2004–05 Philadelphia 76ers season

Did You Know?

• The 2004 NBA draft took place in New York City on June 24.
• The free agency period started on July 1.
• The Sixers pre-season started with a game against the Washington Wizards on October 12.

Background

The 2004-05 season was the franchise's 66th overall and 56th in the NBA. The Sixers brought in Corliss Williamson from Detroit during the summer. Under first-year coach Jim O'Brien, the team stumbled out of the gate, dropping 12 of their first 18 games. At the midway point, they sent Williamson back to Sacramento for star forward Chris Webber, and also dealt the injured Glenn Robinson (who missed the season with ankle tendinitis) to New Orleans for Jamal Mashburn. Webber never quite clicked with his new team, and Mashburn was sidelined for the entire year with a knee injury. Despite this, the Sixers rallied to win eight of their last ten contests, finishing second in the Atlantic Division at 43-39. In the playoffs, they fell to the defending champion Detroit Pistons in five games. After the season, O'Brien was let go after just one year, Aaron McKie left for the Lakers as a free agent, and Mashburn retired. Allen Iverson captured his fourth and final scoring crown, earned an All-Star nod in Denver, and took home the game's MVP trophy. Rookie Andre Iguodala, the team's top draft pick, made the All-Rookie First Team.