1984–85 Philadelphia 76ers season

The 1984–85 Philadelphia 76ers season was notable for being Charles Barkley's rookie season. Barkley joined a veteran team that included Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and Maurice Cheeks, three players who took Philadelphia to the 1983 NBA championship. The Sixers finished with a regular season record of 58–24, five games behind the Celtics in the Atlantic Division.

1984–85 Philadelphia 76ers season
Head coach	Billy Cunningham
General manager	Pat Williams
Arena	The Spectrum
Results
Record	58–24 (.707)
Place	Division: 2nd (Atlantic) Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finish	Eastern Conference finals (lost to Celtics 1–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	WPHL-TV PRISM
Radio	WIP

In the first round of the playoffs, they beat the Washington Bullets 3–1, and then in the Eastern semi-finals they swept the Milwaukee Bucks. The Sixers in the Eastern Conference Finals were defeated in five games by the Boston Celtics. In the game three loss, Julius Erving was booed by the home Sixer fans. After this series Erving was to play the guard position for the last two years of his career. This was also the final series for Coach Billy Cunningham, who quit and would be replaced by Matt Goukas.

This also was the last full season for Andrew Toney, who would be sidelined the next year with a foot injury and played in only 6 games, and never was able to return to his previous All-Star form.

The team's season roster is featured in the video game NBA 2K16.

NBA draft

Charles Barkley left before his final year at Auburn and made himself eligible for the 1984 NBA draft. He was selected with the fifth pick in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers, two slots after the Chicago Bulls drafted Michael Jordan.

Main article: 1984 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	5	Charles Barkley	PF	United States	Auburn
1	10	Leon Wood	SG	United States	California State-Fullerton
1	22	Tom Sewell	SG	United States	Lamar
3	48	James Banks		United States	Georgia
3	68	Butch Graves		United States	Yale
4	91	Earl Harrison	PF	United States	Morehead State
5	114	Dan Federman		United States	Tennessee
6	137	Gary Springer	PF	United States	Iona
7	160	Rich Congo		United States	Drexel
8	183	Franks Dobbs		United States	Villanova
9	205	Michael Mitchell		United States	Drexel
10	227	Martin Clark		United States	Boston College

Roster

1984–85 Philadelphia 76ers roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From F 34 Barkley, Charles 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 252 lb (114 kg) 1963–02–20 Auburn PG 10 Cheeks, Maurice 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1956–09–08 West Texas A&M SF 6 Erving, Julius 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1950-02-22 UMass C 45 Johnson, Clemon 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1956–09–12 Florida A&M F 12 Johnson, George 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1956-12-08 St. John's PF 24 Jones, Bobby 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1951–12–18 North Carolina C 2 Malone, Moses 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1955–03–23 Petersburg High School SG 4 Richardson, Clint 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1956–08–07 Seattle G 3 Threatt, Sedale 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1961–09–10 West Virginia Tech SG 22 Toney, Andrew 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 178 lb (81 kg) 1957–11–23 Louisiana PF 33 Williams, Sam 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1959-03-07 Arizona State G 20 Wood, Leon 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1962–03–25 Cal State Fullerton

Head coach Connor Lowry Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Boston Celtics	63	19	.768	–	35–6	28–13	19–5
x-Philadelphia 76ers	58	24	.707	5	34–7	24–17	15–9
x-New Jersey Nets	42	40	.512	21	27–14	15–26	13–11
x-Washington Bullets	40	42	.488	23	28–13	12–29	11–13
New York Knicks	24	58	.293	39	19–22	5–36	2–22

#	Eastern Conference
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Boston Celtics	63	19	.768	–
2	y-Milwaukee Bucks	59	23	.720	4
3	x-Philadelphia 76ers	58	24	.707	5
4	x-Detroit Pistons	46	36	.561	17
5	x-New Jersey Nets	42	40	.512	21
6	x-Washington Bullets	40	42	.488	23
7	x-Chicago Bulls	38	44	.463	25
8	x-Cleveland Cavaliers	36	46	.439	27
9	Atlanta Hawks	34	48	.415	29
10	New York Knicks	24	58	.293	39
11	Indiana Pacers	22	60	.268	41

