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1988–89 Portland Trail Blazers season

The 1988–89 season was the 19th season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] 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.[2][3][4] After the Blazers reached the 1989 NBA Playoffs, Adelman was made the head coach on a full-time basis.[5] At midseason, the team traded Kiki Vandeweghe to the New York Knicks in exchange for a future first-round draft pick.[6][7][8][9] After holding a 25–21 record at the All-Star break,[10] the Blazers played below .500 for the remainder of the season, and finished fifth in the Pacific Division with a 39–43 record,[11] eighth in the Western Conference, qualifying for the 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.[12] Drexler and Duckworth were both selected for the 1989 NBA All-Star Game.[13][14][15][16][17]

In the 1989 NBA Playoffs, the Blazers were eliminated in the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year, losing three straight games to the eventual Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers.[18][19][20][21] The Lakers would reach the NBA Finals for the third consecutive year, but would lose to the Detroit Pistons in four straight games.[22][23][24][25][26]

Following the season, the oft-injured Bowie was traded to the New Jersey Nets,[27][28][29] and Johnson was left unprotected in the 1989 NBA Expansion Draft, where he was selected by the newly expansion Minnesota Timberwolves.[30][31][32][33][34]

Draft picks

Roster

Regular season

The Trail Blazers played their home games at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Season standings

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

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Regular season

Playoffs

Player statistics

Season

Playoffs

Awards and honors

Transactions

References

  1. ^ 1988–89 Portland Trail Blazers
  2. ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Trail Blazers Dismiss Coach". The New York Times. Associated Press. February 19, 1989. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  3. ^ "Trail Blazers Dump Schuler, Elevate Adelman". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. February 19, 1989. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  4. ^ "Trail Blazers Fire Schuler, Replace Him with Adelman". Deseret News. February 19, 1989. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  5. ^ "In Brief: Adelman Retained as Blazers Coach". Los Angeles Times. Times Wire Services. May 11, 1989. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
  6. ^ "IN BRIEF: Vandeweghe Prepped for a Trade". Los Angeles Times. Times Staff and Wire Service Reports. February 14, 1989. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  7. ^ Goldaper, Sam (February 15, 1989). "Vandeweghe Trade Is Left Up in the Air". The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  8. ^ Thomas Jr., Robert Mcg. (February 24, 1989). "BASKETBALL; Knicks, In a Surprise, Get Vandeweghe; Celtics Trade Ainge". The New York Times. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  9. ^ Love, Ian (February 26, 1989). "Kiki Vandeweghe, the Player the New York Knicks Coveted..." United Press International. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  10. ^ "NBA Games Played on February 9, 1989". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  11. ^ "1988–89 Portland Trail Blazers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  12. ^ "1988–89 Portland Trail Blazers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  13. ^ Robinson, John (February 1, 1989). "Stockton, Eaton on All-Star Squad". Deseret News. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  14. ^ 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. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  15. ^ "NBA All-Star Weekend Stars Will Have to Shine Without Bird, Magic Spotlights". Sun Sentinel. February 12, 1989. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  16. ^ "1989 NBA All-Star Recap". NBA.com. NBA.com Staff. September 13, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  17. ^ "1989 NBA All-Star Game: West 143, East 134". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  18. ^ McManis, Sam (May 4, 1989). "Lakers Shake Their Lethargy, Finish Sweep: Win Over Portland Extends First-Round Streak to 18-0". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  19. ^ "Abdul-Jabbar Leads Lakers to Sweep". The Washington Post. May 4, 1989. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  20. ^ "Lakers 116, Trail Blazers 108". United Press International. May 4, 1989. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  21. ^ "1989 NBA Western Conference First Round: Trail Blazers vs. Lakers". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  22. ^ Barnes, Mike (June 13, 1989). "Pistons Win NBA Title". United Press International. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  23. ^ Goldaper, Sam (June 14, 1989). "Pistons Earn First Title by Sweeping Lakers". The New York Times. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  24. ^ McManis, Sam (June 14, 1989). "Pistons End a Reign, Cap a Career: Detroit Sweeps Lakers, 105-97". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  25. ^ Smith, Sam (June 14, 1989). "Pistons Sweep to NBA Title". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  26. ^ "1989 NBA Finals: Lakers vs. Pistons". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved March 20, 2023.
  27. ^ Brown, Clifton (June 25, 1989). "PRO-BASKETBALL; Nets Get Bowie for Buck Williams". The New York Times. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  28. ^ "Trail Blazers Trade Bowie, No. 12 Pick in Draft to Nets for Buck Williams". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 25, 1989. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  29. ^ "Blazers Trade Bowie, No. 12 Pick for Williams". Deseret News. Associated Press. June 25, 1989. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  30. ^ Brown, Clifton (June 16, 1989). "Knicks' Green Is Taken First in N.B.A.'s Expansion Draft". The New York Times. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  31. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (June 16, 1989). "NBA Expansion Draft: Timberwolves Get Mahorn; Lakers Lose Rivers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  32. ^ Cotton, Anthony (June 16, 1989). "Green Tabbed No. 1, Mahorn No. 2 in NBA Expansion Draft". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  33. ^ Smith, Sam (June 16, 1989). "Magic Day for Vincent, Not for Mahorn". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  34. ^ "1989 NBA Expansion Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 14, 2022.