1981–82 Philadelphia 76ers season

The 1981–82 NBA season was the 76ers thirty-third season in the NBA and 19th season in Philadelphia. They would finish with a record of 58–24.

1981–82 Philadelphia 76ers season
Conference champions
Head coach	Billy Cunningham
General manager	Pat Williams
Arena	The Spectrum
Results
Record	58–24 (.707)
Place	Division: 2nd (Atlantic) Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finish	NBA Finals (lost to Lakers 2–4)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	WPHL-TV PRISM
Radio	WIP
< 1980–81 1982–83 >

Background

During the playoffs, the Sixers swept the Atlanta Hawks in two games in the First Round, and defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in six games in the Semifinals to face off against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in the conference finals.

In the Eastern Conference finals, the Sixers defeated the Celtics in seven games to earn a trip to the NBA Finals for the third time in six years.

In the NBA Finals, the Sixers faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of the 1980 NBA Finals, in which the Lakers won in six games. In the deciding seventh game, with under a minute and a Sixers victory well secured, the fans at the Boston Garden chanted "Beat LA" to the Sixers, one of pro basketball's most enduring moments, wanting the team to defeat the Lakers in the NBA Finals, as Celtics fans hated the Lakers. The Lakers went on to win in the NBA Finals, however, defeating the Sixers in six games to capture their second NBA championship in the 1980s. The Lakers won game one by going on an incredible 40-9 scoring spurt in the second half. The home team then won each of the remaining five contests.

A ticket for an October 1981 pre-season game between the 76ers and the Dallas Mavericks.

Draft picks

Main article: 1981 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	22	Franklin Edwards	PG	United States	Cleveland State
2	46	Vernon Smith		United States	Texas A&M
3	68	Ernest Graham		United States	Maryland
4	92	Rynn Wright		United States	Texas A&M
5	114	Steve Craig		United States	Brigham Young
6	138	Michael Thomas		United States	North Park
7	160	John Crawford		United States	Kansas
8	183	Frank Gilroy		United States	St. John's
9	202	Ron Wister		United States	Temple
10	223	Pete Mullenberg		United States	Delaware

Roster

Philadelphia 76ers roster

• v
• t
• e

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From F 42 Mike Bantom 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1951-12-03 Saint Joseph's G 10 Maurice Cheeks 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1956-09-08 West Texas A&M F 25 Earl Cureton 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1957-09-03 Detroit Mercy C 53 Darryl Dawkins 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 251 lb (114 kg) 1957-01-11 Maynard Evans HS (FL) G 14 Franklin Edwards 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1959-02-02 Cleveland State F 6 Julius Erving 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1950-02-22 UMass G 9 Lionel Hollins 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1953-10-19 Arizona State F 18 Ollie Johnson 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1949-05-11 Temple F 24 Bobby Jones 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1951-12-18 North Carolina C 11 Caldwell Jones 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 217 lb (98 kg) 1950-08-04 Albany State G 4 Clint Richardson 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1956-08-07 Seattle F 50 Steve Mix 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1947-12-30 Toledo G 22 Andrew Toney 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 178 lb (81 kg) 1957-11-23 Louisiana

Head coach Billy Cunningham Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Boston Celtics	63	19	.768	–	35–6	28–13	20–4
x-Philadelphia 76ers	58	24	.707	5.0	32–9	26–15	16–8
x-New Jersey Nets	44	38	.537	19.0	25–16	19–22	12–12
x-Washington Bullets	43	39	.524	20.0	22–19	21–20	7–17
New York Knicks	33	49	.402	30.0	19–22	14–27	5–19

#	Eastern Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Boston Celtics	63	19	.768	–
2	y-Milwaukee Bucks	55	27	.671	8
3	x-Philadelphia 76ers	58	24	.707	5
4	x-New Jersey Nets	44	38	.537	19
5	x-Washington Bullets	43	39	.524	20
6	x-Atlanta Hawks	42	40	.512	21
7	Detroit Pistons	39	43	.476	24
8	Indiana Pacers	35	47	.427	28
9	Chicago Bulls	34	48	.415	29
10	New York Knicks	33	49	.402	30
11	Cleveland Cavaliers	15	67	.183	48

