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.