1988–89 Cleveland Cavaliers season explained

Team:	Cleveland Cavaliers
End Year:	1989
Wins:	57
Losses:	25
Division:	Central
Division Place:	2
Conf Place:	3
Coach:	Lenny Wilkens
Gm:	Wayne Embry
Arena:	Richfield Coliseum
Television:	WOIO (Joe Tait, Jim Chones)
Radio:	WRMR^[1] (Joe Tait, Jim Johnson)
Playoffs:	First round (lost to Bulls 2–3)
Bbr Team:	CLE

The 1988-89 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 19th season of NBA basketball in Cleveland, Ohio.^[2] During the off-season, the team signed free agent Tree Rollins,^{[3] [4] [5]} and acquired Darnell Valentine from the expansion Miami Heat.^{[6] [7] [8]} The Cavaliers started their season with a 133–93 road win over the expansion Charlotte Hornets on November 4, 1988, which was the Hornets' first game in franchise history,^{[9] [10] [11] [12]} then posted an 11-game winning streak between December and January, which led to a successful 24–5 start,^{[13] [14] [15]} held a 35–11 record at the All-Star break,^[16] and finished the season with a 57–25 record, setting a franchise high.^[17] This record was tied for 2nd best in the NBA, finishing 2nd in the Central Division.

Mark Price and Brad Daugherty both led the team in scoring with 18.9 points per game each, while Price contributed 8.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game, while being selected to the All-NBA Third Team, and Daugherty averaged 9.2 rebounds per game. In addition, Ron Harper averaged 18.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 2.3 steals per game, while Larry Nance provided the team with 17.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, and sixth man Hot Rod Williams contributed 11.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game off the bench. Mike Sanders provided with 9.3 points per game, and Craig Ehlo contributed 7.4 points and 1.3 steals per game off the bench.^[18]

Price, Daugherty and Nance were all selected for the 1989 NBA All-Star Game, with head coach Lenny Wilkens coaching the Eastern Conference.^{[19] [20] [21] [22] [23]} Despite a stellar season, Harper was not selected for the All-Star Game.^{[24] [25] [26]} Price also finished in tenth place in Most Valuable Player voting,^{[27] [28]} and Wilkens finished in third place in Coach of the Year voting.^{[29] [30] [31]}

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Cavaliers were eliminated by Michael Jordan's 6th-seeded Chicago Bulls in five games, thanks to a memorable series-clinching shot by Jordan.^{[32] [33] [34] [35]} Following the season, Sanders signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers.^{[36] [37] [38]}

Key Dates:

Draft picks

See main article: 1988 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	22	Randolph Keys	Forward		Southern Miss
3	64	Winston Bennett	Forward		Kentucky

• 1st round pick (#14) traded to Phoenix in Larry Nance deal.^[39] Used to draft Dan Majerle.
• 2nd round pick (#38) traded to Phoenix in Larry Nance deal.^[39] Used to draft Dean Garrett.

