1993–94 New Jersey Nets season explained

The 1993–94 New Jersey Nets season was the Nets' 27th season in the National Basketball Association, and 18th season in East Rutherford, New Jersey.^[1] During the off-season, the Nets signed free agents Kevin Edwards,^{[2] [3]} Armen Gilliam,^{[4] [5]} and undrafted rookie guard David Wesley, and acquired Benoit Benjamin from the Los Angeles Lakers.^{[6] [7] [8]} After the tragic death of star guard Dražen Petrović, who died in a car accident during the off-season on June 7, 1993; Derrick Coleman and Kenny Anderson would both step it up, having All-Star seasons being selected for the 1994 NBA All-Star Game.^{[9] [10] [11] [12] [13]} The Nets got off to a rough start losing 10 of their first 14 games, as Chris Morris only played just 50 games due to knee and thumb injuries.^{[14] [15]} In December, the team traded Rumeal Robinson to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Johnny Newman.^{[16] [17] [18]} However, after holding a 22–24 at the All-Star break,^[19] the Nets would win 8 of their final 11 games finishing third in the Atlantic Division with a 45–37 record.^[20]

Coleman averaged 20.2 points, 11.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while Anderson averaged 18.8 points, 9.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game. In addition, Edwards provided the team with 14.0 points and 1.5 steals per game, while Gilliam contributed 11.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game off the bench, and Morris provided with 10.9 points per game.^[21]

However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Nets would lose in four games to the New York Knicks.^{[22] [23] [24] [25]} The Knicks would reach the NBA Finals, but would lose in seven games to the Houston Rockets.^{[26] [27] [28] [29] [30]}

Following the season, a frustrated Chuck Daly stepped down as head coach,^{[31] [32] [33]} while Newman signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Bucks,^{[34] [35]} and Wesley signed with the Boston Celtics.

Draft picks

See main article: article and 1993 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	16		SG		Kansas
2	36		PF		Tennessee Tech

Regular season

Season standings

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1993-94 NBA Records
width=100	Team	ATL	BOS	CHA	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	–	4–0	4–1	2–3	3–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	3–2	1–1	1–1	3–1	5–0	2–0	1–3	2–2	3–1	4–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0
Boston	0–4	–	0–4	2–2	1–3	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–3	3–1	1–1	1–4	0–4	2–2	4–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	3–2
Charlotte	1–4	4–0	–	1–4	1–4	1–1	1–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–1	2–0	1–3	3–2	2–0	2–2	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2
Chicago	3–2	2–2	4–1	–	1–3	2–0	1–1	5–0	2–0	1–1	4–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	4–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–0
Cleveland	1–3	3–1	4–1	3–1	–	2–0	1–1	3–2	2–0	0–2	2–3	2–0	1–1	1–3	3–2	2–0	2–2	0–4	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1
Dallas	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	–	1–4	1–1	0–4	1–4	0–2	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	5–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	2–2	0–5	0–4	0–5	1–1
Denver	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–1	–	2–0	1–3	3–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–0	4–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–4	2–2	1–4	1–1
Detroit	0–4	1–3	0–4	0–5	2–3	1–1	0–2	–	0–2	0–2	1–4	1–1	0–2	2–2	1–4	2–0	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–2
Golden State	2–0	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	4–0	3–1	2–0	–	0–4	1–1	4–1	5–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–3	3–2	4–1	2–2	1–4	3–1	2–0
Houston	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–1	2–3	2–0	4–0	–	1–1	4–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	4–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	4–0	4–0	2–3	2–2	3–3	1–1
Indiana	2–3	4–0	2–2	1–4	3–2	2–0	1–1	4–1	1–1	1–1	–	2–0	0–2	3–1	3–1	2–0	3–1	0–4	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1
L.A. Clippers	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	4–0	1–3	1–1	1–4	0–4	0–2	–	2–3	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–5	2–3	3–2	1–3	1–4	1–3	1–1
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–0	1–3	2–0	0–5	1–3	2–0	3–2	–	1–1	2–0	3–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	3–2	0–5	1–4	0–4	0–5	2–2	1–1
Miami	1–3	3–2	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	–	4–0	2–0	2–3	2–2	2–3	4–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1
Milwaukee	0–5	1–3	2–3	0–4	2–3	2–0	0–2	4–1	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–4	–	0–2	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–3
Minnesota	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–5	1–4	0–2	2–2	1–4	0–2	3–1	1–3	0–2	2–0	–	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–4	0–4	2–2	1–4	0–4	1–4	0–2
New Jersey	3–1	4–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	3–2	3–1	1–1	–	4–1	0–5	3–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1
New York	2–2	4–0	1–3	3–1	4–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	1–1	0–2	4–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	4–0	2–0	1–4	–	3–2	3–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	5–0
Orlando	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	3–2	3–1	1–1	5–0	2–3	–	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–1
Philadelphia	0–4	1–4	1–3	1–3	0–4	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	0–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–4	3–1	0–2	1–3	2–3	0–4	–	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–3
Phoenix	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	1–1	3–2	2–2	1–1	5–0	2–3	2–0	2–0	4–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	–	3–2	4–1	3–1	2–3	2–2	2–0
Portland	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	3–1	3–1	2–0	2–3	0–4	1–1	3–2	5–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–0	2–3	–	4–1	1–3	1–4	1–3	2–0
Sacramento	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–4	0–4	0–2	2–3	4–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–4	1–4	–	1–3	0–5	1–3	2–0
San Antonio	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	5–0	4–2	1–1	2–2	3–2	2–0	3–1	4–0	2–0	2–0	4–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	3–1	3–1	–	0–4	0–5	2–0
Seattle	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–1	4–1	2–2	1–1	4–1	5–0	1–1	2–0	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–2	4–1	5–0	4–0	–	3–1	2–0
Utah	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	5–0	4–1	2–0	1–3	3–3	1–1	3–1	2–2	1–1	2–0	4–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	5–0	1–3	–	2–0
Washington	0–4	2–3	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–3	3–1	2–0	1–3	0–5	1–4	3–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	—

