1989–90 Houston Rockets season explained

The 1989–90 NBA season was the Rockets' 23rd season in the National Basketball Association, and 19th season in the city of Houston.[1] After a 9–6 start to the season, the Rockets would struggle posting a 12–18 record as they entered the New Year. However, they would manage to win seven of their next nine games, holding a 22–25 record at the All-Star break.[2] At midseason, the team acquired second-year guard Vernon Maxwell from the San Antonio Spurs,[3] [4] [5] as they continued to play .500 basketball for the rest of the season. The Rockets finished fifth in the Midwest Division with a 41–41 record,[6] winning a tie-breaker over the Seattle SuperSonics for the #8 seed in the Western Conference.[7] [8]

Akeem Olajuwon led the Rockets with 24.3 points, 14.0 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, the NBA All-Defensive First Team, and was selected for the 1990 NBA All-Star Game.[9] [10] [11] [12] In addition, Otis Thorpe averaged 17.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, while Mitchell Wiggins averaged 15.5 points per game, Buck Johnson provided the team with 14.8 points and 1.3 steals per game, and Sleepy Floyd contributed 12.2 points and 7.3 assists per game.[13] Olajuwon also finished in seventh place in Most Valuable Player voting,[14] and in second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.[15] [16] [17]

However, in the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Rockets lost to the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in four games.[18] [19] [20] [21] Following the season, Wiggins was released to free agency, and John Lucas and Tim McCormick were both traded to the Atlanta Hawks.[22] [23] [24]

Draft picks

See main article: 1989 NBA draft.

The Rockets had no draft picks in 1989.

Regular season

Season standings

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1989-90 NBA Records
width=100TeamATLBOSCHACHICLEDALDENDETGSWHOUINDLACLALMIAMILMINNJNNYKORLPHIPHOPORSACSASSEAUTAWAS
— 1–3 2–0 0–5 2–3 0–2 1–1 3–2 2–0 2–0 2–3 1–1 0–2 4–0 3–2 1–1 2–2 1–3 5–0 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–2
3–1 — 2–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 5–0 2–2 1–1 5–1 4–1 4–0 3–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–3
0–2 0–2 — 0–2 1–1 1–3 3–2 0–2 2–2 1–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 1–1 0–2 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–4 1–3 0–5 0–4 0–5 0–2
5–0 2–2 2–0 — 5–0 2–0 1–1 1–4 2–0 1–1 2–3 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–1 2–0 3–1 3–1 3–2 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 3–1
3–2 1–3 1–1 0–5 — 0–2 0–2 1–4 1–1 0–2 3–2 1–1 1–1 4–0 3–2 1–1 4–0 2–2 4–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1
2–0 1–1 3–1 0–2 2–0 — 2–3 1–1 3–1 4–1 2–0 3–1 0–4 2–0 1–1 4–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–4 3–1 3–2 2–2 1–3 1–1
1–1 1–1 2–3 1–1 2–0 3–2 — 0–2 2–2 4–1 0–2 2–2 0–4 2–0 1–1 5–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 4–0 1–3 2–2 0–4 1–1
2–3 2–2 2–0 4–1 4–1 1–1 2–0 — 1–1 1–1 4–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 3–2 2–0 4–0 4–0 5–0 1–3 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0
0–2 1–1 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–2 1–1 — 2–2 1–1 3–1 1–4 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–5 2–2 3–2 1–3 2–3 2–2 1–1
Houston 0–2 0–2 4–1 1–1 2–0 1–4 1–4 1–1 2–2 — 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–3 4–0 2–2 2–2 3–2 1–1
3–2 3–1 1–1 3–2 2–3 0–2 2–0 1–4 1–1 1–1 — 0–2 0–2 3–1 3–2 1–1 4–0 1–3 4–1 0–4 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1
1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 2–2 1–1 1–3 2–2 2–0 — 1–4 0–2 1–1 3–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–4 0–5 2–3 0–4 3–2 0–4 1–1
L.A. Lakers2–0 2–0 4–0 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 4–1 2–2 2–0 4–1 — 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–3 5–0 2–2 4–0 2–2 1–1
0–4 0–5 1–1 0–4 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–3 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–0 0–2 — 2–2 1–1 1–4 1–5 3–1 0–5 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–3
2–3 2–2 2–0 1–4 2–3 1–1 1–1 2–3 1–1 1–1 2–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 — 2–0 4–0 2–2 5–0 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 3–1
1–1 1–1 2–2 0–2 1–1 1–4 0–5 0–2 1–3 2–2 1–1 1–3 0–4 1–1 0–2 — 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–4 1–3 0–5 1–1
2–2 1–5 1–1 1–3 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 4–1 0–4 1–1 — 1–4 1–3 1–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–3
3–1 1–4 1–1 1–3 2–2 1–1 1–1 0–4 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 0–2 5–1 2–2 1–1 4–1 — 2–2 2–3 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 5–0
0–5 0–4 1–1 2–3 1–4 0–2 0–2 0–5 0–2 0–2 1–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 0–5 1–1 3–1 2–2 — 2–2 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–4
2–2 2–3 2–0 2–2 2–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 5–0 3–1 1–1 4–1 3–2 2–2 — 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 5–1
2–0 1–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 3–1 0–2 5–0 2–2 1–1 4–0 1–3 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 — 2–3 5–0 0–4 3–2 3–1 2–0
1–1 2–0 4–0 1–1 1–1 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–2 3–1 1–1 5–0 3–2 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 3–2 — 4–0 3–1 3–2 2–2 1–1
1–1 0–2 3–1 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–4 0–2 2–3 0–4 1–1 3–2 0–5 1–1 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–5 0–4 — 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–1
1–1 1–1 5–0 1–1 1–1 2–3 3–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 4–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 1–3 4–0 — 3–1 3–2 2–0
1–1 0–2 4–0 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–2 2–2 1–1 2–3 0–4 2–0 0–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–3 2–3 2–2 1–3 — 1–3 2–0
1–1 1–1 5–0 2–0 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–2 2–3 1–1 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 5–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–3 3–1 — 2–0
Washington2–2 3–2 2–0 1–3 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–1 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 3–2 1–3 1–1 3–2 0–5 4–0 1–5 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 0–2 —