Regular season

Season standings

Notes

• z, y – division champions
• x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1988-89 NBA Records
width=100	Team	ATL	BOS	CHA	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MIA	MIL	NJN	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	–	3–1	4–1	4–2	4–2	1–1	0–2	1–5	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	6–0	4–1	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1
Boston	1–3	–	6–0	1–3	1–4	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–3	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	5–1	3–3	3–3	0–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–4
Charlotte	1–4	0–6	–	1–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–4	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–4	2–4	3–3	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–5
Chicago	2–4	3–1	4–1	–	0–6	2–0	1–1	0–6	1–1	1–1	4–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	6–0	2–2	3–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	0–2	3–1
Cleveland	2–4	4–1	4–0	6–0	–	2–0	2–0	3–3	1–1	1–1	5–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–3	4–0	2–2	3–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2
Dallas	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	–	3–3	0–2	1–3	1–5	1–1	3–1	0–4	6–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	5–1	2–2	4–2	1–1
Denver	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–3	–	1–1	3–1	4–2	1–1	2–2	1–3	5–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	3–3	2–2	3–3	1–1
Detroit	5–1	3–1	4–0	6–0	3–3	2–0	1–1	–	1–1	1–1	4–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–4	4–0	0–4	5–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	5–0
Golden State	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–3	1–1	–	1–3	1–1	5–1	2–3	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–4	2–4	2–3	3–1	2–4	2–2	1–1
Houston	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–4	1–1	3–1	–	2–0	2–2	1–3	4–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	6–0	2–2	2–4	0–2
Indiana	1–5	3–2	2–2	2–4	1–5	1–1	1–1	2–4	1–1	0–2	–	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–4	1–3	0–5	0–4	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–2	1–5	2–2	1–1	–	1–5	1–3	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–5	1–5	2–3	3–1	1–4	1–3	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	2–0	4–0	3–1	0–2	3–2	3–1	2–0	5–1	–	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–3	5–0	5–1	3–1	4–2	1–3	1–1
Miami	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–6	1–5	0–2	0–4	2–4	1–1	3–1	0–4	–	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–4	0–4	1–5	0–2
Milwaukee	0–6	2–2	4–0	0–6	3–3	2–0	2–0	4–2	2–0	1–1	4–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	–	4–1	1–3	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–1
New Jersey	1–4	1–5	4–2	2–2	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–4	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–4	–	2–4	1–5	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–5
New York	2–2	3–3	4–2	2–3	2–2	2–0	1–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	5–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	4–2	–	2–4	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	5–1
Philadelphia	2–2	3–3	3–3	3–1	2–3	1–1	1–1	0–5	1–1	2–0	4–0	2–0	0–2	2–0	1–3	5–1	4–2	–	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–2
Phoenix	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–1	3–1	0–2	4–2	3–1	1–1	5–1	3–3	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	–	2–3	5–1	3–1	4–1	2–2	2–0
Portland	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	4–2	1–3	0–2	5–1	0–5	4–0	0–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	3–2	–	3–3	4–0	2–4	0–4	1–1
Sacramento	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	0–2	3–2	2–2	1–1	3–2	1–5	3–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–5	3–3	–	2–2	1–5	1–3	0–2
San Antonio	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–5	3–3	0–2	1–3	0–6	0–2	1–3	1–3	4–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–4	2–2	–	0–4	1–5	1–1
Seattle	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	4–2	2–2	1–1	4–1	2–4	4–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–4	4–2	5–1	4–0	–	3–1	1–1
Utah	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–4	3–3	0–2	2–2	4–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	5–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	4–0	3–1	5–1	1–3	–	2–0
Washington	1–3	4–2	5–1	1–3	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–5	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–4	5–1	1–5	2–4	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	—

