The 1985-86 Philadelphia 76ers, led by head coach Matt Guokas, finished the NBA regular season with a 54-28 record. The team was anchored by Hall of Famers Julius Erving and Moses Malone, with significant contributions from Maurice Cheeks and Charles Barkley, who was emerging as a dominant force. This solid performance secured them the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
In the playoffs, the 76ers faced the Washington Bullets in the first round, defeating them in a decisive 3-2 series victory. However, their playoff run was cut short in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they met the Milwaukee Bucks. The 76ers struggled against the Bucks’ defense and ultimately lost the series 4-3. Despite the early playoff exit, the season was marked by strong individual performances and solid team play, setting the stage for future success.
- Regular Season Record: 54-28
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 3-2, Eastern Conference Semifinals: 3-4
Philadelphia 76ers Roster and Stats for 1985-86 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Moses Malone | 74 | 23.8 | 11.8 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Charles Barkley | 80 | 20.0 | 12.8 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 23.0 | 12 | 25.0 | 15.8 | 5.6 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 6.7 |
| Julius Erving | 74 | 18.1 | 5.0 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 28.1 | 12 | 17.7 | 5.8 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 18.2 |
| Maurice Cheeks | 82 | 15.4 | 2.9 | 9.2 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 25.0 | 12 | 20.8 | 4.7 | 7.1 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Bob McAdoo | 29 | 10.1 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 5 | 10.8 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Sedale Threatt | 70 | 10.0 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 4.2 | 12 | 13.3 | 2.1 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Paul Thompson | 23 | 7.8 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 15.4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Terry Catledge | 64 | 7.7 | 4.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 11 | 10.4 | 6.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Bobby Jones | 70 | 7.0 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 12 | 9.7 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| Leon Wood | 29 | 5.3 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 48.2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kenny Green | 21 | 4.4 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Andrew Toney | 6 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Perry Moss | 60 | 4.2 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 20.8 | 7 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Greg Stokes | 31 | 4.1 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 7 | 3.9 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| Butch Carter | 4 | 3.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Clemon Johnson | 75 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 12 | 6.2 | 5.0 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| Voise Winters | 4 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Michael Young | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Philadelphia 76ers in the 1986 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Washington Bullets
In the 1986 NBA Playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers faced the Washington Bullets in the first round. The series was tightly contested, going to five games, with the 76ers ultimately prevailing 3-2. Philadelphia's victory was bolstered by strong performances from veterans like Julius Erving and Moses Malone, showcasing their experience and skill to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 18, 1986 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 95-94 | |
| Apr 20, 1986 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 102-97 | |
| Apr 22, 1986 | @ Washington Bullets | W 91-86 | |
| Apr 24, 1986 | @ Washington Bullets | L 116-111 | |
| Apr 27, 1986 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 134-109 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Milwaukee Bucks
In the 1986 NBA Playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers faced the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Despite a strong effort led by Julius Erving and Charles Barkley, the Sixers were ultimately outmatched, losing the series 4-3. The Bucks advanced to the Conference Finals, demonstrating their depth and defensive prowess against the star-studded Philadelphia lineup.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29, 1986 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 118-112 | |
| May 01, 1986 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 119-107 | |
| May 03, 1986 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 107-103 | |
| May 05, 1986 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 109-104 | |
| May 07, 1986 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-108 | |
| May 09, 1986 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 126-108 | |
| May 11, 1986 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-112 |
Philadelphia 76ers 1985-86 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1985-86 season for the Philadelphia 76ers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 26, 1985 | @ New York Knicks | W 99-89 | |
| Oct 29, 1985 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 119-117 | |
| Oct 30, 1985 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 132-125 | |
| Nov 01, 1985 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 106-102 | |
| Nov 02, 1985 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 114-113 | |
