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1989–90 Portland Trail Blazers season

The 1989–90 NBA season was the 20th season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association.[1] During the off-season, the Blazers acquired All-Star forward Buck Williams from the New Jersey Nets.[2][3][4][5] The Blazers held a 33–13 record at the All-Star break,[6] then posted a ten-game winning streak in March,[7] and finished second in the Pacific Division with a franchise-high 59–23 record,[8] and returned to the NBA Finals for the first time since their championship season of 1976–77.[9]

Clyde Drexler averaged 23.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.0 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, and selected for the 1990 NBA All-Star Game.[10][11][12][13] In addition, Terry Porter averaged 17.6 points, 9.1 assists and 1.9 steals per game, while Kevin Duckworth provided the team with 16.2 points and 6.2 rebounds, and Jerome Kersey contributed 16.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. Williams provided with 13.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, and second round draft pick Clifford Robinson contributed 9.1 points per game off the bench.[14]

In the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the acquisition of Williams continued to help make the Blazers stronger as they won their first playoff series in five years, by sweeping the Dallas Mavericks in three straight games.[15][16][17][18] In the Western Conference Semi-finals, the Blazers needed seven games to get past the San Antonio Spurs as the home team won all seven games.[19][20][21][22] In the Western Conference finals, the Trail Blazers continued to defend their home court well, jumping out to a 2–0 lead over the Phoenix Suns. The Suns rebounded to take the next two in Phoenix as the Blazers won Game 5 at home, 120–114.[23][24][25] However, there would be no need for a seventh game, as the Blazers knocked off the Suns with a 112–109 win in Game 6 to reach the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history.[26][27][28][29]

In the Finals, the Trail Blazers faced off against the defending NBA Champion Detroit Pistons. After losing Game 1 in Detroit, 105–99,[30][31][32] the Blazers would even the series at one game a piece, winning Game 2 in overtime, 106–105.[33][34][35] However, the Blazers dropped all three games at home as the Pistons won the NBA title in five games, winning their second consecutive championship.[36][37][38][39][40]

Draft picks

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

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

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Playoffs

Player statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Awards and records

During the season, Dražen Petrović won the Euroscar, presented by the Italian basketball magazine Superbasket to the top player in Europe. Unlike major NBA awards, the Euroscar is awarded for a player's performance during a calendar year, and also takes into account a player's performances for his national team. In Petrović's case, the award considered his performances in 1989 for Real Madrid and the Yugoslavia national team, as well as the Blazers. This was the second of what would eventually be four Euroscars for Petrović.[citation needed]

Milestones

Transactions

References

  1. ^ 1989–90 Portland Trail Blazers
  2. ^ "Trail Blazers Trade Bowie and First-Round Pick for Nets' Williams". United Press International. June 24, 1989. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  3. ^ Brown, Clifton (June 25, 1989). "PRO-BASKETBALL; Nets Get Bowie for Buck Williams". The New York Times. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  4. ^ "Trail Blazers Trade Bowie, No. 12 Pick in Draft to Nets for Buck Williams". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 25, 1989. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  5. ^ "Blazers Trade Bowie, No. 12 Pick for Williams". Deseret News. Associated Press. June 25, 1989. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  6. ^ "NBA Games Played on February 8, 1990". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  7. ^ "Portland Trail Blazers at Houston Rockets Box Score, March 20, 1990". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  8. ^ "1989–90 Portland Trail Blazers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  9. ^ "Portland Trail Blazers". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  10. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (February 11, 1990). "NBA ALL-STAR GAME: Entire Family Is Back Together--Almost". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  11. ^ "Bird, Johnson Return Magic to All-Star Game". Sun Sentinel. February 11, 1990. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  12. ^ "1990 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com. NBA.com Staff. September 13, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  13. ^ "1990 NBA All-Star Game: East 130, West 113". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  14. ^ "1989–90 Portland Trail Blazers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  15. ^ Rabun, Mike (May 1, 1990). "Trail Blazers 106, Mavericks 92". United Press International. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  16. ^ Hafner, Dan (May 2, 1990). "Portland Victory Could Prove Costly: NBA Playoffs: Trail Blazers Win at Dallas, But Williams and Duckworth Are Injured. The Pistons and Spurs Also Sweep Their Series". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  17. ^ "1990 NBA Western Conference First Round Game 3: Portland Trail Blazers at Dallas Mavericks Box Score, May 1, 1990". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  18. ^ "1990 NBA Western Conference First Round: Mavericks vs. Trail Blazers". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  19. ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Blazers Defeat Spurs in Clincher". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 20, 1990. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  20. ^ McManis, Sam (May 20, 1990). "Trail Blazers Cut Spurs Off at Pass in Overtime: NBA Playoffs: Strickland's No-Look Lob Finds No Teammate. Instead, It Helps Send Portland to the Western Conference finals". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  21. ^ Aldridge, David (May 20, 1990). "Trail Blazers Down Spurs in Overtime". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  22. ^ "1990 NBA Western Conference Semifinals: Spurs vs. Trail Blazers". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  23. ^ Barnes, Mike (May 29, 1990). "Portland 120, Phoenix 114". United Press International. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  24. ^ Brown, Clifton (May 30, 1990). "Blazers Grab Lead in Series". The New York Times. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  25. ^ McManis, Sam (May 30, 1990). "Revived Drexler Helps Fuel Victory by Trail Blazers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  26. ^ Brown, Clifton (June 1, 1990). "Blazers, Overcoming Road Jinx, Reach Final". The New York Times. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  27. ^ McManis, Sam (June 1, 1990). "Trail Blazers Take One Away on Road, 112-109: NBA Playoffs: Williams Makes Key Steal. Johnson Misses Second Half as Suns Are Ousted". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  28. ^ Aldridge, David (June 1, 1990). "Portland Eliminates Phoenix". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  29. ^ "1990 NBA Western Conference Finals: Suns vs. Trail Blazers". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  30. ^ Brown, Clifton (June 6, 1990). "Portland Tries to Swallow a Bitter Loss". The New York Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  31. ^ McManis, Sam (June 6, 1990). "Daly Simply Puts Trust in Thomas as Pistons Rally: NBA Finals: Detroit Guard Scores 14 of His 33 Points During a 19-4 Piston Run That Beats Portland, 105-99". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  32. ^ Aldridge, David (June 6, 1990). "Thomas Leads, Pistons Follow to 105-99 Game 1 Victory". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  33. ^ Brown, Clifton (June 8, 1990). "BASKETBALL; Drexler Is Confident as Blazers Go Home". The New York Times. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  34. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (June 8, 1990). "Trail Blazers Get Even for Game 1 Collapse, 106-105: NBA Finals: Drexler's Free Throws Finally Defuse Laimbeer's Bombs in Overtime. The Next Three Games Are in Portland". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  35. ^ Aldridge, David (June 8, 1990). "Blazers Win in Overtime". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  36. ^ Barnes, Mike (June 14, 1990). "Pistons 92, Trail Blazers 90". United Press International. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  37. ^ Brown, Clifton (June 15, 1990). "Pistons Rally to Repeat as N.B.A. Champions". The New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  38. ^ McManis, Sam (June 15, 1990). "Vinnie, Vidi, Vici: Pistons Repeat Feat: NBA Finals: Johnson Hits Game-Winner in Last Second as Detroit Rallies from Seven-Point Deficit for a 92-90 Victory. Thomas Is the Unanimous Choice as MVP". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  39. ^ Aldridge, David (June 15, 1990). "In Final Second, Pistons Win Second Finals". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  40. ^ "1990 NBA Finals: Trail Blazers vs. Pistons". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 9, 2023.

External links