Hawkins, 76ers Oust Cavaliers : NBA playoffs: Guard, team make up for poor showing in postseason play last year, 113-97.

The real Hersey Hawkins showed up in the first round of the 1990 NBA playoffs.

Hawkins, a 6-foot-3 guard, was three-of-24 shooting in three playoff games last season when the Philadelphia 76ers were swept, 3-0, by the New York Knicks in the opening round.

Hawkins scored a career-high 39 points Saturday as the 76ers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 113-97, and won the first-round series, three games to two.

“I just wanted to come out and get some quick shots,” said Hawkins, who made 14 of 26 shots, including four of six from three-point range.

He scored 16 points in the first quarter as Philadelphia took a lead it never relinquished.

The 76ers advanced to the Eastern semifinals for the first time since the 1985-86 season. They open a best-of-seven series Monday night at Chicago against the Bulls.

During the regular season, the 76ers and Bulls split four games, each winning twice at home.

The home-court advantage the 76ers earned by winning the Atlantic Division title proved the difference in the series against the Cavaliers. The 76ers won the first two games at home, then were beaten twice at Richfield, Ohio.

They came home Saturday, jumped ahead of the Cavaliers early and never let them catch up.

Center Brad Daugherty, had 23 points and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, said: “Hawkins and (Johnny) Dawkins were the difference. They hit the outside shot well today. The last two games they didn’t do that.”

The 76ers had six players in double figures--Hawkins, Charles Barkley with 18, Ron Anderson 16, Rick Mahorn and Mike Gminski 12 each and Dawkins 10. Barkley also grabbed 19 rebounds.