Game log

|- style="background:#cfc;"| 1 || November 4, 1988 || @ Charlotte|- style="background:#cfc;"| 2 || November 5, 1988 || @ Indiana|- style="background:#cfc;"| 3 || November 9, 1988 || L.A. Clippers|- style="background:#cfc;"| 4 || November 12, 1988 || Indiana|- style="background:#fcc;"| 5 || November 15, 1988
8:00 pm EST || Atlanta| L 95–97| Daugherty (22)| Williams (11)| Price (10)| Richfield Coliseum
15,684| 4–1|- style="background:#cfc;"| 6 || November 18, 1988 || @ New Jersey|- style="background:#cfc;"| 7 || November 19, 1988 || Milwaukee|- style="background:#cfc;"| 8 || November 22, 1988 || @ Boston
(at Hartford, CT)|- style="background:#fcc;"| 9 || November 23, 1988 || @ Philadelphia|- style="background:#fcc;"| 10 || November 26, 1988 || @ New York|- style="background:#cfc;"| 11 || November 27, 1988 || Miami|- style="background:#cfc;"| 12 || December 1, 1988 || @ Milwaukee|- style="background:#cfc;"| 13 || December 2, 1988 || Boston|- style="background:#cfc;"| 14 || December 4, 1988 || Denver|- style="background:#fcc;"| 15 || December 6, 1988 || @ Houston|- style="background:#cfc;"| 16 || December 8, 1988 || @ San Antonio|- style="background:#cfc;"| 17 || December 10, 1988 || @ Dallas|- style="background:#fcc;"| 18 || December 13, 1988 || L.A. Lakers|- style="background:#cfc;"| 19 || December 15, 1988 || Detroit|- style="background:#cfc;"| 20 || December 17, 1988
7:30 pm EST || Atlanta| W 120–94| Price (23)| Daugherty,
Harper (9)| Price (8)| Richfield Coliseum
18,815| 15–5|- style="background:#cfc;"| 21 || December 20, 1988 || Utah|- style="background:#cfc;"| 22 || December 21, 1988 || @ Boston|- style="background:#cfc;"| 23 || December 23, 1988 || Seattle|- style="background:#cfc;"| 24 || December 27, 1988 || @ Chicago|- style="background:#cfc;"| 25 || December 28, 1988 || Charlotte|- style="background:#cfc;"| 26 || December 30, 1988 || Washington|- style="background:#cfc;"| 27 || January 3, 1989 || Indiana|- style="background:#cfc;"| 28 || January 5, 1989 || Chicago|- style="background:#cfc;"| 29 || January 7, 1989 || New York|- style="background:#fcc;"| 30 || January 9, 1989 || @ Seattle|- style="background:#cfc;"| 31 || January 11, 1989 || @ Phoenix|- style="background:#fcc;"| 32 || January 13, 1989 || @ L.A. Lakers|- style="background:#cfc;"| 33 || January 14, 1989 || @ Denver|- style="background:#cfc;"| 34 || January 16, 1989 || Phoenix|- style="background:#cfc;"| 35 || January 19, 1989 || @ Indiana|- style="background:#cfc;"| 36 || January 21, 1989 || New Jersey|- style="background:#cfc;"| 37 || January 23, 1989 || Golden State|- style="background:#fcc;"| 38 || January 24, 1989
7:30 pm EST || @ Atlanta| L 105–121| Nance (28)| Daugherty (9)| Price (9)| The Omni
16,371| 30–8|- style="background:#cfc;"| 39 || January 27, 1989 || @ Detroit|- style="background:#fcc;"| 40 || January 29, 1989 || @ Washington
(at Baltimore, MD)|- style="background:#cfc;"| 41 || January 31, 1989 || Philadelphia|- style="background:#fcc;"| 42 || February 2, 1989 || @ New York|- style="background:#cfc;"| 43 || February 3, 1989 || Sacramento|- style="background:#cfc;"| 44 || February 5, 1989 || @ Charlotte|- style="background:#fcc;"| 45 || February 7, 1989 || @ Milwaukee|- style="background:#cfc;"| 46 || February 9, 1989 || Indiana|- style="text-align:center;"| colspan="9" style="background:#bbcaff;"|All-Star Break|- style="background:#cfc;"| 47 || February 14, 1989 || @ Miami|- style="background:#cfc;"| 48 || February 15, 1989 || New York|- style="background:#fcc;"| 49 || February 17, 1989
8:00 pm EST || @ Atlanta| L 100–108| Price (29)| Daugherty (13)| Harper (5)| The Omni
16,371| 37–12|- style="background:#cfc;"| 50 || February 18, 1989 || Philadelphia|- style="background:#cfc;"| 51 || February 20, 1989 || Houston|- style="background:#cfc;"| 52 || February 22, 1989 || New Jersey|- style="background:#cfc;"| 53 || February 24, 1989 || Portland|- style="background:#cfc;"| 54 || February 28, 1989 || Detroit|- style="background:#cfc;"| 55 || March 2, 1989 || San Antonio|- style="background:#fcc;"| 56 || March 3, 1989 || @ Detroit|- style="background:#fcc;"| 57 || March 5, 1989 || Milwaukee|- style="background:#cfc;"| 58 || March 7, 1989 || @ Sacramento|- style="background:#fcc;"| 59 || March 9, 1989 || @ Golden State|- style="background:#fcc;"| 60 || March 10, 1989 || @ L.A. Clippers|- style="background:#cfc;"| 61 || March 12, 1989 || @ Portland|- style="background:#fcc;"| 62 || March 13, 1989 || @ Utah|- style="background:#cfc;"| 63 || March 15, 1989 || Chicago|- style="background:#cfc;"| 64 || March 19, 1989 || @ New Jersey|- style="background:#cfc;"| 65 || March 20, 1989 || Washington|- style="background:#fcc;"| 66 || March 22, 1989 || @ Philadelphia|- style="background:#cfc;"| 67 || March 23, 1989 || Milwaukee|- style="background:#fcc;"| 68 || March 25, 1989 || @ Milwaukee|- style="background:#fcc;"| 69 || March 27, 1989 || @ Indiana|- style="background:#cfc;"| 70 || March 28, 1989 || Dallas|- style="background:#cfc;"| 71 || March 31, 1989 || @ Chicago|- style="background:#cfc;"| 72 || April 2, 1989 || Boston|- style="background:#cfc;"| 73 || April 4, 1989
7:30 pm EDT || Atlanta| W 105–91| Harper (32)| Daugherty (17)| Price (13)| Richfield Coliseum
19,322| 53–20|- style="background:#fcc;"| 74 || April 7, 1989 || @ Washington|- style="background:#cfc;"| 75 || April 9, 1989 || Charlotte|- style="background:#cfc;"| 76 || April 11, 1989 || Philadelphia|- style="background:#fcc;"| 77 || April 12, 1989 || @ Detroit|- style="background:#fcc;"| 78 || April 14, 1989 || @ Boston|- style="background:#cfc;"| 79 || April 16, 1989 || Chicago|- style="background:#fcc;"| 80 || April 18, 1989 || Detroit|- style="background:#fcc;"| 81 || April 21, 1989
7:30 pm EDT || @ Atlanta| L 89–92| Harper (18)| Harper,
Rollins (8)| Ehlo (8)| The Omni
16,371| 56–25|- style="background:#cfc;"| 82 || April 23, 1989 || @ Chicago

