The 1989–90 NBA season was the Rockets' 23rd season in the National Basketball Association , and 19th season in the city of Houston .[1] After a 9–6 start to the season, the Rockets would struggle posting a 12–18 record as they entered the New Year. However, they would manage to win seven of their next nine games. At midseason, the team acquired Vernon Maxwell from the San Antonio Spurs ,[2] as they continued to play .500 basketball for the rest of the season. The Rockets finished fifth in the Midwest Division with a 41–41 record,[3] winning a tie-breaker over the Seattle SuperSonics for the #8 seed in the Western Conference.[4]
Akeem Olajuwon led the Rockets with 24.3 points, 14.0 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, the NBA All-Defensive First Team, and was selected for the 1990 NBA All-Star Game .[5] In addition, Otis Thorpe averaged 17.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, while Mitchell Wiggins averaged 15.5 points 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.[6] Olajuwon also finished in seventh place in Most Valuable Player voting, and in second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.[7] However, in the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs , the Rockets lost to the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in four games.[8] Following the season, Wiggins was released to free agency.
Draft picks [ ]
The Rockets had no draft picks in 1989.
Roster [ ]
1989–90 Houston Rockets roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB (YYYY-MM-DD)
From
G
25
Bowie, Anthony
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1963–11–09
Oklahoma
F
44
Caldwell, Adrian
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
265 lb (120 kg)
1966–07–04
Lamar
G
9
Dinkins, Byron
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
1967–06–15
Charlotte
G
21
Floyd, Sleepy
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
170 lb (77 kg)
1960–03–06
Georgetown
F
1
Johnson, Buck
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1964–01–03
Alabama
G
32
Lloyd, Lewis
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
1959–02–22
Drake
G
10
Lucas, John
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
1953–10–31
Maryland
G
11
Maxwell, Vernon
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
1965–09–12
Florida
C
40
McCormick, Tim
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
240 lb (109 kg)
1962–03–10
Michigan
C
34
Olajuwon, Akeem
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
255 lb (116 kg)
1963–01–21
Houston
F
13
Smith, Larry
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
1958–01–18
Alcorn State
F
33
Thorpe, Otis
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
1962–08–05
Providence
G
23
Wiggins, Mitchell
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
1959–09–28
Florida State
G
42
Woodson, Mike
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
1958–03–24
Indiana
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Roster Last transaction: March 19, 1990
Regular season [ ]
Season standings [ ]
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents [ ]
1989-90 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
CHA
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
LAC
LAL
MIA
MIL
MIN
NJN
NYK
ORL
PHI
PHO
POR
SAC
SAS
SEA
UTA
WAS
Atlanta
—
1–3
2–0
0–5
2–3
0–2
1–1
3–2
2–0
2–0
2–3
1–1
0–2
4–0
3–2
1–1
2–2
1–3
5–0
2–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–2
Boston
3–1
—
2–0
2–2
3–1
1–1
1–1
2–2
1–1
2–0
1–3
1–1
0–2
5–0
2–2
1–1
5–1
4–1
4–0
3–2
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–3
Charlotte
0–2
0–2
—
0–2
1–1
1–3
3–2
0–2
2–2
1–4
1–1
2–2
0–4
1–1
0–2
2–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–3
0–4
1–3
0–5
0–4
0–5
0–2
Chicago
5–0
2–2
2–0
—
5–0
2–0
1–1
1–4
2–0
1–1
2–3
1–1
1–1
4–0
4–1
2–0
3–1
3–1
3–2
2–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
3–1
Cleveland
3–2
1–3
1–1
0–5
—
0–2
0–2
1–4
1–1
0–2
3–2
1–1
1–1
4–0
3–2
1–1
4–0
2–2
4–1
2–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–1
Dallas
2–0
1–1
3–1
0–2
2–0
—
2–3
1–1
3–1
4–1
2–0
3–1
0–4
2–0
1–1
4–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–3
0–4
3–1
3–2
2–2
1–3
1–1
Denver
1–1
1–1
2–3
1–1
2–0
3–2
—
0–2
2–2
4–1
0–2
2–2
0–4
2–0
1–1
5–0
