in six games.

1967/68:Coming off their NBA Championship the 76ers had a new arena in the Spectrum, while remaining at the top of the league posting a league best 62-20 record as Wilt Chamberlain won his third straight MVP award. In the playoffs the 76ers would need six games to knock off the New York Knicks for what seemed to be the annual Eastern Division Finals match up against the Boston Celtics. The 76ers appeared to be on the way to the NBA Finals again after taking a 3-1 series lead. However, the Celtics would rally to win the next three games taking the series in seven games.

1968/69:Prior to the start of the season Coach Alex Hannum would leave for a job with Oakland Oaks of the ABA. His replacement Jack Ramsay decided to re-work the team trading Wilt Chamberlain to the Los Angeles Lakers for Archie Clark, Darrell Imhoff, Jerry Chambers, and cash. Without Chamberlain the 76ers would remain a strong contender as they finished in second place with a 55-27 record, as Billy Cunningham finished third in the league in scoring with 24.8 ppg. However, in the playoffs the 76ers would be knocked off by the Boston Celtics in five games.

1969/70:The 76ers would play mediocre basketball all season finishing in fourth place with a record of 42-40. In the playoffs the 76ers would make a quick exit as they are beaten by the Milwaukee Bucks in five games.

1970/71:The NBA realigns into four division as the 76ers finish in second place in the Atlantic Division with a 47-35 record. In the playoffs the 76ers would be shot down in the first round again losing to the Baltimore Bullets in seven games.

1971/72:The 76ers add Bob Rule, Fred Carter, Bill Bridges, and Kevin Loughery, prior to the season. However, all would struggle as the team missed the playoffs for the first time in their 25-year franchise history dating back to their NBL years in Syracuse with a record of 30-52. Meanwhile former 76ers MVP Wilt Chamberlain would lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 69-13 record toping the 76ers best mark set in 1966/67. Following the season Billy Cunningham would leave the 76ers for the ABA, as Coach Jack Ramsay is fired and replaced by Roy Rubi.

1972/73:Without Billy Cunningham the 76ers would get off to a miserable start winning just four of their first 51 games as rookie coach Roy Rubi is fired. Under player-coach Kevin Loughery the 76ers would not fare much better winning just five of their last 26 games on the way to an embarrassing 9-73 record that set the record or most losses in a single season with an awful winning percentage of .110.

1973/74:With Tom Van Arsdale putting together a strong full season, finishing second to Fred Carter on the team scoring with 19.6 ppg the 76ers still finished in last place, but improved 16 games in the standings with a record of 25-57.

1974/75:Two years after bolting for the ABA, Billy Cunningham returns to the 76ers. However, they would remain at the bottom of the Atlantic Division with a 34-48 record.

1975/76:As the USA celebrated the Bi-Centennial, with celebrations centering in Philadelphia the 76ers ended a five year struggle and made the playoffs by finishing in third place with a respectable 46-36 record. Helping to guide the 76ers turn around was George McGinnis who was signed away from the ABA. However, in the playoffs the 76ers would lose a tough three game series to the Buffalo Braves.

1976/77:After their return to the playoffs the 76ers would make revolutionary changes in the off season, as Fitz Eugene Dixon bought the club in May and soon gave it a reputation as a team built on dollars. Dixon would pull off one of the biggest deals in NBA history as they purchased Julius Erving from the New York Nets, who need help defraying the cost of entering the NBA, from the now defunct ABA. Dr. J. made an immediate impact as the 76ers captured the Atlantic Division Title with a solid record of 50-32. In the playoffs the 76ers would be tested early as they need seven games to knock off the defending champion Boston Celtics to reach the Eastern Conference Finals, where they shot down the Houston Rockets in six games. In the NBA Finals the 76ers got off to a fast start beating the Portland Trailblazers in the first two games at The Spectrum. However, as the series shifted to Portland the Blazers rallied taking the next two games. When the series shifted back to Philadelphia for Game 5 the 76ers could not grab the momentum back as they lost 110-104, before losing the series in six games.

1977/78:Despite making the NBA Finals the 76ers changed coaches as longtime star Billy Cunningham took over the duties on the bench. Under Cunningham the 76ers stayed strong finishing first place for the second year in a row with a record of 55-27. In the playoffs the 76ers would continue to dominate as they swept the New York Knicks in four straight games. However, in the Eastern Finals the 76ers would be shot down by the Washington Bullets in six games.

1978/79:The Philadelphia 76ers would continue to be frustrated by the Washington Bullets as they were beaten out for first place by seven games with a record of 47-35. Forced to play in the prelim round, the 76ers would quickly get by the New Jersey Nets with two straight wins. However, in the second round they would be tripped up by the San Antonio Spurs in a hard fought seven game series.

1979/80:With strong seasons from Maurice Cheeks and Bobby Jones the 76ers were even stronger posting a 59-23 record. However, the 76ers would have to settle for second place again finishing two games behind the Boston Celtics. In the playoffs the 76ers would get a measure of revenge as they beat the Washington Bullets in two straight games. In the second round the 76ers continued to fly as they easily beat the Atlanta Hawks in five games to set up a match up in the Eastern Finals with the Celtics. For the 76ers it would be surprisingly easy as they knocked off the Celtics in five games. In the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers the 76ers battled to stalemate through the first four games. After losing Game 5 on the road 108-103, the 76ers needed a win at The Spectrum in Game 6. Things looked good for the 76ers, as the Lakers would be playing without Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. However, they could not stop Magic Johnson who scored 42 points ending the series in six games with a 123-107 win.

