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1977–78 Philadelphia 76ers season

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NBA professional basketball team season

NBA professional basketball team season
1977–78 Philadelphia 76ers season
Division champions
Head coach
General managerPat Williams
ArenaThe Spectrum
Results
Record55–27 (.671)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Atlantic)
Conference: 1st (Eastern)
Playoff finishConference finals
(lost to Bullets 2–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWKBS-TV
PRISM
RadioWCAU
< 1976–77 1978–79 >

The 1977–78 NBA season was the 76ers 29th season in the NBA and 15th season in Philadelphia. The team finished the regular season with a record of 55–27. Head coach Gene Shue was replaced only 6 games into the season, by former Sixers player Billy Cunningham, who was only 34 years old at the time he replaced Shue. In the playoffs, the Sixers would sweep the New York Knicks, but lose in the Eastern Conference finals to the Washington Bullets, a team with 11 fewer wins, 4 games to 2.

Following the season, George McGinnis was traded to the Denver Nuggets for Bobby Jones and World B. Free was dealt to the San Diego Clippers for a 1984 first round draft pick which would become Charles Barkley.

Offseason

Draft picks

Main article: 1977 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 20 Glenn Mosley PF  United States Seton Hall
2 25 Wilson Washington PF/C  United States Old Dominion
2 42 Bob Elliott C/PF  United States Arizona
2 43 Herm Harris F  United States Arizona
3 64 Arnold Dugger SG  United States Oral Roberts
4 86 Jack Jones PG  United States Utah
5 108 Teko Wynder  United States Tulsa
6 129 George Gibson  United States Winston-Salem State
7 149 Dennin Forest  United States Omaha
8 168 John Olive SF  United States Villanova

Roster

Philadelphia 76ers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
PG 14 Bibby, Henry 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) UCLA
PF 23 Bryant, Joe 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) La Salle
C 42 Catchings, Harvey 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 218 lb (99 kg) Hardin–Simmons
SG 20 Collins, Doug 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Illinois State
C 53 Dawkins, Darryl 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 251 lb (114 kg)
SF 6 Erving, Julius 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 240 lb (109 kg) UMass
SG 21 Free, World B. 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Guilford
C 11 Jones, Caldwell 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 217 lb (98 kg) Albany State
PG 12 McClain, Ted 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Tennessee State
PF 30 McGinnis, George 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Indiana
SF 50 Mix, Steve 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Toledo
PF 34 Mosley, Glenn 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Seton Hall
PF 52 Washington, Wilson 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 227 lb (103 kg) Old Dominion
Head coach
Legend
  • (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 55 27 .671 – 37–4 18–23 14–2
x-New York Knicks 43 39 .524 12 29–12 14–27 7–9
Boston Celtics 32 50 .390 23 24–17 8–33 8–8
Buffalo Braves 27 55 .329 28 20–21 7–34 7–9
New Jersey Nets 24 58 .293 31 18–23 6–35 4–12
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Philadelphia 76ers 55 27 .671 –
2 y-San Antonio Spurs 52 30 .634 3
3 x-Washington Bullets 44 38 .537 11
4 x-Cleveland Cavaliers 43 39 .524 12
5 x-New York Knicks 43 39 .524 12
6 x-Atlanta Hawks 41 41 .500 14
7 New Orleans Jazz 39 43 .476 16
8 Boston Celtics 32 50 .390 23
9 Houston Rockets 28 54 .341 27
10 Buffalo Braves 27 55 .329 28
11 New Jersey Nets 24 58 .293 31
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1977–78 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS BUF CHI CLE DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NJN NOJ NYK PHI PHO POR SAS SEA WAS
Atlanta — 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–1 1–3
Boston 2–2 — 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–1 2–2 1–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 0–4 2–2 1–3 0–4 0–4 1–3
Buffalo 1–3 1–3 — 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 0–3 3–1 1–3 1–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 0–4 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3
Chicago 3–1 3–1 1–3 — 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–2 2–2 1–3 3–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–1
Cleveland 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 — 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 2–2
Denver 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 — 2–2 2–2 3–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–1 1–3 3–1
Detroit 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 — 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–0 0–4 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2
Golden State 3–1 2–2 3–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 — 2–1 3–1 3–1 0–4 2–2 3–1 0–4 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 2–2 2–2
Houston 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 0–3 1–3 1–2 — 3–1 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 0–4 1–3
Indiana 1–3 1–2 3–1 1–3 1–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 — 2–2 1–3 0–4 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 3–1
Kansas City 1–2 2–2 2–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 — 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 2–2
Los Angeles 1–3 2–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 2–2 — 3–1 4–0 2–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 0–4 2–2 1–3 2–2
Milwaukee 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 4–0 4–0 1–3 — 3–1 2–1 3–1 1–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1
New Jersey 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 — 0–4 1–3 0–4 2–2 0–3 0–4 2–2 2–2
New Orleans 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–2 1–2 4–0 — 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 1–3 2–2 0–4
New York 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 1–3 3–1 3–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 4–0 1–3 1–3 3–1 3–1 — 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–1 2–2
Philadelphia 2–2 4–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 3–1 4–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–1 4–0 2–2 3–1 — 2–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–2
Phoenix 1–3 2–2 4–0 2–2 2–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 1–2 — 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2
Portland 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 4–0 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–2 3–1 4–0 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–3 3–0 2–2 3–1 — 2–2 3–1 2–1
San Antonio 3–1 4–0 3–1 2–2 4–0 1–2 2–1 1–3 3–1 3–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 — 2–2 2–2
Seattle 1–2 4–0 3–1 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–1 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 2–2 — 1–3
Washington 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 4–0 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–2 2–2 3–1 —

