The 1980-81 Philadelphia 76ers, led by head coach Billy Cunningham, finished the regular season with a 62-20 record. This impressive performance placed them atop the Atlantic Division and secured the second seed in the Eastern Conference. The team was headlined by forward Julius Erving, who delivered an MVP-caliber season, averaging 24.6 points per game.
In the playoffs, Philadelphia faced the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, winning the series 4-0. The 76ers then faced the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Philadelphia emerged victorious in a hard-fought seven-game series, advancing to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately, their championship aspirations were dashed by the Boston Celtics, who defeated them in a grueling seven-game series. Despite falling short of a title, the 1980-81 season solidified the 76ers as a dominant force in the NBA.
- Regular Season Record: 62-20
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 2-0, Eastern Conference Semifinals: 4-3, Eastern Conference Finals: 3-4
Philadelphia 76ers Roster and Stats for 1980-81 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Julius Erving | 82 | 24.6 | 8.0 | 4.4 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 21.1 | 16 | 22.9 | 7.1 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 0.0 |
| Darryl Dawkins | 76 | 14.0 | 7.2 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 16 | 13.8 | 6.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Bobby Jones | 81 | 13.5 | 5.4 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 16 | 14.7 | 5.5 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| Andrew Toney | 75 | 12.9 | 1.9 | 3.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 32.1 | 16 | 13.8 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 11.1 |
| Doug Collins | 12 | 12.3 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Steve Mix | 72 | 10.8 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 16 | 5.5 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Lionel Hollins | 82 | 9.5 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 13.3 | 16 | 10.2 | 2.1 | 4.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Maurice Cheeks | 81 | 9.4 | 3.0 | 6.9 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 37.4 | 16 | 10.5 | 3.2 | 7.3 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| Caldwell Jones | 81 | 7.2 | 10.0 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 16 | 8.7 | 9.7 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 0.0 |
| Clint Richardson | 77 | 7.0 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 13 | 3.8 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Ollie Johnson | 40 | 5.1 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 20.0 | 8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Earl Cureton | 52 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 9 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Monti Davis | 1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Philadelphia 76ers in the 1981 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Indiana Pacers
In the 1981 NBA Playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers faced the Indiana Pacers in the first round. The Sixers, led by the dynamic duo of Julius Erving and Andrew Toney, swept the best-of-three series 2-0, showcasing their depth and defensive prowess. This dominant performance set the tone for their deep playoff run that year.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 1981 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 124-108 | |
| Apr 02, 1981 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 96-85 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Milwaukee Bucks
In the 1981 NBA Playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers faced the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, showcasing their resilience and depth. The 76ers, led by Julius Erving, advanced after a hard-fought seven-game series, displaying their defensive prowess and clutch performances. This victory highlighted the team's determination and set the stage for a competitive Eastern Conference Finals.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 05, 1981 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 125-122 | |
| Apr 07, 1981 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 109-99 | |
| Apr 10, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 108-103 | |
| Apr 12, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 109-98 | |
| Apr 15, 1981 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 116-99 | |
| Apr 17, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 109-86 | |
| Apr 19, 1981 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 99-98 |
1981 Conference Championship vs. Boston Celtics
In the 1981 NBA Playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers reached the Eastern Conference Finals, where they faced off against the Boston Celtics. Despite a strong performance from Julius Erving and a 3-1 series lead, the 76ers were ultimately defeated in a dramatic seven-game series. This loss marked one of the most notable collapses in playoff history, as the Celtics rallied to win the final three games and advance to the NBA Finals.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | W 105-104 | |
| Apr 22, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 118-99 | |
| Apr 24, 1981 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 110-100 | |
| Apr 26, 1981 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 107-105 | |
| Apr 29, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 111-109 | |
| May 01, 1981 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 100-98 | |
| May 03, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 91-90 |
Philadelphia 76ers 1980-81 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1980-81 season for the Philadelphia 76ers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 1980 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 106-103 | |
| Oct 11, 1980 | @ Washington Bullets | W 126-120 | |
