NBA: The Difference a Trade Makes
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1988-89 Season - Part 2: Them Indiana boys on an Indiana night
In April 1987, the NBA announced the upcoming expansion of the NBA with the addition of 4 teams. The Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets joined in the 1988 offseason, both entering the East division and becoming reasonably competitive from the off. The first of the two franchises to enter the NBA in 1989 were to be based in Minneapolis. Minneapolis had been a serious contender to take over the struggling San Antonio Spurs franchise that has thrived since relocating to Tampa Bay. Instead of taking over the Spurs, Minneapolis were instead granted a 1989 expansion team. The franchise conducted a "name the team" contest and eventually selected two finalists, "Timberwolves" and "Polars", in December 1986. The team then asked the 842 city councils in Minnesota to select the winner and "Polars" prevailed by nearly 2–1. The reasoning behind the Polars vote was that “Timberwolves” would have meant it would be difficult to avoid similar branding to the other franchise joining the NBA in 1989, and so in order to improve the chances of marketing the team the “Polars” name was chosen. The team was officially named the "Minnesota Polars" on January 23, 1987. Due to the increased popularity in the NBA during the 80’s, the interest in a Canadian based NBA team had risen. The Magic v Bird finals, Michael Jordan in New York, the underdog stories of Dallas and Tampa Bay and the exciting Houston and Sacramento teams were all big contributions towards the increasing Basketball popularity. The NBA began to seriously consider expansion into Canada after they received an unsolicited application fee from the Palestra Group, headed by Larry Tanenbaum. The Palestra Group was one of several seeking an NBA franchise, with Professional Basketball Franchise (Canada) Inc. (PBF) formally submitting an application for a Toronto-based team on November 23, 1986. Early on in 1987, the NBA Expansion Committee visited various existing and proposed stadium sites along with bid contenders. After conducting the visits, the committee recommended conditionally awarding PBF the franchise. The team was formalized in April of 87, when the NBA announced that alongside Miami, Charlotte and Minneapolis, Toronto would also be granted an NBA franchise. For Toronto, there was no need for a naming contest like in Minneapolis. The overwhelming sentiment when news of the application broke in ‘86 was a return of the Toronto Huskies name, the team that had featured in the NBA in its first ever season and then promptly folded. The Huskies were part of the first ever NBA game, versus the New York Knickerbockers. The Toronto Huskies name was confirmed in December 1986. The Minnesota Polars and Toronto Huskies would join the NBA at the conclusion of the thrilling 1988-89 season, won by… (Excerpt from The Book of Basketball: The NBA According to the Sports Guy, by Bill Simmons)
Both expansion teams would struggle at the start of February. Miami managed just 74 points against a poor Denver team, whilst Charlotte were soundly beaten in Chicago. It would be the start of a poor couple of months for both franchises, who had surpassed expectations in the first half of the season but would find the second half more challenging. Norm Nixon came back to haunt his old team Cleveland in early February. The Cavaliers were on a 9 game losing run and that was extending into double figures thanks to 30 points for Norm in a 99-108 defeat for Cleveland in Washington. If the Knicks were hoping to make the most of the lack of Detroit and Boston challenging them for the Eastern Conference, they were going about it the wrong way in February. The Knicks suffered home defeats to both Atlanta (110-92) and Tampa Bay (105-100) as the chasing pack kept themselves close to New York. In the West, there was a difficult night for the SuperSonics in Dallas. Seattle would score just 62 in a 62-127 loss. The 65 point margin of victory was the largest in NBA history. To make Seattle feel a little better, Dallas limited Portland to 68 in their next game, although managed only 80 themselves in a low scoring affair. The Los Angeles Clippers had led the West at the end of January. That lead would unfortunately not last too long into the following month as back to back losses to the Washington Bullets was followed by a 113-119 defeat to rivals Lakers. And it would be the Lakers who replaced their local rivals, losing just three times in February to climb to the top of the West.
Phoenix Suns, without a playoff appearance since 1984, had an excellent March and were looking good to end their streak of missed postseasons. The Suns had an 8 game winning run during the middle of the month that included a crucial 104-102 win in Milwuakee. The run also saw wins over Denver, Seattle and Utah (twice) to allow the Suns to move clear of those below them. Defending champions Houston had their own 8 game run in March. Their 8 wins included 3 over the Clippers, with Charles Barkley and Akeem Olajuwon proving too much to handle for the LA side. The two form sides of the West met at the end of the month, and Phoenix came out on top thanks to 29 points from Kevin Johnson in a 119-123 win at home. The two form teams in the East were Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks. Jim Paxson was leading the Pacers up to the dizzy heights of 2nd in the East thanks to performances such as 33 points against Miami and 34 in Washington. The Pacers lost just once in March, incredibly to a struggling Seattle side at home. They finished the month with a 82-112 point win over New York in Indiana, Danny Manning with 29. The Hawks finished the month with an impressive win of their own, beating the Lakers in LA 102-99. The big surprise of the season had been the performances of Boston and Detroit. The two sides had propped up the rest of the East for the majority of the season but were now both making a bit of a run at the playoffs. Isiah and Sampson finally showed up for Detroit, who had Kiki Vandeweghe ruled out for the rest of the season in February, as they won their last three in March, including a nice 95-119 win over Tampa at home. For Boston, they had a four game run of their own that included a win over Detroit to lift them inside the playoff line for the time being.
The seemingly insurmountable gap between Phoenix and the teams below became ever so slightly closer at the start of April. The Suns suffered a narrow 101-106 loss in Chicago whilst the Bucks won 91-98 at home to Washington to close the gap to 5 with 7 games remaining. Dennis Hopson top scored for the Bucks with 21. The Indiana Pacers kept hopes of a first ever Conference title alive with a big win in Charlotte. The Pacers scored 136 to Charlotte’s 105. Jim Paxson top scored once more. There was a big result in Miami in early April. The Heat came from 6 points down in the last quarter to win a low scoring contest against Boston 80-83. The win brought the Heat to within 3 wins of Boston. The Bucks potential late playoff run was halted meanwhile by a disappointing loss at home to Seattle, meaning the Suns were now almost assured of a return to the playoffs. Also hopeful of a return to the playoffs for the first time since ‘84 were the Cavaliers. The Cavs had been unfancied by many at the start of the year, but the addition of two Washington Bullets players had added previous unseen fight to the side and a superb 96-92 win in New York was a good demonstration of that. The win moved Cleveland level with Boston. The win also meant Indiana moved within 1 win of the top of the East as they enjoyed a thrilling 101-102 overtime win at home to Portland. Phoenix wrapped up their playoff spot with a 121-104 win in Charlotte. Kevin Johnson, Sleepy Floyd and Purvis Short all had 20+ points as well whilst rookie Eric Leckner had a double double. A crucial game in Cleveland saw a shocking result. Cleveland won 75-115 in a dominant victory over Boston to move above their opposition and exposed Boston’s current state. Fortunately for Boston, the sides below them were remaining inconsistent although Detroit did have two games extra to play. They would lose the first of those extra games 94-117 at home to Seattle. There was a big matchup in April as the New York Knicks traveled to Houston in a battle of the two top sides in each conference. It was an important win for New York on the road too, 109-84, with 25 points from Jordan. The win kept New York clear of Indiana who had beaten Utah on the same night. The Lakers had the chance to move level with Houston after that result, but surprisingly gave up that opportunity with a 105-108 loss in Milwaukee. Cleveland produced a win in Charlotte that gave them a 3 game lead over the outside of the playoff places, putting them on the brink of a much welcomed playoff return. Roy Hinson the clutch player for the Cavs in April. The Knicks had another good result the following night, this time beating the Lakers 99-104 at home. It was a result that meant the Lakers would almost certainly miss out on top seed in the West once again. Also securing a good win at home was Detroit, who beat Tampa Bay 93-99. Isiah Thomas top scored as Detroit moved level with Boston with 4 games each remaining. It was definitely not the sort of battle both sides were expecting to have with each other 7 months previous. The Rockets gave themselves breathing room at the top of the West with a 116-111 win over Atlanta. George Gervin continued to lead the team with his experience alongside the young superstars Akeem and Barkley. The Pacers kept their slim Conference chances alive in a 119-120 overtime win over Phoenix whilst the Celtics were losing again, 98-90 at home to the New Jersey Nets who were without an injured Terry Cummings. A big game to start the last week of the season saw Michael Jordan top score as the Knicks won 97-94 in Detroit. The result gave the Knicks, like Houston in the West, breathing room at the top. Cleveland secured their playoff return with a home win over New Jersey, leaving Detroit and Boston to scrap it out over the final place. The Rockets secured the West thanks to a 71-109 demolition of the Charlotte Hornets. Detroit and Boston both lost again, leaving both on 30 wins with two games remaining. The penultimate game saw the two struggling sides face off against each other. Win for Detroit would see them clinch that final playoff spot due to a superior head to head record. It was a tight, cagey affair. Eventually, Detroit would see off the Celtics 100-98 to secure a spot in the playoffs and leave Boston unbelievably watching the postseason from home in a dramatic fall from the top.
New York Knicks 3-1 Detroit Pistons
New York recover from 1-0 down to make the Semi Finals
Tampa Bay Bandits 3-0 Washington Bullets
An easy sweep for Tampa, Bullets fail to score more than 81 in any game
Atlanta Hawks 3-1 New Jersey Nets
Dominique Wilkins leads Atlanta to another semi-final, including 41 in game 1
Indiana Pacers 3-0 Cleveland Cavaliers
Jim Paxson and Danny Manning prove too much for Cleveland. The Pacers make the semi-finals for the first time
West 1st Round
Houston Rockets 2-3 Phoenix Suns
A huge shock as the defending champs are knocked out by Phoenix
Los Angeles Clippers 1-3 Chicago Bulls
Karl Malone on top form as Chicago make their first semi-final since 1981
Los Angeles Lakers 3-1 Portland Trail Blazers
Portland's incredible semi-final streak ends, the Lakers are the only top 4 seed to advance in the West
Sacramento Kings 2-3 Dallas Mavericks
Sacramento's playoff woes continue, with Stockton and Ewing again out in Round 1
East Semi Final
New York Knicks 4-3 Tampa Bay Bandits
Last years runner up Tampa put up a hell of a fight but the Knicks make a return to the East final thanks to a narrow game 7 win
Indiana Pacers 4-0 Atlanta Hawks
The Pacers excellent season continues, sweeping Atlanta to now make their first ever conference final
West Semi Final
Chicago Bulls 4-3 Phoenix Suns
Bill Laimbeer saves Chicago in game 6, as the Bulls overturn a 10 point final quarter deficit before advancing in 7
Los Angeles Lakers 2-4 Dallas Mavericks
Benoit Benjamin is the top player for Dallas who shock the Lakers to advance to their first conference final since their title winning 1985 season.
East Final
New York Knicks 2-4 Indiana Pacers
Despite Michael Jordan's best efforts, the Pacers win in 6 and now make their first ever NBA final
West Final
Chicago Bulls 1-4 Dallas Mavericks
Dallas' superior defense comes up trumps, can they make it two 80s titles?
1988-89 Season - Part 2: Them Indiana boys on an Indiana night
Both expansion teams would struggle at the start of February. Miami managed just 74 points against a poor Denver team, whilst Charlotte were soundly beaten in Chicago. It would be the start of a poor couple of months for both franchises, who had surpassed expectations in the first half of the season but would find the second half more challenging. Norm Nixon came back to haunt his old team Cleveland in early February. The Cavaliers were on a 9 game losing run and that was extending into double figures thanks to 30 points for Norm in a 99-108 defeat for Cleveland in Washington. If the Knicks were hoping to make the most of the lack of Detroit and Boston challenging them for the Eastern Conference, they were going about it the wrong way in February. The Knicks suffered home defeats to both Atlanta (110-92) and Tampa Bay (105-100) as the chasing pack kept themselves close to New York. In the West, there was a difficult night for the SuperSonics in Dallas. Seattle would score just 62 in a 62-127 loss. The 65 point margin of victory was the largest in NBA history. To make Seattle feel a little better, Dallas limited Portland to 68 in their next game, although managed only 80 themselves in a low scoring affair. The Los Angeles Clippers had led the West at the end of January. That lead would unfortunately not last too long into the following month as back to back losses to the Washington Bullets was followed by a 113-119 defeat to rivals Lakers. And it would be the Lakers who replaced their local rivals, losing just three times in February to climb to the top of the West.
