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1989–90 Houston Rockets season

Rockets' 23rd season in the National Basketball Association

Rockets' 23rd season in the National Basketball Association

Home Sports Entertainment (lost to Lakers 1–3)

The 1989–90 Houston Rockets season was the 23rd season for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association, and their 19th season in Houston, Texas. During the off-season, the Rockets signed free agents John Lucas and Larry Smith.

After a 9–6 start to the regular season, the Rockets struggled posting a 12–18 record as they entered the New Year. However, the team managed to win seven of their next nine games, holding a 22–25 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team acquired second-year guard Vernon Maxwell from the San Antonio Spurs, as they continued to play .500 in winning percentage for the rest of the season. The Rockets finished in fifth place in the Midwest Division with a 41–41 record, winning a tie-breaker over the Seattle SuperSonics for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

Akeem Olajuwon averaged 24.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 4.6 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. In addition, Otis Thorpe averaged 17.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, while Mitchell Wiggins averaged 15.5 points and 1.3 steals 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. Off the bench, Mike Woodson contributed 6.5 points per game, while Lucas provided with 5.8 points and 4.9 assists per game, and Smith averaged 3.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Miami Arena in Miami, Florida, Olajuwon was selected for the 1990 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Western Conference All-Star team; he finished in seventh place in Most Valuable Player voting, and also finished in second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting, behind Dennis Rodman of the Detroit Pistons.

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1990 NBA playoffs, the Rockets faced off against the top–seeded, and Pacific Division champion Los Angeles Lakers, who were 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 forward A.C. Green. The Rockets lost the first two games to the Lakers on the road at the Great Western Forum, but managed to win Game 3 at home, 114–108 at The Summit. However, the Rockets lost Game 4 to the Lakers at home, 109–88, thus losing the series in four games.

Following the season, Wiggins was released to free agency, and Lucas and Tim McCormick were both traded to the Atlanta Hawks.

Draft picks

Main article: 1989 NBA draft

The Rockets had no draft picks in 1989.

Roster

  • Don Chaney
  • Carroll Dawson
  • John Killilea
  • Rudy Tomjanovich

Regular season

Season standings

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

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

Season

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3FG%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
66013.9.406.286.7411.81.5.6.14.3
5106.5.553.4642.1.1.2.41.9
†41012.0.506.375.7011.8.7.6.16.0
33011.0.404.111.8671.22.3.6.13.5
827332.1.451.380.8062.47.31.1.112.2
828234.5.495.118.7594.63.11.3.814.8
†1905.9.569.563.9.6.2.03.5
491819.1.375.299.7641.84.9.9.05.8
†301029.0.442.245.6642.95.01.4.212.5
1806.4.345.5261.5.2.2.11.7
303.01.0001.0.3.0.31.3
828238.1.501.167.71314.02.92.14.624.3
74017.6.474.000.3646.1.9.8.43.0
828235.9.548.000.6889.03.2.8.317.1
665228.1.488.000.8104.31.61.3.015.5
611115.9.395.293.7211.41.1.7.26.5

Playoffs

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3FG%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
202.0.000.0.0.0.0.0
101.0.0.0.0.0.0
4443.0.469.250.6473.810.31.3.318.5
4437.0.417.000.8464.02.31.5.512.8
4439.8.370.308.5243.04.31.3.019.8
307.0.333.5002.7.0.0.01.0
4440.3.443.70611.52.02.55.818.5
4018.3.7503.31.31.0.03.0
4441.0.600.6848.31.81.3.020.0
4012.8.467.6673.3.5.3.04.0
106.0.333.000.02.0.0.02.0

Player statistics citation:

Awards and records

  • Akeem Olajuwon, All-NBA Second Team
  • Akeem Olajuwon, NBA All-Defensive First Team

Transactions

Main article: List of 1989–90 NBA season transactions

References

References

  1. "1989-90 Houston Rockets Roster and Stats".
  2. Luna, Richard. (July 11, 1989). "Rockets Sign Larry Smith". United Press International.
  3. (July 12, 1989). "Names in the News". Los Angeles Times.
  4. "NBA Games Played on February 8, 1990". Basketball-Reference.
  5. (February 22, 1990). "NBA WEDNESDAY'S TRADES: Cheeks Dealt for Strickland; Carroll to Nuggets". Los Angeles Times.
  6. Goldaper, Sam. (March 27, 1990). "NOTEBOOK; Spurs on Brink of Record Turnabout". The New York Times.
  7. Luna, Richard. (May 2, 1990). "Maxwell Proves Key Acquisition for Rockets". United Press International.
  8. "1989–90 Houston Rockets Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference.
  9. (April 23, 1990). "Rockets Land a Berth". The New York Times.
  10. Hafner, Dan. (April 23, 1990). "NBA ROUNDUP: Rockets Get Last Spot, Lakers in 1st Round". Los Angeles Times.
  11. "1989–90 Houston Rockets Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.
  12. Howard-Cooper, Scott. (February 11, 1990). "NBA ALL-STAR GAME: Entire Family Is Back Together--Almost". Los Angeles Times.
  13. (September 13, 2021). "1990 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com.
  14. "1990 NBA All-Star Game: East 130, West 113". Basketball-Reference.
  15. McManis, Sam. (May 22, 1990). "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.
  16. "1989–90 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference.
  17. (May 7, 1990). "Dennis Rodman NBA Defensive Player of Year". Los Angeles Times.
  18. (May 4, 1990). "Worthy Helps Lakers Eliminate Rockets". The New York Times.
  19. McManis, Sam. (May 4, 1990). "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.
  20. "1990 NBA Western Conference First Round: Rockets vs. Lakers". Basketball-Reference.
  21. (September 28, 1990). "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Rockets Obtain Smith". The New York Times.
  22. (September 28, 1990). "Rockets Trade Lucas, Get 2 Hawks". Los Angeles Times.
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