1988–89 Houston Rockets season

1988–89 Houston Rockets season
Head coach	Don Chaney
General manager	Ray Patterson
Owner(s)	Charlie Thomas
Arena	The Summit
Results
Record	45–37 (.549)
Place	Division: 2nd (Midwest) Conference: 5th (Western)
Playoff finish	First Round (Lost to SuperSonics 1–3)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	KTXH Home Sports Entertainment (Bill Worrell, McCoy McLemore)
Radio	KTRH (Gene Peterson, Bill Foley)
< 1987–88 1989–90 >

The 1988–89 NBA season was the Rockets' 22nd season in the NBA and 18th season in the city of Houston.^[1]

In the playoffs, the Rockets lost to the Seattle SuperSonics in four games in the First Round.

Draft picks[]

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College/Club team
1	16	Derrick Chievous	SF	United States	Missouri

Roster[]

Houston Rockets roster

• v
• t

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From PF 6 Berry, Walter 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1964-05-14 Charlotte SF 3 Chievous, Derrick 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1967-07-03 Missouri PG 21 Floyd, Sleepy 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1960-03-06 Georgetown SF 1 Johnson, Buck 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1964-01-03 Alabama PG 15 Johnson, Frank 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1958-11-23 Wake Forest SG 30 Leavell, Allen 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1957-05-27 Oklahoma City C 40 McCormick, Tim 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1962-03-10 Michigan C 52 Nevitt, Chuck 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) 217 lb (98 kg) 1959-06-13 North Carolina State C 34 Olajuwon, Akeem 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 255 lb (116 kg) 1963-01-21 Houston SF 10 Short, Purvis 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1957-07-02 Jackson State PF 33 Thorpe, Otis 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1962-08-05 Providence SG 42 Woodson, Mike 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1958-03-24 Indiana

Head coach Don Chaney Assistant coach(es) Carroll Dawson Rudy Tomjanovich Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Last transaction: February 16, 1989

Regular season[]

Season standings[]

Midwest Division v t	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Utah Jazz	51	31	.622	–	34–7	17–24	19–11
x-Houston Rockets	45	37	.549	6	31–10	14–27	19–11
x-Denver Nuggets	44	38	.537	7	35–6	9–32	18–12
Dallas Mavericks	38	44	.463	13	24–17	14–27	19–11
San Antonio Spurs	21	61	.256	30	18–23	3–38	9–21
Miami Heat	15	67	.183	36	12–29	3–38	6–24

#	Western Conference v t
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	c-Los Angeles Lakers	57	25	.695	–
2	y-Utah Jazz	51	31	.622	6
3	x-Phoenix Suns	55	27	.671	2
4	x-Seattle SuperSonics	47	35	.573	10
5	x-Houston Rockets	45	37	.549	12
6	x-Denver Nuggets	44	38	.537	13
7	x-Golden State Warriors	43	39	.524	14
8	x-Portland Trail Blazers	39	43	.476	18
9	Dallas Mavericks	38	44	.463	19
10	Sacramento Kings	27	55	.329	30
11	San Antonio Spurs	21	61	.256	36
12	Los Angeles Clippers	21	61	.256	36
13	Miami Heat	15	67	.183	42

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents[]