Phoenix Suns, without a playoff appearance since 1984, had an excellent March and were looking good to end their streak of missed postseasons. The Suns had an 8 game winning run during the middle of the month that included a crucial 104-102 win in Milwuakee. The run also saw wins over Denver, Seattle and Utah (twice) to allow the Suns to move clear of those below them. Defending champions Houston had their own 8 game run in March. Their 8 wins included 3 over the Clippers, with Charles Barkley and Akeem Olajuwon proving too much to handle for the LA side. The two form sides of the West met at the end of the month, and Phoenix came out on top thanks to 29 points from Kevin Johnson in a 119-123 win at home. The two form teams in the East were Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks. Jim Paxson was leading the Pacers up to the dizzy heights of 2nd in the East thanks to performances such as 33 points against Miami and 34 in Washington. The Pacers lost just once in March, incredibly to a struggling Seattle side at home. They finished the month with a 82-112 point win over New York in Indiana, Danny Manning with 29. The Hawks finished the month with an impressive win of their own, beating the Lakers in LA 102-99. The big surprise of the season had been the performances of Boston and Detroit. The two sides had propped up the rest of the East for the majority of the season but were now both making a bit of a run at the playoffs. Isiah and Sampson finally showed up for Detroit, who had Kiki Vandeweghe ruled out for the rest of the season in February, as they won their last three in March, including a nice 95-119 win over Tampa at home. For Boston, they had a four game run of their own that included a win over Detroit to lift them inside the playoff line for the time being.
1st April Playoff Picture
East
7. Boston Celtics - 30-45
8. Cleveland Cavaliers - 29-44
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9. Detroit Pistons - 28-46
10. Miami Heat - 26-49
11. Philadelphia 76ers - 23-53
12. Charlotte Hornets - 22-52
West
8. Phoenix Suns - 34-41
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9. Denver Nuggets - 28-46
10. Milwaukee Bucks - 28-46
East
7. Boston Celtics - 30-45
8. Cleveland Cavaliers - 29-44
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9. Detroit Pistons - 28-46
10. Miami Heat - 26-49
11. Philadelphia 76ers - 23-53
12. Charlotte Hornets - 22-52
West
8. Phoenix Suns - 34-41
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9. Denver Nuggets - 28-46
10. Milwaukee Bucks - 28-46
The seemingly insurmountable gap between Phoenix and the teams below became ever so slightly closer at the start of April. The Suns suffered a narrow 101-106 loss in Chicago whilst the Bucks won 91-98 at home to Washington to close the gap to 5 with 7 games remaining. Dennis Hopson top scored for the Bucks with 21. The Indiana Pacers kept hopes of a first ever Conference title alive with a big win in Charlotte. The Pacers scored 136 to Charlotte’s 105. Jim Paxson top scored once more. There was a big result in Miami in early April. The Heat came from 6 points down in the last quarter to win a low scoring contest against Boston 80-83. The win brought the Heat to within 3 wins of Boston. The Bucks potential late playoff run was halted meanwhile by a disappointing loss at home to Seattle, meaning the Suns were now almost assured of a return to the playoffs. Also hopeful of a return to the playoffs for the first time since ‘84 were the Cavaliers. The Cavs had been unfancied by many at the start of the year, but the addition of two Washington Bullets players had added previous unseen fight to the side and a superb 96-92 win in New York was a good demonstration of that. The win moved Cleveland level with Boston. The win also meant Indiana moved within 1 win of the top of the East as they enjoyed a thrilling 101-102 overtime win at home to Portland. Phoenix wrapped up their playoff spot with a 121-104 win in Charlotte. Kevin Johnson, Sleepy Floyd and Purvis Short all had 20+ points as well whilst rookie Eric Leckner had a double double. A crucial game in Cleveland saw a shocking result. Cleveland won 75-115 in a dominant victory over Boston to move above their opposition and exposed Boston’s current state. Fortunately for Boston, the sides below them were remaining inconsistent although Detroit did have two games extra to play. They would lose the first of those extra games 94-117 at home to Seattle. There was a big matchup in April as the New York Knicks traveled to Houston in a battle of the two top sides in each conference. It was an important win for New York on the road too, 109-84, with 25 points from Jordan. The win kept New York clear of Indiana who had beaten Utah on the same night. The Lakers had the chance to move level with Houston after that result, but surprisingly gave up that opportunity with a 105-108 loss in Milwaukee. Cleveland produced a win in Charlotte that gave them a 3 game lead over the outside of the playoff places, putting them on the brink of a much welcomed playoff return. Roy Hinson the clutch player for the Cavs in April. The Knicks had another good result the following night, this time beating the Lakers 99-104 at home. It was a result that meant the Lakers would almost certainly miss out on top seed in the West once again. Also securing a good win at home was Detroit, who beat Tampa Bay 93-99. Isiah Thomas top scored as Detroit moved level with Boston with 4 games each remaining. It was definitely not the sort of battle both sides were expecting to have with each other 7 months previous. The Rockets gave themselves breathing room at the top of the West with a 116-111 win over Atlanta. George Gervin continued to lead the team with his experience alongside the young superstars Akeem and Barkley. The Pacers kept their slim Conference chances alive in a 119-120 overtime win over Phoenix whilst the Celtics were losing again, 98-90 at home to the New Jersey Nets who were without an injured Terry Cummings. A big game to start the last week of the season saw Michael Jordan top score as the Knicks won 97-94 in Detroit. The result gave the Knicks, like Houston in the West, breathing room at the top. Cleveland secured their playoff return with a home win over New Jersey, leaving Detroit and Boston to scrap it out over the final place. The Rockets secured the West thanks to a 71-109 demolition of the Charlotte Hornets. Detroit and Boston both lost again, leaving both on 30 wins with two games remaining. The penultimate game saw the two struggling sides face off against each other. Win for Detroit would see them clinch that final playoff spot due to a superior head to head record. It was a tight, cagey affair. Eventually, Detroit would see off the Celtics 100-98 to secure a spot in the playoffs and leave Boston unbelievably watching the postseason from home in a dramatic fall from the top.
Eastern Conference Standings:
1. New York Knicks - 60-22
2. Indiana Pacers - 57-25
3. Atlanta Hawks - 51-31
4. Tampa Bay Bandits - 51-31
5. Washington Bullets - 47-35
6. New Jersey Nets - 44-38
7. Cleveland Cavaliers - 33-49
8. Detroit Pistons - 31-51
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9. Boston Celtics - 31-51
10. Miami Heat - 27-55
11. Philadelphia 76ers - 26-56
12. Charlotte Hornets - 22-60
Western Conference Standings:
1. Houston Rockets - 59-23
2. Sacramento Kings - 57-25
3. Los Angeles Lakers - 55-27
4. Los Angeles Clippers - 54-28
5. Chicago Bulls - 53-29
6. Portland Trail Blazers - 52-30
7. Dallas Mavericks - 50-32
8. Phoenix Suns - 37-45
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9. Milwaukee Bucks - 32-50
10. Seattle Supersonics - 31-51
11. Denver Nuggets - 28-54
12. Golden State Warriors - 21-61
13. Utah Jazz - 16-66
Regular Season Awards
1. New York Knicks - 60-22
2. Indiana Pacers - 57-25
3. Atlanta Hawks - 51-31
4. Tampa Bay Bandits - 51-31
5. Washington Bullets - 47-35
6. New Jersey Nets - 44-38
7. Cleveland Cavaliers - 33-49
8. Detroit Pistons - 31-51
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9. Boston Celtics - 31-51
10. Miami Heat - 27-55
11. Philadelphia 76ers - 26-56
12. Charlotte Hornets - 22-60
Western Conference Standings:
1. Houston Rockets - 59-23
2. Sacramento Kings - 57-25
3. Los Angeles Lakers - 55-27
4. Los Angeles Clippers - 54-28
5. Chicago Bulls - 53-29
6. Portland Trail Blazers - 52-30
7. Dallas Mavericks - 50-32
8. Phoenix Suns - 37-45
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9. Milwaukee Bucks - 32-50
10. Seattle Supersonics - 31-51
11. Denver Nuggets - 28-54
12. Golden State Warriors - 21-61
13. Utah Jazz - 16-66
Regular Season Awards
| Individual Awards | |
|---|---|
| Most Valuable Player | Magic Johnson (Lakers) |
| Rookie of the Year | Mitch Richmond (Cavaliers) |
| Sixth Man of the Year | Hot Rod Williams (SuperSonics) |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Akeem Olajuwon (Rockets) |
| Most Improved Player | Marvis Fresh (Heat) |
| Player of the Month | ||
|---|---|---|
| Month | Eastern | Western |
| November | Isiah Thomas (Pistons) | Magic Johnson (Lakers) |
| December | Alex English (Heat) | Karl Malone (Bulls) |
| January | David Robinson (Bandits) | Magic Johnson (Lakers) |
| February | Michael Jordan (Knicks) | Magic Johnson (Lakers) |
| March | Isiah Thomas (Pistons) | Karl Malone (Bulls) |
| April | Dominique Wilkins (Hawks) | Magic Johnson (Lakers) |
| Rookie of the Month | ||
|---|---|---|
| Month | Eastern | Western |
| November | Mitch Richmond (Cavaliers) | Rik Smits (Warriors) |
| December | Danny Manning (Pacers) | Chris Morris (Suns) |
| January | Rony Seikaly (Knicks) | Rik Smits (Warriors) |
| February | Mitch Richmond (Cavaliers) | Chris Morris (Suns) |
| March | Mitch Richmond (Cavaliers) | Willie Anderson (SuperSonics) |
| April | Danny Manning (Pacers) | Rik Smits (Warriors) |
| All-NBA Teams | ||
|---|---|---|
| All-NBA 1st | All-NBA 2nd | All-NBA 3rd |
| Magic Johnson (Lakers) | Isiah Thomas (Pistons) | Jim Paxson (Pacers) |
| Michael Jordan (Knicks) | John Stockton (Kings) | Scott Skiles (76ers) |
| Dominique Wilkins (Hawks) | Alex English (Heat) | Adrian Dantley (Clippers) |
| Karl Malone (Bulls) | Charles Barkley (Rockets) | Hot Rod Williams (SuperSonics) |
| Akeem Olajuwon (Rockets) | David Robinson (Bandits) | Patrick Ewing (Kings) |
| All-Defensive 1st | All-Rookie 1st |
| Michael Jordan (Knicks) | Mitch Richmond (Cavaliers) |
| Magic Johnson (Lakers) | Chris Morris (Suns) |
| Scottie Pippen (Bucks) | Danny Manning (Pacers) |
| Kevin McHale (Celtics) | Rik Smith (Warriors) |
| Akeem Olajuwon (Rockets) | Rod Strickland (Cavaliers) |
The Playoffs
East 1st RoundNew York Knicks 3-1 Detroit Pistons
New York recover from 1-0 down to make the Semi Finals
Tampa Bay Bandits 3-0 Washington Bullets
An easy sweep for Tampa, Bullets fail to score more than 81 in any game
Atlanta Hawks 3-1 New Jersey Nets
Dominique Wilkins leads Atlanta to another semi-final, including 41 in game 1
Indiana Pacers 3-0 Cleveland Cavaliers
Jim Paxson and Danny Manning prove too much for Cleveland. The Pacers make the semi-finals for the first time
West 1st Round
Houston Rockets 2-3 Phoenix Suns
A huge shock as the defending champs are knocked out by Phoenix
Los Angeles Clippers 1-3 Chicago Bulls
Karl Malone on top form as Chicago make their first semi-final since 1981
Los Angeles Lakers 3-1 Portland Trail Blazers
Portland's incredible semi-final streak ends, the Lakers are the only top 4 seed to advance in the West
Sacramento Kings 2-3 Dallas Mavericks
Sacramento's playoff woes continue, with Stockton and Ewing again out in Round 1
East Semi Final
New York Knicks 4-3 Tampa Bay Bandits
Last years runner up Tampa put up a hell of a fight but the Knicks make a return to the East final thanks to a narrow game 7 win
Indiana Pacers 4-0 Atlanta Hawks
The Pacers excellent season continues, sweeping Atlanta to now make their first ever conference final
West Semi Final
Chicago Bulls 4-3 Phoenix Suns
Bill Laimbeer saves Chicago in game 6, as the Bulls overturn a 10 point final quarter deficit before advancing in 7
Los Angeles Lakers 2-4 Dallas Mavericks
Benoit Benjamin is the top player for Dallas who shock the Lakers to advance to their first conference final since their title winning 1985 season.
East Final
New York Knicks 2-4 Indiana Pacers
Despite Michael Jordan's best efforts, the Pacers win in 6 and now make their first ever NBA final
West Final
Chicago Bulls 1-4 Dallas Mavericks
Dallas' superior defense comes up trumps, can they make it two 80s titles?
1988-89 NBA Championship Final
Game 1: Dallas Mavericks 85-96 Indiana Pacers
Jim Paxson and Xavier McDaniel star as Pacers win at home
Game 2: Dallas Mavericks 102-86 Indiana Pacers
Dallas romp the first quarter to secure a potentially vital away win. Mark Aguirre the top scorer and Benoit Benjamin with 11 rebounds
Game 3: Indiana Pacers 94-130 Dallas Mavericks
A superb Dallas score a big win at home, Aguirre, Carr and Dumars all have 20+
Game 4: Indiana Pacers 97-115 Dallas Mavericks
Dallas run away with the last quarter after a close game, another 11 rebounds for Benjamin.
