With the NBA in an indefinite hiatus due to COVID-19, we continue our day-by-day look back at the history of the Philadelphia 76ers. We continue down our path into Sixers history every day as we look to fill the void left by the absence of basketball.
We go back into the ’90s of Sixers basketball as we take a look at everybody’s favorite talking head, Charles Barkley. The Sixers were looking to solidify their playoff spot and figure out seeding as they head into Atlanta to take on the Hawks. Barkley and Atlanta’s Dominique Wilkins delivered a battle for the fans to enjoy.
April 7, 1990
The Sixers were already going to the playoffs, but it was now all about figuring out what seed they would get. As they head into Atlanta, the Hawks were not having the season they wanted and were four games under .500, but being at home, they gave Philadelphia a battle. That is when Barkley rose to the occasion to make sure the Sixers got themselves a win.
Barkley went off for 39 points on 14-for-19 shooting, drilling his one shot from deep, and he stepped to the line 11 times making 10 of them while also pulling down 13 rebounds. He even had three blocks to lead the Sixers to a 112-108 win on the road. Hersey Hawkins had 19 points, five rebounds, and five assists to help Barkley out. Wilkins had 27 points for the Hawks.
The Sixers would enter the 1990 playoffs as the 2 seed and they knocked off the Cleveland Cavaliers 3-2 to move on to Round 2. Barkley averaged 25.6 points and 14.0 rebounds in the series.
Barkley then stepped his game up against the Chicago Bulls averaging 23.8 points, 17.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, but the Sixers fell to the Bulls in five games. Chicago had some guy named Michael Jordan who averaged a cool 43.0 points while shooting 54.8% from the floor. [lawrence-related id=28985,28977,28970]