Record vs. opponents

Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	KCK	LAC	LAL	MIL	NJN	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SAS	SEA	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	—	1–4	3–3	3–3	0–2	0–2	1–5	2–0	0–2	6–0	0–2	2–0	0–2	2–4	3–3	3–3	0–5	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–0	3–3
Boston	4–1	—	4–2	6–0	2–0	1–1	4–2	2–0	2–0	5–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–4	5–1	6–0	3–3	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	5–1
Chicago	3–3	2–4	—	2–4	2–0	1–1	3–3	1–1	0–2	2–4	2–0	2–0	1–1	3–3	2–4	4–2	0–5	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	3–2
Cleveland	3–3	0–6	4–2	—	1–1	0–2	1–4	1–1	0–2	4–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–5	2–3	3–3	4–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–3
Dallas	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–1	—	2–4	0–2	4–1	2–4	2–0	5–1	3–2	1–4	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–3	4–1	4–2	5–0	1–5	1–1
Denver	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–2	—	0–2	5–0	2–4	2–0	4–2	2–3	2–3	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	4–1	4–1	3–3	3–2	4–2	2–0
Detroit	5–1	2–4	3–3	4–1	2–0	2–0	—	2–0	1–1	6–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–3	1–5	3–2	1–5	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	3–3
Golden State	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–4	0–5	0–2	—	2–3	0–2	2–3	2–4	1–5	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–4	2–4	1–4	3–3	1–4	1–1
Houston	2–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	4–2	4–2	1–1	3–2	—	1–1	5–1	2–3	1–4	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–1	3–2	4–2	3–2	3–3	0–2
Indiana	0–6	1–5	4–2	2–4	0–2	0–2	0–6	2–0	1–1	—	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–5	2–3	2–4	1–5	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–4
Kansas City	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–5	2–4	1–1	3–2	1–5	1–1	—	3–2	0–5	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–3	3–2	2–4	3–2	2–4	1–1
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–3	3–2	1–1	4–2	3–2	2–0	2–3	—	0–6	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	4–2	1–5	2–3	2–4	3–2	1–1
L.A. Lakers	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–1	3–2	1–1	5–1	4–1	1–1	5–0	6–0	—	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	5–1	5–1	3–2	3–3	4–1	1–1
Milwaukee	4–2	4–1	3–3	5–1	1–1	1–1	3–3	2–0	2–0	5–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	—	3–3	5–0	3–3	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	4–2
New Jersey	3–3	1–5	4–2	3–2	1–1	0–2	5–1	1–1	1–1	3–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	3–3	—	6–0	2–4	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	4–2
New York	3–3	0–6	2–4	3–3	0–2	1–1	2–3	1–1	0–2	4–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–5	0–6	—	2–4	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–6
Philadelphia	5–0	3–3	5–0	2–4	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	1–1	5–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–3	4–2	4–2	—	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	4–2
Phoenix	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–2	1–4	0–2	4–2	1–4	2–0	3–2	2–4	1–5	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	—	3–3	1–4	5–1	3–2	1–1
Portland	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–4	1–4	1–1	4–2	2–3	2–0	2–3	5–1	1–5	0–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	3–3	—	3–2	4–2	3–2	1–1
San Antonio	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–4	3–3	1–1	4–1	2–4	1–1	4–2	3–2	2–3	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	4–1	2–3	—	4–1	1–5	0–2
Seattle	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–5	2–3	1–1	3–3	2–3	2–0	2–3	4–2	3–3	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–5	2–4	1–4	—	3–2	2–0
Utah	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	5–1	2–4	2–0	4–1	3–3	0–2	4–2	2–3	1–4	0–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	2–3	2–3	5–1	2–3	—	1–1
Washington	3–3	1–5	2–3	3–3	1–1	0–2	3–3	1–1	2–0	4–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–4	2–4	6–0	2–4	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	—

