2017–18 Philadelphia 76ers season
| File:Philadelphia 76ers logo.svg | |
| Company type | Professional basketball team |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia , United States |
Area served | National Basketball Association (NBA) |
Key people | Joel Embiid (All-Star player), Markelle Fultz (drafted player), Ben Simmons (key player) |
| Products | Basketball team services |
| Website | www |
The 2017–18 season for the Philadelphia 76ers represented the franchise's 69th campaign in the NBA. Following an even 25–25 start, the team surged impressively, closing with a 27–5 run. This performance secured their first playoff appearance since the 2011–12 season and marked their first time surpassing 50 wins since the 2000–01 season—the last year they advanced to the NBA Finals. The Sixers ended the regular season by establishing a franchise-best 16-game winning streak, which also set an NBA record for the longest consecutive victories to finish a regular season; this streak extended to 17 games during the playoffs before being halted by the Miami Heat.
From a strategic standpoint, Philadelphia obtained the first overall draft pick from the Boston Celtics in exchange for their third pick—which Boston used to select Jayson Tatum—and a future first-round selection. With this top choice, they drafted Markelle Fultz; however, injuries limited Fultz’s participation throughout most of his rookie year.
Joel Embiid distinguished himself as the team’s first All-Star since Jrue Holiday earned that honor in 2013.
The Sixers concluded the regular season ranked third in their conference with a 52–30 record. In postseason play, they overcame the sixth-seeded Miami Heat in five games but were subsequently eliminated by their rivals, the Boston Celtics, in the conference semifinals after five games—marking their twentieth playoff encounter.
Draft picks
| style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Round | style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Pick | style="Template:NBA color cell" width="20%"| Player | style="Template:NBA color cell" width="15%"| Position(s) | style="Template:NBA color cell" width="15%"| Nationality | style="Template:NBA color cell" width="20%"| College / Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Markelle Fultz | PG | File:Flag of the United States.svg United States | Washington |
| 1 | 25 | Anžejs Pasečņiks | C | File:Flag of Latvia.svg Latvia | Template:Country data ESPTemplate:Namespace detect showall CB Gran Canaria |
| 2 | 36 | Jonah Bolden | PF | File:Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia | Template:Country data SRBTemplate:Namespace detect showall KK FMP Beograd |
| 2 | 50 | Mathias Lessort | PF | File:Flag of France.svg France | Template:Country data FRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Nanterre 92 |
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Heading into the 2017 NBA draft, Philadelphia held the third overall selection, acquired via a trade with the Sacramento Kings, who originally owned the fifth pick. Additionally, the Sixers possessed several second-round picks obtained through transactions involving Kendall Marshall, Tiago Splitter, Ersan İlyasova, and Nerlens Noel. On June 19, shortly before draft night, Philadelphia negotiated a trade sending their #3 pick—used on Duke's Jayson Tatum—and future first-round picks to Boston in exchange for the #1 overall pick, which they used to draft Markelle Fultz.
Fultz entered as the unanimous top prospect following an outstanding freshman year at Washington, where he averaged 23.2 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. Despite Washington’s losing record that season, his individual efforts earned him All-Pac-12 First Team and consensus All-American Third Team accolades.
During draft proceedings, Philadelphia traded certain second-round selections for future considerations and secured the #25 pick from Orlando. With this choice, they selected Latvian center Anžejs Pasečņiks, who had earned multiple Latvian championships and recognition on Liga ACB's All-Young Players Team. In the second round, they drafted Australian power forward Jonah Bolden, who revitalized his basketball career in Serbia playing for KK FMP Beograd after a modest collegiate tenure at UCLA; Bolden was honored as ABA League Top Prospect. The Sixers also traded away two additional second-round picks (Jawun Evans and Sterling Brown) for cash considerations. Their final second-round selection was French power forward Mathias Lessort, a proven performer in France’s LNB Pro A with Nanterre 92, where he contributed to multiple domestic and European championships.
