List of Philadelphia 76ers seasons

The Philadelphia 76ers, often referred to as the "Sixers", are an American professional basketball team based in Philadelphia. The Sixers play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In seventy complete NBA seasons, the franchise has played in the Finals nine times and won three championships.[1] The Sixers have the third-highest victory total and third most playoff appearances in NBA history.[2] Since 1996, the Sixers have played home games at Wells Fargo Center.

Exterior of the Wells Fargo Center, the current home of the 76ers.

In 1946, owner Danny Biasone founded the franchise as the Syracuse Nationals, a member of the National Basketball League (NBL).[3] The Nationals qualified for the playoffs three times then joined the NBA in 1949, one of seven NBL teams to merge with the rival Basketball Association of America (BAA). The Nationals qualified for the playoffs in every season played in Syracuse, advancing to three Finals and Losing.[4] For the 1963–64 season, the year following the departure of the Philadelphia Warriors for San Francisco, the Syracuse Nationals relocated to Philadelphia as the 76ers.

The franchise has played 57 seasons as the Philadelphia 76ers, with 36 playoff appearances and two championships.[1] The Sixers acquired Philadelphia-native Wilt Chamberlain in 1964 from the Warriors and defeated Chamberlain's former team in the 1967 Finals, but suffered a sharp fall from grace due to the loss of Chamberlain to retirement and Billy Cunningham to the ABA:[5] in 1972–73 the team won only nine games, the fewest in an 82-game NBA season. Under coaches Gene Shue and Cunningham, and the on-court leadership of forward Julius Erving, the 76ers returned as a power quite rapidly, achieving winning records in all but one season from 1975–76 to 1990–91. The Sixers won their last title in 1983 against the Los Angeles Lakers, sweeping them in four games.

During the 1990s, the 76ers declined to an 18–64 record in 1995–96 before popular high-scoring guard Allen Iverson led the team back up the table. In 2000–01 the Iverson-led 76ers won fifty-six games and defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals to reach the 2001 Finals but lost to the Lakers four games to one in the best-of-seven series. The 76ers were a middle-of-the-road team on-court during the following dozen seasons, but by the early 2010s financial problems led incoming general manager Sam Hinkie to clean out any expensive players in order to save money and gain draft choices for the future.[6] Lacking on-court talent, the 76ers set many records for ineptitude in the following three seasons, becoming the second NBA team after the 1995–96 to 1998–99 Grizzlies to suffer three consecutive seasons winning fewer than twenty games. In 2015–16 by going 10–72 the 76ers suffered the ignominy of having suffered the two all-time worst 82-game NBA season winning percentages.[lower-alpha 1]