Game 5: Dallas Mavericks 100-115 Indiana Pacers
Fantastic team performance from Indiana keeps the series going to game 6
Game 6: Indiana Pacers 101-102 Dallas Mavericks
A thrilling see saw battle as Pacers race clear in the first quarter before being pegged back going into the last. With the game tied in the last minute, Harvey Grant sunk a dunk to give the Pacers a two point lead. A missed attempt from Aguirre saw him then foul to give McDaniel two free throws to clinch the game. Xavier missed both, before Porter hit a shot from the three point line on the buzzer that sailed through the air and into the basket to sink the hearts of Indiana and give Dallas a 2nd NBA title in the most dramatic fashion.
NBA Championship Final Result
Indiana Pacers 2-4 Dallas Mavericks
Final MVP
Mark Aguirre
Game 1: Dallas Mavericks 85-96 Indiana Pacers
Jim Paxson and Xavier McDaniel star as Pacers win at home
Game 2: Dallas Mavericks 102-86 Indiana Pacers
Dallas romp the first quarter to secure a potentially vital away win. Mark Aguirre the top scorer and Benoit Benjamin with 11 rebounds
Game 3: Indiana Pacers 94-130 Dallas Mavericks
A superb Dallas score a big win at home, Aguirre, Carr and Dumars all have 20+
Game 4: Indiana Pacers 97-115 Dallas Mavericks
Dallas run away with the last quarter after a close game, another 11 rebounds for Benjamin.
Game 5: Dallas Mavericks 100-115 Indiana Pacers
Fantastic team performance from Indiana keeps the series going to game 6
Game 6: Indiana Pacers 101-102 Dallas Mavericks
A thrilling see saw battle as Pacers race clear in the first quarter before being pegged back going into the last. With the game tied in the last minute, Harvey Grant sunk a dunk to give the Pacers a two point lead. A missed attempt from Aguirre saw him then foul to give McDaniel two free throws to clinch the game. Xavier missed both, before Porter hit a shot from the three point line on the buzzer that sailed through the air and into the basket to sink the hearts of Indiana and give Dallas a 2nd NBA title in the most dramatic fashion.
NBA Championship Final Result
Indiana Pacers 2-4 Dallas Mavericks
Final MVP
Mark Aguirre
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The West is super stacked right now, Dallas won 50 games in the regular season but were only seventh seed. The East teams all have one maybe two stars but no depth. Says a lot when a 7th seed is the favourites over the East's 2nd seed.
As for Boston and Bird, the two Lakers defeats are kinda excusable but they should definitely have won in 85 but choked at the last. Should have reached the final in 88 too but I think they'd have lost that to Houston regardless. Losing in the 1st Round in 88 then causes them to trade away the least injury prone of their big three thinking they need a younger Houston type line up. You'd assume they'll be back in the playoffs with Bird next season but they're not on the level of Lakers, Houston, Knicks even with Bird I don't think.
1989 - Offseason
1989 - Offseason
The 1989 offseason had the potential to be the most consequential since the stack draft of 1984. Whilst the draft quality of 1989 was nowhere near the level of '84, it was rather the free agency pick up and blockbuster trades that were causing the headlines during the summer of '89. Before all of that, the newly added expansion teams Minnesota Polars and Toronto Huskies had the task of adding players to their new rosters.
1989 Expansion Draft
1 | Minnesota Polars | Marvis Fresh |
2 | Toronto Huskies | David Thompson |
3 | Minnesota Polars | James Edwards |
4 | Toronto Huskies | Jay Vincent |
5 | Minnesota Polars | Dennis Hopson |
6 | Toronto Huskies | Keith Edmonson |
7 | Minnesota Polars | John Salley |
8 | Toronto Huskies | Ken Norman |
9 | Minnesota Polars | Michael Holton |
10 | Toronto Huskies | Richard Anderson |
11 | Minnesota Polars | Leon Wood |
12 | Toronto Huskies | Melvin Turpin |
13 | Minnesota Polars | Billy Thompson |
14 | Toronto Huskies | Spud Webb |
15 | Minnesota Polars | Harvey Grant |
16 | Toronto Huskies | Gary Grant |
17 | Minnesota Polars | Brian Shaw |
18 | Toronto Huskies | Vincent Askey |
19 | Minnesota Polars | Will Perdue |
20 | Toronto Huskies | Mark Bryant |
21 | Minnesota Polars | Grant Long |
22 | Toronto Huskies | Kevin Gamble |
23 | Minnesota Polars | Jeff Grayer |
The 1989 Draft Lottery
For the first time ever the draft lottery involved nine teams, two more than the seven it had been since 1985. "With the 9th pick in the 1989 NBA Draft.... Boston Celtics"
"With the 8th pick in the 1989 NBA Draft... Golden State Warriors"
"With the 7th pick in the 1989 NBA Draft... Seattle SuperSonics"
"With the 6th pick in the 1989 NBA Draft... Utah Jazz"
"With the 5th pick in the 1989 NBA Draft... Denver Nuggets"
"With the 4th pick in the 1989 NBA Draft... Utah Jazz" (Pick acquired from Miami)
"With the 3rd pick in the 1989 NBA Draft... Charlotte Hornets"
"With the 2nd pick in the 1989 NBA Draft... Philadelphia 76ers"
"With the 1st pick in the 1989 NBA Draft... Milwaukee Bucks"
It was the second year in a row that the team with the best record of all the lottery teams had received the number one pick. With the addition of another two teams missing out on the playoffs in the 89-90 season, it was highly likely the draft lottery would be changed in someway by the time the 1990 draft takes place. The rumours in the NBA circle was a reduction back down to the worst 7 teams, or possibly even the worst 5.
The 1989 Draft - 1st Round
1 | Pervis Ellison | Milwaukee Bucks |
2 | Sean Elliott | Philadelphia 76ers |
3 | J.R. Reid | Charlotte Hornets |
4 | Glen Rice | Utah Jazz |
5 | Danny Ferry | Denver Nuggets |
6 | Stacey King | Utah Jazz |
7 | George McCloud | Seattle SuperSonics |
8 | Tim Hardaway | Golden State Warriors |
9 | Vlade Divac | Boston Celtics |
10 | Nick Anderson | Toronto Huskies |
11 | Pooh Richardson | Minnesota Polars |
12 | Randy White | Detroit Pistons |
13 | Todd Lichti | Washington Bullets |
14 | Blue Edwards | Golden State Warriors |
15 | Tom Hammonds | New Jersey Nets |
16 | Michael Smith | Washington Bullets |
17 | Shawn Kemp | Atlanta Hawks |
18 | Mookie Blaylock | Tampa Bay Bandits |
19 | Cliff Robinson | Portland Trail Blazers |
20 | B.J Armstrong | Chicago Bulls |
21 | Jeff Sanders | Los Angeles Clippers |
22 | Kenny Payne | Los Angeles Lakers |
23 | Kenny Battle | Sacramento Kings |
24 | Dana Barros | Indiana Pacers |
25 | Sherman Douglas | Houston Rockets |
26 | Dino Radja | New York Knicks |
27 | Doug West | Dallas Mavericks |
Throughout the summer, it was clear the Detroit Pistons were in some turmoil. Having fought to make the playoffs, and eventually just making it in as eighth seed before falling to New York at the first hurdle, Detroit's two biggest stars now wanted out. Ralph Sampson had failed to find the form from his first couple of seasons in the NBA and Detroit had been quietly shopping him around since the end of the season. The problem for Detroit was that Sampson discovered this, and became instantly disillusioned at what he saw as Detroit pinning the blame of their poor season on him. Eventually, Pistons found a team willing to take a gamble on Sampson in the Philadelphia 76ers. Philly would send Scott Skiles, Andrew Toney & Larry Drew to Detroit in exchange for Sampson. What Detroit were not aware of was just how much their biggest star wanted out as well. Isiah Thomas, desperately wanting to win an NBA Championship, was realising that Detroit may not be the place to do it. After four seasons of contending, two consecutive first round exits left Detroit looking far away from being a team capable of winning a title. Thomas, with one year left on his contract made it clear to Detroit he would be leaving as a free agent if not traded away beforehand. And so, with Detroit not wanting to lose Isiah for nothing, they were forced into a trade. The team with the best offer on the table? Defending champions Dallas Mavericks. Dallas agreed to send Rolando Blackman, Dale Ellis and draft picks to Detroit in exchange for one of the leagues best players. It looked like Isiah Thomas would be back at the top end of the NBA next season. Detroit weren't done there though. Realising they needed to find a new main man, they entered negotiations with the Milwaukee Bucks for Scottie Pippen. The two teams eventually agreed on a deal whereby Scottie Pippen would head to Detroit in exchange for Dale Ellis, Andrew Toney and Vinnie Johnson.
Notable Offseason Trades & Free Agency:
Adrian Dantley joins Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent
Terry Cummings joins Utah Jazz as a free agent
Jeff Ruland joins Phoenix Suns as a free agent
George Gervin joins New York Knicks as a free agent
Purvis Short joins Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent
Clark Kellogg joins Boston Celtics as a free agent
Detroit Pistons trade Ralph Sampson to Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Scott Skiles, Andrew Toney & Larry Drew
Detroit Pistons trade Isiah Thomas to Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Dale Ellis, Rolando Blackman and Draft Picks
Milwaukee Bucks trade Scottie Pippen to Detroit Pistons in exchange for Dale Ellis, Vinnie Johnson & Andrew Toney
New York Knicks trade Jack Sikma and Darrell Walker to Washington Bullets in exchange for Cliff Robinson & Norm Nixon
Chicago Bulls trade Buck Williams to Tampa Bay Bandits in exchange for Armen Gilliam
Seattle SuperSonics trade Tom Chambers to Miami Heat in exchange for Manute Bol
Seattle SuperSonics trade Nick Vanos to Tampa Bay Bandits in exchange for Reggie Lewis and Draft Picks
1989 - 90 Season Preview:
With the 1989-1990 NBA season days away, Sports Illustrated took a look at all 27 teams and where they might find themselves in 82 games time. Eastern Conference
Title Contenders
New York Knicks
Last Season Record - 60-22
The Knicks made a big decision in the offseason of trading away Center Jack Sikma in order to improve the depth of the team. They now boast quality in all five positions, and are still led by Michael Jordan. The signing of Geroge Gervin could be a shrewd one for the Knicks, with the 37 year old the perfect player to take the load of Jordan towards the end of the season if the Knicks can get the East wrapped early. A well rested Jordan could be what the Knicks need to finally make the Championship final.
Indiana Pacers
Last Season Record - 57-25
The Pacers are coming off the back of an outstanding season. They got past the first round for the first time ever and then just kept going before eventually losing to Dallas Mavericks in the Championship final. The Pacers are still led by Jim Paxson and have talents Xavier McDaniel, Horace Grant and Danny Manning getting better season by season. There's every reason to think Indiana can compete at the same level as last season.
Boston Celtics
Last Season Record - 31-51
A deeply disappointing 88-89 season for Boston, missing out on the playoffs last time around. They were without Larry Bird for almost the whole season, leaving an injury prone Kevin McHale to carry the side. This season though, they've got Bird back and added Clark Kellogg from the Trail Blazers to help manage Bird's minutes. You feel Boston's season hinges on keeping Larry Bird fit and whether or not rookie Vlade Divac can fill the Center sized hole that's been in Boston's roster for a while now
Tampa Bay Bandits
Last Season Record - 51-31
The rise of the Bandits since their move to Tampa from San Antonio has been nothing short of sensational. From back to back 13 wins seasons to a thrilling NBA finals run in their first year and then a well deserved semi final appearance last go around. They're a young team, but have a lot of depth especially in the Center position where so many struggle. They've added a bit of experience in Buck Williams which makes an exciting trio alongside Chris Mullin and David Robinson. Do not be surprised to see Tampa challenging for the No 1 seed this season.
Play Off Challengers
Philadelphia 76ers
Last Season Record - 26-56
It's now 3 consecutive seasons without a postseason appearance for Philadelphia. Considering it's only 6 years since their last title, that sounds pretty unthinkable that a team can fall off so quickly. They've had potentially the best offseason of anyone however, having added Adrian Dantley from free agency and acquired Ralph Sampson from Detroit. Dantley is a known commodity, and will win games on his own for the 76ers. The big if, is can Sampson find that extra consistency. If Philly can get Sampson playing well more often than Detroit managed, they should end their playoff drought this season.
Washington Bullets
Last Season Record - 47-35
The Bullets have always been a difficult team to figure out. They're one of the best examples not just in Basketball but in sport of hard work beats talent. Their roster has never been the strongest, in fact on paper one of the weakest, and yet they've had two conference semi final appearances in the last three seasons. They've added Jack Sikma from New York, and his added quality should see the Bullets into the top 8 once more in the East.
