1976–77 Philadelphia 76ers season

The 1976–77 NBA season was the 28th season for the Philadelphia 76ers franchise in the NBA. Just months earlier, the American Basketball Association had ended its ninth and final campaign and the two leagues combined. In a special $6 million deal, the Nets sold Julius Erving, the ABA's leading scorer, to the Philadelphia 76ers for $3 million.[1] The other $3 million went to Erving, by way of a new contract.[1] In Philadelphia, Erving joined another scoring machine, George McGinnis, who had come over earlier from the Indiana Pacers. This accumulation of talent brought talk of an immediate championship to Philadelphia.

1976–77 Philadelphia 76ers season
Conference champions
Division champions
Head coachGene Shue
General managerPat Williams
ArenaThe Spectrum
Results
Record50–32 (.610)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Atlantic)
Conference: 1st (Eastern)
Playoff finishNBA Finals
(lost to Trail Blazers 2–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWKBS-TV
PRISM
RadioWCAU

The talented 76ers had posted the best record in the Eastern Conference with a record of 50–32.[1] Gene Shue was the coach & his key players were Erving (the esteemed Dr. J), McGinnis & 6-foot-6 shooting guard Doug Collins. Other key contributors included point guard Henry Bibby and World B. Free. Caldwell Jones started at center with 20-year-old Darryl Dawkins, also known as "Chocolate Thunder," in a backup role. The reserve forwards were Steve Mix, Harvey Catchings and Joe Bryant. The Sixers beat the Boston Celtics & the Houston Rockets in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, but lost to the Portland Trail Blazers 4–2, after winning the first 2 games.[1]

Offseason

NBA draft
Main article: 1976 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
112Terry FurlowSG/SF United StatesMichigan State
347Ron NorwoodG United StatesDePaul
464Freeman BladeG United StatesMSU Billings
581Jeff Browne United StatesMissouri Western
699Mike DunleavyG United StatesSouth Carolina
7117Phil WalkerSG United StatesMillersville
8135Lee Dixon United StatesHardin-Simmons
9152Fly WilliamsSG United StatesAustin Peay
10168Ed Stefanski United StatesPenn

Roster
Philadelphia 76ers roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
PG 10 Bibby, Henry 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1949-11-24 UCLA
PF 23 Bryant, Joe 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1954-10-19 La Salle
C 42 Catchings, Harvey 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 218 lb (99 kg) 1951-09-02 Hardin–Simmons
SG 20 Collins, Doug 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1951-07-28 Illinois State
C 53 Dawkins, Darryl 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 251 lb (114 kg) 1957-01-11 Maynard Evans HS (FL)
PG 10 Dunleavy, Mike 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1954-03-21 South Carolina
SF 6 Erving, Julius 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1950-02-22 UMass
SG 21 Free, Lloyd 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1953-12-09 Guilford
SG 25 Furlow, Terry 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1954-10-18 Michigan State
C 11 Jones, Caldwell 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 217 lb (98 kg) 1950-08-04 Albany State
PF 30 McGinnis, George 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1950-08-12 Indiana
SF 50 Mix, Steve 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1947-12-30 Toledo
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings
Atlantic Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Philadelphia 76ers 5032.610–32–918–2311–5
x-Boston Celtics 4438.537628–1316–259–7
New York Knicks 4042.4881026–1514–278–8
Buffalo Braves 3052.3662023–187–346–10
New York Nets 2260.2682810–3112–296–10
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Philadelphia 76ers5032.610–
2 y-Houston Rockets4933.5981
3 x-Washington Bullets4834.5852
4 x-Boston Celtics4438.5376
5 x-San Antonio Spurs4438.5376
6 x-Cleveland Cavaliers4339.5247
7 New York Knicks4042.48810
8 New Orleans Jazz3547.42715
9 Atlanta Hawks3151.37819
10 Buffalo Braves3052.36620
11 New York Nets2260.26828