Record vs. opponents

1981-82 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	KCK	LAL	MIL	NYN	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SAS	SDC	SEA	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	—	1–5	2–3	4–2	1–1	1–1	2–4	0–2	2–0	4–2	1–1	0–2	3–3	3–2	5–1	3–3	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–4
Boston	5–1	—	4–2	5–0	2–0	1–1	6–0	1–1	1–1	4–1	2–0	1–1	3–3	5–1	5–1	4–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	2–0	6–0
Chicago	3–2	2–4	—	5–1	1–1	1–1	0–6	0–2	1–1	3–3	1–1	2–0	1–5	2–4	3–2	1–5	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–4
Cleveland	2–4	0–5	1–5	—	2–0	0–2	1–5	1–1	1–1	1–5	1–1	0–2	0–6	0–6	0–6	0–5	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–5
Dallas	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	—	1–5	1–1	0–5	2–4	1–1	4–2	1–4	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	2–3	2–3	1–5	2–3	1–4	3–3	1–1
Denver	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	5–1	—	1–1	3–2	5–1	0–2	4–2	1–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–3	2–3	2–4	5–0	2–3	3–3	2–0
Detroit	4–2	0–6	6–0	5–1	1–1	1–1	—	2–0	2–0	2–4	2–0	0–2	2–4	2–4	3–3	2–3	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–4
Golden State	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	5–0	2–3	0–2	—	1–4	2–0	3–2	3–3	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	4–2	2–4	3–2	5–1	1–5	3–2	1–1
Houston	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–2	1–5	0–2	4–1	—	2–0	3–3	1–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–2	4–1	3–3	4–1	2–3	6–0	2–0
Indiana	2–4	1–5	3–3	5–1	1–1	2–0	4–2	0–2	0–2	—	1–1	0–2	0–6	4–2	3–2	0–6	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–5
Kansas City	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–4	2–4	0–2	2–3	3–3	1–1	—	1–4	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	2–3	0–5	1–5	4–1	2–3	3–3	0–2
Los Angeles	2–0	1–1	0–2	2–0	4–1	4–1	2–0	3–3	4–1	2–0	4–1	—	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	4–2	5–1	2–3	5–1	4–2	5–0	2–0
Milwaukee	3–3	3–3	5–1	6–0	1–1	1–1	4–2	0–2	1–1	6–0	1–1	2–0	—	4–1	3–3	4–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	0–2	2–0	3–2
New Jersey	2–3	1–5	4–2	6–0	0–2	1–1	4–2	1–1	1–1	2–4	1–1	1–1	1–4	—	4–2	3–3	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	2–0	4–2
New York	1–5	1–5	2–3	6–0	1–1	1–1	3–3	1–1	1–1	2–3	0–2	2–0	3–3	2–4	—	1–5	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	0–2	2–0	1–5
Philadelphia	3–3	2–4	5–1	5–0	2–0	1–1	3–2	2–0	1–1	6–0	2–0	1–1	2–4	3–3	5–1	—	1–1	2–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	6–0
Phoenix	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	3–2	3–2	2–0	2–4	2–3	1–1	3–2	2–4	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	—	3–3	4–1	4–2	3–3	3–2	1–1
Portland	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–2	3–2	2–0	4–2	1–4	1–1	5–0	1–5	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	3–3	—	3–2	4–2	3–3	4–1	0–2
San Antonio	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	5–1	4–2	2–0	2–3	3–3	0–2	5–1	3–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–4	2–3	—	3–2	4–1	3–3	1–1
San Diego	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–2	0–5	0–2	1–5	1–4	0–2	1–4	1–5	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–4	2–4	2–3	—	1–5	1–4	0–2
Seattle	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	4–1	3–2	1–1	5–1	3–2	1–1	3–2	2–4	2–0	2–0	2–0	0–2	3–3	3–3	1–4	5–1	—	5–0	1–1
Utah	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	3–3	3–3	1–1	2–3	0–6	1–1	3–3	0–5	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–3	1–4	3–3	4–1	0–5	—	1–1
Washington	4–2	0–6	4–2	5–1	1–1	0–2	4–1	1–1	0–2	5–1	2–0	0–2	2–3	2–4	5–1	0–6	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	—