Detroit Pistons
Last Season Record - 32-50
No one can say for certainty what Detroit will look like this season. Yes their team does not have Isiah Thomas in it anymore, but they've managed to replace him with two young talents in Scott Skiles and Scottie Pippen and also the known talents of Rolando Blackman. The expectation is that Kiki Vandeweghe may also leave when he returns from his back injury, a successful trade there may be there difference for Detroit as to whether they can make the postseason or not.
Miami Heat
Last Season Record - 27-55
Miami have done expansion differently to most. Wanting to compete straight away they were able to lure Alex English from Utah although had to give away two first round draft picks to do it. English is already 35, so Miami need to make the most of his talents this year or risk falling into obscurity once he starts to loss his talent. Playoffs must be the expectation for the Heat this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Last Season Record - 33-49
Cleveland probably didn't expect to be fighting with Boston and Detroit in the East last time out. In the end they actually managed to finish above both and make the playoffs as 7th seed, losing to Indiana in the first round. Mitch Richmond has begun his NBA excellently and alongside Detlef Schrempf and Rod Strickland the Cavs have a trio they can build around for a few years. They'll definitely fancy the postseason once more.
The Unknowns
Atlanta Hawks
Last Season Record - 51-31
Until a few days ago, Atlanta would have featured somewhere between Contenders and Playoff Challengers. The devastating news that Dominique Wilkins will miss the season after heavy foot surgery changes everything for the Hawks. The man they've relied on so often and who pretty much single handedly dragged them back into the playoffs in '86 and '87. Since then, he's had the support of Reggie Miller but Miller won't be able to carry this Hawks team on his own. It would be a surprise to see Atlanta make the playoffs without Wilkins
New Jersey Nets
Last Season Record - 44-38
Another team missing their star small forward is the Nets. Terry Cummings has decided on a new challenge in Utah and with the Nets receiving nothing for him, it appears they may be headed to a few years of rebuilding. They certainly have a good player to build round though in Brad Daugherty, and between Daugherty and Doc Rivers the Nets might still have enough to feature in playoff conversations during the season.
The Rest
Charlotte Hornets & Toronto Huskies
Last Season Record - 22-60 & N/A
Very easy to group these two together, both have low quality rosters and will do well to get above 20 wins. Both as expected will take a few years to get themselves ready to challenge the top 8.
Western Conference
Title Contenders
Dallas Mavericks
Last Season Record - 50-32 (Defending Champions)
Difficult to put Dallas anywhere other than the top here, given they won the title and have added arguably the third best player in the league currently. (Magic and Jordan as 1&2, and a few making a claim for that No 3 spot). They've had to lose some depth to do it, but there's no doubt the addition of Isiah Thomas should put Dallas in a favourable position to go back to back.
Los Angeles Lakers
Last Season Record - 55-27
Some people talk about the Lakers like they've fallen off like a Detroit or Boston. This is not the case, and they are also in a much more competitive conference. The Lakers have dropped from a 70 win team to a mid 50 win team since Abdul-Jabbars retirement, but the additions of Robert Parish last year and now Purvis Short this year gives the Lakers a lot of quality in that starting five. If the Lakers have an injury hit season I expect them to make the Conference final at least.
Houston Rockets
Last Season Record - 59-23
Last seasons West top seed who were shocked by Phoenix in the first round of the playoffs. They still have Akeem and Barkley so will be challenging for the top seed once more, and you'd have thought will go better in the playoffs this time around too.
Sacramento Kings
Last Season Record - 57-25
Possibly the most balanced, quality ridden starting five in the league right now. Led by Ewing and Stockton, backed up by Person, Petrovic and Thorpe. All of those five are still 27 or under, which sounds like the Kings still have time on their side but they need to solve their playoff struggles asap.
Play Off Challengers
Chicago Bulls
Last Season Record - 53-29
The Bulls made the conference final in their first season back in the West, and it's easy to forget the quality they have given the stacked nature of the West at the moment. Karl Malone has established himself as one of the best forwards in the league and if he and Gilliam can find a way to play together then the Bulls will be strong again this season.
Portland Trail Blazers
Last Season Record - 52-30
Portland's run of semi finals or better ended last season, although we'll excuse a first round loss to the Lakers. They still have Clyde Drexler, so no reason to think anything other than around 45-50 wins and a good showing in the playoffs.
Phoenix Suns
Last Season Record - 37-45
The Suns returned to the playoffs last season and then knocked out the at the time defending champions Houston in the first round. The Suns have a nice mix of experience (Sleepy Floyd, Jeff Ruland) and young talent (Chris Morris, Kevin Johnson). Back to back post season appearances is definitely on the cards for Phoenix.
Milwaukee Bucks
Last Season Record - 32-50
Criticised heavily for letting Scottie Pippen leave, the Bucks need to hit the ground running this season to validate that decision to go with the proven Dale Ellis as well as the added strength of the second team in Vinnie Johnson. They didn't miss out by too much last time, and I think they might just get the few extra wins needed this time around to go one better.
Utah Jazz
Last Season Record - 16-66
The Jazz have had a seriously good offseason. The signing of Terry Cummings instantly turns them from the worst team in the league to playoff potentials. They also added Glen Rice and Stacey King as 4th and 6th pick in the draft respectively. The Jazz's biggest problem is the unbalanced nature of their roster, whereby all the quality comes in the two forward positions. If they can get all their best players playing somehow, the Jazz might just improve enough to get back into the playoffs.
Los Angeles Clippers
Last Season Record - 54-28
The Clippers had a really good regular season in 87/88, reaching 54 wins which was only good enough for fourth seed due to the quality in the West. They've lost Adrian Dantley however and Moses Malone was just starting to show signs of losing a touch of that All Star ability last season. There's no real young talents coming through either, so the Clippers will need to rely on the experience of the supporting cast to get them back into the playoffs.
The Rest
Denver Nuggets, Seattle SuperSonics, Golden State Warriors & Minnesota Polars
Last Season Record - 28-54, 31-51, 21-61 & N/A
Here's why these four teams are in this category.
Denver - Hideously unbalanced roster
Seattle - Not enough quality
Golden State - Too young, Jeff Hornacek is the oldest of the starters by quite some way and he's 26. Expect them to be fun to watch though
Minnesota - Roster full of players no one else wanted.
1989-90 NBA Championship Betting Odds
Los Angeles Lakers +350
New York Knicks +550
Dallas Mavericks +550
Houston Rockets +600
Sacramento Kings +800
Boston Celtics +800
Chicago Bulls +1000
Indiana Pacers + 1200
Tampa Bay Bandits +1500
Portland Trail Blazers +2000
Philadelphia 76ers +2000
Detroit Pistons +2000
Los Angeles Clippers +2500
New Jersey Nets +2500
Phoenix Suns +3500
Milwaukee Bucks +3500
Atlanta Hawks +4000
Washington Bullets +6500
Miami Heat +7000
Utah Jazz +8000
Denver Nuggets +8000
Cleveland Cavaliers +8500
Golden State Warriors +12500
Seattle SuperSonics +15000
Charlotte Hornets +20000
Toronto Huskies +500000
Minnesota Polars +500000
(Who's your money on?)
Los Angeles Lakers +350
New York Knicks +550
Dallas Mavericks +550
Houston Rockets +600
Sacramento Kings +800
Boston Celtics +800
Chicago Bulls +1000
Indiana Pacers + 1200
Tampa Bay Bandits +1500
Portland Trail Blazers +2000
Philadelphia 76ers +2000
Detroit Pistons +2000
Los Angeles Clippers +2500
New Jersey Nets +2500
Phoenix Suns +3500
Milwaukee Bucks +3500
Atlanta Hawks +4000
Washington Bullets +6500
Miami Heat +7000
Utah Jazz +8000
Denver Nuggets +8000
Cleveland Cavaliers +8500
Golden State Warriors +12500
Seattle SuperSonics +15000
Charlotte Hornets +20000
Toronto Huskies +500000
Minnesota Polars +500000
(Who's your money on?)
Up Next: The 1989-90 Season
1989-90 Season - Part 1: A Dallas Dynasty?
1989-90 Season - Part 1: A Dallas Dynasty?
November
The hottest start in November came in LA, where the Lakers were looking to reclaim the title that had eluded them the past two seasons. The Lakers actually lost on the opening night (104-90 at home to Denver) but would recover to start with a 13-2 record. Magic averaged 26.0 points and 11.7 assists through the month. It was the expected suspects who lined up behind LA in the West. The Rockets had a 12-4 start, Barkley with a 26.0 point average to match Magic whilst Akeem averaged 12.0 rebounds. Defending champions Dallas, now with Isiah Thomas, took a few games to adjust to their new line up addition but soon found form to also get to 12 wins by the end of the month. Mark Aguirre led the way once more in points for Dallas (18.4) whilst Thomas notched up a 7.9 assist average. The two surprises in the West were the performances of the Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers. The Bucks beat Sacramento on the opening day and then ground out wins all through November eventually ending on an 11-4 record. Kenny Fields doing a lot of the scoring for Milwaukee. Portland were surprising for the wrong reasons, winning just 4 of 15 to start. The one highlight so far a Clyde Drexler 43 in a win over the Warriors but plenty of improvement needed in Portland. Minnesota Polars won their 2nd game as a NBA team, winning 111-109 in Chicago. The Polars then lost their next 13, finishing November with a 1-14 record and a difficult start to life in the NBA. In the East, the idea that the Knicks were going to stroll to the top seed was chucked out the window in the first month of the season. The Knicks were failing to click so far, with disappointing defeats such as 94-114 in Charlotte and 73-79 in Washington. It was a 7-8 start for New York. Tampa topped the pile in the East. David Robinson averaged 21.2 points whilst Buck Williams was having 9.9 rebounds a game as Tampa raced into a 14-3 start. The highlight was possibly a 118-98 win in Phoenix and 36 from Robinson. The big surprise was the performance of New Jersey. Tipped to struggle without Terry Cumming, the Nets instead won their first 9 games of the season before eventually losing at home to Indiana. 4 defeats in their last 5 has seen them slip out of top spot but still a strong start from the Nets. Also starting well was Boston, who had Larry Bird back and were looking much better this season. 12 wins to start the month had them nicely placed although they had yet to play any of the top sides so far. The Toronto Huskies were having a better start than their expansion counterparts in the West. They won their opening game 87-98 at home to Detroit, and then won their first game on the road to 102-80 in Denver. In total, the Huskies have won 4 games so far, including an excellent 120-91 win in Boston.
December
The final month of the year was an excellent month for the Tampa Bay Bandits. The Bandits already led the East conference heading into the month and extended their lead, reaching 24 wins in their first 30 games. Chris Mullin had 36 in a home win over Cleveland as the Tampa train rolled on into 1990. Boston’s strong form at home kept them in the top three of the East, including a 88-96 win over Tampa to keep the Bandits in sight. The Pacers were showing no signs of going away after last season's playoff run, they lost just twice in December to join Tampa and Boston in the top three. The impressive month included wins over Sacramento, Lakers and twice over Boston. New Jersey were struggling to find the form that had seen them win their first 8 games. A 6-14 run since had seen them slip to just inside the playoff line, and they finished the year scoring just 65 in Indiana, losing 65-106. Scoring was becoming a big issue for the Nets since the departure of Terry Cummings. Also inside the playoff line heading into 1990 was Philadelphia, looking to return to the postseason for the first time since 1986. Philly’s off-season signing Adrian Dantley had settled in well, and hit 44 points in a 101-140 home win over Cleveland. The big news in the East during December was that Michael Jordan would be out until at least the All Star weekend with a muscle injury. There were new leaders in the West by the end of the month. The reigning champs hit form as Dallas lost just three times to start stretching their legs at the top. The biggest game of the month saw Dallas travel to Detroit for the return of Isiah Thomas to his former team. And Thomas would top score, coming back to haunt Detroit with 32 points in a 106-88 win for Dallas. The Lakers were still hanging around, but lost top spot mostly due to a 4 game loss streak in the middle of the month including a disappointing defeat at home to Seattle. The Bucks, Rockets and Kings all continued strong starts as the top five started to put some distance between themselves and the rest in the West.
