# 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.

## 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.

## Draft picks

| 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 |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Atlantic Divisionvte | 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 Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | 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 | NJN | 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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
2
October 31
@ Atlanta
W 108–106
The Omni
2–0 :
November: 11–1 (home: 6–1; road: 5–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
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)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
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