Seasons

League championships

Conference championships

Division titles

Playoff berth

Season	Team	League	Conference	Finish	Division	Finish	W	L	Win%	GB	Playoffs	Awards
Syracuse Nationals
1949–50	1949–50	NBA	—	—	Eastern	1st	51	13	.797	—	Won Division Semifinals (Warriors) 2–0 Won Division Finals (Knicks) 2–1 Lost NBA Finals (Lakers) 4–2
1950–51	1950–51	NBA	—	—	Eastern	4th	32	34	.485	8	Won Division Semifinals (Warriors) 2–0 Lost Division Finals (Knicks) 3–2
1951–52	1951–52	NBA	—	—	Eastern	1st	40	26	.606	—	Won Division Semifinals (Warriors) 2–1 Lost Division Finals (Knicks) 3–1
1952–53	1952–53	NBA	—	—	Eastern	2nd	47	24	.662	0.5	Lost Division Semifinals (Celtics) 2–0
1953–54	1953–54	NBA	—	—	Eastern	T-2nd	42	30	.583	2	Advanced Division Semifinals Round Robin 4-0 Won Division Finals (Celtics) 2–0 Lost NBA Finals (Lakers) 4–3
1954–55	1954–55	NBA	—	—	Eastern	1st	43	29	.597	—	Won Division Finals (Celtics) 3–1 Won NBA Finals (Pistons) 4–3
1955–56	1955–56	NBA	—	—	Eastern	3rd	35	37	.486	10	Won Division Tiebreaker (Knicks) 1–0 Won Division Semifinals (Celtics) 2–1 Lost Division Finals (Warriors) 3–2
1956–57	1956–57	NBA	—	—	Eastern	2nd	38	34	.528	6	Won Division Semifinals (Warriors) 2–0 Lost Division Finals (Celtics) 3–0
1957–58	1957–58	NBA	—	—	Eastern	2nd	41	31	.569	8	Lost Division Semifinals (Warriors) 2–1
1958–59	1958–59	NBA	—	—	Eastern	3rd	35	37	.486	17	Won Division Semifinals (Knicks) 2–0 Lost Division Finals (Celtics) 4–3
1959–60	1959–60	NBA	—	—	Eastern	3rd	45	30	.600	14	Lost Division Semifinals (Warriors) 2–1
1960–61	1960–61	NBA	—	—	Eastern	3rd	38	41	.481	19	Won Division Semifinals (Warriors) 3–0 Lost Division Finals (Celtics) 4–1
1961–62	1961–62	NBA	—	—	Eastern	3rd	41	39	.513	19	Lost Division Semifinals (Warriors) 3–2
1962–63	1962–63	NBA	—	—	Eastern	2nd	48	32	.600	10	Lost Division Semifinals (Royals) 3–2
Philadelphia 76ers
1963–64	1963–64	NBA	—	—	Eastern	3rd	34	46	.425	25	Lost Division Semifinals (Royals) 3–2
1964–65	1964–65	NBA	—	—	Eastern	3rd	40	40	.500	22	Won Division Semifinals (Royals) 3–1 Lost Division Finals (Celtics) 4–3
1965–66	1965–66	NBA	—	—	Eastern	1st	55	25	.688	—	Lost Division Finals (Celtics) 4–1	Wilt Chamberlain (MVP) Dolph Schayes (CoY)
1966–67	1966–67	NBA	—	—	Eastern	1st	68	13	.840	—	Won Division Semifinals (Royals) 3–1 Won Division Finals (Celtics) 4–1 Won NBA Finals (Warriors) 4–2	Wilt Chamberlain (MVP)
1967–68	1967–68	NBA	—	—	Eastern	1st	62	20	.756	—	Won Division Semifinals (Knicks) 4–2 Lost Division Finals (Celtics) 4–3	Wilt Chamberlain (MVP)
1968–69	1968–69	NBA	—	—	Eastern	2nd	55	27	.671	2	Lost Division Semifinals (Celtics) 4–1
1969–70	1969–70	NBA	—	—	Eastern	4th	42	40	.512	18	Lost Division Semifinals (Bucks) 4–1
1970–71	1970–71	NBA	Eastern	3rd	Atlantic[lower-alpha 2]	2nd	47	35	.573	5	Lost Conference Semifinals (Bullets) 4–3
1971–72	1971–72	NBA	Eastern	6th	Atlantic	3rd	30	52	.366	26	—
1972–73	1972–73	NBA	Eastern	8th	Atlantic	4th	9	73	.110	59	—
1973–74	1973–74	NBA	Eastern	8th	Atlantic	4th	25	57	.305	31	—
1974–75	1974–75	NBA	Eastern	7th	Atlantic	4th	34	48	.415	26	—
1975–76	1975–76	NBA	Eastern	4th	Atlantic	2nd	46	36	.561	8	Lost First Round (Braves) 2–1
1976–77	1976–77	NBA	Eastern	1st	Atlantic	1st	50	32	.610	—	Won Conference Semifinals (Celtics) 4–3 Won Conference Finals (Rockets) 4–2 Lost NBA Finals (Trail Blazers) 4–2
1977–78	1977–78	NBA	Eastern	1st	Atlantic	1st	55	27	.671	—	Won Conference Semifinals (Knicks) 4–0 Lost Conference Finals (Bullets) 4–2
1978–79	1978–79	NBA	Eastern	3rd	Atlantic	2nd	47	35	.573	7	Won First Round (Nets) 2–0 Lost Conference Semifinals (Spurs) 4–3
1979–80	1979–80	NBA	Eastern	3rd	Atlantic	2nd	59	23	.720	2	Won First Round (Bullets) 2–0 Won Conference Semifinals (Hawks) 4–1 Won Conference Finals (Celtics) 4–1 Lost NBA Finals (Lakers) 4–2
1980–81	1980–81	NBA	Eastern	3rd	Atlantic	2nd	62	20	.756	—	Won First Round (Pacers) 2–0 Won Conference Semifinals (Bucks) 4–3 Lost Conference Finals (Celtics) 4–3	Julius Erving (MVP)
1981–82	1981–82	NBA	Eastern	3rd	Atlantic	2nd	58	24	.707	5	Won First Round (Hawks) 2–0 Won Conference Semifinals (Bucks) 4–2 Won Conference Finals (Celtics) 4–3 Lost NBA Finals (Lakers) 4–2