Game log

Regular season

1981–82 game log Total: 58–24 (home: 32–9; road: 26–15)
October: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 2 October 31 @ Atlanta W 108–106 The Omni 2–0
November: 11–1 (home: 6–1; road: 5–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 3 November 3 @ Washington W 112–99 Capital Centre 3–0 4 November 4 Indiana W 107–99 The Spectrum 4–0 5 November 6 Atlanta L 99–106 The Spectrum 4–1 6 November 10 @ Detroit W 95–93 Pontiac Silverdome 5–1 10 November 18 Milwaukee W 102–100 The Spectrum 9–1 12 November 21 Houston W 135–106 The Spectrum 11–1 13 November 27 @ Indiana W 124–112 (OT) Market Square Arena 12–1 14 November 28 Detroit W 116–103 The Spectrum 13–1
December: 9–5 (home: 3–2; road: 6–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 15 December 1 @ Atlanta W 107–98 The Omni 14–1 16 December 2 San Antonio L 101–106 The Spectrum 14–2 17 December 4 @ Boston L 103–111 Boston Garden 14–3 18 December 5 @ New Jersey W 109–102 Brendan Byrne Arena 15–3 19 December 9 Denver W 137–109 The Spectrum 16–3 22 December 13 @ Milwaukee L 108–127 The MECCA 18–4 24 December 19 Boston W 123–118 (OT) The Spectrum 19–5 26 December 27 @ Phoenix L 96–99 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 20–6 27 December 29 @ Golden State W 142–135 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 21–6 28 December 30 @ Seattle W 102–99 Kingdome 22–6
January: 8–8 (home: 3–3; road: 5–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 29 January 1 @ Portland W 120–105 Memorial Coliseum 23–6 31 January 5 @ Detroit L 101–124 Pontiac Silverdome 24–7 32 January 6 Washington W 126–112 The Spectrum 25–7 33 January 8 @ Boston L 90–96 Boston Garden 25–8 34 January 9 New Jersey L 113–120 The Spectrum 25–9 35 January 12 @ Washington W 95–92 Capital Centre 26–9 36 January 13 Milwaukee L 107–111 The Spectrum 26–10 37 January 15 Atlanta L 90–96 The Spectrum 26–11 38 January 17 @ New Jersey L 97–105 Brendan Byrne Arena 26–12 39 January 20 Portland W 115–110 The Spectrum 27–12 40 January 22 @ Indiana W 112–105 Market Square Arena 28–12 41 January 23 Seattle W 100–87 The Spectrum 29–12 42 January 26 @ San Antonio L 95–103 HemisFair Arena 29–13 44 January 28 @ Houston L 101–109 The Summit 30–14
February: 10–2 (home: 8–0; road: 2–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 45 February 3 Washington W 122–96 The Spectrum 31–14 46 February 5 New Jersey W 116–112 The Spectrum 32–14 48 February 10 Indiana W 102–96 The Spectrum 34–14 53 February 21 Phoenix W 109–102 The Spectrum 39–14 55 February 26 @ Los Angeles L 114–116 (2OT) The Forum 40–15 56 February 27 @ Denver L 125–134 McNichols Sports Arena 40–16
March: 10–6 (home: 7–2; road: 3–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 59 March 5 Atlanta W 89–80 The Spectrum 42–17 60 March 7 Los Angeles W 119–113 The Spectrum 43–17 61 March 10 Golden State W 134–114 The Spectrum 44–17 63 March 16 @ Milwaukee L 91–106 The MECCA 45–18 64 March 17 Washington W 102–93 The Spectrum 46–18 65 March 19 Indiana W 112–95 The Spectrum 47–18 66 March 21 Boston L 111–123 The Spectrum 47–19 67 March 24 New Jersey L 106–111 The Spectrum 47–20 68 March 25 @ Detroit L 98–100 Pontiac Silverdome 47–21 70 March 28 @ Boston W 116–98 Boston Garden 49–21 71 March 30 @ Milwaukee L 114–116 (OT) The MECCA 49–22
April: 8–2 (home: 4–1; road: 4–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 76 April 7 @ New Jersey W 116–113 Brendan Byrne Arena 53–23 77 April 9 @ Atlanta L 88–103 The Omni 54–23 78 April 11 Boston L 109–110 (OT) The Spectrum 54–24 79 April 13 @ Indiana W 93–89 Market Square Arena 55–24 80 April 14 Detroit W 119–111 The Spectrum 56–24 81 April 16 @ Washington W 100–96 Capital Centre 57–24 82 April 18 Milwaukee W 110–86 The Spectrum 58–24
1981–82 schedule