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| April 28| Chicago| L 88–95| Craig Ehlo (19)| Brad Daugherty (7)| Darnell Valentine (6)| Richfield Coliseum
19,312| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| April 30| Chicago| W 96–88| Ron Harper (31)| Ron Harper (11)| Larry Nance (5)| Richfield Coliseum
20,273| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| May 3| @ Chicago| L 94–101| Hot Rod Williams (22)| Hot Rod Williams (11)| Darnell Valentine (8)| Chicago Stadium
17,721| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 4| May 5| @ Chicago| W 108–105 (OT)| Larry Nance (27)| Brad Daugherty (17)| Mark Price (7)| Chicago Stadium
18,264| 2–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 5| May 7| Chicago| L 100–101| Craig Ehlo (24)| Brad Daugherty (11)| Mark Price (7)| Richfield Coliseum
20,273| 2–3

Player stats

Regular season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Mark Price	75	74	36.4	52.6	44.1	90.1	3.0	8.4	1.5	0.1	18.9
Brad Daugherty	78	78	36.2	53.8	33.3	73.7	9.2	3.7	0.8	0.5	18.9
Ron Harper	82	82	34.8	51.1	25.0	75.1	5.0	5.3	2.3	0.9	18.6
Larry Nance	73	72	34.6	53.9	0.0	79.9	8.0	2.2	0.8	2.8	17.2
Hot Rod Williams	82	10	25.9	50.9	25.0	74.8	5.8	1.3	0.9	1.6	11.6
Mike Sanders	82	82	25.6	45.3	30.0	71.9	3.7	1.6	1.1	0.4	9.3
Craig Ehlo	82	4	22.8	47.5	39.0	60.7	3.6	3.2	1.3	0.2	7.4
Darnell Valentine	77	4	14.1	42.6	21.4	81.3	1.3	2.3	0.7	0.1	4.8
Randolph Keys	42	0	7.9	43.0	10.0	69.0	1.3	0.5	0.3	0.1	4.0
Chris Dudley	61	2	8.9	43.5	0.0	36.4	2.6	0.3	0.1	0.4	3.0
Phil Hubbard	31	0	6.2	44.4	0.0	68.0	1.3	0.4	0.2	0.0	2.4
Tree Rollins	60	2	9.7	44.9	0.0	63.2	2.3	0.3	0.2	0.6	2.3