January
Both conferences started to take shape in January. In the East, Tampa were able to maintain a healthy lead at the top with good wins including at home to Boston (100-123) and Houston (85-88). They did suffer a narrow defeat in an exciting contest with Detroit. Scottie Pippen was the star of the show as Detroit won 104-103 in Tampa. Behind Tampa, Boston and Indiana continued to be the two who kept the closest to the Bandits. Clark Kellogg became invaluable in supporting the minutes of backing up Larry Bird and the hope was if Boston could keep Bird fit enough for the playoffs then Boston might have a chance at a deep postseason run. New York would just be happy to have kept inside the top 4 having to go most of January without Jordan. The Knicks did enjoy some good wins without MJ, notably a 96-111 win at home to the Lakers where Bernard King top scored with 34. The Bullets had had a poor season so far, and their run of 3 playoff appearances in a row was in danger of coming to an end as they languished among Charlotte and Toronto at the bottom of the east. Four straight wins to end the month did help their cause a little, moving them back in slight touching distance of the top 8. The highlight a superb 91-120 win at home to leaders Tampa as well as a win in Indiana. Perhaps a strong second half of the season beckoned for Washington. Dallas, like Tampa, had eked out a gap at the top of their conference. The trio of Aguirre, Benjamin and Thomas was dominating the court for Dallas and they looked even stronger than either of their two championship winning teams of the 80s. The big Lakers news in January was an injury to Magic Johnson, who tore an MCL and would be out until the end of March and missed the All Star game. The Bucks fell off the pace a little during the month, losing three successive games on two separate occasions. This included a slim 93-92 loss at home to the Warriors where rookie Tim Hardaway continued his impressive first season to top score. Hardaway was well clear as top points scorer amongst the rookies, and was instantly thrown in as a start in an already young Warriors side. Hardaway also led amongst rookies in both assists and steals. The Warriors still found themselves amongst a bunch of teams harboring playoff aspirations in what was turning into a 7 for 2 playoff battle in the West. Portland had recovered from their poor start to climb into the top 8 but were still very much in catching distance, as were Utah who had surpassed last season's win total already in early January.
Eastern Conference Standings (1st February)
- Tampa Bay Bandits - 33-10
- Boston Celtics - 29-18
- Indiana Pacers - 28-16
- New York Knicks - 25-17
- New Jersey Nets - 23-21
- Philadelphia 76ers - 24-23
- Detroit Pistons - 21-22
- Atlanta Hawks - 23-25
- Cleveland Cavaliers - 22-24
- Miami Heat - 17-24
- Washington Bullets - 19-27
- Charlotte Hornets - 18-28
- Toronto Huskies - 12-32
Western Conference Standings
- Dallas Mavericks - 32-12
- Los Angeles Lakers - 28-16
- Houston Rockets - 29-13
- Milwaukee Bucks - 29-15
- Chicago Bulls - 29-18
- Sacramento Kings - 27-19
- Utah Jazz - 23-22
- Portland Trail Blazers - 21-23
- Phoenix Suns - 18-25
- Golden State Warriors - 19-27
- Seattle SuperSonics - 19-27
- Denver Nuggets - 16-29
- Los Angeles Clippers - 13-28
- Minnesota Polars - 4-40
League Leaders
Points
- Karl Malone (26.3)
- Reggie Miller (25.6)
- Brad Daugherty (14.1)
- Benoit Benjamin (12.8)
- John Stockton (10.8)
- Magic Johnson (10.0)
- Michael Jordan (2.2)
- Maurice Cheeks (2.2)
- Benoit Benjamin (3.3)
- Patrick Ewing (3.0)
- Tim Hardaway (3.7)
- Derek Harper (3.4)
In the 1990 All Star game, the East again made up for their playoff failures by getting their now annual win over the West. Larry Bird was named MVP, with 19 points and 6 assists in 21 minutes. Isiah Thomas led the scoring for the West.
All Star Line Ups | |
|---|---|
Eastern | Western |
Michael Jordan | Clyde Drexler |
Jim Paxson | Isiah Thomas |
David Robinson | Charles Barkley |
Larry Bird | Akeem Olajuwon |
Brad Daugherty | Karl Malone |
Byron Scott | John Stockton |
Derek Harper | Sidney Moncrief |
Ralph Sampson | Patrick Ewing |
Alex English | Robert Parish |
Adrian Dantley | Benoit Benjamin |
JackSikma | Mark Aguirre |
Rolando Blackman | Sleepy Floyd |
Up Next: The 1989-90 Season - Part 2
i wonder what would be of his HIV ITTL, he's still his OTL self about reckless sexual behaviour
Yep, nothing ITTL to suggest he would be any different to OTL, which means the Lakers may not have many more opportunities after this season to challenge for the Championship for a while..
1989-90 Season - Part 2: Rocket Men
1989-90 Season - Part 2: Rocket Men
February
In February, the 7 for 2 playoff race that had opened up in January quite quickly closed into a 3 for 2 race. The Clippers, Warriors, SuperSonics and Nuggets all fell away in February, with Denver finishing the month with 8 straight losses. Included in those 8 were damaging losses to Portland and twice to Phoenix, the teams currently occupying those last two spots. Seattle would lose 7 of their last 8 in the month, and the sole win was by one point over Milwaukee. The Warriors still had Tim Hardaway in good form but the reality was they were still a couple of years away from being the finished article. The only team of the 4 who potentially could still make a run was the Clippers, who had a couple of games extra to play than those above them. The Clippers kept themselves in the hunt with a 5 game win streak against teams that were around them in the league, beating Seattle twice, the Warriors, Jazz and Portland. The Lakers were the form team at the top, winning 10 of their last 11 in February. It still wasn’t enough to lead the conference however, as the Rockets also put together a strong month and led. Dallas, who had led at the end of January, were still right in there but had fallen off the top after 5 defeats in 6 during the middle of the month. The 5 defeats included two to the Lakers and once to the Rockets (38 for Barkley in this one). Akeem Olajuwon had a sensational month for Houston, elevating him to favorite for the season MVP race, one that this year was hotly contested due to Magic’s injury. Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing and Charles Barkley were also among the contenders, with David Robinson the sole mention from the players in the East. Speaking of the East, Tampa’s lead had been cut slightly in February. Boston put together an 8 game win streak of their own (that included 3 wins of New Jersey) whilst New York finished the month with 7 wins out of 8. The Bandits would lose 6 times through the month, including two to Detroit and a surprising loss at home to Utah. The playoff race was very close in the East. Everyone from Indiana in 4th down to Charlotte in 12th would probably still be considered in the race for a postseason appearance. Cleveland had won 5 straight to move in to the last spot, although 3 of those wins were against the two new expansion sides. Behind Cleveland, New Jersey’s excellent start to the season was a distant memory as they continued to slide despite having Brad Daugherty and his talents. Just inside the playoff spots was Detroit and Philadelphia, who would both probably be happy with their seasons so far given the recent upheaval in rosters for both.
March
The start of March bought good news for the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks had had Dominique Wilkins ruled out before the start of the season for what they thought would be the whole campaign. Despite this, Atlanta had kept themselves inside the playoff spots thanks to the form of Reggie Miller and Derek Harper. Then, at the start of March, the Hawks announced that Wilkins would make a return from injury months earlier than expected. The momentum of this good news, plus having a player of Wilkins’ caliber back in the roster, gave the Hawks a boost that saw them win 12 of 13 games in March and actually promoted them to being the closest team to leaders Tampa. Incredibly, Wilkins would score 41 points in his first game back, at home to Phoenix. Boston would fall away from the top in March, losing nine straight including defeats to those around them (Tampa, New York, Atlanta & Detroit). The highest point of Boston’s month was a great win in LA against the Lakers, where former Laker Byron Scott top scored. Detroit, having only been a couple of games above the playoff line going into the month, had actually booked their spot in the postseason by the time the month had finished. They lost just 4 times all month and booked their playoff spot with a 115-102 win in Miami. Two teams who were not winning games in the East were Charlotte and Toronto. Neither side won a game in March, and were on long losing streaks. (14 for Charlotte and 18 for Toronto.) In the West, Minnesota won in Utah at the end of the month to end an 18 game losing run of their own. Also in the West, the top 8 seemed to become a lock by the month end. Utah, having been close to Portland and Phoenix, lost 7 of their last 9 games in the month as Phoenix and Portland pulled clear and into positive figures. Portland especially had started the month at a 29-30 record, and would finish it at 41-32 after an incredible month as Clyde Drexler started to hit top form for his side. Phoenix, whilst not as productive, still notched up 9 wins to keep themselves ticking over including a nice win in Tampa over the East leaders, Kevin Johnson top scorer on that day. The real battle in the West was the one for the top seed. The big 4, Houston, Dallas, the Lakers and Sacramento ended the month within two games of each other. It was the Lakers who ended the month on top, with Houston and Sacramento 1 game behind and Dallas another 1 game back. The race was very much on going into April.
1st April Playoff Picture
East
7. Philadelphia 76ers - 38-35
8. New Jersey Nets - 38-36
---------------------------------------
9. Washington Bullets - 34-39
10. Cleveland Cavaliers - 34-41
West
8. Phoenix Suns - 39-36
---------------------------------------
9. Utah Jazz - 33-41
East
7. Philadelphia 76ers - 38-35
8. New Jersey Nets - 38-36
---------------------------------------
9. Washington Bullets - 34-39
10. Cleveland Cavaliers - 34-41
West
8. Phoenix Suns - 39-36
---------------------------------------
9. Utah Jazz - 33-41
April
1 April
Minnesota Polars 94-93 Golden State Warriors
Atlanta Hawks 104-109 Chicago Bulls
Washington Bullets 98-93 Philadelphia 76ers
Houston Rockets 103-92 Utah Jazz
Cleveland Cavaliers 102-95 Seattle SuperSonics
Minnesota Polars 94-93 Golden State Warriors
Atlanta Hawks 104-109 Chicago Bulls
Washington Bullets 98-93 Philadelphia 76ers
Houston Rockets 103-92 Utah Jazz
Cleveland Cavaliers 102-95 Seattle SuperSonics
A good day for Tampa without even playing, as they moved to within one win of clinching the top seed in the East after Atlanta’s loss in Chicago. There was a big win for Washington as they moved within three wins of the 76ers with an away win in Philly and allowed Cleveland to do the same with their win in Seattle. Houston moved level with the Lakers thanks to their win in Utah, although had now played a game more. Minnesota and Golden State had nothing to play for, but any win for Minnesota this season is notable in its own right. Utah’s loss against Houston also meant Phoenix were one win away from clinching the last spot in the West side of the playoffs
3 April
Phoenix Suns 95-118 Charlotte Hornets
Phoenix missed out on the chance to clinch that playoff spot with a surprise thrashing in Charlotte. Dave Greenwood hit 24 points and 10 rebounds as the Hornets ended their long losing streak.Phoenix Suns 95-118 Charlotte Hornets
5 April
Atlanta Hawks 108-104 New Jersey Nets
Houston Rockets 104-94 Toronto Huskies
Los Angeles Lakers 111-89 Los Angeles Clippers
Tampa Bay Bandits 114-102 Milwaukee Bucks
Cleveland Cavaliers 100-79 Washington Bullets
Sacramento Kings 119-86 Seattle SuperSonics
Dallas Mavericks 120-105 Philadelphia 76ers
Utah Jazz 79-62 Minnesota Polars
Atlanta Hawks 108-104 New Jersey Nets
Houston Rockets 104-94 Toronto Huskies
Los Angeles Lakers 111-89 Los Angeles Clippers
Tampa Bay Bandits 114-102 Milwaukee Bucks
Cleveland Cavaliers 100-79 Washington Bullets
Sacramento Kings 119-86 Seattle SuperSonics
Dallas Mavericks 120-105 Philadelphia 76ers
Utah Jazz 79-62 Minnesota Polars
A night full of key games at both ends of the table and both sides of the country. Atlanta kept the conference race alive in the East and kept New Jersey looking over their shoulders at the teams below them. The top 4 in the West all won, to keep it all as it was in the race for the top seed. Despite Atlanta’s earlier win, Tampa clinched the East with a win in Milwaukee. John Paxson had an incredible 19 assists. It was Tampa’s first top seed since relocating from San Antonio and continued an incredible rise for the franchise since the move. In the playoff race in the East, Cleveland won in the battle of the chasing teams in Washington whilst Philly had a not unexpected loss at home to Dallas.
8 April
Tampa Bay Bandits 67-89 Washington Bullets
Tampa Bay Bandits 67-89 Washington Bullets
It appeared the Bandits were still recovering from a night of celebration as they scored just 67 in Washington. It was a big win for the Bullets though, moving them to within two wins of Philly and New Jersey.
11 April
Toronto Huskies 95-79 New Jersey Nets
Houston Rockets 102-97 Los Angeles Clippers
Philadelphia 76ers 105-94 Phoenix Suns
Los Angeles Lakers 98-115 Dallas Mavericks
A shock defeat for New Jersey at home to Toronto will get the nerves up with Washington and Cleveland closing in. The 76ers give themselves a bit of breathing space as they beat Phoenix, who in turn will still now have one eye on Utah. At the top of the West, Houston won again whilst Dallas beat the Lakers. Joe Dumars top scoring with 26. The result means the top 4 are now separated by 1.5 games, with Houston currently on top.
12 April
Dallas Mavericks 99-112 Sacramento Kings
Phoenix Suns 107-88 New York Knicks
Houston Rockets 101-111 Detroit Pistons
Washington Bullets 89-96 Atlanta Hawks
Cleveland Cavaliers 88-89 Toronto Huskies
Dallas Mavericks 99-112 Sacramento Kings
Phoenix Suns 107-88 New York Knicks
Houston Rockets 101-111 Detroit Pistons
Washington Bullets 89-96 Atlanta Hawks
Cleveland Cavaliers 88-89 Toronto Huskies
The Kings jump to the top of the West with an excellent win at home to Dallas who can’t back up their own excellent win over the Lakers the night before. Houston also suffered defeat in Detroit in a dent to their top seed hopes. Washington and Cleveland both suffer damaging defeats in their playoff fights, whilst Phoenix clinched the last spot in the West with a good win in New York.
