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1988–89 Portland Trail Blazers season

NBA professional basketball team season

Mike Schuler (fired)
Rick Adelman (Bill Schonely, Steve Jones) (lost to Lakers 0–3)

The 1988–89 Portland Trail Blazers season was the 19th season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Trail Blazers signed free agent Danny Young. The team was racked with dissension, and posted a 25–22 record before head coach Mike Schuler was fired in mid-February; assistant coach Rick Adelman was promoted to replace him on an interim basis. After the regular season, Adelman was made the team's head coach on a full-time basis.

At mid-season, the team traded Kiki Vandeweghe to the New York Knicks in exchange for a future first-round draft pick. After holding a 25–21 record at the All-Star break, the Trail Blazers played below .500 in winning percentage for the remainder of the regular season, and finished in fifth place in the Pacific Division with a 39–43 record, earning the eighth seed in the Western Conference, and qualifying for the NBA playoffs for the seventh consecutive year.

Clyde Drexler averaged 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.7 steals per game, while last season's Most Improved Player Kevin Duckworth averaged 18.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, and Terry Porter provided the team with 17.7 points, 9.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game. In addition, Jerome Kersey contributed 17.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, while Steve Johnson provided with 10.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game off the bench, and Sam Bowie averaged 8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game also off the bench, in only just 20 games due to injury.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas, Drexler and Duckworth were both selected for the 1989 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Western Conference All-Star team; it was Duckworth's first ever All-Star appearance. In addition, Drexler and Kersey both participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest; it was the fifth appearance for Drexler, and the fourth appearance for Kersey.

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1989 NBA playoffs, the Trail Blazers faced off against the top–seeded, and 2-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, who won the Pacific Division title; the team was led by the quartet of All-Star guard, and Most Valuable Player of the Year, Magic Johnson, All-Star forward James Worthy, Byron Scott, and All-Star center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Trail Blazers lost the first two games to the Lakers on the road at the Great Western Forum, before losing Game 3 at home, 116–108 at the Memorial Coliseum, as the team lost the series in a three-game sweep; it was the fourth consecutive year that the Trail Blazers lost in the opening round of the NBA playoffs. The Lakers would reach the NBA Finals for the third consecutive year, but would lose to the Detroit Pistons in a four-game sweep in the 1989 NBA Finals.

Following the season, the oft-injured Bowie was traded to the New Jersey Nets, and Johnson was left unprotected in the 1989 NBA expansion draft, where he was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves expansion team.

Draft picks

Main article: 1988 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	School/Club team
1	21	Mark Bryant	PF	Seton Hall
2	26	Rolando Ferreira	C	Houston
3	53	Anthony Mason	PF	Tennessee State
3	71	Craig Neal	G	Georgia Tech

Roster

Rick Adelman
Maurice Lucas
Jack Schalow
John Wetzel

Regular season

Season standings

:z - clinched division title :y - clinched division title :x - clinched playoff spot