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Ron Harper	5	5	37.8	56.5	0.0	76.9	4.2	4.0	2.2	0.8	19.6
Larry Nance	5	5	39.0	55.1	0.0	65.6	7.8	3.2	0.6	2.4	19.4
Mark Price	4	4	39.5	38.6	37.5	93.3	3.3	5.5	0.8	0.0	16.0
Craig Ehlo	4	1	24.3	43.6	38.5	81.8	1.5	3.3	0.8	0.3	12.0
Brad Daugherty	5	5	33.4	36.2	0.0	60.0	9.2	2.4	1.2	1.0	11.0
Hot Rod Williams	5	2	32.2	46.7	0.0	72.2	6.8	2.0	0.4	1.4	11.0
Mike Sanders	5	3	17.4	50.0	0.0	60.0	3.2	0.8	0.4	0.2	6.6
Darnell Valentine	5	0	16.0	35.0	0.0	87.5	1.4	3.2	1.0	0.0	4.2
Tree Rollins	5	0	14.8	75.0	0.0	60.0	3.2	0.2	0.6	1.4	3.0
Randolph Keys	1	0	12.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	3.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Chris Dudley	1	0	4.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Phil Hubbard	1	0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

Player Statistics Citation:^[40]

Awards and records

Awards

• Mark Price, All-NBA Third Team
• Larry Nance, NBA All-Defensive First Team

All-Star

Transactions

Development league

References

• Cleveland Cavaliers on Database Basketball
• Cleveland Cavaliers on Basketball Reference