Game log

Regular season

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1|
8:30p.m. EST| @ Houston| L 88–110| Morris (20)| Coleman (13)| Anderson (7)| The Summit
11,128| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 7|
7:30p.m. EST| Houston| L 84–90| Anderson (24)| Anderson (13)| Anderson (12)| Brendan Byrne Arena
9,110| 3–4|- align="center"|colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break|- style="background:#cfc;"|- bgcolor="#bbffbb"

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| April 29| @ New York| L 80–91| Derrick Coleman (27)| Derrick Coleman (10)| Kenny Anderson (6)| Madison Square Garden
19,763| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| May 1| @ New York| L 81–90| Kenny Anderson (21)| Derrick Coleman (21)| four players tied (3)| Madison Square Garden
19,763| 0–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3| May 4| New York| W 93–92 (OT)| Derrick Coleman (25)| Derrick Coleman (17)| Kenny Anderson (11)| Brendan Byrne Arena
20,049| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| May 6| New York| L 102–92| Derrick Coleman (31)| Derrick Coleman (9)| Kenny Anderson (7)| Brendan Byrne Arena
20,049| 1–3

Player statistics

Season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Derrick Coleman	77	77	36.1	.447	.314	.774	11.3	3.4	0.9	1.8	20.2
Kenny Anderson	82	82	38.2	.417	.303	.818	3.9	9.6	1.9	0.2	18.8
Kevin Edwards	82	82	33.3	.458	.354	.770	3.4	2.8	1.5	0.4	14.0
Armen Gilliam	82	5	24.0	.510	.000	.759	6.1	0.8	0.5	0.7	11.8
Chris Morris	50	27	27.0	.447	.361	.720	4.6	1.7	1.1	1.0	10.9
Johnny Newman	63	0	20.1	.453	.270	.807	1.9	0.7	0.8	0.3	9.5
Benoit Benjamin	77	74	23.6	.480		.710	6.5	0.6	0.5	1.2	9.3
Rumeal Robinson	17	0	17.7	.353	.467	.500	1.4	2.6	0.9	0.2	5.9
P.J. Brown	79	54	24.7	.415	.167	.757	6.2	1.2	0.9	1.2	5.7
Jayson Williams	70	0	12.5	.427		.605	3.8	0.4	0.2	0.5	4.6
Ron Anderson	11	2	16.0	.349	.333	.833	2.4	0.5	0.5	0.2	4.0
Rex Walters	48	0	8.0	.522	.500	.824	0.8	1.5	0.3	0.1	3.4
David Wesley	60	0	9.0	.368	.234	.830	0.7	2.1	0.6	0.1	3.1
Dwayne Schintzius	30	7	10.6	.345		.588	3.0	0.4	0.2	0.6	2.3
Rick Mahorn	28	0	8.1	.489	.000	.650	1.9	0.2	0.1	0.2	2.1
Dave Jamerson	4	0	2.5	.000		.500	0.8	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.3

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Derrick Coleman	4	4	43.3	.397	.556	.780	14.3	2.5	0.5	1.3	24.5
Kenny Anderson	4	4	45.3	.352	.300	.667	3.0	6.8	2.3	0.0	15.8
Kevin Edwards	4	4	37.0	.360	.000	.929	4.0	2.3	1.3	0.3	12.3
Armen Gilliam	4	0	28.0	.441	.000	.750	6.3	0.3	0.5	1.8	10.5
Chris Morris	4	3	24.5	.279	.150	1.000	5.5	1.8	1.3	1.3	9.3
Benoit Benjamin	4	4	27.0	.412		.875	5.3	0.3	0.5	2.0	5.3
P.J. Brown	4	1	14.0	.222		1.000	2.0	0.8	0.0	0.5	3.0
Johnny Newman	4	0	13.5	.231	.250	.714	1.3	0.5	0.5	0.5	3.0
David Wesley	3	0	6.0	.429	.250	1.000	0.0	1.0	0.7	0.0	3.0
Rex Walters	1	0	1.0	1.000			0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.0
Jayson Williams	2	0	8.5	.000		.500	1.5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.5
Rick Mahorn	3	0	6.3	.000			1.3	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0

Player Statistics Citation:

