1993–94 Portland Trail Blazers season explained

The 1993–94 NBA season was the 24th season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association.^[1] In the off-season, the Blazers acquired Harvey Grant from the Washington Bullets,^{[2] [3] [4]} and signed free agent Chris Dudley.^{[5] [6]} However, an ankle injury limited Dudley only to just six games.^{[7] [8]} The Blazers held a 27–20 record at the All-Star break,^[9] and finished the season with a 47–35 record, fourth in the Pacific Division and seventh in the Western Conference.^[10] It was their 12th straight trip to the postseason.^[11]

Last season's Sixth Man of the Year Clifford Robinson averaged 20.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game in his first season as a starter, while Clyde Drexler averaged 19.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game, and Rod Strickland provided the team with 17.2 points, 9.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game. In addition, Terry Porter played most of the season off the bench as backup point guard behind Strickland, averaging 13.1 points and 5.2 assists per game, while Grant contributed 10.4 points per game, and Buck Williams provided with 9.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.^[12] Drexler and Robinson were both selected for the 1994 NBA All-Star Game.^{[13] [14] [15] [16] [17]}

The Blazers were knocked out of the playoffs in the Western Conference First Round by a 3–1 margin against the Houston Rockets.^{[18] [19] [20] [21]} The Rockets would go on to defeat the New York Knicks in seven games in the NBA Finals, winning their first ever championship.^{[22] [23] [24] [25] [26]}

Game 4 of the Rockets-Blazers series would be the last playoff game Drexler would play as a member of the Trail Blazers, the team that drafted him. This was also his final full season with the Blazers, as he would be traded to the Rockets on February 14, 1995 (right before the next season's trade deadline), honoring his wish to be traded to a contender.^{[27] [28] [29] [30] [31]} Following the season, head coach Rick Adelman was fired.^{[32] [33] [34]}

NBA draft

See main article: article and 1993 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	21	James Robinson	SG/PG		Alabama
2	48	Kevin Thompson	C		NC State

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"| 2|
7:30p.m. PST| Houston| L 92–106| Robinson (25)| Williams (8)| Porter (6)| Memorial Coliseum
12,888| 0–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 30|
5:30p.m. PST| @ Houston| L 95–106| Porter (24)| (10)| Porter (9)| The Summit
16,611| 17–13|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 63|
5:30p.m. PST| @ Houston| L 99–105| Grant (25)| WIlliams (9)| Strickland (8)| The Summit
15,930| 38–25|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 79|
7:30p.m. PDT| Houston| L 110–119| Kersey (24)| Kersey (11)| Strickland (9)| Memorial Coliseum
12,888| 46–33

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1|
6:30p.m. PDT| @ Houston| L 104–114| Drexler (26)| Drexler (13)| Drexler (6)| The Summit
16,333| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2|
6:00p.m. PDT| @ Houston| L 104–115| Robinson (28)| Drexler (9)| Strickland (12)| The Summit
16,355| 0–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 3|
7:30p.m. PDT| Houston| W 118–115| Strickland (25)| (10)| Strickland (15)| Memorial Coliseum
12,888| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4|
7:30p.m. PDT| Houston| L 89–92| Strickland (26)| Drexler (13)| Strickland (7)| Memorial Coliseum
12,888| 1–3|-

Player statistics

Regular season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
	82	64	34.8	.457	.245	.765	6.7	1.9	1.4	1.4	20.1
	82	58	35.2	.483	.200	.749	4.5	9.0	1.8	.3	17.2
	81	81	32.5	.555	.000	.679	10.4	1.0	.7	.6	9.7
	79	10	18.2	.482	.000	.692	4.0	.5	.4	.4	5.6
	78	6	16.4	.433	.125	.748	4.2	1.0	.9	.6	6.5
	77	73	27.4	.460	.286	.641	4.6	1.4	.9	.6	10.4
	77	34	26.9	.416	.390	.872	2.8	5.2	1.0	.2	13.1
	68	68	34.3	.428	.324	.777	6.5	4.9	1.4	.5	19.2
	66	1	12.4	.470	.459	.694	1.7	.5	.3	.3	6.6
	58	3	11.6	.365	.315	.672	1.3	1.2	.5	.3	4.8
	43	9	7.3	.403		.474	2.3	.1	.3	.1	1.8
	29	0	6.4	.391	.000	.857	.6	.9	.1	.1	2.8
	14	0	4.1	.429	.000	.500	.9	.2	.0	.1	.9
	6	3	14.3	.240		.500	4.0	.8	.7	.5	2.3

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
	4	4	39.3	.425	.231	.826	10.3	5.5	2.0	.5	21.0
	4	4	38.5	.500	.000	.815	4.0	9.8	1.0	.5	23.5
	4	4	37.3	.412	.222	.875	6.3	2.5	.8	1.5	16.3
	4	4	31.3	.679		.867	8.8	.5	1.0	.5	12.8
	4	2	20.3	.400		.500	3.8	.0	1.5	.0	2.3
	4	1	19.0	.515			2.3	.8	.3	.5	8.5
	4	1	16.0	.294	.000		3.0	.5	.5	.5	2.5
	4	0	19.0	.343	.429	.786	3.0	2.3	1.0	.0	10.3
	4	0	7.0	.400	.500	.500	.8	1.5	.3	.3	2.5
	3	0	12.7	.313		.200	3.0	.0	.3	.3	3.7
	2	0	5.5	.500	.000		1.5	.5	.5	.0	3.0
	1	0	1.0				.0	.0	.0	.0	.0