Record vs. opponents
1976–77 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS BUF CHI CLE DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NOJ NYK NYN PHI PHO POR SAS SEA WAS
Atlanta —0–44–02–22–22–20–40–41–30–41–22–22–21–31–33–11–30–43–14–01–21–3
Boston 4–0—3–12–21–33–12–21–32–21–23–12–13–12–22–23–11–32–21–34–02–20–4
Buffalo 0–41–3—1–32–22–23–10–31–31–30–31–33–13–11–32–22–23–11–30–43–10–4
Chicago 2–22–23–1—3–11–32–22–21–32–22–23–13–14–02–22–12–22–20–43–12–21–2
Cleveland 2–23–12–21–3—2–21–32–21–32–13–12–24–02–22–23–11–32–12–22–23–11–3
Denver 2–21–32–23–12–2—3–12–23–03–13–12–23–13–12–23–11–33–12–21–24–02–2
Detroit 4–02–21–32–23–11–3—3–12–22–24–01–33–13–11–23–12–22–22–21–21–31–3
Golden State 4–03–13–02–22–22–21–3—2–14–01–32–21–31–31–33–13–14–01–32–21–33–1
Houston 3–12–23–13–13–10–32–21–2—4–02–22–23–12–22–22–21–33–13–12–23–13–1
Indiana 4–02–13–12–21–21–32–20–40–4—2–21–32–22–22–24–02–22–20–42–22–20–4
Kansas City 2–11–33–02–21–31–30–43–12–22–2—1–32–22–24–04–01–33–12–21–31–32–2
Los Angeles 2–21–23–11–32–22–23–12–22–23–13–1—3–13–01–34–02–23–13–13–13–14–0
Milwaukee 2–21–31–31–30–41–31–33–11–32–22–21–3—1–21–33–11–21–32–23–11–31–3
New Orleans 3–12–21–30–42–21–31–33–12–22–22–20–32–1—3–12–20–43–12–21–31–32–2
N.Y. Knicks 3–12–23–12–22–22–22–13–12–22–20–43–13–11–3—2–21–32–21–31–31–22–2
N.Y. Nets 1–31–32–21–21–31–31–31–32–20–40–40–41–32–22–2—1–32–20–31–31–31–3
Philadelphia 3–13–12–22–23–13–12–21–33–12–23–12–22–14–03–13–1—1–22–21–32–23–1
Phoenix 4–02–21–32–21–21–32–20–41–32–21–31–33–11–32–22–22–1—1–31–33–11–3
Portland 1–33–13–14–02–22–22–23–11–34–02–21–32–22–23–13–02–23–1—2–23–11–2
San Antonio 0–40–44–01–32–22–12–12–22–22–23–11–31–33–13–13–13–13–12–2—3–12–2
Seattle 2–12–21–32–21–30–43–13–11–32–23–11–33–13–12–13–12–21–31–31–3—3–1
Washington 3–14–04–02–13–12–23–11–31–34–02–20–43–12–22–23–11–33–12–12–21–3—

October
Date Opponent Score Result Record Streak
Fri, Oct 22, 1976 San Antonio Spurs 118–121 Loss 0–1 Lost 1
Sat, Oct 23, 1976 @ Buffalo Braves 105–108 Loss 0–2 Lost 2
Tue, Oct 26, 1976 @ New Orleans Jazz 111–101 Win 1–2 Lost 1

[2]

Playoffs
1977 playoff game log
Conference semifinals: 4–3 (home: 3–1; road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 April 17 Boston L 111–113 Julius Erving (36) Caldwell Jones (11) Collins, Erving (5) Spectrum
13,821		 0–1
2 April 20 Boston W 113–101 Julius Erving (30) George McGinnis (13) Doug Collins (7) Spectrum
18,276		 1–1
3 April 22 @ Boston W 109–100 Julius Erving (27) McGinnis, Jones (15) George McGinnis (5) Boston Garden
15,040		 2–1
4 April 24 @ Boston L 119–124 Doug Collins (36) George McGinnis (9) Doug Collins (5) Boston Garden
15,040		 2–2
5 April 27 Boston W 110–91 Doug Collins (23) McGinnis, Jones (11) Doug Collins (6) Spectrum
18,276		 3–2
6 April 29 @ Boston L 108–113 Doug Collins (32) George McGinnis (14) George McGinnis (5) Boston Garden
15,040		 3–3
7 May 1 Boston W 83–77 World B. Free (27) George McGinnis (12) McGinnis, Mix (4) Spectrum
18,276		 4–3
Conference finals: 4–2 (home: 2–1; road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 May 5 Houston W 128–117 Julius Erving (24) George McGinnis (13) Doug Collins (8) Spectrum
17,507		 1–0
2 May 8 Houston W 106–97 George McGinnis (21) George McGinnis (8) Julius Erving (10) Spectrum
14,855		 2–0
3 May 11 @ Houston L 94–118 Julius Erving (28) George McGinnis (9) Doug Collins (7) The Summit
15,676		 2–1
4 May 13 @ Houston W 107–95 Doug Collins (36) Caldwell Jones (11) George McGinnis (9) The Summit
15,676		 3–1
5 May 15 Houston L 115–118 Julius Erving (37) George McGinnis (14) Henry Bibby (8) Spectrum
18,276		 3–2
6 May 17 @ Houston W 112–109 Julius Erving (34) Julius Erving (9) Julius Erving (6) The Summit
15,676		 4–2
NBA Finals: 2–4 (home: 2–1; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 May 22 Portland W 107–101 Julius Erving (33) Caldwell Jones (11) Doug Collins (6) Spectrum
18,276		 1–0
2 May 26 Portland W 107–89 Doug Collins (27) Caldwell Jones (14) Henry Bibby (11) Spectrum
18,276		 2–0
3 May 29 @ Portland L 107–129 Julius Erving (28) George McGinnis (12) Julius Erving (5) Memorial Coliseum
12,923		 2–1
4 May 31 @ Portland L 98–130 Julius Erving (24) Darryl Dawkins (11) Steve Mix (4) Memorial Coliseum
12,913		 2–2
5 June 3 Portland L 104–110 Julius Erving (37) Caldwell Jones (13) Julius Erving (7) Spectrum
18,276		 2–3
6 June 5 @ Portland L 107–109 Julius Erving (40) George McGinnis (16) Julius Erving (8) Memorial Coliseum
12,951		 2–4
1977 schedule

Awards and honors

References
  1. "NBA.com: Walton, Lucas Ignite 'Blazermania'". Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2008.
  2. 1976–77 Philadelphia 76ers Games – Basketball-Reference.com
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