13 April
Los Angeles Clippers 95-106 Los Angeles Lakers
Boston Celtics 121-109 Philadelphia 76ers
Los Angeles Clippers 95-106 Los Angeles Lakers
Boston Celtics 121-109 Philadelphia 76ers
The Lakers move level on wins with Houston and Sacramento, with an extra game left to play. Purvis Short with 32 against the Clippers. In the East, Philly continued to struggle to get over the line after defeat at home to Boston.
15 April
New Jersey Nets 101-115 Sacramento Kings
Denver Nuggets 88-89 Dallas Mavericks
Washington Bullets 96-89 Tampa Bay Bandits
New Jersey Nets 101-115 Sacramento Kings
Denver Nuggets 88-89 Dallas Mavericks
Washington Bullets 96-89 Tampa Bay Bandits
New Jersey made it 4 straight losses with defeat in Sacramento, which keeps the Kings top of the West for the time being. Dallas kept their chances of topping the West alive just about, winning by one over Denver thanks to the performances of Isiah Thomas and Benoit Benjamin. Washington move to within one of New Jersey by beating the Bandits in Tampa.
16 April
Utah Jazz 102-115 Los Angeles Lakers
Detroit Pistons 108-99 Philadelphia 76ers
Cleveland Cavaliers 97-105 Boston Celtics
Utah Jazz 102-115 Los Angeles Lakers
Detroit Pistons 108-99 Philadelphia 76ers
Cleveland Cavaliers 97-105 Boston Celtics
The Lakers win again to move back level with Sacramento with one game more to play. Detroit dealt Philly a blow despite a double double from Ralph Sampson against his old team. Scottie Pippen with 26 for Detroit. The 76ers were leaving themselves vulnerable to both New Jersey and Washington, but not Cleveland as their playoff challenge came to an end in Boston, leaving themselves with too much to do with just three games left.
17 April
Washington Bullets 99-107 Portland Trail Blazers
New Jersey Nets 99-107 Houston Rockets
Golden State Warriors 106-112 Los Angeles Lakers
Philadelphia 76ers 96-108 Dallas Mavericks
Washington Bullets 99-107 Portland Trail Blazers
New Jersey Nets 99-107 Houston Rockets
Golden State Warriors 106-112 Los Angeles Lakers
Philadelphia 76ers 96-108 Dallas Mavericks
It was a good night for home teams, with wins for Houston, Dallas and the Lakers leaving all three still with a chance at the top of the West. The Lakers moved above Sacramento to the top with a win. The three teams battling for 7th and 8th in the East all lost, leaving it still with all to play for. Washington were running out of games to climb into the top 8 however.
18 April
Dallas Mavericks 102-90 Milwaukee Bucks
New Jersey Nets 109-110 Utah Jazz
New York Knicks 88-90 Boston Celtics
Dallas Mavericks 102-90 Milwaukee Bucks
New Jersey Nets 109-110 Utah Jazz
New York Knicks 88-90 Boston Celtics
Dallas kept up their chances at winning both the Western Conference and the Midwest division with a win in Milwaukee. The Nets suffered a big blow, just losing out to Utah to leave the door open for Washington. Terry Cummings had 24 to hurt his former team. Meanwhile, in an intriguing battle in the East, Boston won at home to New York to move level with the Knicks. Whoever came out on top over the last two games would win the Atlantic division and 2nd seed in the East.
19 April
Denver Nuggets 119-124 Philadelphia 76ers
Indiana Pacers 83-104 Washington Bullets
Houston Rockets 112-105 Los Angeles Lakers
Denver Nuggets 119-124 Philadelphia 76ers
Indiana Pacers 83-104 Washington Bullets
Houston Rockets 112-105 Los Angeles Lakers
Philly finally secured a playoff spot with a win over Denver. Adrian Dantley scored a massive 49 points, helping the 76ers make a return to the postseason for the first time in 4 years. There was a big win for Washington at home to Indiana, moving them level with New Jersey although still trailing on head to head. And in the biggest result of the night Houston moved level with the Lakers at the top of the West. With two games each to go, the Lakers, Rockets and Kings all sat on 55 wins, with Dallas one back on 54.
20 April
Dallas Mavericks 105-99 Sacramento Kings
Boston Celtics 93-76 Tampa Bay Bandits
New York Knicks 95-100 Indiana Pacers
Dallas Mavericks 105-99 Sacramento Kings
Boston Celtics 93-76 Tampa Bay Bandits
New York Knicks 95-100 Indiana Pacers
Stockton and Ewing both show up to help Dallas win in Sacramento, the win moves Dallas level with the Kings, Rockets and the Lakers but both Houston and the Lakers have 2 games left compared to Dallas and Sacramento’s one. Boston moved within a win of securing the Atlantic Division back from New York, winning in Tampa whilst New York were losing in Indiana.
21 April
Sacramento Kings 102-108 Houston Rockets
Dallas Mavericks 97-82 Seattle SuperSonics
Portland Trail Blazers 101-98 Los Angeles Lakers
Detroit Pistons 109-95 Washington Bullets
Atlanta Hawks 117-100 New Jersey Nets
Philadelphia 76ers 87-112 Boston Celtics
Sacramento Kings 102-108 Houston Rockets
Dallas Mavericks 97-82 Seattle SuperSonics
Portland Trail Blazers 101-98 Los Angeles Lakers
Detroit Pistons 109-95 Washington Bullets
Atlanta Hawks 117-100 New Jersey Nets
Philadelphia 76ers 87-112 Boston Celtics
A massive win for Houston thanks to 38 points from Charles Barkley which, coupled with the Lakers' shock home loss to Portland, leaves Houston one win from top seed. The Kings’ defeat to Houston, coupled with Dallas’ win in Seattle, means Sacramento will be 4th seed and Dallas 3rd. In the East, both Washington and New Jersey lose at home, meaning Washington must win and New Jersey lose on the final day for a change in positions for the 8th spot. Boston clinched the Atlantic Division with a win over Philly.
22 April
Miami Heat 101-109 Washington Bullets
Milwaukee Bucks 107-109 New Jersey Nets
Los Angeles Lakers 125-84 Los Angeles Clippers
Seattle SuperSonics 93-113 Houston Rockets
Washington do the business at home to Miami, but Brad Daugherty is the star for New Jersey as they cling on against Milwaukee to secure the final spot in the East. In the West, the Lakers thrash the Clippers to win the battle of LA but Houston, as expected, have too much for Seattle at home and clinch top spot by one win over the Lakers and Dallas.
Final Conference Standings
East
1. Tampa Bay Bandits - 55-27
2. Boston Celtics - 49-33
3. Atlanta Hawks - 50-32
4. Indiana Pacers - 50-32
5. Detroit Pistons - 48-34
6. New York Knicks - 48-34
7. Philadelphia 76ers - 40-42
8. New Jersey Nets - 39-43
-------------------------------------
9. Washington Bullets - 39-43
10. Cleveland Cavaliers - 37-45
11. Miami Heat - 33-49
12. Charlotte Hornets - 27-55
13. Toronto Huskies - 19-63
Atlantic Division
Central Division
West
1. Houston Rockets - 57-25
2. Los Angeles Lakers - 56-26
3. Dallas Mavericks - 55-27
4. Sacramento Kings - 55-27
5. Chicago Bulls - 52-30
6. Portland Trail Blazers - 47-35
7. Milwaukee Bucks - 44-38
8. Phoenix Suns - 42-40
---------------------------------------
9. Utah Jazz - 36-46
10. Golden State Warriors - 32-50
11. Denver Nuggets - 29-53
12. Los Angeles Clippers - 29-53
13. Seattle SuperSonics - 28-54
14. Minnesota Polars - 10-74
Midwest Division
Pacific Division
Playoff BracketsEast
1. Tampa Bay Bandits - 55-27
2. Boston Celtics - 49-33
3. Atlanta Hawks - 50-32
4. Indiana Pacers - 50-32
5. Detroit Pistons - 48-34
6. New York Knicks - 48-34
7. Philadelphia 76ers - 40-42
8. New Jersey Nets - 39-43
-------------------------------------
9. Washington Bullets - 39-43
10. Cleveland Cavaliers - 37-45
11. Miami Heat - 33-49
12. Charlotte Hornets - 27-55
13. Toronto Huskies - 19-63
Atlantic Division
Central Division
West
1. Houston Rockets - 57-25
2. Los Angeles Lakers - 56-26
3. Dallas Mavericks - 55-27
4. Sacramento Kings - 55-27
5. Chicago Bulls - 52-30
6. Portland Trail Blazers - 47-35
7. Milwaukee Bucks - 44-38
8. Phoenix Suns - 42-40
---------------------------------------
9. Utah Jazz - 36-46
10. Golden State Warriors - 32-50
11. Denver Nuggets - 29-53
12. Los Angeles Clippers - 29-53
13. Seattle SuperSonics - 28-54
14. Minnesota Polars - 10-74
Midwest Division
Pacific Division
(1E) Tampa Bay Bandits
(8E) New Jersey Nets
(4E) Indiana Pacers
(5E) Detroit Pistons
(3E) Atlanta Hawks
(6E) New York Knicks
(2E) Boston Celtics
(7E) Philadelphia 76ers
-------------------------------
(1W) Houston Rockets
(8W) Phoenix Suns
(4W) Sacramento Kings
(5W) Chicago Bulls
(3W) Dallas Mavericks
(6W) Portland Trail Blazers
(2W) Los Angeles Lakers
(7W) Milwaukee Bucks
Regular Season Awards
| Individual Awards | |
|---|---|
| Most Valuable Player | Akeem Olajuwon (Rockets) |
| Rookie of the Year | Tim Hardaway (Warriors) |
| Sixth Man of the Year | Clark Kellogg (Celtics) |
| Defensive Player of the Year | Akeem Olajuwon (Rockets) |
| Most Improved Player | Gary Grant (Huskies) |
| Player of the Month | ||
|---|---|---|
| Month | Eastern | Western |
| November | Alex English (Heat) | Karl Malone (Bulls) |
| December | Brad Daugherty (Nets) | Patrick Ewing (Kings) |
| January | David Robinson (Bandits) | Karl Malone (Bulls) |
| February | Alex English (Heat) | Magic Johnson (Lakers) |
| March | Michael Jordan (Knicks) | Akeem Olajuwon (Rockets) |
| April | Brad Daugherty (Nets) | Akeem Olajuwon (Rockets) |
| Rookie of the Month | ||
|---|---|---|
| Month | Eastern | Western |
| November | Shawn Kemp (Hawks) | Tim Hardaway (Warriors) |
| December | Vlade Divac (Celtics) | Tim Hardaway (Warriors) |
| January | Randy White (Bullets) | Glen Rice (Jazz) |
| February | Shawn Kemp (Hawks) | Tim Hardaway (Warriors) |
| March | Vlade Divac (Celtics) | Glen Rice (Jazz) |
| April | Shawn Kemp (Hawks) | Tim Hardaway (Warriors) |
| All-NBA Teams | ||
|---|---|---|
| All-NBA 1st | All-NBA 2nd | All-NBA 3rd |
| Magic Johnson (Lakers) | Clyde Drexler (Trail Blazers) | John Stockton (Kings) |
| Michael Jordan (Knicks) | Isiah Thomas (Mavericks) | Kenny Fields (Bucks) |
| Karl Malone (Bulls) | Alex English (Heat) | Hot Rod Williams (SuperSonics) |
| Charles Barkley (Rockets) | Scottie Pippen (Pistons) | Larry Bird (Celtics) |
| Akeem Olajuwon (Rockets) | Patrick Ewing (Kings) | David Robinson (Bandits) |
| All-Defensive 1st | All-Rookie 1st |
| Michael Jordan (Knicks) | Tim Hardaway (Warriors) |
| Sidney Moncrief (Bucks) | Vlade Divac (Celtics) |
| Scottie Pippen (Bucks) | Glen Rice (Jazz) |
| Karl Malone (Bulls) | Pervis Elliosn (Bucks) |
| Akeem Olajuwon (Rockets) | Shawn Kemp (Hawks) |
Up Next: The 1989-90 Playoffs - Be great to see any predictions below!
Sorry, if I missed it.I'm just f8nding the timeline right now but did David Robinson not go to Navy or was he drafted only after his navy career was over.I remember OTL he had to wait a few years before he could play in the NBA.