Game log

Regular season

1984–85 game log Total: 58–24 (home: 34–7; road: 24–17)
October: 3–0 (home: 1–0; road: 2–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 October 26, 1984 Cleveland W 111–101 The Spectrum 1–0 2 October 27, 1984 @ Atlanta W 111–108 The Omni 2–0 3 October 30, 1984 @ New Jersey W 118–96 Brendan Byrne Arena 3–0
November: 9–4 (home: 4–2; road: 5–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 4 November 2, 1984 Dallas W 107–103 The Spectrum 4–0 5 November 7, 1984 Indiana W 134–113 The Spectrum 5–0 6 November 9, 1984 @ Boston L 119–130 Boston Garden 5–1 7 November 14, 1984 Detroit L 133–137 (OT) The Spectrum 5–2 8 November 16, 1984 @ Detroit W 101–90 Pontiac Silverdome 6–2 9 November 17, 1984 @ Chicago W 109–100 Chicago Stadium 7–2 10 November 20, 1984 Washington L 105–120 The Spectrum 7–3 11 November 21, 1984 @ Indiana W 112–107 Market Square Arena 8–3 12 November 23, 1984 @ Phoenix W 119–117 (OT) Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9–3 13 November 24, 1984 @ Denver L 110–114 McNichols Sports Arena 9–4 14 November 27, 1984 @ Washington W 93–89 Capital Centre 10–4 15 November 28, 1984 Indiana W 122–101 The Spectrum 11–4 16 November 30, 1984 Portland W 126–116 The Spectrum 12–4
December: 12–2 (home: 7–1; road: 5–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 17 December 2, 1984 New Jersey W 114–112 The Spectrum 13–4 18 December 5, 1984 Milwaukee W 112–111 The Spectrum 14–4 19 December 7, 1984 8:00 p.m. EST L.A. Lakers W 122–116 Malone (35) Barkley (15) Cheeks (10) The Spectrum 17,921 15–4 20 December 9, 1984 New York W 110–94 The Spectrum 16–4 21 December 11, 1984 @ New York L 106–110 Madison Square Garden 16–5 22 December 12, 1984 Boston W 110–107 The Spectrum 17–5 23 December 14, 1984 @ Milwaukee W 115–111 MECCA Arena 18–5 24 December 15, 1984 @ Chicago W 114–102 Chicago Stadium 19–5 25 December 19, 1984 San Antonio W 123–118 The Spectrum 20–5 26 December 21, 1984 Milwaukee L 101–104 The Spectrum 20–6 27 December 22, 1984 New Jersey W 107–93 The Spectrum 21–6 28 December 25, 1984 @ Detroit W 109–108 Pontiac Silverdome 22–6 29 December 28, 1984 @ Utah W 114–111 Salt Palace Acord Arena 23–6 30 December 29, 1984 @ Golden State W 109–95 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 24–6
January: 12–3 (home: 5–0; road: 7–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 31 January 1, 1985 @ Portland W 111–106 Memorial Coliseum 25–6 32 January 2, 1985 @ Seattle W 118–109 Kingdome 26–6 33 January 5, 1985 @ Milwaukee W 110–106 MECCA Arena 27–6 34 January 7, 1985 Phoenix W 100–99 The Spectrum 28–6 35 January 9, 1985 Detroit W 126–122 The Spectrum 29–6 36 January 11, 1985 Houston W 115–108 The Spectrum 30–6 37 January 13, 1985 @ Washington W 115–104 Capital Centre 31–6 38 January 15, 1985 @ New York W 93–82 Madison Square Garden 32–6 39 January 16, 1985 Atlanta W 122–99 The Spectrum 33–6 40 January 20, 1985 @ Boston L 97–113 Boston Garden 33–7 41 January 22, 1985 @ Cleveland W 101–100 Richfield Coliseum 34–7 42 January 25, 1985 11:30 p.m. EST @ L.A. Lakers L 104–109 Toney (30) Malone (14) Cheeks, Toney (9) The Forum 17,505 34–8 43 January 26, 1985 @ L.A. Clippers W 120–113 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 35–8 44 January 28, 1985 @ Dallas L 109–111 Reunion Arena 35–9 45 January 30, 1985 Boston W 122–104 The Spectrum 36–9
February: 10–4 (home: 7–1; road: 3–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 46 February 1, 1985 Chicago W 121–110 The Spectrum 37–9 47 February 2, 1985 @ New Jersey L 96–101 Brendan Byrne Arena 37–10 48 February 4, 1985 Atlanta W 106–92 The Spectrum 38–10 49 February 6, 1985 Washington W 116–111 The Spectrum 39–10 All-Star Break 50 February 12, 1985 @ Indiana W 124–116 Market Square Arena 40–10 51 February 13, 1985 New York W 131–129 The Spectrum 41–10 52 February 15, 1985 Cleveland L 107–112 The Spectrum 41–11 53 February 16, 1985 @ Detroit W 125–114 Pontiac Silverdome 42–11 54 February 18, 1985 @ Cleveland L 113–120 Richfield Coliseum 42–12 55 February 20, 1985 Golden State W 137–116 The Spectrum 43–12 56 February 22, 1985 Detroit W 110–99 The Spectrum 44–12 57 February 24, 1985 Utah W 117–108 The Spectrum 45–12 58 February 26, 1985 @ Milwaukee L 97–116 MECCA Arena 45–13 59 February 28, 1985 @ Kansas City W 127–119 Kemper Arena 46–13
March: 8–7 (home: 7–2; road: 1–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 60 March 3, 1985 @ Houston L 90–99 The Summit 46–14 61 March 4, 1985 @ San Antonio L 103–109 HemisFair Arena 46–15 62 March 6, 1985 Atlanta W 96–86 The Spectrum 47–15 63 March 8, 1985 Seattle W 128–114 The Spectrum 48–15 64 March 9, 1985 @ New York L 129–131 (2OT) Madison Square Garden 48–16 65 March 13, 1985 L.A. Clippers W 121–103 The Spectrum 49–16 66 March 15, 1985 New York W 119–110 The Spectrum 50–16 67 March 16, 1985 New Jersey W 127–107 The Spectrum 51–16 68 March 19, 1985 @ Cleveland L 89–116 Richfield Coliseum 51–17 69 March 20, 1985 Kansas City L 117–118 (OT) The Spectrum 51–18 70 March 22, 1985 Milwaukee L 112–131 The Spectrum 51–19 71 March 24, 1985 Denver W 124–103 The Spectrum 52–19 72 March 27, 1985 Washington W 115–97 The Spectrum 53–19 73 March 29, 1985 @ Boston L 108–112 Boston Garden 53–20 74 March 30, 1985 @ Chicago W 122–117 Chicago Stadium 54–20
April: 4–4 (home: 3–1; road: 1–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 75 April 2, 1985 @ Atlanta W 102–91 The Omni 55–20 76 April 3, 1985 Cleveland L 110–113 The Spectrum 55–21 77 April 5, 1985 Chicago W 116–113 The Spectrum 56–21 78 April 6, 1985 @ Indiana L 117–121 Market Square Arena 56–22 79 April 9, 1985 Boston W 113–104 The Spectrum 57–22 80 April 10, 1985 @ New Jersey L 100–125 Brendan Byrne Arena 57–23 81 April 12, 1985 Indiana W 111–105 The Spectrum 58–23 82 April 13, 1985 @ Washington L 106–118 Capital Centre 58–24
1984–85 schedule