| Oct 14, 1980 | @ New York Knicks | L 113-93 | |
| Oct 15, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 119-111 | |
| Oct 18, 1980 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 117-101 | |
| Oct 22, 1980 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 94-93 | |
| Oct 25, 1980 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 113-100 | |
| Oct 28, 1980 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 119-101 | |
| Oct 29, 1980 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 115-102 | |
| Oct 31, 1980 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 107-96 | |
| Nov 01, 1980 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 117-113 | |
| Nov 05, 1980 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 107-103 | |
| Nov 07, 1980 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 117-100 | |
| Nov 09, 1980 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 136-121 | |
| Nov 11, 1980 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 121-80 | |
| Nov 12, 1980 | vs. New York Knicks | L 125-113 | |
| Nov 13, 1980 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 130-103 | |
| Nov 15, 1980 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 115-108 | |
| Nov 18, 1980 | @ New York Knicks | W 113-99 | |
| Nov 19, 1980 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 110-101 | |
| Nov 21, 1980 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 97-88 | |
| Nov 22, 1980 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 108-101 | |
| Nov 25, 1980 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 108-92 | |
| Nov 26, 1980 | @ Houston Rockets | W 101-100 | |
| Nov 28, 1980 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 116-103 | |
| Nov 29, 1980 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 113-93 | |
| Dec 02, 1980 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 112-108 | |
| Dec 03, 1980 | vs. New York Knicks | W 104-98 | |
| Dec 05, 1980 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 104-100 | |
| Dec 09, 1980 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 96-83 | |
| Dec 10, 1980 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 113-100 | |
| Dec 12, 1980 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 95-79 | |
| Dec 14, 1980 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 114-107 | |
| Dec 16, 1980 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 109-107 | |
| Dec 17, 1980 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 103-79 | |
| Dec 19, 1980 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 122-107 | |
| Dec 26, 1980 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 113-103 | |
| Dec 27, 1980 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 125-121 | |
| Dec 28, 1980 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 122-116 | |
| Dec 30, 1980 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 109-108 | |
| Jan 02, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 120-117 | |
| Jan 03, 1981 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 119-105 | |
| Jan 07, 1981 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 135-102 | |
| Jan 09, 1981 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 107-94 | |
| Jan 10, 1981 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 117-102 | |
| Jan 14, 1981 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 110-105 | |
| Jan 15, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-110 | |
| Jan 16, 1981 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 137-119 | |
| Jan 18, 1981 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 113-92 | |
| Jan 20, 1981 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 83-75 | |
| Jan 21, 1981 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 118-104 | |
| Jan 22, 1981 | @ Washington Bullets | W 128-116 | |
| Jan 25, 1981 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 98-93 | |
| Jan 28, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 104-101 | |
| Feb 03, 1981 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 97-93 | |
| Feb 04, 1981 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 107-104 | |
| Feb 06, 1981 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 129-113 | |
| Feb 08, 1981 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 102-99 | |
| Feb 11, 1981 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 122-120 | |
| Feb 13, 1981 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 104-102 | |
| Feb 15, 1981 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 116-98 | |
| Feb 18, 1981 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 111-97 | |
| Feb 19, 1981 | @ Washington Bullets | L 129-108 | |
| Feb 20, 1981 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 117-109 | |
| Feb 22, 1981 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 116-110 | |
| Feb 25, 1981 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 107-95 | |
| Feb 27, 1981 | @ Utah Jazz | W 87-83 | |
| Mar 01, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 114-107 | |
| Mar 04, 1981 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 111-100 | |
| Mar 06, 1981 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 131-112 | |
| Mar 08, 1981 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 123-100 | |
| Mar 10, 1981 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 103-102 | |
| Mar 11, 1981 | vs. New York Knicks | W 115-95 | |
| Mar 13, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 120-104 | |
| Mar 15, 1981 | @ New York Knicks | L 120-109 | |
| Mar 17, 1981 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 126-120 | |
| Mar 18, 1981 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 107-95 | |
| Mar 20, 1981 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 120-108 | |
| Mar 22, 1981 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 126-94 | |
| Mar 25, 1981 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 114-75 | |
| Mar 27, 1981 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 138-117 | |
| Mar 29, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 98-94 |