Donald Carter might never sell the Mavericks with this kind of saccess. I was just reading about him. He still had a minority interest in the team to the end. But I can imagine he would want to keep the whole thing. I can see Jerry jones being more anxious to get the Cowboys a win.Just because he feels like they are falling behind the Mavericks
Donald Carter might never sell the Mavericks with this kind of saccess. I was just reading about him. He still had a minority interest in the team to the end. But I can imagine he would want to keep the whole thing. I can see Jerry jones being more anxious to get the Cowboys a win.Just because he feels like they are falling behind the Mavericks
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He was drafted as otl,once he finished his service on the Navy engineering corps
Thanks for reading! Interesting point about Carter and the Mavericks. The flip side is they are of course even more attractive to potential buyers. Lets see what happens through the 90s
That seems like a solid prediction, not sure Bird will get many more opportunities to add to his 1 x title
They've been in 2 less finals than in the same OTL period ! Hope you are enjoying nonetheless
1989-90 Season - Part 3: Written in the Stars
1989-90 Season - Part 3: Written in the Stars
Before the playoffs, the NBA announced that the Sixth Man of the Year Award, won by Clark Kellogg at Boston this season, was to be renamed the Len Bias Sixth Man of the Year award. Bias, who died just days after his Houston Rockets side won the 1988 NBA Championship, won the Sixth Man award in both his two seasons in the NBA.
The Playoffs
East 1st Round
Tampa Bay Bandits 3-0 New Jersey Nets
A comfy sweep for the Bandits as the top seed advance to a third straight semi final
Indiana Pacers 1-3 Detroit Pistons
Detroit win in 4 thanks to 32 points from Vandeweghe and 22 points and 16 assists from Scott Skiles in game 4.
Atlanta Hawks 3-2 New York Knicks
Michael Jordan forces game 5 with 33 points and a last second winner in game 4, but he and the Knicks are knocked out by 39 points and 13 assists from Reggie Miller in game 5.
Boston Celtics 3-0 Philadelphia 76ers
Philly have clearly forgotten how to play more than 82 games in a season during their playoff drought, as Boston win in 3 with ease to reach their first semi final since 1987.
West 1st Round
Houston Rockets 3-0 Phoenix Suns
Revenge for Houston after last seasons exit as Akeem posts 34 points and 10 rebounds in game 3
Sacramento Kings 3-1 Chicago Bulls
Karl Malone won game 3 on the buzzer to keep the series going to a fourth, but free scoring Sacramento break their playoff hoodoo to advance to the semis
Dallas Mavericks 3-1 Portland Trail Blazers
Dallas advance in 4, despite Clyde Drexler posting 42 points in game 4 in his attempt to keep the series going.
Los Angeles Lakers 3-0 Milwaukee Bucks
Bucks will feel the sweep scoreline is a little deceiving, as the Lakers won the first and third games by two points, and the second game by just one point but it's the Lakers who do advance to put the big 4 in the West all in the semis with two mouthwatering matchups.
East Semi Finals
Tampa Bay Bandits 2-4 Detroit Pistons
Game 1: 26 from Pippen gives Detroit an away win (0-1)
Game 2: Bandits level it up in the series with dominant first half to give them a comfortable win (1-1)
Game 3: Pistons dominate in Detroit thanks to 27 from Skiles and 24 from Vandeweghe (1-2)
Game 4: Impressive defense from Detroit continues their strong playoff form and leaves them one game from final (1-3)
Game 5: Bandits keep series going with comfortable win at home (2-3)
Game 6: Detroit recover from difficult 1st Quarter to progress to the final, Blackman top scorer. (2-4)
Boston Celtics 1-4 Atlanta Hawks
Game 1: 2nd Quarter domination gives Hawks 1-0 lead in Boston (0-1)
Game 2: A lackluster Boston are beaten again at home to give the Hawks a strong advantage (0-2)
Game 3: Boston roar back with away win of their own. Scott, Price, Kellogg and McHale all score 20+ (1-2)
Game 4: Larry Bird top scores but can’t stop Atlanta moving 3-1 up in the series (1-3)
Game 5: Wilkins / Miller duo too strong for Boston who suffer a disappointing exit as rumours of a Larry Bird retirement grow (1-4)
West Semi Finals
Houston Rockets 0-4 Sacramento Kings
Game 1: Back and Forth game goes way of Kings. Ewing with 22 Points and 12 Rebounds (0-1)
Game 2: Sacramento’s playoff hoodoo seems well and truly broken with two away wins in Houston (0-2)
Game 3: Double Doubles for Stockton and Ewing as Sacramento hold on to go 3-0 up (0-3)
Game 4: Sacramento race into 17 point lead, pegged back by Houston before late bucket by Lasalle Thompson sends Sacramento through to their first final since 1981 (0-4)
Los Angeles Lakers 3-4 Dallas Mavericks
Game 1: 23 points and 13 Assists for Isiah as Dallas lead throughout to take home an away win (0-1)
Game 2: Magic with 33 and one rebound short of a triple double as Lakers thrash Dallas (1-1)
Game 3: Crazy back and forth game until Lakers go clear in 4th Quarter. Double Doubles for Magic, Worthy and Parish (2-1)
Game 4: Crazy 82 point 3rd Quarter between the two left Dallas 1 point up before they moved clear in last quarter to level series (2-2)
Game 5: Triple Double from Magic as well as 30 points from Parish is too much for Dallas to stop (3-2)
Game 6: 34 points from Aguirre and a double double from Thomas sends this brilliant series to a game 7, Magic Johnson suffers a bad eye injury and will miss the deciding game. (3-3)
Game 7: Dallas are far too strong for a Magic-less Lakers, with double doubles for Isiah and Dumars. (3-4)
East Final
Atlanta Hawks 3 - 4 Detroit Pistons
Game 1: Detroit hold off Atlanta fight back to win first game in Atlanta (0-1)
Game 2: Atlanta stage 4th Quarter comeback to level series (1-1)
Game 3: Atlanta steal another one late on, in a 35 point game for Dominique Wilkins (2-1)
Game 4: Reggie Miller on form in game 4 to put Atlanta one away from the NBA final (3-1)
Game 5: Pistons keep series alive with narrow win in Atlanta (3-2)
Game 6: Dominant win for Detroit at home thanks to 20+ from Vandeweghe, Blackman and Skiles takes the series to Game 7 (3-3)
Game 7: Pippen, Skiles, Vandeweghe and Blackman all score 20+, with Detroit staging a 15 point fourth quarter comeback to storm into the NBA finals. (3-4)
Dallas Mavericks 4 - 3 Sacramento Kings
Game 1: 40 points and 14 rebounds from Ewing in playoff masterclass gives Kings an away win and continues their now 8 game winning run in the playoffs (0-1)
Game 2: Dallas don’t mess around in game 2, racing clear and not looking back in dominant win to level (1-1)
Game 3: Kings return the favour on Dallas in a game 3 domination, winning all 4 quarters to lead 2-1 (1-2)
Game 4: Dallas leave it too late to stage comeback and the Kings go 3-1 up (1-3)
Game 5: Another double double from Thomas keeps Dallas in the series (2-3)
Game 6: Crazy game in Sacramento that was still back and forth late on. Isiah’s 24 is enough to send the series to a decider (3-3)
Game 7: Both defences are on top in a cagey game, but Thomas is once again the main man scoring 26 to set up a mouthwatering NBA final against his old side Detroit (4-3)
1989-90 NBA Championship Final
The Road to the Final
Detroit Pistons
Conference Rank: 5th
Division Rank: 4th
Playoff Run
1R - Indiana Pacers (3-1)
SF - Tampa Bay Bandits (4-2)
F - Atlanta Hawks (4-3)
Key Players: Scottie Pippen, Kiki Vandeweghe, Rolando Blackmann
Dallas Mavericks
Conference Rank: 3rd
Division Rank: 2nd
Playoff Run
1R - Portland Trail Blazers (3-1)
SF - Los Angeles Lakers (4-3)
F - Sacramento Kings (4-3)
Key Players: Isiah Thomas, Mark Aguirre, Benoit Benjamin
The Road to the Final
Detroit Pistons
Conference Rank: 5th
Division Rank: 4th
Playoff Run
1R - Indiana Pacers (3-1)
SF - Tampa Bay Bandits (4-2)
F - Atlanta Hawks (4-3)
Key Players: Scottie Pippen, Kiki Vandeweghe, Rolando Blackmann
Dallas Mavericks
Conference Rank: 3rd
Division Rank: 2nd
Playoff Run
1R - Portland Trail Blazers (3-1)
SF - Los Angeles Lakers (4-3)
F - Sacramento Kings (4-3)
Key Players: Isiah Thomas, Mark Aguirre, Benoit Benjamin
Game 1:
A back and forth 1st quarter sees 7 lead changes and Dallas eventually lead 24-25 at the end of it. Dallas extended that lead to 6 by half time, leading 46-52 at the midway point. Aguirre had 17 points in the first half, shooting 8 out of 11 from the field. The 3rd quarter was another up and down 12 minutes, eventually Detroit would take the quarter by 1, giving Dallas a 5 point lead going into the 4th. Dallas stretched clear in the 4th, leading by 12 with 3 minutes to play. Scottie Pippen sunk a three point shot to reduce the deficit to 9 before Benoit Benjamin extended the lead back to 11 with a rebound and dunk to give him the double double. Dallas kept Detroit at bay late on to eventually win by 15.
Detroit Pistons 96-111 Dallas Mavericks
Game 2:
Detroit started fast in game 2, hitting 33 points in the first quarter to lead by 10. Scottie Pippen had 10 points of his own, but sustained an injury that would hamper him for the rest of the game. Dallas reduced the gap to 7 in a cagey 2nd quarter, before Detroit stuttered to just 13 points in the third leaving the game tied on 66 points each with just the fourth quarter remaining. The fourth was insanely close, Skiles leveling the game up at 84 each with 3 minutes to go. Aguirre put Dallas up by two before a superb Benjamin block allowed Dallas back up the other end to extend their lead to 4 inside the last 90 seconds. Detroit would score just one more bucket before the end of the game, as they fell short again in the last quarter. Benoit Benjamin finished the game with another double double, 13 points and 20 rebounds.
Detroit Pistons 86-97 Dallas Mavericks
Game 3:
Detroit made the most of home advantage in game 3. They led 34-57 at half time and would also win the 3rd and 4th quarters, albeit by narrower margins, to record a comfortable home win. Larry Drew top scored for the Pistons, with 23 in 23 minutes whilst there were double doubles for Scott Skiles and George Montgomery. Montgomery had been undrafted in the 1985 draft and was only eventually signed in 1987 as cover for Detroit, yet was putting in an incredible performance on the biggest stage.
Dallas Mavericks 83-113 Detroit Pistons
Game 4:
The game where the defending champions really showed their teeth. Dallas would score 36 in the first quarter alone, to Detroit’s 19 and eventually led by 21 with 12 minutes to go. Thomas had 17 in the first three quarters whilst Benjamin was just unbeatable under the hoops, with 21 rebounds with another quarter to go. Detroit mounted a mini revival in the last quarter, but left themselves with too much to do. The bad news for Dallas, Benoit Benjamin picked up a late ankle injury that would rule the, up until now, finals MVP out of the rest of the series.
Dallas Mavericks 101-90 Detroit Pistons
Game 5:
Dallas, one game from the title, started well at home. They led by three after the first quarter, but were pegged back by a resurgent Detroit who led at the halftime mark. Dallas pulled it back level by the end of the third quarter before both teams exchanged leads at the start of the final 12. Kevin Willis was filling in superbly for the injured Benjamin, with 16 points and 8 rebounds through the first 3 quarters. With just under 4 minutes to go, a field goal from Blackman brought Detroit back within one of Dallas. An Aguirre layup was canceled out by a Levingston field goal to keep the gap at 1 at the 3 minute to go mark. With a minute to go, a Scottie Pippen layup again brought Detroit within one, having trailed by 5 at one stage after buckets from Aguirre and Thomas. Aguirre then received the ball from Thomas under the rim before perfecting the alley Oop to re-extend the lead back to 3 and leave Dallas 52 seconds from back to back titles. Another Levingston dunk kept Detroit right in the game. The big moment came in the next play, with Dallas moving the ball up the pitch and moving it right to Isiah Thomas. Thomas, who had moved from Detroit to Dallas to, in his words, win titles, hit the perfect jump shot that sailed through the middle of the rim to put Dallas back to 3 clear, 31 seconds now on the clock. Detroit called a timeout, before moving the ball into Pippen in the Dallas half who drove inside and hit a close range jumpshot that got Detroit back to that margin of one once more. Skiles intentionally fouled from the restart to try and extend the game. After Dumars scored his first free throw, he missed his second but the rebound was picked up by Kite who was also fouled to give Kite the chance to put Dallas four clear. Kite, though, missed both, giving Detroit a timeout with 19 seconds left and a chance to tie up the game with potentially their last play. The ball was moved to Pippen, who held the ball midway inside the Dallas half. With four seconds left, he drove down the side to the basket, but his jumpshot hit the rim and lipped out. Another foul on Kite gave him the opportunity to wrap it up for Dallas. Kite would again miss both free throws, leaving the gap at two with the game in the final second. William Bedford launched one before the buzzer from the other end of the court, but his effort hit the rim, the backboard and then bounced clear, giving Dallas back to back titles and validating the decision of Isiah Thomas.
