The 1973–74 NBA season was the 76ers 25th season in the NBA & 11th season in Philadelphia. The team improved from a league history worst 9 wins to 25 wins, thanks to a fruitful 1973 NBA draft which yielded overall #1 pick Doug Collins. Eventual 76er mainstays George McGinnis and Caldwell Jones were also selected by the team, but both would opt for the ABA.
Fred Carter was the team's leading scorer who averaged over 20 points a game & Doug Collins was a rookie on this squad who was the #1 overall draft choice from Illinois State in the 1973 draft.[1]
See main article: 1973 NBA draft. This table only displays picks through the second round.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | SG | ||||
| 1 | 18 | G | Cal State LA | |||
| 2 | 21 | SF/SG | ||||
| 2 | 22 | PF/C | ||||
| 2 | 32 | C/PF | Albany State |
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
| 1973–74 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BOS | BUF | CAP | CHI | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | KCO | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
| — | 1–5 | 2–4 | 4–4 | 1–3 | 4–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 5–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | ||
| 5–1 | — | 5–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–2 | 7–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | ||
| 4–2 | 2–5 | — | 3–3 | 1–3 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 4–4 | 6–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | ||
| 4–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 1–3 | 6–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | ||
| 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | — | 4–0 | 5–2 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 5–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 4–2 | ||
| 3–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–6 | 0–4 | — | 2–2 | 0–4 | 4–4 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | ||
| 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–5 | 2–2 | — | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 5–1 | ||
| 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 1–5 | — | 4–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 5–2 | 3–4 | 3–3 | ||
| 2–5 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 0–4 | 4–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | — | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | ||
| 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–5 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–2 | — | 1–5 | 0–7 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | ||
| 0–4 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 5–1 | — | 4–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 4–3 | 4–3 | ||
| 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 4–3 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 7–0 | 2–4 | — | 2–2 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 4–2 | ||
| 5–1 | 2–5 | 4–4 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | — | 4–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | ||
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 1–7 | 1–6 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 3–4 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | |
| 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 2–5 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 1–3 | — | 3–3 | 4–3 | ||
| 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 4–3 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 0–6 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–3 | — | 3–3 | ||
| 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 3–4 | 3–3 | — | ||
| 1973–74 Game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 10 | 104–88 | Fred Boyd (17) | 0–1 | ||
| 2 | October 13 | 111–106 | Tom Van Arsdale (25) | 0–2 | ||
| 3 | October 16 | @ Houston | 106–101 | Fred Carter (29) | 1–2 | |
| 4 | October 19 | @ Boston | 102–133 | Tom Van Arsdale (28) | 1–3 | |
| 5 | October 20 | 110–116 | Tom Van Arsdale (35) | 1–4 | ||
| 6 | October 24 | 110–132 | Steve Mix (38) | 2–4 | ||
| 7 | October 26 | 98–92 | Carter, Van Arsdale (19) | 2–5 | ||
| 8 | October 27 | 90–96 | Fred Carter (19) | 2–6 | ||
| 9 | October 28 | 99–119 | Fred Carter (23) | 2–7 | ||
| 10 | November 3 | Capital | 112–84 | Tom Van Arsdale (17) | 2–8 | |
| 11 | November 7 | 115–122 | Fred Carter (32) | 3–8 | ||
| 12 | November 9 | New York | 91–94 | Fred Carter (28) | 4–8 | |
| 13 | November 10 | 97–120 | LeRoy Ellis (18) | 4–9 | ||
| 14 | November 13 | @ Houston | 83–97 | Tom Van Arsdale (17) | 4–10 | |
| 15 | November 15 | @ Phoenix | 94–116 | Fred Carter (24) | 4–11 | |
