Yardbarker
x
'Moses is the alpha dog' - Julius Erving reveals the truth between him and Moses Malone as Sixers co-stars
© Malcolm Emmons - USA TODAY Sports

'Moses is the alpha dog' - Julius Erving reveals the truth between him and Moses Malone as Sixers co-stars

Originally posted on Basketball Network
By John Jefferson Tan  |  Last updated Nov 22, 2024 1:19 PM ET

After Moses Malone won his second MVP award, the Houston Rockets shockingly traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers. At the time, Julius Erving was headed to his seventh season with the Sixers but was yet to lead the team to a championship since the ABA and NBA merger.

In a candid admission, "Dr. J" acknowledged that "Big Mo" swiftly took over and replaced him as the primary star of the team. Erving also recognized that Malone had emerged as the most formidable center in the NBA during that era. And despite being second fiddle to Malone, Erving had no issues taking a backseat.

"At this point in the NBA, Moses is the man," the Hall of Famer said as he read an exclusive excerpt from his book, "Dr. J: The Autobiography" to Grantland in 2013. "He's taken over the title from Kareem as the best center in the league. Larry and Magic are still coming into their own. I'm in my twelfth season. Moses is the alpha dog."

"Dr. J" entered uncharted territory 

Malone's arrival in Philly was a monumental moment in the franchise's history. Two league MVPs teamed up to pursue the elusive NBA title. Moses was crowned the MVP in 1979, and Julius captured it two years later.

Erving knew well what he could do for the Sixers, but he also recognized the significant contributions that the "Chairman of the Boards" would bring to the franchise. Throughout his illustrious ABA and NBA careers, "The Doctor" was secure with his abilities.

However, the Philly legend admittedly felt a bit strange being in a position he had never been in as a player. Nevertheless, this massive transition not only reshaped the Sixers' dynamics but also highlighted the depth of talent within the team, allowing them to finally propel themselves in the competitive landscape of the NBA in the '80s.

"This is the first team I've been on since ninth grade where I'm not clearly the best player on the team," Erving confided. "Even I have to defer to Moses. He is such a warrior down low that Billy has no choice but to run more of our offense through him. Moses takes more shots than I do; he scores more than I do. He becomes, in many ways, the physical leader of our team while I remain the verbal and spiritual leader."

The Sixers soared with the two 

Malone's arrival marked a turning point for the Sixers. Alongside Erving, "Big Mo" quickly transformed Philly into a powerhouse squad. The pair spearheaded the Sixers to a dominant regular-season run that saw them achieve an impressive 65-17 record, the third-best in the franchise history.

The Sixers unsurprisingly finished as the league's No. 1 team that year. Malone's dominance in the paint and Erving's scoring prowess created not only an electrifying synergy but also an unstoppable unit.

Philly then bulldozed their way into an NBA championship, losing only once throughout the postseason and sweeping the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. True to form, Moses was hailed as the Finals MVP after averaging 25.8 points and 18 rebounds.

Erving believes the '83 Sixers were unbeatable

The Sixers' championship in '83 was Erving's first and only NBA title. Though he wasn't the main guy of that team, "Dr. J" is still very proud of what the Sixers accomplished that season.

In fact, Erving said he often talked about it with his fellow NBA legends, including Bill Russell and Michael Jordan. They would have some friendly back-and-forths about the "what ifs" and hypothetical matchups. Still, Julius always silenced them by concluding the '83 Sixers were unbeatable simply because nobody, other than probably Shaquille O'Neal, could stop Moses down low.

"I happen to be friendly with Bill Russell, Clyde Drexler, Michael Jordan. And we go to different public events, and guys gather over in the corner, and you hear this noise…and you go over there, and it's a basketball discussion, 'Could this team have beaten that team? Could that guy have guarded this guy?'"

"I just kind of look at them and say, 'Well, who is going to guard Moses (Malone)?' Forget about me and Andrew (Toney) and Maurice (Cheeks) and (Marc) Iavaroni and the supporting cast…Bobby Jones. You figure if Kareem couldn't guard Moses, and he was the best player in the history of the NBA, then none of those other guys could have. Maybe Shaq, throwing an elbow, knocking some teeth out, or whatever, but it wasn't going to take Moses out of the game. He was going to get back up and hit him back," he added.

All told it's quite fascinating to know that as celebrated and as legendary as he is, "Dr. J" holds no bitterness in his heart regarding the NBA championship he achieved with the Sixers, considering it was Malone who carried the team to success.

In conclusion, Erving's genuine acknowledgment of Moses' dominance highlights his humility and the importance of teamwork in achieving greatness in the NBA.

This article first appeared on Basketball Network and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.