Detroit Pistons 96-98 Dallas Mavericks
1989-90 NBA Championship Final
Detroit Pistons 1-4 Dallas Mavericks
Finals MVP
Mark Aguirre
(Scott Skiles hits a jump shot during the 4th Quarter of game 5)
(Isiah Thomas against his former side sinks one to keep Dallas in front)
1989-90 NBA Championship Final
Detroit Pistons 1-4 Dallas Mavericks
Finals MVP
Mark Aguirre
(Scott Skiles hits a jump shot during the 4th Quarter of game 5)
(Isiah Thomas against his former side sinks one to keep Dallas in front)
Note: The Dallas side had 3 OTL Detroit players from their 1990 title winning side. Isiah Thomas, Mark Aguirre and Joe Dumars
Up Next: The 1990 Offseason
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Another thought I had. While Houston obviously is paling in comparison to dallas, Charles Barkley has won a ring and could win a few more given that Houston's best years were in the mid-90s in our timeline. I wonder what this will do for his political career. He ran for office in his home state of Alabama in our timeline if I recall, but here he is already in a rather conservative state, texas, and there could even be some calls for him to try to run there.
1990 - Offseason
1990 - Offseason
At the beginning of the 1990 off season, the NBA announced that beginning with the 1991 draft lottery, only the 7 teams with the worst records would take part in the lottery, with the remainder of the draft sorted by league records including the 4 teams who would miss out on the playoffs but take no part in the lottery. It comes after much speculation about how the draft lottery would be changed, following two consecutive years of the team with the best record receiving the number one pick. [1]
Also new, this in time for the start of this season, was a deal between the NBA and NBC. Following 17 years of the NBA being shown on CBS, Commissioner David Stern had cut a deal with NBC in order for more games to be shown live throughout the season. The NBA and NBC reached an agreement on a four-year, US$700 million, contract starting from the 1990-1991 season. [2]
The final, biggest offseason announcement came out of Boston. Larry Bird announced that the 1990-91 season would be his last. Bird revealed he had played through most of last season with back injuries, as well as still recovering from the surgery in both feet that had kept him out of most of the 88-89 season. There was still hope from those in Boston that the legendary forward might bow out by adding to his criminally low tally of one Championship. [3]
1990 Draft
For the third year in a row, the team with the best record secured the number one pick in the draft. Washington Bullets, having only missed out on the playoffs due to their head to head record with New Jersey, were awarded the number one pick in the 1990 draft. The second pick went to the team with the second best record last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
1990 1st Round Draft Picks
1 | Derrick Coleman | Washington Bullets |
2 | Gary Payton | Cleveland Cavaliers |
3 | Chris Jackson | Seattle SuperSonics |
4 | Dennis Scott | Seattle SuperSonics |
5 | Bo Kimble | Los Angeles Clippers |
6 | Felton Spencer | Toronto Huskies |
7 | Kendall Gill | Minnesota Polars |
8 | Lionel Simmons | Denver Nuggets |
9 | Willie Burton | Golden State Warriors |
10 | Rumeal Robinson | Utah Jazz |
11 | Tyrone Hill | Utah Jazz |
12 | Alex Kessler | New Jersey Nets |
13 | Travis Mays | Philadelphia 76ers |
14 | Loy Vaught | Phoenix Suns |
15 | Terry Mills | Milwaukee Bucks |
16 | Gerald Glass | Portland Trail Blazers |
17 | Jerrod Mustaf | New York Knicks |
18 | Duane Causwell | Denver Nuggets |
19 | Dee Brown | Boston Celtics |
20 | Dwayne Schintzius | Atlanta Hawks |
21 | Antonio Davis | Indiana Pacers |
22 | Jayson Williams | Golden State Warriors |
23 | Tate George | Toronto Bay Bandits |
24 | Anthony Bonner | Sacramento Kings |
25 | Elden Campbell | Los Angeles Lakers |
26 | Alaa Abdelnaby | Utah Jazz |
27 | Toni Kukoc | Dallas Mavericks |
Selected Others:
2nd Round - Cedric Ceballos - Phoenix Suns
1990-91 Season Preview
Eastern Conference
Tampa Bay Bandits
Last Season Record: 55-27
Starting 5: John Paxson, Reggie Theus, Chris Mullin, Buck Williams, David Robinson
Conference Prediction: 5th
Playoff Prediction: 1st Round
Boston Celtics
Last Season Record: 49-33
Starting 5: Mark Price, Byron Scott, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Vlade Divac
Conference Prediction: 2nd
Playoff Prediction: Runner Up
Atlanta Hawks
Last Season Record: 50-32
Starting 5: Derek Harper, Reggie Miller, Dominique Wilkins, Sam Perkins, Nick Vanos
Conference Prediction: 6th
Playoff Prediction: 1st Round
Indiana Pacers
Last Season Record: 50-32
Starting 5: Jerry Sichting, Jim Paxson, Kiki Vandeweghe, Danny Manning, Herb Williams
Conference Prediction: 1st
Playoff Prediction: 1st Round
Detroit Pistons
Last Season Record: 48-34
Starting 5: Scott Skiles, Rolando Blackman, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Manute Bol
Conference Prediction: 3rd
Playoff Prediction: Semi Final
New York Knicks
Last Season Record: 48-34
Starting 5: Terry Porter, Michael Jordan, Dale Ellis, Ed Pinckney, Pervis Ellison
Conference Prediction: 4th
Playoff Prediction: Conference Final
Philadelphia 76ers
Last Season Record: 40-42
Starting 5: Michael Williams, Vinnie Johnson, Sean Elliot, Charles Oakley, Ralph Sampson
Conference Prediction: 11th
Playoff Prediction: N/A
New Jersey Nets:
Last Season Record: 39-43
Starting 5: Doc Rivers, Lancaster Gordon , Kenny Walker, Tom Hammonds, Brad Daugherty
Conference Prediction: 10th
Playoff Prediction: N/A
Washington Bullets
Last Season Record: 39-43
Starting 5: Darrell Walker, Josh Long, Larry Nance, Derrick Coleman, Jack Sikma
Conference Prediction: 8th
Playoff Prediction: Semi Final
Cleveland Cavaliers
Last Season Record: 37-45
Starting 5: Gary Payton, Mitch Raymond, Detlef Schrempf, Tom Chambers, Stacey King
Conference Prediction: 7th
Playoff Prediction: 1st Round
Miami Heat
Last Season Record: 33-49
Starting 5: Rod Strickland, Paul Pressey, Alex English, Tim Perry, Mark Eaton
Conference Prediction: 9th
Playoff Prediction: N/A
Charlotte Hornets
Last Season Record: 27-55
Starting 5: Muggsy Bogues, Rex Chapman, Marques Johnson, J.R. Reid, Bill Cartwright
Conference Prediction: 12th
Playoff Prediction: N/A
Toronto Huskies
Last Season Record: 19-63
Starting 5: Spud Webb, Nick Anderson, Eddie Johnson, Jay Vincent, Rony Seikaly
Conference Prediction: 13th
Playoff Prediction: N/A
Western Conference
Houston Rockets:
Last Season Record: 57-25
Starting 5: Sam Vincent, Ricky Pierce, Xavier McDaniel, Charles Barkley, Akeem Olajuwon
Conference Prediction: 2nd
Playoff Prediction: 1st Round
Los Angeles Lakers
Last Season Record: 56-26
Starting 5: Magic Johnson, Michael Cooper, Purvis Short, James Worthy, Robert Parish
Conference Prediction: 1st
Playoff Prediction: Conference Final
Dallas Mavericks
Last Season Record: 55-27
Starting 5: Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Mark Aguirre, Antoine Carr, Benoit Benjamin
Conference Prediction: 4th
Playoff Prediction: Semi Final
Sacramento Kings
Last Season Record: 55-27
Starting 5: John Stockton, Drazen Petrovic, Chuck Person, Otis Thorpe, Patrick Ewing
Conference Prediction: 3rd
Playoff Prediction: Champion
Chicago Bulls
Last Season Record: 52-30
Starting 5: Ennis Whatley, Quintin Dailey, Armen Gilliam, Karl Malone, Bill Laimbeer
Conference Prediction: 7th
Playoff Prediction: Semi Final
Portland Trail Blazers
Last Season Record: 47-35
Starting 5: Fat Lever, Clyde Drexler, John Williams, A.C. Green, Tree Rollins
Conference Prediction: 9th
Playoff Prediction: N/A
Milwaukee Bucks
Last Season Record: 44-38
Starting 5: Kenny Fields, Sidney Moncrief, Bernard King, Terry Mills, Joe Barry Carroll
Conference Prediction: 5th
Playoff Prediction: 1st Round
Phoenix Suns
Last Season Record: 42-40
Starting 5: Sleepy Floyd, Jeff Malone, Chris Morris, Cliff Robinson, Jeff Ruland
Conference Prediction: 8th
Playoff Prediction: 1st Round
Utah Jazz
Last Season Record: 36-46
Starting 5: Pooh Richardson, Darrell Griffith, Terry Cummings, Glen Rice, Tim McCormick
Conference Prediction: 11th
Playoff Prediction: N/A
Golden State Warriors
Last Season Record: 32-50
Starting 5: Tim Hardaway, Jeff Hornacek, Blue Edwards, Wayman Tisdale, Rik Smits
Conference Prediction: 6th
Playoff Prediction: 1st Round
Denver Nuggets
Last Season Record: 29-53
Starting 5: Darnell Valentine, Dell Curry, Kelly Tripucka, Danny Ferry, Jon Koncak
Conference Prediction: 10th
Playoff Prediction: N/A
Los Angeles Clippers
Last Season Record: 29-53
Starting 5: Johnny Moore, Craig Ehlo, Rodney McCray, Michael Cage, Moses Malone
Conference Prediction: 11th
Playoff Prediction: N/A
Seattle SuperSonics
Last Season Record: 28-54
Starting 5: Jon Sundvold, Willie Anderson, Gene Banks, Hot Rod Williams, James Donaldson
Conference Prediction: 13th
Playoff Prediction: N/A
Minnesota Polars
Last Season Record: 10-74
Starting 5: Maurice Cheeks, Dennis Hopson, Marvis Fresh, Harvey Grant, William Bedford
Conference Prediction: 12th
Playoff Prediction: N/A
1990-91 NBA Championship Betting Odds
Dallas Mavericks +350
Los Angeles Lakers +400
Houston Rockets +450
Sacramento Kings +600
Detroit Pistons +700
Tampa Bay Bandits +1000
Boston Celtics +1200
New York Knicks +1500
Chicago Bulls +1500
Indiana Pacers +2000
Milwaukee Bucks +2500
Atlanta Hawks +2500
Philadelphia 76ers +3000
Portland Trail Blazers +3500
New Jersey Nets +4000
Phoenix Suns +4000
Cleveland Cavaliers +5500
Washington Bullets +6500
Golden State Warriors +7000
Denver Nuggets +7500
Utah Jazz +8000
Miami Heat +8500
Los Angeles Clippers +8500
Seattle SuperSonics +15000
Charlotte Hornets +200000
Minnesota Polars +200000
Toronto Huskies +500000
Dallas Mavericks +350
Los Angeles Lakers +400
Houston Rockets +450
Sacramento Kings +600
Detroit Pistons +700
Tampa Bay Bandits +1000
Boston Celtics +1200
New York Knicks +1500
Chicago Bulls +1500
Indiana Pacers +2000
Milwaukee Bucks +2500
Atlanta Hawks +2500
Philadelphia 76ers +3000
Portland Trail Blazers +3500
New Jersey Nets +4000
Phoenix Suns +4000
Cleveland Cavaliers +5500
Washington Bullets +6500
Golden State Warriors +7000
Denver Nuggets +7500
Utah Jazz +8000
Miami Heat +8500
Los Angeles Clippers +8500
Seattle SuperSonics +15000
Charlotte Hornets +200000
Minnesota Polars +200000
Toronto Huskies +500000
Up Next: The 1990-91 Season
[1]: A different system to the one introduced in OTL. ITTL, the initial 7 team system worked well, evidenced by the rise of the Bandits and improvement of teams such as the Bulls & Cavs. 11 teams in the lottery were too many however, so it made sense to return to the 7 team system in order to continue to prevent tanking.
[2]: Slightly more money than OTL, despite the lack of Larry v Bird in the late 80s, the Dallas Dyansty, Bandits' run in 88, and early expansion into Canada all boost NBA viewing figures enough to increase the figure.
[3]: Announced 2 years earlier than OTL, although will only retire 1 year earlier. Due to tougher regular seasons ITTL and less NBA Championships & Finals. (Bird's final OTL Championship Final was 1987, compared to 1986 ITTL. 3 time Champion OLT, compared to 1 time ITTL.
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