Playoffs

1985 playoff game log
First Round: 3–1 (home: 2–0; road: 1–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 17, 1985 Washington W 104–97 Moses Malone (26) Charles Barkley (12) Maurice Cheeks (6) The Spectrum 7,170 1–0 2 April 21, 1985 Washington W 113–94 Andrew Toney (31) Malone, Barkley (14) Maurice Cheeks (5) The Spectrum 9,612 2–0 3 April 24, 1985 @ Washington L 100–118 Moses Malone (17) Charles Barkley (11) Andrew Toney (5) Capital Centre 11,103 2–1 4 April 26, 1985 @ Washington W 106–98 Julius Erving (25) Charles Barkley (14) Clint Richardson (4) Capital Centre 12,238 3–1
Conference semifinals: 4–0 (home: 2–0; road: 2–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 28, 1985 @ Milwaukee W 127–105 Moses Malone (27) Charles Barkley (8) Maurice Cheeks (9) MECCA Arena 11,052 1–0 2 April 30, 1985 @ Milwaukee W 112–108 Moses Malone (25) Julius Erving (10) Maurice Cheeks (9) MECCA Arena 11,052 2–0 3 May 3, 1985 Milwaukee W 109–104 Andrew Toney (20) Moses Malone (13) Toney, Cheeks (7) The Spectrum 14,188 3–0 4 May 5, 1985 Milwaukee W 121–112 Moses Malone (31) Moses Malone (13) Andrew Toney (11) The Spectrum 15,264 4–0
Conference finals: 1–4 (home: 1–1; road: 0–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 May 12, 1985 @ Boston L 93–108 Maurice Cheeks (27) Charles Barkley (12) Maurice Cheeks (7) Boston Garden 14,890 0–1 2 May 14, 1985 @ Boston L 98–106 Julius Erving (22) Moses Malone (13) Cheeks, Erving (7) Boston Garden 14,890 0–2 3 May 18, 1985 Boston L 94–105 Andrew Toney (26) Moses Malone (16) Andrew Toney (5) The Spectrum 17,921 0–3 4 May 19, 1985 Boston W 115–104 Andrew Toney (26) Charles Barkley (20) Julius Erving (6) The Spectrum 17,921 1–3 5 May 22, 1985 @ Boston L 100–102 Maurice Cheeks (26) Moses Malone (15) Cheeks, Toney (6) Boston Garden 14,890 1–4
1985 schedule

Award winners

• Charles Barkley, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team
• Maurice Cheeks, NBA All-Defensive First Team
• Bobby Jones, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
• Moses Malone, All-NBA First Team

References

• Philadelphia 76ers on Basketball Reference