The 1985–86 NBA season was the 76ers 37th season in the NBA and 23rd season in Philadelphia. The Sixers ended the regular season with a 54-28 record. In the first round off the playoffs they would beat the Washington Bullets in five games, but then lost a tough seven game series to the Milwaukee Bucks, a team that the Sixers had beaten in the playoffs in 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1985.
This would be the last season for Bobby Jones, who would retire, and the last season for Moses Malone in a Philadelphia uniform, who was dealt away in the Summer of 1986. Due to an eye injury sustained towards the end of the regular season, Malone did not participate in the 1986 NBA playoffs. Andrew Toney only played in six regular season games due to a foot injury and never was able to make it back to his previous All-Star form.
Draft picks
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
Game log
Regular season
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | October 26, 1985 | @ New York | W 99–89 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | October 29, 1985 | @ Milwaukee | L 117–119 | | | | MECCA Arena | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | October 30, 1985 | Detroit | W 132–125 (OT) | | | | The Spectrum | 2–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | November 1, 1985 | @ New Jersey | L 102–106 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | November 2, 19857:30p.m. EST | @ Atlanta | L 113–114 (OT) | Barkley (21) | Malone (15) | Barkley (6) | The Omni12,214 | 2–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | November 6, 1985 | Indiana | W 105–97 | | | | The Spectrum | 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | November 8, 1985 | San Antonio | L 95–107 | | | | The Spectrum | 3–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 | November 10, 1985 | Milwaukee | W 105–97 | | | | The Spectrum | 4–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | November 13, 1985 | Chicago | W 110–106 | | | | The Spectrum | 5–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 | November 16, 1985 | @ Washington | L 97–118 | | | | Capital Centre | 5–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | November 20, 1985 | Golden State | W 117–113 | | | | The Spectrum | 6–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | November 22, 1985 | @ Boston | L 103–110 | | | | Boston Garden | 6–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | November 23, 1985 | Detroit | L 114–119 | | | | The Spectrum | 6–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | November 26, 1985 | Boston | L 91–98 | | | | The Spectrum | 6–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | November 27, 1985 | @ New Jersey | W 111–100 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 7–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 | November 29, 1985 | @ Indiana | W 110–109 | | | | Market Square Arena | 8–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 | November 30, 1985 | @ New York | W 115–95 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 9–8
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | December 3, 1985 | @ Detroit | W 127–107 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 10–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | December 4, 1985 | Washington | W 115–110 (OT) | | | | The Spectrum | 11–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 6, 1985 | Denver | L 121–123 | | | | The Spectrum | 11–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | December 8, 1985 | Seattle | L 100–105 | | | | The Spectrum | 11–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 22 | December 11, 1985 | Cleveland | W 125–110 | | | | The Spectrum | 12–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 | December 12, 1985 | @ Chicago | L 102–106 | | | | Chicago Stadium | 12–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | December 14, 19857:30p.m. EST | @ Atlanta | L 103–107 | Malone (30) | Malone (11) | Cheeks (5) | The Omni4,638 | 12–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | December 17, 1985 | @ Indiana | W 102–96 | | | | Market Square Arena | 13–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 26 | December 18, 1985 | Houston | W 126–108 | | | | The Spectrum | 14–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 27 | December 20, 1985 | Utah | W 112–105 | | | | The Spectrum | 15–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 | December 21, 1985 | Boston | W 108–102 | | | | The Spectrum | 16–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 | December 26, 1985 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 117–108 | | | | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 17–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | December 28, 1985 | @ Phoenix | W 100–98 | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 18–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 | December 30, 1985 | @ Sacramento | W 87–84 | | | | ARCO Arena | 19–12