1980/81:Following their trip to the NBA Finals the 76ers would battle the Boston Celtics for supremacy in the East as Julius Erving captured the league’s MVP award with the 76ers posting a 62-20 record. However, the 76ers would lose a division tiebreaker to the Celtics and were forced to play in the preliminary round where they quickly dispatched the Indiana Pacers in two straight games. However, in the second round the 76ers would be pushed to the limit, as they need seven games to beat the Milwaukee Bucks. In the Eastern Conference Finals the 76ers appeared to be on their way back to the NBA Finals as they grabbed a 3-1 series lead over the Celtics. However the Celtics would rally to take the series in seven games.

1981/82:The 76ers and Boston Celtics continued to fight for supremacy in the East. However once again the 76ers would fall short in the regular season as they posted a 58-24 record. The 76ers would make quick work of the Atlanta Hawks again in the preliminary round taking two straight games, before taking out the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. Facing the Celtics for the third straight season in the Eastern Conference Finals the 76ers would edge the Celtics in seven games stunning the Celtics in Game 7 at Boston as Celtics fans “Chanted Beat LA”. However, in the NBA Finals the 76ers would not be able to beat the Los Angeles Lakers as they were pushed around losing the series in six games.

1982/83:After falling short in the Finals again the 76ers signed MVP Moses Malone away from the Houston Rockets with a big deal that gave the 76ers an All-Star starting five of Moses Malone, and Julius Erving leading the way. Malone was a force in the middle taking the MVP award as the 76ers took the Division with a league best record of 65-17. Heading into the playoffs Moses Malone would proclaim “Fo, Fo, Fo,” meaning they would sweep their way through the playoffs. In the first round Moses looked like a prophet as the 76ers easily swept the New York Knicks in four straight games. Prepared to face the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals again the 76ers had to be a little surprised as the Celtics were upset by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round. However, the 76ers would not be deterred as they beat the Bucks in five games. Moving on to the NBA Finals the 76ers were matched up against the Los Angeles Lakers again. This time things would be much different as Moses Malone dominated the series leading the 76ers to an overwhelming four game sweep as the 76ers claimed their second NBA Championship. Moses Malone who fell one game short of his prediction that the 76ers would sweep through the playoffs was named NBA Finals MVP.

1983/84:Coming off their Championship the 76ers were still one of the top teams in the NBA as they posted a 52-30 record while finishing in second place. However, in the playoffs the 76ers would be stunned by the New Jersey Nets in a five game series that saw the home team lose all five games.

1984/85:The 76ers added some youth by drafting Charles Barkley in the first round. Barkley who would become one of the game’s most prolific players, was a raw 6-6, 260-pound rebounding machine in his rookie season as he learned from legends like Moses Malone and Julius Erving who were still the foundation of a 76ers team that finished in second place with a solid 58-24 record. In the playoffs the 76ers would need just four games to get by the Washington Bullets before sweeping the Milwaukee Bucks in four straight games to set up an Eastern Conference Finals match up with the Boston Celtics. However, the 76ers would be dominated as they fell to the Celtics in five games.

1985/86:Under new Coach Matt Gokus the 76ers settled into a familiar place finishing in second place with a solid record of 54-28 despite losing Andrew Toney to stress fracture. As the playoffs started the 76ers injury woes got worse as they lost Moses Malone. However, the 76ers would have a game showing as they slipped past the Washington Bullets in five games, before falling by one point to the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 7 on the road. Following the season Moses Malone would be traded to the Washington Bullets.

1986/87:Julius Erving announces it will be his last season and has a season long victory tour as the 76ers post a 45-37 record while hanging on to second place. In the playoffs the Dr. J. victory tour would come to an abrupt early ending as they are beaten by the Milwaukee Bucks in a five game series.

1987/88:Without Julius Erving, the team was turned over to Charles Barkley who had a solid season finishing fourth in the league with 28.3 ppg. However, the 76ers would struggle all season, as there was no one around to help Sir Charles. The 76ers would miss the playoffs for the first time in 13 years finishing in fourth place with a 36-46 record.

1988/89:With the addition of Hersey Hawkins and Ron Anderson the 76ers would rebound off their lost season by finishing in second place with a record of 46-36. However, in the playoffs the 76ers would be humiliated by the New York Knicks who would sweep them in 3 straight games, which they celebrated by sweeping a broom across the floor of The Spectrum following Game 3.

1989/90:With Charles Barkley and Rick Mahorn gave the 76ers to big bulky forwards that dominated the frontcourt as the 76ers captured the Atlantic Division with a record of 53-29. In the playoffs the 76ers would struggle, as they need five games to get past the Cleveland Cavaliers in a hard fought series. In the second round the 76ers struggles would continue as they fell to the Chicago Bulls in five games.

1990/91:With basically the same team, the 76ers take a step backward as they win nine fewer games finishing in 2nd place with a record of 44-38. However, in the playoffs the 76ers appeared to be hitting their stride as they swept the Milwaukee Bucks in three straight games. However, in the second round they would run into a Chicago Bulls team rampaging their way onto their first NBA Title, as they fell in five games. However the 76ers would deal the Bulls one of their two postseason losses.

