It’s Jan. 5, 1983. More than 18,400 made their way to south Philadelphia and filed into the Core States Spectrum Arena to watch their beloved 76ers face the reigning NBA champion Lakers for the first game of the new year but the second in the last month.
It was a heated clash between NBA’s East and West powerhouses. Philadelphia, anchored by four future Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers in Maurice Cheeks, Julius Erving, Bobby Jones and Moses Malone, entered the game winners of four of its last five. And, unknowingly, it was the start of Philly’s longest win streak (14) that season.
The 76ers had their hands full, battling the Lakers’ slate of stars and future NBA legends in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Bob McAdoo, James Worthy and Jamaal Wilkes. For perspective, Philadelphia was roughly only seven months removed from losing to Pat Riley’s Lakers, 4–2, in the 1982 NBA Finals.