Preseason
| # | Date | Opponent | Result | Leading Scorer | Leading Rebounder | Leading Assists | Venue & Attendance | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 4 | Memphis | Robert Covington, Jahlil Okafor (13) | Ben Simmons (7) | Ben Simmons (9) | Wells Fargo Center 18,102 |
0–1 | |
| 2 | October 6 | Boston | Jerryd Bayless (15) | Robert Covington (7) | T. J. McConnell, Ben Simmons (5) | Wells Fargo Center 17,668 |
0–2 | |
| 3 | October 9 | @ Boston | Ben Simmons (15) | Amir Johnson, Dario Šarić (7) | T. J. McConnell (4) | TD Garden 18,624 |
0–3 | |
| 4 | October 11 | @ Brooklyn | Dario Šarić (26) | Dario Šarić (9) | Ben Simmons (6) | Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum N/A |
1–3 | |
| 5 | October 13 | Miami | T. J. McConnell, Ben Simmons (19) | Robert Covington, Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons (7) | Ben Simmons (5) | Sprint Center 11,249 |
2–3 |
Regular season
| # | Date | Opponent | Result | Top Scorer | Top Rebounder | Top Assists | Venue & Attendance | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 18 | @Washington | Robert Covington (29) | Joel Embiid (13) | Ben Simmons (5) | Capital One Arena 20,356 |
0–1 | |
| 2 | October 20 | Boston | JJ Redick (19) | Joel Embiid (14) | Ben Simmons (5) | Wells Fargo Center 20,816 |
0–2 | |
| 3 | October 21 | @Toronto | Ben Simmons (18) | Ben Simmons (10) | Ben Simmons (8) | Air Canada Centre 19,800 |
0–3 | |
| 4 | October 23 | @Detroit | Joel Embiid (30) | Ben Simmons (12) | Ben Simmons (10) | Little Caesars Arena 13,709 |
1–3 | |
| 5 | October 25 | Houston | JJ Redick (22) | Amir Johnson, Ben Simmons (7) | T. J. McConnell, Ben Simmons (9) | Wells Fargo Center 20,682 |
1–4 | |
| 6 | October 28 | @Dallas | Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons (23) | Joel Embiid (9) | Ben Simmons (8) | American Airlines Center 19,567 |
2–4 | |
| 7 | October 30 | @Houston | Joel Embiid (22) | Amir Johnson(10) | Ben Simmons(9) | Toyota Center 16,714 |
3–4 | |
| 8 | November 1 | Atlanta Hawks | Robert Covington (22) | Ben Simmons (13) | Ben Simmons (9) | Wells Fargo Center 20,549 |
4–4 | |
| 9 | November 3 | Indiana Pacers | JJ Redick (31) | Ben Simmons (11) | Ben Simmons (11) | Wells Fargo Center 20,668 |
5–4 | |
| 10 | November 7 | @Utah Jazz | Dario Šarić (25) | Ben Simmons (13) | T. J. McConnell (8) | Vivint Smart Home Arena 16,063 |
6–4 | |
| 11 | November 9 | @Sacramento Kings | Robert Covington (24) | Joel Embiid (15) | T. J. McConnell , Ben Simmons (6) | Golden 1 Center 17,583 |
6–5 | |
| 12 | November 11 | @Golden State Warriors | JJ Redick (17) | Joel Embiid (7) | Ben Simmons (8) | Oracle Arena 19,596 |
6–6 | |
| 13 | November 13 | @Los Angeles Clippers | Joel Embiid (32) | Joel Embiid (16) | T. J. McConnell , JJ Redick (6) | Staples Center 19,068 |
7–6 |
...
The Philadelphia 76ers wrapped up the regular campaign with an impressive 52-30 record overall, featuring a solid 30-11 performance at home and a 22-19 mark on the road. Standout contributors like Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons consistently produced influential performances that bolstered the team's competitive stature within the NBA.
This successful run earned the team a playoff berth and increased its brand exposure across key markets such as Philadelphia and nationally through broadcasts held at prominent venues including the Wells Fargo Center.