1991/92:Plagued by injuries all season the 76ers would miss the playoffs by finishing in fifth place with a disappointing record of 35-47. Making matters worse Charles Barkley had a falling out with management when they did not resign Rick Mahorn. When the season was over, he would demand a trade which the 76ers would oblige sending him to the Phoenix Suns for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry, and Andrew Lang.

1992/93:Clearly in a rebuilding mind set the 76ers hired Doug Moe to lead a young team. However, Moe would not even last the entire season as he is fired after a 19-37 start. Under his replacement Fred Carter the 76ers would not fare much better as they finished in sixth place with a record of 26-56.

1993/94:With the second pick in the NBA draft the 76ers selected 7’6″ Center Shawn Bradley. Bradley consider a project had only played one year of College basketball before spending two years as a Mormon missionary in Australia. Bradley would struggle early as the 76ers continued to limp along finishing in sixth place with a terrible record of 25-57. Along the way the 76ers continued to retool trading Hersey Hawkins to the Charlotte Hornets for Dana Barros and Jeff Hornacek to the Utah Jazz for Jeff Malone.

1994/95:Under new Coach John Lucas the 76ers continued to struggle as they finished in sixth place again with a record of 24-58 missing the playoffs for the 4th straight season. However, Dana Barros would provide a bright spot as he ranked third in three-point shooting (.464) and free throw shooting (.899), while earning Most Improved Player recognition. However, Barros would depart right away as he signed a free agent deal with Boston Celtics.

1995/96:Jerry Stackhouse and Clarence Weatherspoon provided a nice young nucleus from which to build. However finding talent to surround them with was often difficult, as injuries and personnel moves forced the 76ers to dress 24 players, the second-most in franchise history. Along the way the 76ers gave up on Shawn Bradley trading him to the New Jersey Nets for Derrick Coleman, as the 76ers made dubious history increasing their loss total for the sixth straight season while finishing in last place with a 18-64 record.

1996/97:Going into a new start of the art arena named the CoreStates Center the 76ers had many questions surrounding how to rebuild the team. The answer Allen Iverson who captured the rookie of the year while scoring 23.5 ppg with a spectacular crossover dribble and a seeming ability to score at will. Iverson’s season was highlighted by an April offensive explosion that saw in him scored 40 points in four straight games. However, the 76ers lost all four of those games on the way to finishing in 6th place with a 22-60 record.

1997/98:Still struggling the 76ers decided to bring in Larry Brown to teach the young team how to win. Brown, who has helped turned the Indiana Pacers into contenders has long reputation of helping to build winning teams in both college and pro basketball. In his first season with 76ers the team would still take its lumps missing the playoffs for the seventh straight year with a record of 31-51 that landed them in last place. Along the way Brown made many changes to the 76ers roster as the team had only five players that began the season in October finish the season in April.

1998/99:After a four month lockout wiped out half the season the 76ers rebuilding project began to bear fruit as they recorded their first winning month in five years in February, on the way to making the playoffs for the first time in eight years with a record of 28-22. Along the way Allen Iverson cemented himself as a superstar capturing the NBA scoring title with 28-.5 ppg. In the playoffs the 76ers would continue to make strides as they stunned the Orlando Magic in four games. In the second round the 76ers would be swept by the Indiana Pacers. However, three of the four games were decided by four points or less.

1999/00:Though Allen Iverson remained their key player the 76ers proved they were more than a one-man team as they posted a 6-4 record while Iverson missed ten games due to a thumb injury. Aaron McKie, Tyrone Hill, Larry Hughes, George Lynch and Eric Snow, all had solid seasons as the 76ers finished in third place with a solid 49-33 record. In the playoffs the 76ers would need four games to swat the Charlotte Hornets to set up a re-match with the Indiana Pacers. However, once again the Pacers would prove too strong as they beat the 76ers in six hard fought games.

2000/01:The 76ers jumped out of the gate quickly as they won their first ten games, grabbing control of the Atlantic Division. In December injuries would begin to take their toll as Eric Snow and Allen Iverson both missed several games in December. However, the 76ers stayed hot taking a franchise record 13 straight road wins. Iverson would return and have a spectacular season capturing All-Star Game MVP honors on his way to capturing MVP honors for the season. Not satisfied the 76ers would make strides to get tougher on defense by acquiring Dikembe Mutombo and Rashawn McLeod from the Atlanta Hawks for Theo Ratliff, Nazr Mohammed, Toni Kukoc and Pepe Sanchez. Mutombo would go on to take Defensive Player of the Year. Iverson and Mutombo would be part of a foursome of award winners as they were joined by Aaron McKie who captured the 6th Man Award, and Coach of the Year Larry Brown. The 76ers would go onto to finish with the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 record. In the playoffs the 76ers would quickly get past the Indiana Pacers in four games, taking the final three games after blowing a big lead in Game 1. Things would only get tougher in the second round as the 76ers need seven games to beat the Toronto Raptors, who had a chance to pull off an upset with a last second shot that rimmed out. In the Eastern Finals the 76ers would need seven games again to beat the Milwaukee Bucks. All the tough series would take their toll as they faced the Los Angeles Lakers who had swept through the first three rounds in the NBA Finals. However, in Game 1 the 76ers would pull off a stunner beating the Lakers in overtime. However, injuries would take their toll as the Lakers overwhelmed the 76ers the rest of the way taking the next four games and the series in five games.

