# 1989–90 Philadelphia 76ers season

The 1989–90 NBA season was the 76ers 41st season in the National Basketball Association, and 27th season in Philadelphia. During the off-season, the Sixers acquired Rick Mahorn from the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves, who selected him in the 1989 NBA expansion draft. Mahorn, who won a championship with the Detroit Pistons last year, joined Charles Barkley and Mike Gminski to form a formidable front court. The team also acquired Johnny Dawkins from the San Antonio Spurs, who teamed with second-year star Hersey Hawkins in the backcourt. After a mediocre 18–16 start to the season, the Sixers would win twelve consecutive games, then hold a 30–18 record at the All-Star break, and post an 8-game winning streak near the end of the season. They won the Atlantic Division title compiling a 53–29 record, defeating the Boston Celtics by just one game.
Barkley averaged 25.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, and selected for the 1990 NBA All-Star Game, while Hawkins averaged 18.5 points and 1.6 steals per game, and Dawkins provided the team with 14.3 points, 7.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game. In addition, sixth man Ron Anderson contributed 11.9 points per game off the bench, while Gminski provided with 13.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, and Mahorn averaged 10.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Sixers would win a hard-fought five game series over the Cleveland Cavaliers, then would lose in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals to the Chicago Bulls four games to one.
Barkley also finished second in the league's MVP voting behind Magic Johnson. Barkley received more first-place votes (38 of the 92 cast) than Johnson (27), but totaled only 614 points compared to Johnson's 636. This was the only time in NBA history where the player with the most first-place votes for MVP did not get the award.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 19 | Kenny Payne | SF | United States | Louisville |
| 2 | 44 | Reggie Cross | PF | United States | Hawaii |
| 2 | 54 | Toney Mack | SG | United States | Georgia |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Atlantic Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Philadelphia 76ers | 53 | 29 | .646 | – | 34–7 | 19–22 | 19–7 |
| x-Boston Celtics | 52 | 30 | .634 | 1 | 30–11 | 22–19 | 19–7 |
| x-New York Knicks | 45 | 37 | .549 | 8 | 29–12 | 16–25 | 17–9 |
| Washington Bullets | 31 | 51 | .378 | 22 | 20–21 | 11–30 | 10–16 |
| Miami Heat | 18 | 64 | .220 | 35 | 11–30 | 7–34 | 4–22 |
| New Jersey Nets | 17 | 65 | .207 | 36 | 13–28 | 4–37 | 9–17 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | c-Detroit Pistons | 59 | 23 | .720 | – |
| 2 | y-Philadelphia 76ers | 53 | 29 | .646 | 6 |
| 3 | x-Chicago Bulls | 55 | 27 | .671 | 4 |
| 4 | x-Boston Celtics | 52 | 30 | .634 | 7 |
| 5 | x-New York Knicks | 45 | 37 | .549 | 14 |
| 6 | x-Milwaukee Bucks | 44 | 38 | .537 | 15 |
| 7 | x-Cleveland Cavaliers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 17 |
| 8 | x-Indiana Pacers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 17 |
| 9 | Atlanta Hawks | 41 | 41 | .500 | 18 |
| 10 | Washington Bullets | 31 | 51 | .378 | 28 |
| 11 | Miami Heat | 18 | 64 | .220 | 41 |
| 12 | Orlando Magic | 18 | 64 | .220 | 41 |
| 13 | New Jersey Nets | 17 | 65 | .207 | 42 |
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1989-90 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 1–3 | 2–0 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Boston | 3–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 |
| Charlotte | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 0–4 | 0–5 | 0–2 |
| Chicago | 5–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | — | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 |
| Cleveland | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–5 | — | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Dallas | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | — | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | — | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 |
| Detroit | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 5–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Golden State | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Indiana | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 4–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| L.A. Clippers | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | — | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 |
| L.A. Lakers | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Miami | 0–4 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 3–1 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 |
| Milwaukee | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | — | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 |
| Minnesota | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 1–1 |
| New Jersey | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | — | 1–4 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 |
| New York | 3–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | — | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 |
| Orlando | 0–5 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | — | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 |
| Philadelphia | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 |
| Phoenix | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 2–3 | 5–0 | 0–4 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| Portland | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | — | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Sacramento | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 0–4 | — | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | — | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| Utah | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | — | 2–0 |
| Washington | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — |

### Game log

Reference

## Playoffs

1990 playoff game log :
First Round: 3–2 (home: 3–0; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 26
Cleveland
W 111–106
Charles Barkley (38)
Charles Barkley (21)
Johnny Dawkins (9)
Spectrum 15,319
1–0
2
April 29
Cleveland
W 107–101
Charles Barkley (32)
Rick Mahorn (9)
Johnny Dawkins (11)
Spectrum 18,168
2–0
3
May 1
@ Cleveland
L 95–122
Hersey Hawkins (19)
Charles Barkley (11)
Johnny Dawkins (7)
Richfield Coliseum 16,317
2–1
4
May 3
@ Cleveland
L 96–108
Charles Barkley (23)
Barkley, Mahorn (11)
Johnny Dawkins (10)
Richfield Coliseum 17,106
2–2
5
May 5
Cleveland
W 113–97
Hersey Hawkins (39)
Charles Barkley (19)
Johnny Dawkins (14)
Spectrum 18,168
3–2 :
Conference semifinals: 1–4 (home: 1–1; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
May 7
@ Chicago
L 85–96
Charles Barkley (30)
Charles Barkley (20)
three players tied (4)
Chicago Stadium 18,676
0–1
2
May 9
@ Chicago
L 96–101
Hersey Hawkins (23)
Charles Barkley (19)
Johnny Dawkins (13)
Chicago Stadium 18,676
0–2
3
May 11
Chicago
W 118–112
Charles Barkley (34)
Charles Barkley (20)
Charles Barkley (8)
Spectrum 18,168
1–2
4
May 13
Chicago
L 101–111
Hersey Hawkins (26)
Charles Barkley (13)
Hersey Hawkins (6)
Spectrum 18,168
1–3
5
May 16
@ Chicago
99–117
Ron Anderson (20)
Charles Barkley (13)
Johnny Dawkins (15)
Chicago Stadium 18,676
1–4 :
1990 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Regular season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Ron Anderson | 78 | 3 | 26.8 | .451 | .143 | .838 | 3.8 | 1.8 | .9 | .2 | 11.9 |
| Charles Barkley | 79 | 79 | 39.1 | .600 | .217 | .749 | 11.5 | 3.9 | 1.9 | .6 | 25.2 |
| Scott Brooks | 72 | 1 | 13.5 | .431 | .392 | .877 | .9 | 2.9 | .7 | .0 | 4.4 |
| Lanard Copeland | 23 | 0 | 4.8 | .456 | .200 | .786 | .4 | .4 | .0 | .0 | 3.2 |
| Johnny Dawkins | 81 | 81 | 35.4 | .489 | .333 | .861 | 3.0 | 7.4 | 1.5 | .1 | 14.3 |
| Corey Gaines | 9 | 0 | 9.0 | .333 | .500 | .250 | .6 | 2.9 | .4 | .0 | 1.1 |
| Mike Gminski | 81 | 81 | 32.8 | .457 | .176 | .821 | 8.5 | 1.6 | .5 | 1.3 | 13.7 |
| Hersey Hawkins | 82 | 82 | 34.8 | .460 | .420 | .888 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 1.6 | .3 | 18.5 |
| Lewis Lloyd$^†$ | 2 | 0 | 5.0 | .500 | | | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Rick Mahorn | 75 | 66 | 30.3 | .497 | .222 | .715 | 7.6 | 1.3 | .6 | 1.4 | 10.8 |
| Kurt Nimphius | 38 | 1 | 8.3 | .418 | .000 | .467 | 1.6 | .2 | .1 | .5 | 2.4 |
| Kenny Payne | 35 | 4 | 6.2 | .435 | .400 | .889 | .7 | .3 | .2 | .2 | 3.3 |
| Dexter Shouse | 3 | 0 | 6.0 | .000 | .000 | | .0 | .7 | .3 | .3 | .0 |
| Derek Smith | 75 | 7 | 18.7 | .508 | .444 | .699 | 2.3 | 1.5 | .5 | .3 | 8.9 |
| Bob Thornton | 56 | 0 | 10.6 | .429 | .333 | .510 | 2.4 | .3 | .4 | .2 | 2.2 |
| Jay Vincent$^†$ | 17 | 5 | 15.2 | .429 | 1.000 | .892 | 2.1 | .5 | .6 | .1 | 7.3 |

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Ron Anderson | 10 | 0 | 25.6 | .430 | .600 | .967 | 3.7 | 1.4 | .4 | .0 | 11.2 |
| Charles Barkley | 10 | 10 | 41.9 | .543 | .333 | .602 | 15.5 | 4.3 | .8 | .7 | 24.7 |
| Scott Brooks | 9 | 0 | 11.0 | .316 | .429 | .667 | .9 | 1.8 | .3 | .0 | 2.3 |
| Lanard Copeland | 4 | 0 | 2.3 | .333 | | | .3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Johnny Dawkins | 10 | 10 | 38.6 | .461 | .000 | .837 | 2.2 | 9.3 | 1.7 | .2 | 14.2 |
| Mike Gminski | 10 | 10 | 34.2 | .487 | .000 | .933 | 5.4 | 1.1 | .8 | 2.3 | 12.8 |
| Hersey Hawkins | 10 | 10 | 41.5 | .497 | .389 | .937 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 1.2 | .7 | 23.5 |
| Rick Mahorn | 10 | 10 | 34.2 | .430 | .000 | .769 | 7.0 | 1.0 | .7 | .8 | 9.4 |
| Kurt Nimphius | 4 | 0 | 4.5 | .143 | | | 1.0 | .0 | .3 | .3 | .5 |
| Kenny Payne | 3 | 0 | 3.3 | .400 | .000 | 1.000 | .7 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |
| Derek Smith | 1 | 0 | 15.0 | .625 | .000 | .500 | .0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .0 | 11.0 |
| Bob Thornton | 9 | 0 | 9.9 | .389 | | .500 | 1.7 | .4 | .2 | .1 | 2.1 |
* $^†$ Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the 7ers only.

## Awards and records

* Charles Barkley, All-NBA First Team
* Rick Mahorn, NBA All-Defensive Second Team