| Nov 06, 1985 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 105-97 | |
| Nov 08, 1985 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 107-95 | |
| Nov 10, 1985 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 105-97 | |
| Nov 13, 1985 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 110-106 | |
| Nov 16, 1985 | @ Washington Bullets | L 118-97 | |
| Nov 20, 1985 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 117-113 | |
| Nov 22, 1985 | @ Boston Celtics | L 110-103 | |
| Nov 23, 1985 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 119-114 | |
| Nov 26, 1985 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 98-91 | |
| Nov 27, 1985 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 111-100 | |
| Nov 29, 1985 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 110-100 | |
| Nov 30, 1985 | @ New York Knicks | W 115-95 | |
| Dec 03, 1985 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 127-107 | |
| Dec 04, 1985 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 115-110 | |
| Dec 06, 1985 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 123-121 | |
| Dec 08, 1985 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 105-100 | |
| Dec 11, 1985 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 125-110 | |
| Dec 12, 1985 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 106-102 | |
| Dec 14, 1985 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 107-103 | |
| Dec 17, 1985 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 102-96 | |
| Dec 18, 1985 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 126-108 | |
| Dec 20, 1985 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 112-105 | |
| Dec 21, 1985 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 108-102 | |
| Dec 26, 1985 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 117-108 | |
| Dec 28, 1985 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 100-98 | |
| Dec 30, 1985 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 87-84 | |
| Jan 01, 1986 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 121-119 | |
| Jan 04, 1986 | @ Houston Rockets | L 115-100 | |
| Jan 06, 1986 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 108-102 | |
| Jan 08, 1986 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 116-114 | |
| Jan 10, 1986 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 113-102 | |
| Jan 11, 1986 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 102-101 | |
| Jan 14, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 123-105 | |
| Jan 15, 1986 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 123-89 | |
| Jan 17, 1986 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 120-118 | |
| Jan 20, 1986 | vs. New York Knicks | W 103-93 | |
| Jan 22, 1986 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 118-111 | |
| Jan 24, 1986 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 121-114 | |
| Jan 26, 1986 | @ Boston Celtics | L 105-103 | |
| Jan 28, 1986 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 106-99 | |
| Jan 29, 1986 | @ Utah Jazz | L 107-86 | |
| Jan 31, 1986 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 134-100 | |
| Feb 01, 1986 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 125-121 | |
| Feb 05, 1986 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 142-107 | |
| Feb 06, 1986 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 111-103 | |
| Feb 12, 1986 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 106-98 | |
| Feb 13, 1986 | @ New York Knicks | W 95-92 | |
| Feb 15, 1986 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 134-133 | |
| Feb 17, 1986 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 111-106 | |
| Feb 19, 1986 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 153-133 | |
| Feb 21, 1986 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 97-87 | |
| Feb 23, 1986 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 117-111 | |
| Feb 25, 1986 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 122-108 | |
| Feb 28, 1986 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 123-120 | |
| Mar 01, 1986 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 118-107 | |
| Mar 04, 1986 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 128-121 | |
| Mar 05, 1986 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 122-114 | |
| Mar 07, 1986 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 125-95 | |
| Mar 09, 1986 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 120-102 | |
| Mar 11, 1986 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 101-91 | |
| Mar 12, 1986 | vs. New York Knicks | W 105-95 | |
| Mar 14, 1986 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 109-100 | |
| Mar 16, 1986 | @ Boston Celtics | L 118-101 | |
| Mar 17, 1986 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 118-112 | |
| Mar 19, 1986 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 118-112 | |
| Mar 21, 1986 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 112-105 | |
| Mar 22, 1986 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 123-115 | |
| Mar 24, 1986 | @ Washington Bullets | L 100-93 | |
| Mar 26, 1986 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 112-103 | |
| Mar 28, 1986 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 116-94 | |
| Mar 30, 1986 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 114-113 | |
| Apr 02, 1986 | vs. New York Knicks | W 93-87 | |
| Apr 04, 1986 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 122-102 | |
| Apr 06, 1986 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 95-94 | |
| Apr 08, 1986 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 116-112 | |
| Apr 11, 1986 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 130-122 | |
| Apr 13, 1986 | @ Washington Bullets | L 98-97 |