1982–83	1982–83	NBA	Eastern	1st	Atlantic	1st	65	17	.793	—	Won Conference Semifinals (Knicks) 4–0 Won Conference Finals (Bucks) 4–1 Won NBA Finals (Lakers) 4–0	Moses Malone (MVP, FMVP) Bobby Jones (SMoY) Julius Erving (JWKC)
1983–84	1983–84	NBA	Eastern	3rd	Atlantic	2nd	52	30	.634	10	Lost First Round (Nets) 3–2
1984–85	1984–85	NBA	Eastern	3rd	Atlantic	2nd	58	24	.707	5	Won First Round (Bullets) 3–1 Won Conference Semifinals (Bucks) 4–0 Lost Conference Finals (Celtics) 4–1
1985–86	1985–86	NBA	Eastern	3rd	Atlantic	2nd	54	28	.659	13	Won First Round (Bullets) 3–2 Lost Conference Semifinals (Bucks) 4–3
1986–87	1986–87	NBA	Eastern	5th	Atlantic	2nd	45	37	.549	14	Lost First Round (Bucks) 3–2
1987–88	1987–88	NBA	Eastern	10th	Atlantic	4th	36	46	.439	21	—
1988–89	1988–89	NBA	Eastern	7th	Atlantic	2nd	46	36	.561	6	Lost First Round (Knicks) 3–0
1989–90	1989–90	NBA	Eastern	3rd	Atlantic	1st	53	29	.646	—	Won First Round (Cavaliers) 3–2 Lost Conference Semifinals (Bulls) 4–1
1990–91	1990–91	NBA	Eastern	5th	Atlantic	2nd	44	38	.537	12	Won First Round (Bucks) 3–0 Lost Conference Semifinals (Bulls) 4–1
1991–92	1991–92	NBA	Eastern	10th	Atlantic	5th	35	47	.427	16	—
1992–93	1992–93	NBA	Eastern	13th	Atlantic	6th	26	56	.317	34	—
1993–94	1993–94	NBA	Eastern	11th	Atlantic	6th	25	57	.305	32	—
1994–95	1994–95	NBA	Eastern	13th	Atlantic	6th	24	58	.293	33	—	Dana Barros (MIP)
1995–96	1995–96	NBA	Eastern	15th	Atlantic	7th	18	64	.220	42	—
1996–97	1996–97	NBA	Eastern	14th	Atlantic	6th	22	60	.268	39	—	Allen Iverson (RoY)
1997–98	1997–98	NBA	Eastern	14th	Atlantic	7th	31	51	.378	24	—
1998–99[lower-alpha 3] [7]	1998–99	NBA	Eastern	6th	Atlantic	3rd	28	22	.560	5	Won First Round (Magic) 3–1 Lost Conference Semifinals (Pacers) 4–0
1999–00	1999–00	NBA	Eastern	5th	Atlantic	3rd	49	33	.598	3	Won First Round (Hornets) 3–1 Lost Conference Semifinals (Pacers) 4–2
2000–01	2000–01	NBA	Eastern	1st	Atlantic	1st	56	26	.683	—	Won First Round (Pacers) 3–1 Won Conference Semifinals (Raptors) 4–3 Won Conference Finals (Bucks) 4–3 Lost NBA Finals (Lakers) 4–1	Allen Iverson (MVP) Dikembe Mutombo (DPoY, JWKC) Aaron McKie (SMoY) Larry Brown (CoY)
2001–02	2001–02	NBA	Eastern	6th	Atlantic	4th	43	39	.524	9	Lost First Round (Celtics) 3–2
2002–03	2002–03	NBA	Eastern	4th	Atlantic	2nd	48	34	.585	1	Won First Round (Hornets) 4–2 Lost Conference Semifinals (Pistons) 4–2
2003–04	2003–04	NBA	Eastern	11th	Atlantic	5th	33	49	.402	14	—
2004–05	2004–05	NBA	Eastern	7th	Atlantic	2nd	43	39	.524	2	Lost First Round (Pistons) 4–1
2005–06	2005–06	NBA	Eastern	9th	Atlantic	2nd	38	44	.463	11	—
2006–07	2006–07	NBA	Eastern	9th	Atlantic	3rd	35	47	.427	12	—
2007–08	2007–08	NBA	Eastern	7th	Atlantic	3rd	40	42	.488	26	Lost First Round (Pistons) 4–2
2008–09	2008–09	NBA	Eastern	6th	Atlantic	2nd	41	41	.500	21	Lost First Round (Magic) 4–2
2009–10	2009–10	NBA	Eastern	13th	Atlantic	4th	27	55	.329	23	—	Samuel Dalembert (JWKC)
2010–11	2010–11	NBA	Eastern	7th	Atlantic	3rd	41	41	.500	15	Lost First Round (Heat) 4–1
2011–12[lower-alpha 4]	2011–12	NBA	Eastern	8th	Atlantic	3rd	35	31	.530	4	Won First Round (Bulls) 4–2 Lost Conference Semifinals (Celtics) 4–3
2012–13	2012–13	NBA	Eastern	9th	Atlantic	4th	34	48	.415	20	—
2013–14	2013–14	NBA	Eastern	14th	Atlantic	5th	19	63	.232	29	—	Michael Carter-Williams (RoY)
2014–15	2014–15	NBA	Eastern	14th	Atlantic	4th	18	64	.220	31	—
2015–16	2015–16	NBA	Eastern	15th	Atlantic	5th	10	72	.122	46	—
2016–17	2016–17	NBA	Eastern	14th	Atlantic	4th	28	54	.341	25	—
2017–18	2017–18	NBA	Eastern	3rd	Atlantic	3rd	52	30	.634	7	Won First Round (Heat) 4–1 Lost Conference Semifinals (Celtics) 4–1	Ben Simmons (RoY)
2018–19	2018–19	NBA	Eastern	3rd	Atlantic	2nd	51	31	.622	7	Won First Round (Nets) 4–1 Lost Conference Semifinals (Raptors) 4–3
2019–20	2019–20	NBA	Eastern	6th	Atlantic	3rd	43	30	.589	13	Lost First Round (Celtics) 4–0
Regular season							2,900	2,723	.516	50 playoff berths 11 division titles
Playoffs							222	214	.509	5 conference championships 3 NBA championships

