Boston Celtics: The 5 Game 7s that shaped the Celtics-76ers Rivalry
1977: A new era
In 1976 the ABA merged with the NBA; thus, the Nets, along with several other teams, were adding to the NBA. The Nets had to pay a fee to the Knicks for “invading their territory,” which forced them to get rid of Julius Erving, who was asking for a salary raise. The 76ers immediately jumped to the opportunity to have the most captivating player in the NBA.
The following season, the 76ers were the number one seed in the East, receiving a bye in the first round. While the Celtics, on the other hand, were a 44 win four seed that had to play an extra two games to make it to the second round.
Still, the matchup reignited an old rivalry, and the juxtaposition between the experience and pride of Boston basketball and Philladephia’s flashiness made the series compelling. The first game exhibited the oppugnant styles of the two teams. The Celtics won as four players finished with 20 points (and Havlicek had 19) which outdid the 36-point performance by Erving.
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The series went back and forth amidst the 76ers streakiness, setting the stage for a Game 7 in Philadephia which including a cold Julius Erving looking for Doug Collins and George McGinnis to step up. During Game 7, Julius Erving stayed unreliable, and so did their other two stars. But lucky for them, Jo Jo White, Dave Cowens, and Havlicek were not playing much better.
One player, one that no one anticipated to play, one that no one knew, won the game for Philadephia. After going 3-of-11 the night before and missing his first six shots quite embarrassingly, World B. Free became the fearless hero the Sixers needed. The sixth man took 27 shots in 26 minutes but was efficient enough to give the Sixers the edge.
Selfish, cocky, and convinced that he was better than everyone else was how Free played. He danced after shots, taunted his opponent, and made sure everyone knew how he played. In a low scoring, 83-77 game, Free led in scoring with 27 points.
The Sixers beat the Rockets in the next round but lost to Bill Walton’s Portland Trail Blazers in the finals. Afterward, the Celtics and 76ers would meet a few more times during the Dr. J era, and the friction between the teams only became stronger with the emergence of a Boston icon.