Awards and records

• Derrick Coleman, All-NBA Third Team

See also

• 1993–94 NBA season

Notes and References

1. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NJN/1994.html 1993–94 New Jersey Nets
2. News: Freeman . Mike . PRO BASKETBALL; Nets Eye Edwards of the Heat . The New York Times . February 20, 1993 . November 10, 2022.
3. News: Harvin . Al . PRO BASKETBALL; Nets Get Edwards for Petrovic's Spot . The New York Times . July 9, 1993 . October 13, 2021.
4. News: Thomas Jr. . Robert McG. . PRO BASKETBALL; Gilliam to Join the Nets, Filling the Dudley Gap . The New York Times . August 12, 1993 . October 12, 2021.
5. News: Wang . Gene . 1993-94 NBA Previews . The Washington Post . November 4, 1993 . September 26, 2022.
6. News: Lakers Trade Benjamin to Nets . United Press International . June 21, 1993 . May 19, 2023.
7. News: Freeman . Mike . PRO BASKETBALL; Nets Get Benjamin in Swap for Bowie . The New York Times . June 22, 1993 . December 31, 2021.
8. News: Elliott . Helene . Lakers Trade Benjamin to True Believer: Basketball: He Is Dealt to Nets for Bowie and Draft Choice and Will Be Reunited with College Coach, Willis Reed . Los Angeles Times . June 22, 1993 . September 26, 2022.
9. News: Smith . Sam . Armstrong a Surprising All-Star Starter as Fans Ignore Big Names . Chicago Tribune . January 18, 1994 . May 19, 2023.
10. News: All-Stars Are Short on Magic . Orlando Sentinel . February 2, 1994 . May 19, 2023.
11. News: Taylor . Phil . The NBA . Sports Illustrated Vault . February 14, 1994 . January 8, 2023.
12. News: NBA.com Staff . 1994 NBA All-Star Recap . NBA.com . September 13, 2021 . May 19, 2023.
13. Web site: 1994 NBA All-Star Game: East 127, West 118 . Basketball-Reference . November 26, 2021.
14. News: Harvin . Al . PRO BASKETBALL; Injured Knee Puts Morris Out 1 to 2 Weeks . The New York Times . November 9, 1993 . November 10, 2022.
15. News: Harvin . Al . BASKETBALL; Nets Put Morris on Injured List . The New York Times . March 9, 1994 . November 10, 2022.
16. News: Hornets Deal Newman to Nets for Robinson . United Press International . December 10, 1993 . December 24, 2022.
17. News: BASKETBALL; Robinson Dealt for Newman . The New York Times . December 11, 1993 . September 26, 2022.
18. News: Associated Press . Hornets Trade Newman to Nets for Robinson . Los Angeles Times . December 11, 1993 . December 31, 2021.
19. News: NBA Games Played on February 10, 1994 . Basketball-Reference . July 22, 2022.
20. Web site: 1993–94 New Jersey Nets Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. June 23, 2021.
21. Web site: 1993–94 New Jersey Nets Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. June 23, 2021.
22. News: Brown . Clifton . BASKETBALL; Knicks Cancel Nets' Weekend Trip to City . The New York Times . May 7, 1994 . July 26, 2021.
23. News: Associated Press . NBA PLAYOFFS: Tune-up Over, Knicks Ready for Bulls . Los Angeles Times . May 7, 1994 . December 4, 2022.
24. News: Arace . Michael . Knicks Put an End to Series . Hartford Courant . May 7, 1994 . July 22, 2022.
25. News: 1994 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Nets vs. Knicks . Basketball-Reference . February 9, 2023.
26. News: Brown . Clifton . N.B.A. FINALS; Rockets Hit the Heights as Champions . The New York Times . June 23, 1994 . September 26, 2022.
27. News: Howard-Cooper . Scott . Rockets Follow Their Leader to First NBA Championship: Pro Basketball: Olajuwon Shows the Way, Leading Houston to 90-84 Victory over Knicks in Game 7 . Los Angeles Times . June 23, 1994 . September 26, 2022.
28. News: Cotton . Anthony . Rockets Silence Knicks in Game 7, 90-84 . The Washington Post . June 23, 1994 . September 26, 2022.
29. News: Schabner . Dean . Rockets 90, Knicks 84 . United Press International . June 23, 1994 . December 21, 2022.
30. News: 1994 NBA Finals: Knicks vs. Rockets . Basketball-Reference . February 9, 2023.
31. News: Araton . Harvey . ON PRO BASKETBALL; Daly Quit to Avoid Really Turning Gray . The New York Times . May 27, 1994 . October 13, 2021.
32. News: Staff and Wire Reports . Daly Quits as Net Coach to Become TV Analyst . Los Angeles Times . May 27, 1994 . September 26, 2022.
33. News: Howard . Johnette . Daly Departs as a Coach in the Classic Style . The Washington Post . May 29, 1994 . December 4, 2022.
34. News: Wise . Mike . PRO BASKETBALL; Reed Holds and Waits for 2 Aces to Pay Off . The New York Times . November 14, 1994 . July 22, 2022.
35. News: Eastern Conference . The Washington Post . November 4, 1994 . November 10, 2022.