Notes

1. The 1992–93 Dallas Mavericks actually had a point differential of –15.2, and the 2011–12 Bobcats of –13.9, vis-à-vis the 1972–73 76ers –12.1 and 2015–16 76ers –10.2
2. Conferences were introduced and Eastern Division was split into the Atlantic and Central divisions.
3. Due to a lockout, the season did not start until February 5, 1999, and all 29 teams played a shortened 50-game regular season schedule.
4. Due to a lockout, the season did not start until December 25, 2011, and all 30 teams played a shortened 66-game regular season schedule.

Sources

• NBA History, nba.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
• Philadelphia 76ers, basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2009-09-06.
• Playoff Index, basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2009-09-06.

References

1. "Philadelphia 76ers Franchise Index". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
2. "Sixers Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Wilt's 100-Point Game - 3/2/2012". Philadelphia 76ers. Retrieved 27 June 2012.
3. Porter, edited by David L. (2005). Basketball : a biographical dictionary. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313309526.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
4. Grasso, John (2010). Historical dictionary of basketball. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810867635.
5. Wright, Kyle; The NBA from Top to Bottom: A History of the NBA from the No. 1 Team through No. 1,153; p. 84 ISBN 9780595697960
6. Mutoni, Marcel; ‘Philadelphia Sixers GM Sam Hinkie Steps Down’; SLAMonline, April 06, 2016
7. "NBPA History". National Basketball Players Association. Archived from the original on 2005-10-25. Retrieved 2008-08-31.