Playoff Series
| Game | Date | Opponent | Result | Leading Scorer (Points) | Leading Rebounder (Rebounds) | Leading Assists (Assists) | Venue & Attendance | Series Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 14 | Miami | W | JJ Redick (28) | Ersan İlyasova (14) | Ben Simmons (14) | Wells Fargo Center 20,617 |
1–0 |
| 2 | April 16 | Miami | L | Ben Simmons (24) | Ersan İlyasova (11) | Ben Simmons (8) | Wells Fargo Center 20,753 |
1–1 |
| 3 | April 19 | @ Miami | W | Joel Embiid (23) | Ben Simmons (12) | Ben Simmons (7) | American Airlines Arena 19,812 |
2–1 |
| 4 | April 21 | @ Miami | W | JJ Redick (24) | Ben Simmons (13) | Ben Simmons (10) | American Airlines Arena 19,804 |
3–1 |
| 5 | April 24 | Miami | W | JJ Redick (27) | Joel Embiid (12) | Ben Simmons (6) | Wells Fargo Center 21,171 |
4–1 |
| Game | Date | Opponent | Result | Leading Scorer (Points) | Leading Rebounder (Rebounds) | Leading Assists (Assists) | Venue & Attendance | Series Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 30 | @ Boston | L | Joel Embiid (31) | Joel Embiid (13) | Ben Simmons (6) | TD Garden 18,624 |
0–1 |
| 2 | May 3 | @ Boston | L | JJ Redick (23) | Joel Embiid (14) | Ben Simmons (7) | TD Garden 18,624 |
0–2 |
| 3 | May 5 | Boston | L | Joel Embiid (22) | Joel Embiid (19) | Ben Simmons (8) | Wells Fargo Center 20,758 |
0–3 |
| 4 | May 7 | Boston | W | Dario Šarić (25) | Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons (13) | T. J. McConnell, Ben Simmons (5) | Wells Fargo Center 20,936 |
1–3 |
| 5 | May 9 | @ Boston | L | Joel Embiid, Dario Šarić (27) | Joel Embiid (12) | T. J. McConnell, Ben Simmons (6) | TD Garden 18,624 |
1–4 |
Regular Season
| Player | Games Played | Games Started | Minutes Per Game | Field Goal % | Three-Point % | Free Throw % | Rebounds Per Game | Assists Per Game | Steals Per Game | Blocks Per Game | Points Per Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Sortname | 81 | 81 | 33.7 | .545 | .000 | .560 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 1.7 | .9 | 15.8 |
| Template:Sortname | 80 | 80 | 31.7 | .413 | .369 | .853 | 5.4 | 2.0 | 1.7 | .9 | 12.6 |
| Template:Sortname | 78 | 73 | 29.6 | .453 | .393 | .860 | 6.7 | 2.6 | .7 | .3 | 14.6 |
| Template:Sortname | 76 | 1 | 22.4 | .499 | .435 | .795 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 1.2 | .2 | 6.3 |
| Template:Sortname | 74 | 18 | 15.8 | .538 | .313 | .612 | 4.5 | 1.6 | .6 | .6 | 4.6 |
| Template:Sortname | 70 | 70 | 30.2 | .460 | .420 | .904 | 2.5 | 3.0 | .5 | .1 | 17.1 |
| Template:Sortname | 63 | 63 | 30.3 | .483 | .308 | .769 | 11.0 | 3.2 | .6 | 1.8 | 22.9 |
| Template:Sortname
52 ||7 ||15..5 || .375 || .335 || .793 ||1..4 ||1..0 || .2 || .1 ||5..8 | |||||||||||
| ' 'Richaun Holmes' ' | ' '2' '|' '15..5' '|' '.560' '|' '.129' '|' '.661' '|' '4..4' '|' '1..3' '|' '.4' '|' '.6' '|' '6..5' ' | ||||||||||
| ' 'Jerryd Bayless' ' | ' '11' '|' '23..7' '|' '.416' '|' '.370' '|' '.795' '|' '2..1' '|' '1..4' '|' '.6' '|' '.2' '|' '7..9' ' | ||||||||||
| ' 'Justin Anderson' ' | '38' | 0' | 13..7' | '.431' | '.330' | '.737' | 2..4' | 0..7' | 0..4' | 0..2' | 6..2' |
| Trevor Booker†' | '33' | 0' | 15..0' | '.560' | '.286' | '.821' | 3..7' | 0..8' | 0..5' | 0..3' | 4..7' |
| Marco Belinelli†' | '28' | 1' | 26..3' | '.495' | '.385' | '.870' | 1..8' | 1..6' | 0..7' | 0..3' | 13..6' |
Playoffs
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Sortname | 10 | 10 | 36.9 | .488 | .000 | .707 | 9.4 | 7.7 | 1.7 | .8 | 16.3 |
| Template:Sortname | 10 | 10 | 34.2 | .444 | .347 | .857 | 1.5 | 2.6 | .8 | .1 | 18.2 |