Playoffs

1982 playoff game log
First Round: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 21 Atlanta W 111–76 Darryl Dawkins (27) Darryl Dawkins (9) Maurice Cheeks (6) Spectrum 11,250 1–0 2 April 23 @ Atlanta W 98–95 (OT) Julius Erving (28) Dawkins, C. Jones (8) Julius Erving (6) Omni Coliseum 8,703 2–0
Conference semifinals: 4–2 (home: 2–1; road: 2–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 25 Milwaukee W 125–122 Julius Erving (34) Caldwell Jones (16) Maurice Cheeks (10) Spectrum 10,086 1–0 2 April 28 Milwaukee W 120–108 Andrew Toney (31) Caldwell Jones (9) Maurice Cheeks (8) Spectrum 14,716 2–0 3 May 1 @ Milwaukee L 91–92 Maurice Cheeks (19) Caldwell Jones (6) Maurice Cheeks (8) MECCA Arena 11,052 2–1 4 May 2 @ Milwaukee W 100–93 Julius Erving (21) Julius Erving (11) Julius Erving (9) MECCA Arena 11,052 3–1 5 May 5 Milwaukee L 98–110 Julius Erving (28) Julius Erving (10) Maurice Cheeks (9) Spectrum 16,668 3–2 6 May 7 @ Milwaukee W 102–90 Maurice Cheeks (26) Caldwell Jones (12) Julius Erving (7) MECCA Arena 11,052 4–2
Conference finals: 4–3 (home: 2–1; road: 2–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 May 9 @ Boston L 81–121 Andrew Toney (15) four players tied (7) Andrew Toney (4) Boston Garden 15,320 0–1 2 May 12 @ Boston W 121–113 Andrew Toney (30) Caldwell Jones (11) Maurice Cheeks (14) Boston Garden 15,320 1–1 3 May 15 Boston W 99–97 Julius Erving (19) Caldwell Jones (12) Maurice Cheeks (10) Spectrum 18,364 2–1 4 May 16 Boston W 119–94 Andrew Toney (39) Caldwell Jones (11) Maurice Cheeks (11) Spectrum 18,364 3–1 5 May 19 @ Boston L 85–114 Andrew Toney (18) Darryl Dawkins (10) Lionel Hollins (7) Boston Garden 15,320 3–2 6 May 21 Boston L 75–88 Julius Erving (24) Caldwell Jones (17) Maurice Cheeks (7) Spectrum 18,364 3–3 7 May 23 @ Boston W 120–106 Andrew Toney (34) Caldwell Jones (10) Maurice Cheeks (11) Boston Garden 15,320 4–3
NBA Finals: 2–4 (home: 2–1; road: 0–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 May 27 Los Angeles L 117–124 Julius Erving (27) Caldwell Jones (11) Cheeks, Toney (9) Spectrum 18,364 0–1 2 May 30 Los Angeles W 110–94 Julius Erving (24) Julius Erving (14) Andrew Toney (11) Spectrum 18,364 1–1 3 June 1 @ Los Angeles L 108–129 Andrew Toney (36) Darryl Dawkins (13) Maurice Cheeks (9) The Forum 17,505 1–2 4 June 3 @ Los Angeles L 101–111 Andrew Toney (28) Bobby Jones (9) Andrew Toney (11) The Forum 17,505 1–3 5 June 6 Los Angeles W 135–102 Andrew Toney (31) Julius Erving (12) Toney, Cheeks (8) Spectrum 18,364 2–3 6 June 8 @ Los Angeles L 104–114 Julius Erving (30) Caldwell Jones (9) Maurice Cheeks (9) The Forum 17,505 2–4
1982 schedule

Awards and records

• Julius Erving, All-NBA First Team
• Bobby Jones, NBA All-Defensive First Team
• Caldwell Jones, NBA All-Defensive First Team