2001/02:With reigning MVP Allen Iverson, Sixth Man of the Year Aaron McKie, and starting point guard Eric Snow all sidelined due to injuries the 76ers got off to a slow start losing their first five games. Both players would return and the 76ers would start to win games. However, as they approached the all-star break injuries would continue to hamper their efforts as they lost Iverson again to a hand injury for the last month of the season as they limped into the playoffs with a 43-39 record. In the playoffs the 76ers would fall behind right away dropping the first two games to the Boston Celtics on the road. The 76ers would rally to force a fifth game with two hard fought wins at the First Union Center. However, back in Boston for Game 5 the 76ers suffer an embarrassing 120-87 loss.

2002/03:After a turbulent off-season in which Allen Iverson was involved in legal trouble for pointing a gun at his wife the 76ers got off to a flying start winning 15 of their first 19 games. However, in December the 76ers would struggle winning just five of their next 20 games. The Sixers struggles would finally end in February as they started a nine-game winning streak as they climbed into a race for the Atlantic Division Championship. However, the 76ers quest for a Division title would end 1 game short as they finished in second place with a solid 48-34 record. In the playoffs against the New Orleans Hornets the 76ers would get off to a fast start as Allen Iverson scored 55 points in Game as the 76ers jumped out to a 3-1 series lead. After a disappointing loss at home in Game 5, the 76ers closed out the Hornets in Game 6 as Iverson scored 45. In the second round the 76ers got off to a slow start dropping the first two games on the road to the Detroit Pistons. However, they would rebound to win the next two games at home with a chance to wrestle away control of the series in Game 5, Iverson struggled missing 20 shots as the 76ers lost a heartbreaker 78-77. The 76ers would end up falling in six games as they lost in overtime 93-89 at home despite 38 points from Iverson. Following the season Coach Larry Brown would step down after seven seasons to take over the coaching job with the Pistons.

2003/04:Under new Coach Randy Ayers the 76ers got off to a shaky start posting only a 9-9 record through the first month. Things would get worse in December as the 76ers fell below .500. As the season wore on instead of improving the 76ers played worse in January as they began to fall behind in the playoff chase. As the All-Star Break approached the 76ers were sitting at 21-31 when Ayers was fired and replaced by Assistant Chris Ford. Things would not improve under Ford as he openly clashed with Allen Iverson on several occasions. Nothing the 76ers could do seemed to jumpstart their sinking playoff hopes and when a season worth of nagging injuries sidelined an angry Iverson at the end of March the 76ers season was over as they would go on to miss the playoffs with a disappointing record of 33-49. Meanwhile, Larry Brown would go on to lead the Detroit Pistons to a stunning NBA Championship.

2004/05:Under new Coach Jim O’Brien the 76ers played mediocre basketball most of the year as Allen Iverson did not have much help, often being the lone man providing the scoring as he had an NBA best 30.7 ppg. Hoping to bolster their playoff chances the 76ers who battled the Boston Celtics all year for first place in the mediocre Atlantic Division acquired Chris Webber at the trade deadline from the Sacramento Kings. However Webber struggled to adjust to his new surroundings as the 76ers continued to hover around .500. However the 76ers would finish the season strong winning seven of their final ten games to slip into the playoffs with the seventh seed and a 43-39 record. In the playoffs the 76ers would face a daunting challenge in the defending champion Detroit Pistons who would make quick work of the Sixers winning in five games. Following the season the 76ers would make another coaching change firing Jim O’Brien and replacing him with 76ers legend Maurice Cheeks.

2005/06:Under new Coach Maurice Cheeks the 76ers would play well early in the season as they won six of their first nine games. However, it would not last as the 76ers would struggle to find any consistency as they went into 2006 with a .500 record at 15-15. Despite the struggles Allen Iverson continued to put up strong numbers with 33.0 ppg, but with little supporting help Iverson began to grow frustrated with the team’s losing. Still hovering at .500 entering March, the 76ers plunged further losing nine of eleven games during a critical stretch that put their playoff hopes on life support. Needing a strong finish in April the 76ers lost six of their last ten and missed the playoffs for the second time in three years with a 38-44 record. As the 76ers entered the off-season Allen Iverson the 76ers lone star requested to be traded.

2006/07:The 76ers would be unable to deal Allen Iverson during the off-season, and when the season started Iverson started like a house fire leading the way as the 76ers won their first three games. However, it would not last as the Sixers won just two of their next 14 games as frustrations began to mount. On December 5th Iverson gave the 76ers management an ultimatum: “find players who will help support me or trade me.” Three days later the 76ers would deactivate Iverson ending an era in Philadelphia as they sought a trade. Two weeks later with 76ers floundering at 5-19 and on a 12-game losing streak dealt Iverson with Ivan McFarlin to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for guard Andre Miller, forward Joe Smith, and two first-round draft picks. Following the Iverson trade the 76ers pulled out of their tailspin, winning two straight games, as Andre Iguodala led the way in wins over the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. As January began and the new players worked their way into the system the Sixers actually played better posting a 7-10 record including a 108-97 win on January 2nd against the Denver Nuggets on the road, as Iverson was ejected in the final minutes, after scoring 30 points against his old team. As the season stretched on the 76ers played the role of spoilers well, playing better as the season went on, as they posted an impressive seven game winning streak as February ended and March began, as they posted winning records in March and April to climb up to third place with a record of 35-47.