1988-89 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHA	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MIA	MIL	NJN	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	—	3–1	4–1	4–2	4–2	1–1	0–2	1–5	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	6–0	4–1	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1
Boston	1–3	—	6–0	1–3	1–4	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–3	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	5–1	3–3	3–3	0–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–4
Charlotte	1–4	0–6	—	1–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	0–4	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–4	2–4	3–3	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–5
Chicago	2–4	3–1	4–1	—	0–6	2–0	1–1	0–6	1–1	1–1	4–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	6–0	2–2	3–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	0–2	3–1
Cleveland	2–4	4–1	4–0	6–0	—	2–0	2–0	3–3	1–1	1–1	5–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–3	4–0	2–2	3–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2
Dallas	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	—	3–3	0–2	1–3	1–5	1–1	3–1	0–4	6–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–3	2–2	2–2	5–1	2–2	4–2	1–1
Denver	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–3	—	1–1	3–1	4–2	1–1	2–2	1–3	5–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	3–3	2–2	3–3	1–1
Detroit	5–1	3–1	4–0	6–0	3–3	2–0	1–1	—	1–1	1–1	4–2	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–4	4–0	0–4	5–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	5–0
Golden State	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–3	1–1	—	1–3	1–1	5–1	2–3	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–4	2–4	2–3	3–1	2–4	2–2	1–1
Houston	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–4	1–1	3–1	—	2–0	2–2	1–3	4–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	6–0	2–2	2–4	0–2
Indiana	1–5	3–2	2–2	2–4	1–5	1–1	1–1	2–4	1–1	0–2	—	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–4	1–3	0–5	0–4	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–3
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–2	1–5	2–2	1–1	—	1–5	1–3	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–5	1–5	2–3	3–1	1–4	1–3	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	2–0	4–0	3–1	0–2	3–2	3–1	2–0	5–1	—	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–3	5–0	5–1	3–1	4–2	1–3	1–1
Miami	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–6	1–5	0–2	0–4	2–4	1–1	3–1	0–4	—	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–4	0–4	1–3	2–4	0–4	1–5	0–2
Milwaukee	0–6	2–2	4–0	0–6	3–3	2–0	2–0	4–2	2–0	1–1	4–2	2–0	1–1	2–0	—	4–1	1–3	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–1
New Jersey	1–4	1–5	4–2	2–2	0–4	1–1	1–1	0–4	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–4	—	2–4	1–5	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–5
New York	2–2	3–3	4–2	2–3	2–2	2–0	1–1	4–0	0–2	2–0	5–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–1	4–2	—	2–4	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	5–1
Philadelphia	2–2	3–3	3–3	3–1	2–3	1–1	1–1	0–5	1–1	2–0	4–0	2–0	0–2	2–0	1–3	5–1	4–2	—	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–2
Phoenix	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–1	3–1	0–2	4–2	3–1	1–1	5–1	3–3	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	—	2–3	5–1	3–1	4–1	2–2	2–0
Portland	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	4–2	1–3	0–2	5–1	0–5	4–0	0–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	3–2	—	3–3	4–0	2–4	0–4	1–1
Sacramento	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	1–3	0–2	3–2	2–2	1–1	3–2	1–5	3–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–5	3–3	—	2–2	1–5	1–3	0–2
San Antonio	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–5	3–3	0–2	1–3	0–6	0–2	1–3	1–3	4–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–4	2–2	—	0–4	1–5	1–1
Seattle	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–2	2–2	0–2	4–2	2–2	1–1	4–1	2–4	4–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–4	4–2	5–1	4–0	—	3–1	1–1
Utah	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–4	3–3	0–2	2–2	4–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	5–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	4–0	3–1	5–1	1–3	—	2–0
Washington	1–3	4–2	5–1	1–3	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–5	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–4	5–1	1–5	2–4	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	—

Game log[]

Regular season[]

