1981–82 Philadelphia 76ers season

During the playoffs, the Sixers swept the Atlanta Hawks in two games in the First Round, and defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in six games in the Semifinals to face off against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in the conference finals.

In the Eastern Conference finals, the Sixers defeated the Celtics in seven games to earn a trip to the NBA Finals for the third time in six years.

In the NBA Finals, the Sixers faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of the 1980 NBA Finals, in which the Lakers won in six games.

In the deciding seventh game, with under a minute and a Sixers victory well secured, the fans at the Boston Garden chanted "Beat LA" to the Sixers, one of pro basketball's most enduring moments, wanting the team to defeat the Lakers in the NBA Finals, as Celtics fans hated the Lakers.

The Lakers won game one by going on an incredible 40-9 scoring spurt in the second half.