That the Sixers brought out the 1982-83 title team to ring the ceremonial bell on Friday night, as they celebrated their teammate Moses Malone’s No. 2 getting raised to the rafters, was fitting. Moments after Dr. J and company left the floor, the franchise’s best five-man lineup since Cheeks-Toney-Erving-Jones-Malone took the floor for the first time.



In the 36 years since, there hasn’t been much competition for that honor. Maybe when a younger Charles Barkley was added to that core group of players qualifies? Allen Iverson, who took Friday’s game in from courtside seats (and let me tell you, there is nothing that delights this writer more than when A.I. is fully locked into a game involving his lil’ dudes), was attached to either overachieving, rugged defenders or underachieving, past-their-prime stars.



There is much from the Sixers’ 117-110 win over the Denver Nuggets that can be revisited. But instead of breaking down how Brett...