2007/08:Moving past the Allen Iverson was the order of business as the 76ers began the season. However, in the early going they did not have much success as they lost six of their first eight games, on the way to a 16-28 start that would cost General Manager Billy King his job, as he would be replaced by Ed Stefanski. However, at the end of January the Sixers began to play much better basketball, winning five straight games as they posted a winning record in February. In March they would play even better, winning 11-of-13 as they climbed above .500 with a record of 37-35. The March hot streak would be enough to catapult the 76ers into the playoffs, despite a season ending four game losing streak that closed their season with a 40-42 record. The 76ers entered the playoffs as considerable underdogs facing the Detroit Pistons in the first round. However, led by Andre Miller and Willie Green the 76ers were able to steal the opener 90-86, overcoming a 13-point halftime deficit. After dropping Game 2, the series shifted to Philadelphia, where Samuel Dalembert had a monster game with 22 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Sixers to a 95-75 victory. The win seemed to give the 76ers an edge in the series, but it would not last long as the Pistons won Game 4 to even the series, and did not look back, winning the final three games to take the series in six games.

2008/09:After their strong finish and surprise playoff appearance the 76ers entered the season with renewed expectations as they signed Elton Brand to a five year, $79.795 million-dollar contract. Brand, who was an All-Star with the Los Angeles Clippers, was one of the top prizes of the free agency market, despite coming off a season in which he played just eight games after an Achilles injury. However, in the early going the 76ers failed to live up to expectations costing Coach Maurice Cheeks his job, after the 76ers found themselves in last place with a 9-14 record six weeks into the season. After the firing the 76ers responded well winning their first three games with assistant General Manager Tony DiLeo running the team as interim coach. Despite losing six of their next seven games the 76ers found their game in January as they got back to .500 with a seven game winning streak. The 76ers continued to hover around .500 in February as they were in solid playoff contention. In March the 76ers had another strong run, winning seven of nine games, which included a win 94-93 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers on March 17th and a one day only return to the Spectrum on March 13th when they beat the Chicago Bulls 104-101 at their former arena, which was being closed for good to make way for hotels. The strong run enabled the 76ers to clinch a playoff spot as April began. However, after losing Elton Brand to a shoulder injury they would limp into the playoffs losing six straight before ending the season at 41-41 with a 111-110 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road in overtime. In Game 1 of their playoff series against the Orlando Magic, the 76ers trailed by 14 entering the 4th Quarter on the road. However, with 73.7% shooting down the stretch the 76ers made a furious rally scoring 35 points in the final quarter for a 100-98 win. After dropping Game 2, the 76ers won Game 3 at home in dramatic fashion, winning 96-94 on Thaddeus Young’s driving layup with two seconds left. The 76ers had their chances to take a 3-1 series lead, but in the end a Hedo Turkoglu three pointer at the buzzer gave the Magic an 84-81 win that put a dagger in the 76ers, as the Magic went on to win the next two games easily to win the series in six games. Despite a solid season, Tony DiLeo returned to the front office following the season, as the 76ers hired Eddie Jordan as their new coach.

2009/10:Under new Coach Eddie Jordan, the 76ers showed some good signs as they won three of their first five games, as they returned to their classic red, white and blue logo and uniforms. On Veteran’s Day the 76ers held a record of 4-4. However, all good that was in the early games would be quickly erased as the Sixers went into a prolonged slump losing 14 of their next 15 games, including a 12 game losing streak. Hoping to provide a spark the 76ers signed Allen Iverson on December 2nd after he was released by the Memphis Grizzlies. Upon his return to Philadelphia three days later, Iverson was greeted with a long standing ovation and a video tribute as he kissed the logo at center court. However, the Sixers would lose the game to the Denver Nuggets 93-83 as Iverson only managed 11 points. Allen Iverson was just a shell of his former self as he averaged a career low 13.9 ppg in 25 games, before leaving the team for personal reasons in February. Despite the struggles Iverson would still be voted an All-Star Game starter by the fans. He would not return to the team, as off-court problems with his marriage and personal life became public. Following the season Allen Iverson would sign with a team in Turkey. It would be an awful season for the 76ers as they never were a factor in the playoff chase, as they posted a record of 27-55. Following the season changes would be made as Coach Eddie Jordan was fired and replaced by Doug Collins. The 76ers would get some luck in the NBA Draft lottery as they would move up to the second pick where they selected Evan Turner from Ohio State.

2010/11:Expectations were low with new Coach Doug Collins, as the team looked to be rebuilding at the start of the season. In Collins’ first game, the 76ers were beaten by the Miami Heat at home 97-87, as the Sixers lost their four games on the way to a 3-13 start. After Thanksgiving, the 76ers started to show signs of life as they won seven of nine games as they entered the New Year with a record of 13-20. The Sixers continued to improve in January as they posted their second straight winning month. Things would get even better in February, as the Sixers climbed over .500, behind a 9-3 record, which included six wins in eight games around the All-Star Break. The 76ers would continue to play winning basketball in March, as they closed in on making the playoffs. Despite a poor finish that saw them lose five of their last six games the 76ers would get the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 41-41. In the playoffs the 76ers would face the Miami Heat, and quickly found themselves in a 0-2 hole losing the first two games on the road. Things would not get much better as they lost Game 3 at home 100-94. The 76ers would avoid the sweep with an 86-82 win in Game 4 as Lou Williams 27-footer with 8.1 seconds left gave them the lead, after trailing 82-76 with 1:35 left. However, despite a game effort the Heat proved too much for Philly, as Miami closed out the series with a 97-91 win in Game 5.