1988–89 game log Total: 45–37 (Home: 31–10; Road: 14–27)
November: 9–6 (Home: 6–3; Road: 3–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 November 4, 1988 @ Denver L 117–120 McNichols Sports Arena 0–1 2 November 5, 1988 Dallas L 113–114 (OT) The Summit 0–2 3 November 8, 1988 San Antonio W 120–102 The Summit 1–2 4 November 10, 1988 Utah W 106–99 The Summit 2–2 5 November 11, 1988 @ Miami W 121–100 Miami Arena 3–2 6 November 13, 1988 Sacramento W 129–127 The Summit 4–2 7 November 15, 1988 New York L 121–126 The Summit 4–3 8 November 17, 1988 Miami W 113–107 The Summit 5–3 9 November 19, 1988 Detroit W 109–98 The Summit 6–3 10 November 21, 1988 Atlanta W 117–113 The Summit 7–3 11 November 23, 1988 @ Utah L 99–102 Salt Palace 7–4 12 November 25, 1988 @ Portland L 94–111 Memorial Coliseum 7–5 13 November 26, 1988 @ Golden State W 119–109 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 8–5 14 November 29, 1988 Phoenix L 107–124 The Summit 8–6 15 November 30, 1988 @ Dallas W 101–89 Reunion Arena 9–6
December: 9–5 (Home: 7–0; Road: 2–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 16 December 2, 1988 @ Phoenix L 95–110 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 9–7 17 December 3, 1988 Charlotte W 108–104 The Summit 10–7 18 December 6, 1988 Cleveland W 106–105 The Summit 11–7 19 December 8, 1988 @ L.A. Clippers L 116–120 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 11–8 20 December 10, 1988 Seattle W 110–91 The Summit 12–8 21 December 13, 1988 @ Denver L 101–126 McNichols Sports Arena 12–9 22 December 15, 1988 Golden State W 124–115 (2OT) The Summit 13–9 23 December 18, 1988 San Antonio W 120–109 The Summit 14–9 24 December 20, 1988 Sacramento W 105–104 The Summit 15–9 25 December 22, 1988 L.A. Clippers W 125–109 The Summit 16–9 26 December 26, 1988 @ Charlotte W 97–95 Charlotte Coliseum 17–9 27 December 27, 1988 @ Miami W 101–93 Miami Arena 18–9 28 December 29, 1988 @ Washington L 109–126 Capital Centre 18–10 29 December 30, 1988 @ Detroit L 83–95 The Palace of Auburn Hills 18–11
January: 7–6 (Home: 5–2; Road: 2–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 30 January 3, 1989 Utah W 104–102 The Summit 19–11 31 January 7, 1989 Philadelphia L 95–96 The Summit 19–12 32 January 11, 1989 @ San Antonio W 122–117 (OT) HemisFair Arena 20–12 33 January 12, 1989 Portland W 116–106 The Summit 21–12 34 January 14, 1989 Dallas W 110–98 The Summit 22–12 35 January 16, 1989 @ L.A. Lakers L 113–124 Great Western Forum 22–13 36 January 17, 1989 @ Sacramento L 109–123 ARCO Arena 22–14 37 January 19, 1989 @ Seattle L 108–124 Seattle Center Coliseum 22–15 38 January 20, 1989 @ Golden State L 114–121 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 22–16 39 January 24, 1989 Miami W 118–93 The Summit 23–16 40 January 26, 1989 L.A. Clippers W 106–100 The Summit 24–16 42 January 28, 1989 @ San Antonio W 96–91 HemisFair Arena 25–17 42 January 31, 1989 L.A. Lakers L 114–125 The Summit 25–17
February: 6–6 (Home: 4–1; Road: 2–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 43 February 3, 1989 Chicago W 105–98 The Summit 26–17 44 February 5, 1989 Denver W 124–112 The Summit 27–17 45 February 8, 1989 @ L.A. Clippers L 111–114 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 27–18 46 February 9, 1989 @ Portland W 113–110 Memorial Coliseum 28–18 47 February 14, 1989 Boston W 137–123 The Summit 29–18 48 February 17, 1989 Denver W 121–111 The Summit 30–18 49 February 18, 1989 @ Dallas W 105–94 Reunion Arena 31–18 50 February 20, 1989 @ Cleveland L 90–110 Richfield Coliseum 31–19 51 February 21, 1989 @ New York L 115–120 Madison Square Garden 31–20 52 February 24, 1989 @ Chicago L 97–106 Chicago Stadium 31–21 53 February 25, 1989 @ Milwaukee L 105–121 Bradley Center 31–22 54 February 27, 1989 Washington L 98–104 The Summit 31–23
March: 8–8 (Home: 7–2; Road: 1–6) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 55 March 2, 1989 @ Denver L 103–113 McNichols Sports Arena 31–24 56 March 3, 1989 @ Seattle L 108–118 Seattle Center Coliseum 31–25 57 March 5, 1989 L.A. Lakers W 88–83 The Summit 32–25 58 March 8, 1989 @ Utah L 80–117 Salt Palace 32–26 59 March 10, 1989 Dallas W 96–86 The Summit 33–26 60 March 11, 1989 New Jersey W 124–94 The Summit 34–26 61 March 13, 1989 @ L.A. Lakers L 96–97 Great Western Forum 34–27 62 March 14, 1989 @ Sacramento L 90–95 ARCO Arena 34–28 63 March 16, 1989 Milwaukee W 120–104 The Summit 35–28 64 March 18, 1989 Portland W 127–113 The Summit 36–28 65 March 21, 1989 Denver L 110–112 The Summit 36–29 66 March 24, 1989 Utah L 99–102 The Summit 36–30 67 March 25, 1989 Golden State W 144–104 The Summit 37–30 68 March 28, 1989 Seattle W 120–117 The Summit 38–30 69 March 30, 1989 @ New Jersey W 109–101 Brendan Byrne Arena 39–30 70 March 31, 1989 @ Boston L 109–126 Boston Garden 39–31
April: 6–6 (Home: 2–2; Road: 4–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 71 April 2, 1989 @ Philadelphia L 99–108 The Spectrum 39–32 72 April 4, 1989 @ Indiana W 90–88 Market Square Arena 40–32 73 April 7, 1989 @ Atlanta L 112–120 (OT) The Omni 40–33 74 April 8, 1989 @ Miami L 104–107 (OT) Miami Arena 40–34 75 April 11, 1989 Indiana W 108–99 The Summit 41–35 76 April 13, 1989 Phoenix L 111–119 The Summit 41–35 77 April 14, 1989 @ Utah L 96–122 Salt Palace 41–36 78 April 16, 1989 @ Dallas W 114–112 (OT) Reunion Arena 42–36 79 April 17, 1989 San Antonio W 99–91 The Summit 43–36 80 April 19, 1989 @ San Antonio W 99–84 HemisFair Arena 44–36 81 April 21, 1989 @ Phoenix W 112–101 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 45–36 82 April 22, 1989 Miami L 89–91 The Summit 45–37
1988–89 schedule

Playoffs[]

1989 playoff game log
First Round: 1–3 (Home: 1–1; Road: 0–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 28, 1989 @ Seattle L 107–111 Hakeem Olajuwon (28) Hakeem Olajuwon (9) Sleepy Floyd (7) Seattle Center Coliseum 14,250 0–1 2 April 30, 1989 @ Seattle L 97–109 Hakeem Olajuwon (30) Hakeem Olajuwon (12) Sleepy Floyd (6) Seattle Center Coliseum 12,887 0–2 3 May 3, 1989 Seattle W 126–107 Sleepy Floyd (28) Hakeem Olajuwon (18) Sleepy Floyd (6) The Summit 16,611 1–2 4 May 5, 1989 Seattle L 96–98 Hakeem Olajuwon (24) Hakeem Olajuwon (13) Floyd, Woodson (7) The Summit 16,611 1–3
1989 schedule

Player statistics[]

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Season[]

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG

Playoffs[]

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG

Awards and records[]

• Akeem Olajuwon, All-NBA First Team

Transactions[]

This section is empty. You can help by . (January 2011)

References[]

See also[]

• 1988–89 NBA season