Notes and References

1. News: Dyer, Bob. January 30, 1988. Cavs End Contract with WWWE. Akron Beacon Journal. Beacon Journal Publishing Co.. B8.
2. Web site: 1988-89 Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats.
3. News: Atlanta Hawks Center Wayne Tree Rollins, a... . Chicago Tribune . August 1, 1988 . December 6, 2022.
4. News: Exner . Rich . The Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday Announced the Signing of Free-Agent... . United Press International . August 2, 1988 . December 6, 2022.
5. News: SPORTS PEOPLE; Rollins to Cavaliers . The New York Times . August 3, 1988 . February 12, 2022.
6. News: Goldaper . Sam . Miami Chooses 'Who?' First . The New York Times . June 24, 1988 . December 28, 2022.
7. News: Edes . Gordon . Billy Thompson Goes to Miami; Valentine Winds Up in Cleveland . Los Angeles Times . June 24, 1988 . December 28, 2022.
8. News: Aldridge . David . Charlotte Club Drafts Bogues from Bullets . The Washington Post . June 24, 1988 . April 3, 2023.
9. News: Ron Harper Contributed 22 Points and 5 Steals Friday... . United Press International . November 4, 1988 . December 20, 2022.
10. News: NBA'S Hornets Debut with a 40-Point Loss . The Washington Post . November 5, 1988 . December 20, 2022.
11. News: Magazine Staff . Major Moments in Charlotte's Sports History: A Timeline . Charlotte Magazine . July 26, 2017 . December 25, 2022.
12. Web site: Cleveland Cavaliers at Charlotte Hornets Box Score, November 4, 1988 . Basketball-Reference . December 20, 2022.
13. News: Goldaper . Sam . PRO BASKETBALL; Cavaliers Trip Up Weary Knicks . The New York Times . January 8, 1989 . March 9, 2022.
14. Dawidoff . Nicholas . A Roundup of the Week: Jan 2-8 . Sports Illustrated Vault . January 16, 1989 . February 25, 2024.
15. Web site: New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers Box Score, January 7, 1989 . Basketball-Reference . December 20, 2022.
16. Web site: NBA Games Played on February 9, 1989 . Basketball-Reference . December 6, 2022.
17. Web site: 1988–89 Cleveland Cavaliers Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. February 10, 2022.
18. Web site: 1988–89 Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. February 10, 2022.
19. News: Goldaper . Sam . BASKETBALL; Jackson and Ewing Are Chosen as All-Stars . The New York Times . February 1, 1989 . December 20, 2022.
20. News: 3 Cavs Named as Reserves for NBA's East All-Star Squad . Deseret News . February 1, 1989 . December 6, 2022.
21. News: McManis . Sam . Today's All-Star Game May Lack the Usual Magic: Without Johnson and Bird, NBA Showcase Just Won't Be the Same . Los Angeles Times . February 12, 1989 . December 20, 2022.
22. News: NBA.com Staff . 1989 NBA All-Star Recap . NBA.com . September 13, 2021 . May 21, 2023.
23. Web site: 1989 NBA All-Star Game: West 143, East 134 . Basketball-Reference . February 10, 2022.
24. News: Hafner . Dan . NBA Roundup: Harper, Left Off All-Star Roster, Proves Worth in Cavalier Victory . Los Angeles Times . February 1, 1989 . December 20, 2022.
25. Associated Press . Harper Not Bothered by NBA All-Star Snub . The Vindicator . February 1, 1989 . 20 . May 5, 2024.
26. News: Hafner . Dan . NBA Roundup: Cleveland Runs Through New York, 129-107 . Los Angeles Times . February 16, 1989 . December 25, 2022.
27. News: McManis . Sam . Magic Is the MVP This Time: Jordan Finishes Second in Closest Voting in 8 Seasons . Los Angeles Times . May 23, 1989 . December 20, 2022.
28. Web site: 1988–89 NBA Awards Voting . Basketball-Reference . February 14, 2022.
29. News: Associated Press . Fitzsimmons Coach of Year . Los Angeles Times . May 25, 1989 . December 28, 2022.
30. News: Cotton Fitzsimmons, Who Led the Phoenix Suns to the... . United Press International . May 25, 1989 . January 31, 2023.
31. News: Around the NBA . The Washington Post . May 26, 1989 . November 6, 2023.
32. News: Coughlin . Dan . Bulls 101, Cavaliers 100 . United Press International . May 7, 1989 . December 6, 2022.
33. News: Brown . Clifton . Jordan Shot Gives Series to the Bulls . The New York Times . May 8, 1989 . December 6, 2022.
34. News: Aldridge . David . NBA PLAYOFFS: Jordan Takes Air Out of Cavaliers, and Bulls Advance . Los Angeles Times . May 8, 1989 . December 6, 2022.
35. Web site: 1989 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Bulls vs. Cavaliers . Basketball-Reference . March 20, 2023.
36. News: Smith . Sam . Walsh's Law Brings Pacers Right Order . Chicago Tribune . December 8, 1989 . November 4, 2023.
37. News: Hubbard . Jan . Pacers Finally Make Their Move . Los Angeles Times . December 11, 1989 . November 4, 2023.
38. News: Newell . Nat . Ranking Every Free Agent the Pacers Have Signed . IndyStar . June 28, 2017 . November 4, 2023.
39. Phoenix dealt Larry Nance and Mike Sanders, along with Detroit's first-round pick in 1988 to Cleveland in exchange for the Cavs' first- and second-round draft picks in 1988, and players Kevin Johnson, Mark West and Tyrone Corbin. http://www.nba.com/suns/history/00646999.html
40. Web site: 1988–89 Cleveland Cavaliers Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. February 10, 2022.