| 16 | November 17 | 109–106 | Tom Van Arsdale (25) | 5–11 | ||
| 17 | November 18 | 91–95 | LeRoy Ellis (17) | 5–12 | ||
| 18 | November 20 | 109–103 | Tom Van Arsdale (28) | 6–12 | ||
| 19 | November 21 | @ Kansas City–Omaha | 103–90 | Tom Van Arsdale (28) | 7–12 | |
| 20 | November 23 | N Golden State | 106–111 | Tom Van Arsdale (27) | 7–13 | |
| 21 | November 25 | @ Milwaukee | 96–105 | Steve Mix (17) | 7–14 | |
| 22 | November 28 | 96–101 | Fred Carter (29) | 8–14 | ||
| 23 | November 30 | 110–112 | Tom Van Arsdale (29) | 8–15 | ||
| 24 | December 1 | Houston | 106–108 (OT) | Ellis, Mix (24) | 9–15 | |
| 25 | December 5 | Cleveland | 89–75 | Larry Jones (16) | 9–16 | |
| 26 | December 6 | @ Chicago | 98–103 | Fred Carter (30) | 9–17 | |
| 27 | December 7 | Kansas City–Omaha | 113–102 | Jones, Van Arsdale (20) | 9–18 | |
| 28 | December 8 | Milwaukee | 105–92 | Fred Carter (24) | 9–19 | |
| 29 | December 12 | Seattle | 100–93 | Fred Carter (22) | 9–20 | |
| 30 | December 14 | 96–93 | Fred Carter (23) | 10–20 | ||
| 31 | December 15 | Detroit | 99–89 | Fred Carter (16) | 10–21 | |
| 32 | December 19 | @ Phoenix | 101–98 | Steve Mix (23) | 11–21 | |
| 33 | December 21 | 107–116 | Fred Carter (28) | 11–22 | ||
| 34 | December 22 | @ Portland | 105–110 | Fred Carter (27) | 11–23 | |
| 35 | December 26 | @ Atlanta | 118–145 | Fred Carter (25) | 11–24 | |
| 36 | December 27 | @ Milwaukee | 107–129 | Fred Carter (26) | 11–25 | |
| 37 | December 29 | @ New York | 92–112 | Fred Carter (23) | 11–26 | |
| 38 | December 31 | @ Boston | 97–106 | Tom Van Arsdale (27) | 11–27 | |
| 39 | January 2 | Houston | 101–99 | Fred Carter (20) | 11–28 | |
| 40 | January 4 | New York | 75–78 | Fred Carter (17) | 12–28 | |
| 41 | January 5 | N Boston | 102–108 (OT) | Tom Van Arsdale (34) | 12–29 | |
| 42 | January 9 | Cleveland | 86–90 | Steve Mix (24) | 13–29 | |
| 43 | January 11 | N Atlanta | 121–100 | Fred Carter (30) | 14–29 | |
| 44 | January 12 | Los Angeles | 108–101 | Fred Carter (24) | 14–30 | |
| 45 | January 13 | @ Cleveland | 94–96 | Boyd, Carter (24) | 14–31 | |
| 46 | January 18 | Seattle | 116–104 | Steve Mix (19) | 14–32 | |
| 47 | January 20 | Buffalo | 112–129 | Don May (28) | 15–32 | |
| 48 | January 22 | @ Buffalo | 109–119 | Steve Mix (27) | 15–33 | |
| 49 | January 25 | @ Boston | 97–112 | Tom Van Arsdale (32) | 15–34 | |
| 50 | January 26 | @ New York | 98–122 | Tom Van Arsdale (26) | 15–35 | |
| 51 | February 1 | N Boston | 105–106 | Fred Carter (28) | 15–36 | |
| 52 | February 2 | Chicago | 105–89 | Steve Mix (21) | 15–37 | |
| 53 | February 3 | N Buffalo | 98–112 | Steve Mix (24) | 15–38 | |
| 54 | February 6 | Buffalo | 114–98 | Fred Carter (27) | 15–39 | |
| 55 | February 8 | Atlanta | 84–104 | Carter, Van Arsdale (22) | 16–39 | |
| 56 | February 9 | @ Capital | 75–108 | Fred Carter (15) | 16–40 | |
| 57 | February 10 | Capital | 94–95 | Fred Carter (22) | 17–40 | |
| 58 | February 11 | @ Atlanta | 116–95 | Tom Van Arsdale (35) | 18–40 | |
| 59 | February 13 | Buffalo | 129–106 | Tom Van Arsdale (29) | 18–41 | |
| 60 | February 15 | Kansas City–Omaha | 89–92 | Fred Carter (26) | 19–41 | |
| 61 | February 17 | Detroit | 118–107 | Steve Mix (27) | 19–42 | |
| 62 | February 20 | @ Houston | 98–115 | Tom Van Arsdale (20) | 19–43 | |
| 63 | February 22 | @ Los Angeles | 103–104 | Fred Carter (22) | 19–44 | |
| 64 | February 23 | @ Golden State | 106–125 | Fred Carter (22) | 19–45 | |
| 65 | February 24 | @ Seattle | 105–115 | Tom Van Arsdale (26) | 19–46 | |
| 66 | February 26 | @ Portland | 118–110 | Tom Van Arsdale (29) | 20–46 | |
| 67 | March 1 | Cleveland | 110–93 | Tom Van Arsdale (25) | 20–47 | |
| 68 | March 2 | Buffalo | 103–99 | Fred Carter (35) | 20–48 | |
| 69 | March 6 | Capital | 99–112 | Steve Mix (27) | 21–48 | |
| 70 | March 8 | Golden State | 106–96 | Steve Mix (23) | 21–49 | |
| 71 | March 10 | New York | 108–109 | Fred Carter (34) | 22–49 | |
| 72 | March 12 | @ Capital | 101–112 | Fred Carter (23) | 22–50 | |
| 73 | March 13 | Los Angeles | 121–100 | Ellis, Van Arsdale (18) | 22–51 | |
| 74 | March 15 | N Phoenix | 101–108 | Steve Mix (27) | 23–51 | |
| 75 | March 16 | Boston | 146–127 | Fred Carter (31) | 23–52 | |
| 76 | March 17 | @ Cleveland | 99–115 | Tom Van Arsdale (23) | 23–53 | |
| 77 | March 19 | @ Chicago | 94–103 | Tom Van Arsdale (25) | 23–54 | |
| 78 | March 20 | Portland | 113–106 | Fred Carter (24) | 23–55 | |
| 79 | March 22 | Atlanta | 107–106 | Tom Van Arsdale (25) | 23–56 | |
| 80 | March 23 | @ Detroit | 97–89 | Tom Van Arsdale (25) | 24–56 | |
| 81 | March 26 | @ New York | 90–117 | Fred Carter (18) | 24–57 | |
| 82 | March 27 | Boston | 108–117 | Fred Carter (31) | 25–57 |