2011/12:Despite making the playoffs, expectations continued to be low for the 76ers as the season began late with new owners after a two month lockout. Early on things looked good in Philadelphia, as the Sixers got off to a strong start, winning seven of their first nine games, despite starting the season with a five game road Western Conference road trip. The 76ers would continue to play strong basketball into February as they led the Atlantic Division and were near the top of the Conference with an 18-7 record through 25 games. As the season hit the mid-point, the Sixers began to sputter, losing seven of nine, including their last five games before the All-Star Break. The 76ers struggles continued into March, as they began to lose their grip on the Atlantic Division. Eventually they would be surpassed by both the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks. The Sixers began April, losing six of their first eight games, as their once secure playoff footing became tenuous at 31-30. However, thanks to a four game winning streak, the Sixers would hold on to their eight seed as they posted a record of 35-31. Getting to the playoffs, was a team effort as Louis Williams, had a career season with a team high 14.9 ppg. The Sixers also got solid seasons from Jrue Holliday, Thaddeus Young, Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand who each averaged better than 11 points per game, while Spencer Hawes led the team in rebounds, with 7.3 per game.

2012 Playoffs:As the eighth seed, the 76ers entered the playoffs a considerable underdog against the top seeded Chicago Bulls. The opener was all Chicago, as the Bulls won easily 103-91. However, in the closing minutes the Bulls suffered a devastating blow, as Derrick Rose tore his ACL. Without Rose, the 76ers now were on more of an even footing with the Bulls who had no answer for Jrue Holliday who scored a game high 26 points in a 109-92 series evening win. The Bulls got more bad news when Joakim Noah injured his ankle when his foot got tangled with Andre Iguodala in Game 3 as the Sixers took control of the series with a 79-74 win. Jumping out early, the Sixers would also win Game 4, 89-82 to take a 3-1 series lead. After the Bulls won Game 5 at home, the 76ers saw their series advantage slipping away as they trailed 78-77, with seven seconds left. However, Omer Asik missed two free throws, giving the Sixers a chance to win the game. Andre Iguodala grabbed the rebound went down the court and was fouled by Asik. Iguodala would make both of his free throws as the Sixers won the series in six games, winning the clinched 79-78. After winning their first playoff series in nine years, the 76ers moved on to face the Boston Celtics, and showed right away the series would be a battle as they lost the opener on the road 92-91, blowing a ten point lead in the fourth quarter as they seemed to run out of gas. The 76ers would rebound and would record an 82-81 win in Game 2, as the 76ers defense got Kevin Garnett to commit an offensive foul in the final seconds. As the series shifted to the Wells Fargo Center, the Celtics regained control of the series with a 107-91 win in Game 3. However, the Sixers would not roll over, winning 92-83 behind Evan Turner and Andre Iguodala to even the series. The series continued to go back and forth as each team split the next two games, with the team at home winning both to send the series to a seventh game. The seventh game would be nearly as close as the series, but in the end Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo would proof too much to handle as the Celtics advanced with an 85-75 win. Following the season the 76ers were quite busy remaking their team, as they picked up Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson in a multi-team deal that saw Dwight Howard sent to the Los Angeles Lakers, that saw Andre Iguodala sent to the Denver Nuggets, while Nikola Vucevic went to the Orlando Magic.

2012/13:It was clear right away that the trade that brought Andrew Bynum to Philadelphia was going to be a disaster for the 76ers, as the Center reported to camp with an injured knee. Bynum would have knee surgery before the season began and he was only expected to be out the first few weeks. However, a series of setbacks would lead to further surgery as he never played in a game with the 76ers and could sign elsewhere during the off-season. Despite missing a player they had counted on to be a big part of the team, the 76ers played well early and held a 10-6 record after the first month of the season. However, soon more injuries began to pile up as the 76ers went into the New Year with a record of 14-17. The 76ers who already lost Jrue Holiday, Thaddeus Young, Nick Young, and Royal Ivey for weeks at a time due to injury lost Jason Richardson for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL on February 8th. By the end of the season, only Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes played in all 82 games as the 76ers finished with a record of 34-48, missing the playoffs for the first time since Doug Collins took over as head coach. Collins would announce his retirement at the end of the season, remaining in the organization as an adviser.