| Template:Sortname | 10 | 10 | 32.9 | .421 | .385 | .850 | 7.3 | 3.5 | 1.0 | .4 | 17.2 |
| Template:Sortname | 10 | 8 | 28.1 | .325 | .313 | .750 | 5.3 | 2.5 | 1.1 | .9 | 8.1 |
| Template:Sortname | 10 | 2 | 15.5 | .694 | .667 | .600 | 2.6 | 2.3 | .6 | .0 | 5.5 |
| Template:Sortname | 10 | 1 | 23.3 | .429 | .290 | .571 | 7.6 | 1.3 | .7 | .4 | 9.3 |
| Template:Sortname | 10 | 0 | 27.3 | .406 | .348 | .871 | 2.1 | 2.0 | .7 | .0 | 12.9 |
| Template:Sortname | 8 | 8 | 34.8 | .435 | .276 | .705 | 12.6 | 3.0 | .9 | 1.8 | 21.4 |
| Template:Sortname | 8 | 1 | 11.8 | .524 | – | .800 | 2.9 | 1.1 | .3 | .1 | 3.3 |
| Template:Sortname | 7 | 0 | 4.7 | .375 | .286 | – | 1.3 | 0 | .1 | 0 | 1.1 |
| Template:Sortname | 3 | 0 | 7.7 | .143 | – | .750 | 1.0 | 1.7 | .7 | 0 | 1.7 |
| Template:Sortname | 3 | 0 | 3.7 | 0 | – | – | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Template:Sortname | 1 | 0 | 2.0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 |
| Template:Sortname | 1 | 0 | 2.0 | – |
Trades
| June 19, 2017 | Acquired by Philadelphia 76ers Markelle Fultz (No. 1 overall pick) |
Sent to Boston Celtics Jayson Tatum (No. 3 pick) 2018 first-round selection (2–5 protected, originally from the L.A. Lakers) If unexercised in 2018, a protected first-round pick in 2019 |
| June 28, 2017 | Received by Philadelphia 76ers 2018 second-round draft choice Monetary compensation |
Transferred to Houston Rockets Shawn Long |
| July 6, 2017 | Obtained by Philadelphia 76ers Monetary compensation |
Sent to Milwaukee Bucks Sterling Brown (No. 46 pick) |
| Acquired by Philadelphia 76ers Cash considerations |
Moved to Los Angeles Clippers Jawun Evans (No. 39 pick) | |
| December 7, 2017 | Added to Philadelphia 76ers Trevor Booker |
Traded to Brooklyn Nets Jahlil Okafor Nik Stauskas 2019 second-round selection |
Re-signed
| style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Player | style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Contract Signed |
|---|---|
| Joel Embiid | Five-year contract extension valued at $148 million |
Additions
| style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Player | style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Date Signed | style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Previous Team |
|---|---|---|
| Furkan Korkmaz | July 4, 2017 | Template:Country data TURTemplate:Namespace detect showall Anadolu Efes |
| JJ Redick | July 8, 2017 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| Amir Johnson | July 8, 2017 | Boston Celtics |
| James Blackmon Jr. | August 30, 2017 | Indiana Hoosiers |
| James Michael McAdoo | Signed under a two-way contract | Golden State Warriors |
| James Young | Two-way contract signing | Wisconsin Herd |
| Larry Drew II | Signed on a 10-day contract | Sioux Falls Skyforce |
Departures
| style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Player | style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Departure Reason | style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Destination Team |
|---|---|---|
| Gerald Henderson | Released | |
| Alex Poythress | Became unrestricted free agent | Indiana Pacers / Fort Wayne Mad Ants |
| Jacob Pullen | Released | Template:Country data IranTemplate:Namespace detect showall Mahram Tehran |
| James Michael McAdoo | Released |
Honors and Awards
| style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Player | style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Recognition | style="Template:NBA color cell" width="10%"| Details |
|---|---|---|
| Joel Embiid | All-Star Selection | Debut All-Star nod; first 76ers player chosen since 2013 |