Watch Allen Iverson introduce himself during the 2001 Eastern Conference Championship Celebration

ByNBAUSA



The Philadelphia 76ers turned back the clock Saturday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, honoring the franchise’s 2000-01 Eastern Conference championship team. 25th Anniversary Celebration related to that historic race. The night was focused on Allen Iversonwhose introduction during the halftime ceremony drew loud chants of “MVP” from the packed crowd.

The arena itself seemed to speak the dialect of the past it was invited to celebrate. The old Sixers retro comet tail logo was displayed on the court, the team wore black jerseys, and Hip-Hop, the mascot from the early 2000s, returned for the occasion. The rematch was in the orbit of Iverson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft, whose presence embodied the team that reached the 2001 NBA Finals.

Iverson was named NBA MVP and led Philadelphia to the Finals, where the 76ers lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. The 2001 playoff run included a Game 1 victory over a Los Angeles team led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. Iverson was also recognized for his early career accomplishments, including Rookie of the Year honors and 11-time NBA All-Star status.

The ceremony was attended by several members of the 2000-01 squad, including Eric Snow, Rodney Buford, Theo Ratliff, Todd McCulloch, Jumaine Jones and George Lynch. Former team president Pat Croce and former general manager Billy King were also in attendance. Croce served as the guest ringer on opening night, and the entire group was honored at center court during halftime before Iverson entered sent the crowd into a frenzy.

The night ended with the Sixers’ 124-114 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Joel Embiid scored a season-high 40 points and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes, shooting 13 of 27 from the field, 3 of 5 from three-point range and 11 of 14 at the free throw line. He added four assists, two blocks and one steal.

The 76ers outscored New Orleans 36-21 in the second quarter and had a 13-point halftime lead going into the championship ceremony. The Sixers finished with five players in double figures, as Kelly Oubre Jr. had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Tyrese Maxey had 18 points and eight assists, VJ Edgecomb had 15 points and five assists, and Jared McCain had 12 points and one assist.

The win completed a 3-0 home run and improved Philadelphia to 27-21, sixth in the Eastern Conference. New Orleans fell to 13-38 despite Sadiq Bey’s 34 points and Trey Murphy III’s 19. Zion Williamson finished with 11 points after being held scoreless at halftime.

The Sixers will next hit the road against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.





2026-02-01 12:27:00

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