2013/14:Following the Andrew Bynum fiasco, the 76ers decided to go for a full rebound and traded Jrue Holiday and the 42nd pick in the draft, Pierre Jackson, to the New Orleans Pelicans for Nerlens Noel and the Pelicans’ 2014 first-round pick. Noel the sixth overall pick, was the key to the deal despite being sidelined with a torn ACL that would make him miss his entire rookie season. Several other players including Andrew Bynum would be waived as most experts predicted the Sixers to be the worst team in the league under new Coach Brett Brown. Despite the dire predictions, the 76ers started the season by upsetting the two time defending champion Miami Heat 114-110 at the Wells Fargo Center. Michael Carter-Williams who the 76ers took with the 11th overall pick had a great debut with 22 points, 12 assists, 7 rebounds, and 9 steals (the most steals ever made by a rookie on debut). The Sixers with MCW leading the way would win their first three games, as he had a 26 point 10 assist game over the Chicago Bulls on his way to being the first rookie to win NBA Player of the Week honors in his first week in the league. The 76ers would eventually come down to earth, finishing November with a record of 6-11. The 76ers would struggle through December, but as the New Year began, embarked on a four game winning streak during a Western road swing, the longest of the season. The 76ers would win just three more games the rest of January, with their last win coming on January 29th as they defeated the Boston Celtics 95-94 at the TD Garden. That win would be the last win the Sixers would enjoy for the next two months, as they continued to tear down their roster at the trade deadline, dealing Spencer Hawes, Evan Turner, and Lavoy Allen, in separate deals. Hawes was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Earl Clark, Henry Sims and two future second-round picks, while Turner and Allen were traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Danny Granger and a second-round draft pick. Granger would be placed on waivers without playing a game in Philadelphia. Meanwhile the losses mounted up as the 76ers was accused of tanking the season. The 76ers would end up tying an NBA record with 26 straight losses, before finally beating the Detroit Pistons 123-98 on March 29th as they went on to finish the season with a record of 19-63. The lone bright spot was Michael Carter-Williams led all rookies in points (16.7 ppg), rebounds (6.2 rpg), assists (6.3 apg), and steals (1.9 spg), joining Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson as the only rookies to do such a feat as he was named Rookie of the Year.

2014/15:After enduring a 19-63 season that saw them lose 26 straight, the Philadelphia 76ers focused more on the future sent a message that more rough seasons were ahead when they selected Center Joel Embiid out of Kansas with the third overall pick. Embiid had perhaps the most talent in the draft, but came with the heavy baggage of an injury history that would force him to miss the entire season with a broken foot. Other picks the Sixers made included Elfrid Payton chosen with the tenth pick and trade right away to the Orlando Magic, as the Sixers continued stockpiling future draft picks. Nerlens Noel who missed the entire 2013/14 season after being drafted number six by the New Orleans Pelicans and traded to Philadelphia made his debut and was one of the Sixers lone bright spots, averaging 9.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. There was not much else for 76ers fans to find cheer in as they began the season losing their first 17 games, one game short of the worst start in NBA history. After entering the New Year with a record of 4-26 the Sixers played slightly better in January, posting a record of 6-12. However, losses and losing streaks continued to pile up in the Philadelphia. At the trade deadline the Sixers once again had a fire sale which included shipping reigning rookie of the year Michael Carter-Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks in a three teams deal. The Sixers also sent K.J. McDaniels to the Houston Rockets, receiving JaVale McGee, Isaiah Canaan, and three draft picks in the two deals. McGee would be waived after six games as the 76ers again became the focus of talk about tanking games to get a better draft pick. Much like they began the season with a long losing streak, the 76ers ended the year by losing their final ten games as they finished with a record of 18-64.

2015/16:Before the season even began the Philadelphia 76ers suffered a major setback as Joel Embiid was forced to have another surgery on his foot forcing him to miss a second straight season. The 76ers continued to be the NBA’s doormat when the season began as they equaled the worst start in NBA history by losing their first 18 games. Combined with ten straight losses to end the previous season, the Sixers set a major professional sports record with 28 straight losses. As the losing mounted so did the frustration as Jahlil Okafor the 76ers top pick with the third overall pick in the NBA Draft had a series of off the court incidents that led to the team hiring chaperon to accompany the rookie center out of Duke. Jahlil Okafor would settle down and became one of the only bright spots in an otherwise bleak season in Philadelphia as he led the team in scoring with 17.5 points per game before missing much of the second half with a knee injury as he was part of the NBA’s All-Rookie team. After beating the Los Angeles Lakers 103-91 at the Wells Fargo Center on December 1st, the 76ers went on another prolonged losing streak, dropping their next 12 games. With the constant struggles making the Sixers the league’s laughingstock the NBA decided to step in an at the behest of commissioner Adam Silver, Jerry Colangelo was hired as a special advisor to the team’s ownership. Colangelo’s first move was for the Sixers to re-acquire Ish Smith from the New Orleans Pelicans for a pair of second round draft picks. The 76ers played slightly better after the trade winning two of three to close the month of December with a record of 3-31. The 76ers best month would be January as they won four games, though at no time during the entire season did they win consecutive games as they finished the year with just one win a month, going 1-11 in February 1-14 in March and 1-5 in April. That one win in April prevented the 76ers from match their own dubious history of the worst record in NBA history as they finished with a record of 10-72 the second worst record in NBA history. Following the season, Sam Hinkle would step down as General Manager, ending arguably the worst tenure of any GM in NBA history. During his three seasons, at the helm the Sixers posted a record of combined record of 37-199. Bryan Colangelo would be named Hinkle’s successor.

2016/17:Philadelphia 76ers fans sick of being told to trust the process, had to continue to be patient as number one overall pick Ben Simmons missed the entire season after suffering a broken foot in the pre-season. Joel Embiid who missed two full seasons, finally made his NBA debut and showed signs of being the franchise player the 76ers have been waiting for as he averaged 20.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. However, a knee injury ended his season after 31 games. On the floor Philadelphia was slow to show progress as they held an 8-24 record at the end of December. The New Year showed some positives for the Sixers as they won ten games, including a 7-1 record at the Wells Fargo Center. However, after the loss of Embiid, the 76ers progress came to a halt as they started February with five straight losses. The Sixers would struggle the rest of the way, including an eight-game losing streak to end the season with a record of 28-54.

