The 2000–01 NBA season was the 76ers 52nd season in the National Basketball Association, and 38th season in Philadelphia.Allen Iverson had his best season in 2001—he led his team to win their first ten games, he started and won All-Star MVP honors at the All Star Game. The Sixers also posted a 56–26 record, which was best in the Eastern Conference that season. It was the 76ers' best regular season record since 1984–85. Iverson averaged a then-career high 31.1 points, winning his second NBA scoring title in the process. He also won the NBA steals title at 2.5 per game. Iverson was named NBA Most Valuable Player for his accomplishments, beating Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal by a wide margin. In addition, coach Larry Brown was named NBA Coach of the Year, Dikembe Mutombo (who was acquired from the Atlanta Hawks) won his fourth NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, and Aaron McKie won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award.

The season, however, was not without controversy. With the Sixers having a big lead in the Eastern Conference, Theo Ratliff sustained an injury that sidelined him for the season, thus only having Matt Geiger and Todd MacCulloch at center. Ratliff was also selected to play in the 2001 NBA All-Star Game with Iverson, but because of injuries did not play. The Sixers then traded him and Toni Kukoč to Atlanta for Dikembe Mutombo. By trading Kukoc (who was not included in the original proposed deal, and who won three championships with Phil Jackson as his coach), the Sixers had only one other player on the roster who had NBA Finals experience, Eric Snow, who played a total of 24 minutes in 10 games in the 1996 NBA Playoffs for the Seattle SuperSonics. At one point the team record was 41–14, but finished 15–12 the rest of the way.

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