Game log

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| April 27| @ L.A. Lakers| L 89–101| Otis Thorpe (21)| Akeem Olajuwon (14)| Sleepy Floyd (8)| Great Western Forum
17,505| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| April 29| @ L.A. Lakers| L 100–104| Sleepy Floyd (27)| Akeem Olajuwon (11)| Sleepy Floyd (8)| Great Western Forum
17,505| 0–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| May 1| L.A. Lakers| W 114–108| Otis Thorpe (27)| Otis Thorpe (8)| Sleepy Floyd (18)| The Summit
16,611| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| May 3| L.A. Lakers| L 88–109| Akeem Olajuwon (28)| Akeem Olajuwon (10)| Sleepy Floyd (10)| The Summit
16,611| 1–3|-

Player statistics

NOTE: Please write the players statistics in alphabetical order by last name.

Season

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3FG%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
66 0 13.9 .406 .286 .741 1.8 1.5 .6 .1 4.3
51 0 6.5 .553 .464 2.1 .1 .2 .4 1.9
†41 0 12.0 .506 .375 .701 1.8 .7 .6 .1 6.0
33 0 11.0 .404 .111 .867 1.2 2.3 .6 .1 3.5
82 73 32.1 .451 .380 .806 2.4 7.3 1.1 .1 12.2
82 82 34.5 .495 .118 .759 4.6 3.1 1.3 .8 14.8
†19 0 5.9 .569 .563 .9 .6 .2 .0 3.5
49 18 19.1 .375 .299 .764 1.8 4.9 .9 .0 5.8
†30 10 29.0 .442 .245 .664 2.9 5.0 1.4 .2 12.5
18 0 6.4 .345 .526 1.5 .2 .2 .1 1.7
3 0 3.0 1.000 1.0 .3 .0 .3 1.3
82 82 38.1 .501 .167 .713 14.0 2.9 2.1 4.6 24.3
74 0 17.6 .474 .000 .364 6.1 .9 .8 .4 3.0
82 82 35.9 .548 .000 .688 9.0 3.2 .8 .3 17.1
66 52 28.1 .488 .000 .810 4.3 1.6 1.3 .0 15.5
61 11 15.9 .395 .293 .721 1.4 1.1 .7 .2 6.5