Awards and honors

• Clyde Drexler, NBA All-Star
• Cliff Robinson, NBA All-Star

Notes and References

1. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/1994.html 1993–94 Portland Trail Blazers
2. News: Aldridge . David . Bullets Trade Grant to Get Duckworth . The Washington Post . June 25, 1993 . July 31, 2021.
3. News: Staff and Wire Reports . Bullets Trade Grant, Acquire Duckworth . Los Angeles Times . June 25, 1993 . July 23, 2022.
4. News: Goldstein . Alan . Bullets Fill Hole in Middle by Dealing for Duckworth; Forward Grant Sent to Blazers in Trade . The Baltimore Sun . June 25, 1993 . December 4, 2022.
5. News: BASKETBALL; Dudley's Blazer Contract Gets Final Approval . The New York Times . October 28, 1993 . December 31, 2021.
6. News: Dudley Signs with Trail Blazers . Los Angeles Times . August 4, 1993 . September 26, 2022.
7. News: Associated Press . PRO BASKETBALL; Blazers' Dudley Fractures Ankle . The New York Times . November 10, 1993 . January 15, 2022.
8. News: Howard-Cooper . Scott . Trail Blazers Lose Dudley: Lakers: Portland Beats L.A., 109-102, But Its High-Priced Center Suffers a Broken Left Ankle During the First Quarter . Los Angeles Times . November 10, 1993 . September 26, 2022.
9. News: NBA Games Played on February 10, 1994 . Basketball-Reference . January 8, 2023.
10. Web site: 1993–94 Portland Trail Blazers Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. June 23, 2021.
11. News: Portland Trail Blazers . Basketball-Reference . January 19, 2022.
12. Web site: 1993–94 Portland Trail Blazers Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. June 23, 2021.
13. News: Smith . Sam . Armstrong a Surprising All-Star Starter as Fans Ignore Big Names . Chicago Tribune . January 18, 1994 . May 19, 2023.
14. News: All-Stars Are Short on Magic . Orlando Sentinel . February 2, 1994 . May 19, 2023.
15. News: Taylor . Phil . The NBA . Sports Illustrated Vault . February 14, 1994 . January 8, 2023.
16. News: NBA.com Staff . 1994 NBA All-Star Recap . NBA.com . September 13, 2021 . May 19, 2023.
17. Web site: 1994 NBA All-Star Game: East 127, West 118 . Basketball-Reference . November 26, 2021.
18. News: Associated Press . PRO BASKETBALL; Rockets Oust Trail Blazers . The New York Times . May 7, 1994 . July 15, 2021.
19. News: Associated Press . NBA PLAYOFFS: Tune-Up Over, Knicks Ready for Bulls . Los Angeles Times . May 7, 1994 . December 4, 2022.
20. News: Associated Press . Ewing Puts Nets Away; Bulls Next . Deseret News . May 7, 1994 . December 4, 2022.
21. News: 1994 NBA Western Conference First Round: Trail Blazers vs. Rockets . Basketball-Reference . February 9, 2023.
22. News: Brown . Clifton . N.B.A. FINALS; Rockets Hit the Heights as Champions . The New York Times . June 23, 1994 . September 26, 2022.
23. 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.
24. News: Cotton . Anthony . Rockets Silence Knicks in Game 7, 90-84 . The Washington Post . June 23, 1994 . September 26, 2022.
25. News: Schabner . Dean . Rockets 90, Knicks 84 . United Press International . June 23, 1994 . December 21, 2022.
26. News: 1994 NBA Finals: Knicks vs. Rockets . Basketball-Reference . February 9, 2023.
27. News: Associated Press . PRO BASKETBALL; Drexler Traded for Otis Thorpe . The New York Times . February 15, 1995 . June 23, 2021.
28. News: Heisler . Mark . Portland Trades Drexler to Rockets: Pro Basketball: Trail Blazers Escape $9.75-Million Balloon Payment Due Next Season, Get Thorpe and a No. 1 Pick . Los Angeles Times . February 15, 1995 . May 26, 2022.
29. News: Roundup . The Washington Post . February 15, 1995 . July 1, 2022.
30. News: Wire Reports . Drexler to Rockets; Blazers Deal Disgruntled Star, Murray for Thorpe, Pick . The Spokesman-Review . February 15, 1995 . December 13, 2022.
31. News: Rockets Deal for Drexler . Tampa Bay Times . February 15, 1995 . June 21, 2023.
32. News: Trail Blazers Fire Adelman . United Press International . May 19, 1994 . December 21, 2022.
33. News: Associated Press . Trail Blazers Fire Adelman After Early Exit from Playoffs . Los Angeles Times . May 20, 1994 . November 10, 2022.
34. News: Freeman . Mike . PRO BASKETBALL; Trail Blazers Casting Covetous Clances at Daly . The New York Times . May 21, 1994 . January 6, 2022.