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–3
2–2
4–0
1–3
2–2
0–4
1–1
Detroit
2–3
2–2
2–0
4–1
4–1
1–1
2–0
—
1–1
1–1
4–1
1–1
1–1
3–1
3–2
2–0
4–0
4–0
5–0
1–3
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
4–0
Golden State
0–2
1–1
2–2
0–2
1–1
1–3
2–2
1–1
—
2–2
1–1
3–1
1–4
2–0
1–1
3–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
1–1
0–5
2–2
3–2
1–3
2–3
2–2
1–1
Houston
0–2
0–2
4–1
1–1
2–0
1–4
1–4
1–1
2–2
—
1–1
2–2
2–2
1–1
1–1
2–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–2
1–3
4–0
2–2
2–2
3–2
1–1
Indiana
3–2
3–1
1–1
3–2
2–3
0–2
2–0
1–4
1–1
1–1
—
0–2
0–2
3–1
3–2
1–1
4–0
1–3
4–1
0–4
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–1
L.A. Clippers
1–1
1–1
2–2
1–1
1–1
1–3
2–2
1–1
1–3
2–2
2–0
—
1–4
0–2
1–1
3–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
0–2
0–4
0–5
2–3
0–4
3–2
0–4
1–1
L.A. Lakers
2–0
2–0
4–0
1–1
1–1
4–0
4–0
1–1
4–1
2–2
2–0
4–1
—
2–0
1–1
4–0
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
3–1
2–3
5–0
2–2
4–0
2–2
1–1
Miami
0–4
0–5
1–1
0–4
0–4
0–2
0–2
1–3
0–2
1–1
1–3
2–0
0–2
—
2–2
1–1
1–4
1–5
3–1
0–5
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
2–3
Milwaukee
2–3
2–2
2–0
1–4
2–3
1–1
1–1
2–3
1–1
1–1
2–3
1–1
1–1
2–2
—
2–0
4–0
2–2
5–0
1–3
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
3–1
Minnesota
1–1
1–1
2–2
0–2
1–1
1–4
0–5
0–2
1–3
2–2
1–1
1–3
0–4
1–1
0–2
—
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–4
1–3
2–2
1–4
1–3
0–5
1–1
New Jersey
2–2
1–5
1–1
1–3
0–4
0–2
0–2
0–4
0–2
1–1
0–4
0–2
0–2
4–1
0–4
1–1
—
1–4
1–3
1–4
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–3
New York
3–1
1–4
1–1
1–3
2–2
1–1
1–1
0–4
2–0
1–1
3–1
2–0
0–2
5–1
2–2
1–1
4–1
—
2–2
2–3
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
5–0
Orlando
0–5
0–4
1–1
2–3
1–4
0–2
0–2
0–5
0–2
0–2
1–4
0–2
1–1
1–3
0–5
1–1
3–1
2–2
—
2–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–4
Philadelphia
2–2
2–3
2–0
2–2
2–2
1–1
1–1
3–1
1–1
1–1
4–0
2–0
1–1
5–0
3–1
1–1
4–1
3–2
2–2
—
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
5–1
Phoenix
2–0
1–1
3–1
0–2
1–1
3–1
3–1
0–2
5–0
2–2
1–1
4–0
1–3
2–0
1–1
4–0
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
—
2–3
5–0
0–4
3–2
3–1
2–0
Portland
1–1
2–0
4–0
1–1
1–1
4–0
2–2
1–1
2–2
3–1
1–1
5–0
3–2
2–0
1–1
3–1
2–0
2–0
2–0
1–1
3–2
—
4–0
3–1
3–2
2–2
1–1
Sacramento
1–1
0–2
3–1
1–1
0–2
1–3
0–4
0–2
2–3
0–4
1–1
3–2
0–5
1–1
1–1
2–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–5
0–4
—
0–4
2–2
1–3
1–1
San Antonio
1–1
1–1
5–0
1–1
1–1
2–3
3–1
1–1
3–1
2–2
1–1
4–0
2–2
2–0
1–1
4–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
4–0
1–3
4–0
—
3–1
3–2
2–0
Seattle
1–1
0–2
4–0
1–1
1–1
2–2
2–2
1–1
3–2
2–2
1–1
2–3
0–4
2–0
0–2
3–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–3
2–3
2–2
1–3
—
1–3
2–0
Utah
1–1
1–1
5–0
2–0
1–1
3–1
4–0
1–1
2–2
2–3
1–1
4–0
2–2
1–1
2–0
5–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–3
2–2
3–1
2–3
3–1
—
2–0
Washington
2–2
3–2
2–0
1–3
1–3
1–1
1–1
0–4
1–1
1–1
1–3
1–1
1–1
3–2
1–3
1–1
3–2
0–5
4–0
1–5
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
0–2
—
Game log [ ]
This section is empty. You can help by . (June 2012 )
Playoffs [ ]
1990 playoff game log
First Round: 1–3 (Home: 1–1; Road: 0–2)
1990 schedule
Player statistics [ ]
NOTE: Please write the players statistics in alphabetical order by last name.
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 [ ]
Transactions [ ]
This section is empty. You can help by . (June 2012 )
See also [ ]
References [ ]
^ 1989-90 Houston Rockets
^ "NOTEBOOK; Spurs On Brink Of Record Turnabout" . New York Times . March 27, 1990. Retrieved December 15, 2021 .
^ "1989–90 Houston Rockets Schedule and Results" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 9, 2021 .
^ "Rockets Land A Berth" . New York Times . April 23, 1990. Retrieved January 19, 2022 .
^ "1990 NBA All-Star Game: East 130, West 113" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved December 9, 2021 .
^ "1989–90 Houston Rockets Roster and Stats" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 15, 2021 .
^ "1989–90 NBA Awards Voting" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved February 4, 2022 .
^ "Worthy Helps Lakers Eliminate Rockets" . New York Times . May 4, 1990. Retrieved December 9, 2021 .
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