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 offseason, the Sixers acquired Rick Mahorn from the 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, while longtime Sixer Maurice Cheeks was dealt to the San Antonio Spurs for Johnny Dawkins, 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 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. In the first round of the playoffs, they would win a hard fought five game series over the Cleveland Cavaliers, then would lose in the semifinals to the Chicago Bulls four games to one.

Barkley 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.

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