2017/18:Finally! After suffering for countless years, Philadelphia 76ers fans could look forward to a basketball season starting again. After drafting Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor and now Markelle Fultz, the process seems to be heading in the right direct. In the offseason, the 76ers made some small but impactful transactions. They signed free-agent J.J. Reddick, for$23 million. The 76ers went into the season showing promise and a hope for the playoffs for the first time since 2012. The first half of the Sixers was uneven, as they went 20-20, while often playing sloppy basketball. Sixers fans could be disappointed having seen them settle for number one overall picks for the past few years. In the second half of the season, Philadelphia began to turn things around as they went on a seven-game winning streak in February that put them in playoff position. The stars the 76ers picked up in the draft were finally living up to their promise. Joel Embiid was becoming one of the league’s best centers, as he averaged 22.9 points 11.0 rebounds per game. Ben Simmons was everything that Philadelphia hoped for as he averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game. Simmons would go on to win the Rookie of the Year. As the season closed, the 76ers were the hottest team in the NBA, as they won their final 16 games and posted a record of 52-30.

Written by Liam Collins

2018 Playoffs:After their winning streak, the Philadelphia 76ers looked poised to make a deep playoff push. In the first round of the playoffs, the 76ers played the Miami Heat. In the opener, J.J. Reddick was an assassin from downtown, scoring 28 points as the Sixers beat the Heat 130-103. Miami bounced back ton win Game 2 by a score of 113-103 as their 17-game winning streak came to an end. Joel Embiid led the way in Game 3, as the Sixers regained home court with a 128-108 win in Miami. In Game 4, Philadelphia got a triple-double from Ben Simmons, with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and ten assists to win the game 106-102 to take a 3-1 series lead. The Sixers would close the series out in Game 5, with a 104-91 win at the Wells Fargo Center. Moving on to face the Boston Celtics, 76ers starting lineup gave them a chance to win the series but, their bench was for inferior, which would be the difference. Boston won the first two games by scores of 117-101 and 108-103. At the Wells Fargo Center, the Sixers appeared on their way to winning Game 3 as they held a 22-point lead. The Celtics rallied and led 89-87 in the final seconds when Marco Belinelli launched a 22-footer at the buzzer. Thinking it was a three-pointer, a confetti cannon was launched, creating embarrassment for the Sixers to clean up before overtime. In overtime, Boston would prevail 101-98. The Sixers would salvage Game 4 by a score of 103-92, but the Celtics finished the series with a 114-112 win in Game 5.

Written by Liam Collins

2018/19:After their strong finish, the Philadelphia 76ers looked to make significant addition in the offseason. However, attempts to land LeBron James failed, as General Manager Brian Colangelo was caught having a burner account in which he would mock and jab at superstars such as Simmons, Embiid, and rookie Fultz. When he was caught, he denied having any connection; however, he ultimately said it was his wife behind the account, forcing his resignation. The Sixers would start the season on the road in a rematch with the Boston Celtics, losing 105-87. In the first eight games, the Sixers won all four games at home and lost all four on the road. Knowing they needed another piece, the 76ers rolled the dice and landed Jimmy Butler from the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 12th. In the deal, the Sixers also landed Justin Patton, sending Robert Covington, Dario Saric, and Jerryd Bayless along with a second-round pick in return. Butler had a positive impact immediately, as the Sixers went 12-4 during November. After ending December with a record of 23-14, the Sixers had a strong January and were challenging the Toronto Raptors for first place in the Atlantic Division. As the trade deadline arrived, the 76ers looked to add more, acquiring Tobias Harris, Bob Marjanovic, and Mike Scott from the Los Angeles Clippers for Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, and Landry Shamet and several draft picks. Joel Embiid continued to impress, leading the team with 27.5 points and 13.6 rebounds per game, as the Sixers finished with a record of 51-31.

2019 Playoffs:With the third seed, the Philadelphia 76ers faced the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs. The 76ers stumbled in the opener, suffering a 111-102 loss. In Game 2, the Sixers would recover in a big way, beating Brooklyn 145-123. In Game 3, the Sixers took control of the series with a 131-115 win, as Ben Simmons led the way with 31 points. In Game 4, Joel Embiid had 31 points with 16 rebounds as Philadelphia won 112-108 to take a 3-1 series lead. The 76ers would close the series out with a 122-100 win in Game 5 at the Wells Fargo Center. In the second round, the 76ers would take on the Toronto Raptors. After suffering a 108-95 loss in the opener, the Sixers rebounded with a 94-89 win as Jimmy Butler led the way with 30 points. In Game 3, Joel Embiid had 33 points and ten rebounds to win the game 116-95, taking the series lead. Toronto bounced back, with a 101-96 win in Game 4. They would win again in Game 5 in Toronto, 125-89, to put the 76ers on the brink. The Sixers would win Game 6, as Jimmy Butler scored 25 points to lead the way. Game 7 in Toronto would be an instant classic as both teams fought to the bitter end. Butler hit a basket with 4.2 seconds left to tie the game; the Raptors would win the game at buzzer 92-90 on a shot by Kawhi Leonard. Toronto would go on to win the NBA Championship.