With the NBA in an indefinite hiatus due to COVID-19, we continue our day-by-day look back at the history of the Philadelphia 76ers. We continue down our path into Sixers history every day as we look to fill the void left by the absence of basketball.
This Sixers historical fact takes us back to 2001 with the Sixers topping off an impressive season and in the middle of Round 2 of the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors. During this time, the league was coming up with their regular-season award winners and the votes were in and fully counted. A certain 6-foot guard from Georgetown took home the hardware for MVP.
May 15, 2001
The Sixers were in the middle of a competitive playoff series with Toronto and had just won Game 4 on the road to even the series at 2-2. Allen Iverson was throwing the team on his back just as he had done all season. The Answer averaged 31.1 points per game–which led the league–4.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.5 steals–which also led the league. Philadelphia finished with a 56-26 record that season which earned them the top seed in the East.
All of that work earned Iverson the MVP award. He joined Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, and Moses Malone as the only players to win an MVP award.
#OTD in 2001: The Answer became MVP. pic.twitter.com/8YrOl57D6u
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 15, 2020
It was a hell of a season for Iverson, but at the time, the Sixers were in the middle of a playoff run. They had an important Game 5 matchup with the Raptors at home the next day so they had to be ready for that one. [lawrence-related id=31021,31014,31007]