Game log

Regular season

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 | November 4 | Phoenix | W 120–105 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | November 5 | Sacramento | W 121–103 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | November 10 | @ Denver | L 115–135 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | November 12 | @ Golden State | L 100–107 | | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | November 13 | Denver | L 132–143 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 2–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | November 15 | L.A. Clippers | W 125–103 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | November 17 | @ Utah | L 99–123 | | | | Salt Palace | 3–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | November 18 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 105–106 | | | | The Forum | 3–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | November 20 | New Jersey | W 117–106 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 4–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 10 | November 22 | @ Seattle | W 125–104 | | | | Seattle Center Coliseum | 5–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | November 25 | Houston | W 111–94 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 6–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 12 | November 27 | Golden State | W 109–94 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 7–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | November 29 | @ Milwaukee | L 114–119 | | | | Bradley Center | 7–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | November 30 | @ Philadelphia | L 106–114 | | | | The Spectrum | 7–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | December 2 | @ Miami | W 105–102 | | | | Miami Arena | 8–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | December 3 | @ Atlanta | L 97–115 | | | | The Omni | 8–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 | December 6 | @ New Jersey | W 97–93 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 9–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 | December 7 | @ Indiana | L 120–129 | | | | Market Square Arena | 9–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | December 9 | Washington | W 93–90 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 10–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 | December 11 | San Antonio | W 128–123 (OT) | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 11–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 21 | December 13 | L.A. Clippers | W 113–92 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 12–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 16 | @ Phoenix | L 125–132 | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 12–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 17 | Phoenix | W 115–97 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 13–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 | December 20 | @ Denver | W 127–124 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 14–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | December 22 | @ Golden State | W 117–109 | | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 15–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 26 | December 23 | Golden State | W 111–107 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 16–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | December 27 | @ Sacramento | L 111–112 | | | | ARCO Arena | 16–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 | January 3 | Miami | W 119–95 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 17–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 29 | January 4 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 120–133 | | | | Great Western Forum | 17–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | January 6 | Sacramento | W 147–142 (2OT) | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 18–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 | January 7 | @ Seattle | L 123–129 | | | | Seattle Center Coliseum | 18–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 | January 10 | Seattle | W 125–109 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 19–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 33 | January 12 | @ Houston | L 106–116 | | | | The Summit | 19–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 34 | January 14 | @ San Antonio | W 103–99 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 20–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 | January 15 | @ Dallas | L 108–111 | | | | Reunion Arena | 20–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | January 17 | Utah | L 110–111 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 20–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | January 22 | New York | L 116–120 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 20–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 | January 24 | Seattle | L 100–103 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 20–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 | January 26 | Milwaukee | L 109–127 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 20–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 | January 28 | Atlanta | W 110–94 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 21–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 41 | January 30 | Charlotte | W 130–118 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 22–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 | February 1 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 108–107 | | | | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 23–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 43 | February 3 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 129–140 | | | | Great Western Forum | 23–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 | February 4 | San Antonio | W 137–100 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 24–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 45 | February 7 | Dallas | W 134–125 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 25–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 46 | February 9 | Houston | L 110–113 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 25–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 47 | February 16 | L.A. Lakers | L 101–110 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 25–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 | February 18 | Seattle | L 115–116 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 25–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 | February 20 | @ Chicago | L 98–102 | | | | Chicago Stadium | 25–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 50 | February 22 | @ Detroit | L 94–105 | | | | The Palace of Auburn Hills | 25–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | February 24 | @ Cleveland | L 91–128 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 25–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 52 | February 26 | @ Miami | W 124–102 | | | | Miami Arena | 26–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 53 | February 28 | Phoenix | W 139–134 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 27–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 54 | March 2 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 119–113 | | | | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 28–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 55 | March 3 | Philadelphia | W 129–121 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 29–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | March 5 | Indiana | L 118–121 (OT) | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 29–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 57 | March 7 | @ San Antonio | W 116–103 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 30–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 58 | March 8 | @ Dallas | L 92–99 | | | | Reunion Arena | 31–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 59 | March 12 | Cleveland | L 110–122 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 31–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 | March 14 | Golden State | W 139–110 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 31–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 61 | March 15 | @ Utah | L 95–102 | | | | Salt Palace | 31–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 | March 17 | @ Phoenix | L 124–129 | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 31–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 63 | March 18 | @ Houston | L 113–127 | | | | The Summit | 31–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 64 | March 20 | Dallas | W 112–91 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 32–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 65 | March 21 | @ Golden State | L 127–151 | | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 32–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 | March 24 | Chicago | L 113–128 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 32–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 67 | March 25 | @ Sacramento | L 105–106 | | | | ARCO Arena | 32–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 68 | March 28 | @ New York | L 124–128 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 32–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 69 | March 29 | @ Boston | L 97–106 | | | | Boston Garden | 32–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 | March 31 | @ Washington | L 105–107 | | | | Capital Centre | 32–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 71 | April 1 | @ Charlotte | W 125–121 (OT) | | | | Charlotte Coliseum | 33–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 72 | April 4 | Detroit | W 118–100 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 34–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 73 | April 6 | @ L.A. Clippers | L 123–133 | | | | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 34–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 74 | April 7 | Boston | W 113–100 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 35–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 75 | April 9 | Denver | W 120–114 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 36–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 76 | April 11 | L.A. Clippers | W 126–102 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 37–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 77 | April 14 | Miami | W 97–86 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 38–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 78 | April 15 | Utah | L 95–99 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 38–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 79 | April 18 | @ Sacramento | L 118–120 | | | | ARCO Arena | 38–41 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 80 | April 20 | @ Seattle | L 118–124 | | | | Seattle Center Coliseum | 38–42 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 81 | April 21 | L.A. Lakers | L 114–121 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 38–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 82 | April 23 | Sacramento | W 126–120 (OT) | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 39–43

