The 1998–99 NBA season was the 76ers 50th season in the National Basketball Association, and 36th season in Philadelphia. On March 23, 1998, the owners of all 29 NBA teams voted 27–2 to reopen the league's collective bargaining agreement, seeking changes to the league's salary cap system, and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed to the owners' plan, and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After both sides failed to reached an agreement, the owners called for a lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games. Due to the lockout, the NBA All-Star Game, which was scheduled to be played in Philadelphia on February 14, 1999, was also cancelled. However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner David Stern, and NBPA director Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout. The deal was approved by both the players and owners, and was signed on January 20, ending the lockout after 204 days. The regular season began on February 5, and was cut short to just 50 games instead of the regular 82-game schedule. The Sixers had the eighth pick in the 1998 NBA draft, and selected Larry Hughes out of Saint Louis University. In the off-season, the Sixers signed free agents Matt Geiger, George Lynch, and Harvey Grant, and later on re-signing former 76ers forward Rick Mahorn in late February. At midseason, they traded second-year forward Tim Thomas and Scott Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Tyrone Hill. The Sixers won six straight games after a 4–5 start, and had their first winning month in five years winning 8 of 13 games in February, on their way to making the playoffs for the first time in eight years with a 28–22 record, third in the Atlantic Division. Allen Iverson led the league in scoring averaging 26.8 points, and contributed 4.6 assists and 2.3 steals per game, and was selected to the All-NBA First Team. In addition, Geiger averaged 13.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, while Theo Ratliff provided the team with 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and Hughes contributed 9.1 points per game off the bench. Eric Snow provided with