Coach Billy Cunningham began to mold a unit that played a team concept, as opposed to one made up of stars focusing on their own individual talents.
The trade for forward Bobby Jones and the drafting of point guard Maurice Cheeks, further solidified this progression.
The Sixers would finish the regular season at 47–35.
They would lose in the Eastern Conference semi-finals to the San Antonio Spurs.
From 1977 through 1983 (seven seasons), this would be the only year that the team failed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.