Playoffs

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3FG%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
2 0 2.0 .000 .0 .0 .0 .0 .0
1 0 1.0 .0 .0 .0 .0 .0
4 4 43.0 .469 .250 .647 3.8 10.3 1.3 .3 18.5
4 4 37.0 .417 .000 .846 4.0 2.3 1.5 .5 12.8
4 4 39.8 .370 .308 .524 3.0 4.3 1.3 .0 19.8
3 0 7.0 .333 .500 2.7 .0 .0 .0 1.0
4 4 40.3 .443 .706 11.5 2.0 2.5 5.8 18.5
4 0 18.3 .750 3.3 1.3 1.0 .0 3.0
4 4 41.0 .600 .684 8.3 1.8 1.3 .0 20.0
4 0 12.8 .467 .667 3.3 .5 .3 .0 4.0
1 0 6.0 .333 .000 .0 2.0 .0 .0 2.0

Awards and records

Transactions

See main article: article.

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/1990.html 1989-90 Houston Rockets
  2. News: NBA Games Played on February 8, 1990 . Basketball-Reference . November 23, 2022.
  3. News: Associated Press . NBA WEDNESDAY'S TRADES: Cheeks Dealt for Strickland; Carroll to Nuggets . Los Angeles Times . February 22, 1990 . November 23, 2022.
  4. News: Goldaper . Sam . NOTEBOOK; Spurs on Brink of Record Turnabout . The New York Times . March 27, 1990 . December 15, 2021.
  5. News: Luna . Richard . Maxwell Proves Key Acquisition for Rockets . United Press International . May 2, 1990 . December 30, 2022.
  6. Web site: 1989–90 Houston Rockets Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. December 9, 2021.
  7. News: Rockets Land a Berth . The New York Times . April 23, 1990 . January 19, 2022.
  8. News: Hafner . Dan . NBA ROUNDUP: Rockets Get Last Spot, Lakers in 1st Round . Los Angeles Times . April 23, 1990 . November 23, 2022.
  9. News: Howard-Cooper . Scott . NBA ALL-STAR GAME: Entire Family Is Back Together--Almost . Los Angeles Times . February 11, 1990 . November 23, 2022.
  10. News: Bird, Johnson Return Magic to All-Star Game . Sun Sentinel . February 11, 1990 . November 15, 2023.
  11. News: NBA.com Staff . 1990 NBA All-Star Recap . NBA.com . September 13, 2021 . November 15, 2023.
  12. Web site: 1990 NBA All-Star Game: East 130, West 113 . Basketball-Reference . December 9, 2021.
  13. Web site: 1989–90 Houston Rockets Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. December 15, 2021.
  14. News: McManis . Sam . Magic Repeats in MVP Vote; Barkley Is 2nd: Pro Basketball: Johnson Is the First Back-to-Back Winner Since Larry Bird. Michael Jordan Finishes a Close Third . Los Angeles Times . May 22, 1990 . November 23, 2022.
  15. News: Associated Press . Dennis Rodman NBA Defensive Player of Year . Los Angeles Times . May 7, 1990 . November 23, 2022.
  16. News: Shook . Richard L. . Pistons' Rodman Voted Defensive Player of Year . United Press International . May 7, 1990 . November 23, 2022.
  17. News: 1989–90 NBA Awards Voting . Basketball-Reference . February 4, 2022.
  18. News: Luna . Richard . Lakers 109, Rockets 88 . United Press International . May 3, 1990 . December 31, 2022.
  19. News: Associated Press . Worthy Helps Lakers Eliminate Rockets . The New York Times . May 4, 1990 . December 9, 2021.
  20. News: McManis . Sam . Now Lakers Don't Have to Run for Cover, 109-88: NBA Playoffs: Pep Talk by Riley, Move to Straight-Up Defense Bear Fruit as Los Angeles Wins Playoff Series . Los Angeles Times . May 4, 1990 . September 20, 2022.
  21. Web site: 1990 NBA Western Conference First Round: Rockets vs. Lakers . Basketball-Reference . April 9, 2023.
  22. News: SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Rockets Obtain Smith . The New York Times . September 28, 1990 . December 31, 2022.
  23. News: Rockets Trade Lucas, Get 2 Hawks . Los Angeles Times . September 28, 1990 . December 31, 2022.
  24. News: Rockets, Hawks Work Deal . Deseret News . September 28, 1990 . December 31, 2022.

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