Playoffs

1978 playoff game log
Conference semifinals: 4–0 (home: 2–0; road: 2–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 16 New York W 130–90 Steve Mix (19) Caldwell Jones (16) Steve Mix (7) Spectrum
13,011 		1–0
2 April 18 New York W 119–100 Julius Erving (22) Caldwell Jones (11) Darryl Dawkins (6) Spectrum
15,853 		2–0
3 April 20 @ New York W 137–126 McGinnis, Free (29) Julius Erving (10) Collins, Erving (7) Madison Square Garden
18,697 		3–0
4 April 23 @ New York W 112–107 Doug Collins (24) Caldwell Jones (14) Collins, Erving (4) Madison Square Garden
16,307 		4–0
Conference finals: 2–4 (home: 2–1; road: 0–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 30 Washington L 117–122 (OT) Julius Erving (25) George McGinnis (15) three players tied (5) Spectrum
13,708 		0–1
2 May 3 Washington W 110–104 Doug Collins (28) Erving, Dawkins (11) Henry Bibby (9) Spectrum
18,276 		1–1
3 May 5 @ Washington L 108–123 George McGinnis (16) Julius Erving (10) Henry Bibby (5) Capital Centre
19,035 		1–2
4 May 7 @ Washington L 105–121 Julius Erving (24) Caldwell Jones (13) World B. Free (6) Capital Centre
19,035 		1–3
5 May 10 Washington W 107–94 Collins, Erving (24) Caldwell Jones (15) Henry Bibby (10) Spectrum
18,276 		2–3
6 May 12 @ Washington L 99–101 Doug Collins (33) Erving, McGinnis (8) Henry Bibby (5) Capital Centre
19,035 		2–4
1978 schedule

Awards and records

References

1977–78 NBA season by team
Eastern
Atlantic
Central
Western
Midwest
Pacific
Philadelphia 76ers seasons
1940s
1946–47 1947–48 1948–49
1950s
1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59
1960s
1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69
1970s
1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79
1980s
1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89
1990s
1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99
2000s
1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09
2010s
2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19
2020s
2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Bold indicates NBA Finals victory
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