“We swept the Lakers which means we really beat their a**”: When Julius Erving reveled in his 1983 76ers embarrassing Magic Johnson and company

Julius Erving was proud of the fact that his Philadelphia 76ers swept Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1983 NBA Finals. 

Talking about legends of the past usually brings about either guys from the 60s such as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Jerry West or guys from the 80s like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. However, a guy who was a bridge between the 1970s and 80s and dominated like no other was Julius Erving. 

Lauded as one of the greatest dunkers ever, the ‘rock the baby’ aficionado was simultaneously one of the greatest showmen in sports history. Coming into the NBA after the merger in 1975-76, Dr. J had already established himself as a true superstar in the world of basketball.

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The one thing that eluded him throughout his journey in the NBA however, was a championship. That is however, until the 1982-83 season rolled. 

His Philadelphia 76ers had cemented themselves as true rivals to both the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers in the early 80s. 1983 was the apex of these rivalries between them. 

Julius Erving on sweeping the Lakers in the NBA Finals. 

In his first season in the NBA, Julius Erving led the Sixers to the NBA Finals but lost to Bill Walton’s revolutionary offense with the Portland Trailblazers. They would make the Finals yet again in 1980 but would historically lose to a rookie Magic Johnson. In the process however, the 76ers gentlemen swept Larry Bird’s Celtics in the ECF. 

The Celtics would exact revenge on them in a gritty ECF in ‘81 that went 7 games. The 1982 Playoffs saw the 76ers flip the script and beat Boston in 7 games in the ECF but lose yet again in the Finals to the Lakers.

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Of course, then comes the 1983 season where Moses Malone would join the crew and instantly make Philly championship favorites. Losing just one game in the Playoffs, they would actually go on to sweep LA in the Finals. This is what Julius Erving had to say about that series: 

“Sweeping the Lakers or sweeping the Celtics is kind of like the ultimate test in basketball in terms of era. To not sweep any team, a lot of teams were sweepable. But the Lakers or the Celtics, if you can sweep them, I mean, that means you really beat their a**. They can’t say anything about it. They got to come in and congratulate you and say, ‘You guys are just better than us this year.’”