The 76ers–Celtics rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics, the two teams have the most meetings in which playoffs are a best-of-seven elimination tournament among 16 teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference (called divisions, pre-1970), ultimately deciding the league's season champion in the NBA Finals?
76ers–Celtics rivalry The 76ers–Celtics rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics. The two teams have the most meetings in the NBA playoffs, playing each other in 19 series, with the Celtics winning 12 of them. The 76ers are considered to be the Celtics' second greatest rival, after the Los Angeles Lakers.
1999–2000 Philadelphia 76ers season The 1999–2000 NBA season was the 76ers' 51st season in the National Basketball Association, and 37th season in Philadelphia. During the offseason, the Sixers signed free agent Bruce Bowen while acquiring Billy Owens from the Orlando Magic, who acquired him from the Seattle SuperSonics. At midseason, the Sixers traded Owens along with second-year guard Larry Hughes to the Golden State Warriors, and traded Bowen to the Chicago Bulls for Toni Kukoč in a three-team trade. However, Bowen was released and signed with the Miami Heat. The Sixers won seven of their final nine games, and finished third in the Atlantic Division with a 49–33 record. Allen Iverson averaged 28.4 points per game, and made his first All-Star appearance as he was selected for the 2000 NBA All-Star Game in Oakland. In the first round of the playoffs, the Sixers defeated the 4th-seeded Charlotte Hornets in four games, but would lose in six games to the Indiana Pacers in the semifinals.