Playoffs

0–3

Player statistics

Season

Playoffs

Awards and honors

Clyde Drexler, NBA All-Star
Kevin Duckworth, NBA All-Star

References

[https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/1989.html 1988–89 Portland Trail Blazers]
(August 1, 1989). "Blazers Sign Young to Three-Year Deal". United Press International.
(February 19, 1989). "PRO BASKETBALL; Trail Blazers Dismiss Coach". The New York Times.
(February 19, 1989). "Trail Blazers Dump Schuler, Elevate Adelman". Los Angeles Times.
(February 19, 1989). "Trail Blazers Fire Schuler, Replace Him with Adelman". Deseret News.
(1989-05-11). "In Brief: Adelman Retained as Blazers Coach". Los Angeles Times.
(February 14, 1989). "IN BRIEF: Vandeweghe Prepped for a Trade". Los Angeles Times.
Thomas Jr., Robert Mcg.. (February 24, 1989). "BASKETBALL; Knicks, In a Surprise, Get Vandeweghe; Celtics Trade Ainge". The New York Times.
Love, Ian. (February 26, 1989). "Kiki Vandeweghe, the Player the New York Knicks Coveted...". United Press International.
"NBA Games Played on February 9, 1989". Basketball-Reference.
"1988–89 Portland Trail Blazers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.
"1988–89 Portland Trail Blazers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.
McManis, Sam. (February 12, 1989). "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.
(September 13, 2021). "1989 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com.
"1989 NBA All-Star Game: West 143, East 134". Basketball-Reference.
(February 11, 1989). "All-Star Lineups". Ocala Star-Banner.
"NBA & ABA All-Star Game Contest Winners". Basketball-Reference.
McManis, Sam. (May 4, 1989). "Lakers Shake Their Lethargy, Finish Sweep: Win Over Portland Extends First-Round Streak to 18-0". Los Angeles Times.
(May 4, 1989). "Abdul-Jabbar Leads Lakers to Sweep". The Washington Post.
"1989 NBA Western Conference First Round: Trail Blazers vs. Lakers". Basketball-Reference.
Goldaper, Sam. (June 14, 1989). "Pistons Earn First Title by Sweeping Lakers". The New York Times.
McManis, Sam. (June 14, 1989). "Pistons End a Reign, Cap a Career: Detroit Sweeps Lakers, 105-97". Los Angeles Times.
"1989 NBA Finals: Lakers vs. Pistons". Basketball-Reference.
Brown, Clifton. (June 25, 1989). "PRO-BASKETBALL; Nets Get Bowie for Buck Williams". The New York Times.
(June 25, 1989). "Trail Blazers Trade Bowie, No. 12 Pick in Draft to Nets for Buck Williams". Los Angeles Times.
(June 25, 1989). "Blazers Trade Bowie, No. 12 Pick for Williams". Deseret News.
Brown, Clifton. (June 16, 1989). "Knicks' Green Is Taken First in N.B.A.'s Expansion Draft". The New York Times.
Howard-Cooper, Scott. (June 16, 1989). "NBA Expansion Draft: Timberwolves Get Mahorn; Lakers Lose Rivers". Los Angeles Times.
"1989 NBA Expansion Draft". Basketball-Reference.

Info: Wikipedia Source

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