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.
We take you back to the 1983 playoffs as the Sixers were getting ready to go on a deep run into the playoffs. This throwback moment is Game 2 of Round 1 with the New York Knicks. After taking Game 1, the Sixers were looking for a 2-0 series lead before the scene shifted to Madison Square Garden and Philadelphia wanted to take care of business at home.
April 27, 1983
The Spectrum was going crazy. There was a special feel around this Sixers team, after coming up short so many times in the past. They had a perfect complement to Julius Erving in the form of Moses Malone as well as guys like Maurice Cheeks and Andrew Toney. The big challenge in front of them was the Knicks who were led by Bernard King and Truck Robinson.
Malone did not care about any of that as he was a monster down low. He disregarded any Knicks defenders and he dropped 30 points and 17 rebounds along with four steals and three blocks. Along with Malone’s efforts, Cheeks had 26 points, six assists, and six rebounds with four steals, and Erving had 20 points and seven rebounds.
The Sixers would then go on to win Game 3 and sweep New York right out of the playoffs. Obviously, everybody knows what happened next, but we’ll save that for another time. [lawrence-related id=30098,30091,30084]