1989–90 Boston Celtics season

The 1989–90 NBA season was the 44th season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association.^[1] The Celtics received the thirteenth overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft, and selected power forward Michael Smith out of Brigham Young University,^[2][3][4][5] and acquired John Bagley from the New Jersey Nets during the off-season.^[6][7][8]

1989–90 Boston Celtics season
Head coach	Jimmy Rodgers
General manager	Dave Gavitt
Owners	Don Gaston Alan N. Cohen Paul Dupee
Arena	Boston Garden Hartford Civic Center
Results
Record	52–30 (.634)
Place	Division: 2nd (Atlantic) Conference: 4th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	First round (lost to Knicks 2–3)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	WLVI (Mike Crispino, Bob Cousy) SportsChannel New England (Mike Gorman, Tom Heinsohn)
Radio	WEEI (Johnny Most, Glenn Ordway, Doug Brown)
< 1988–89 1990–91 >

With Larry Bird returning after only playing just six games in the 1988–89 season due to heel injuries,^{[9][10][11][12]} and with last year's first-round draft pick Brian Shaw leaving the team to play overseas in Italy,^[13][14][15] the Celtics struggled around .500 during the first month of the regular season, but would win 11 of their next 15 games, holding a 28–18 record at the All-Star break,^[16] finishing in second place in the Atlantic Division with a solid 52–30 record, and earning the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference;^[17] the Celtics also qualified for the NBA playoffs for the eleventh consecutive year.^[18]

Bird averaged 24.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, while sixth man Kevin McHale averaged 20.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and Reggie Lewis contributed 17.0 points per game. In addition, Robert Parish provided the team with 15.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, while Dennis Johnson provided with 7.1 points and 6.5 assists per game. Off the bench, Jim Paxson contributed 6.4 points per game, while Joe Kleine averaged 5.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, Kevin Gamble contributed 5.1 points per game, Bagley provided with 4.3 points and 5.5 assists per game, and starting power forward Ed Pinckney averaged 4.7 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.^[19]

Bird, McHale and Parish were all selected for the 1990 NBA All-Star Game in Miami, Florida; this would be the final All-Star Game Bird would participate in.^{[20][21][22][23]}

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1990 NBA playoffs, the Celtics looked ready to make a serious run as they jumped out to a 2–0 series lead over the 5th-seeded New York Knicks, with a 157–128 home win in Game 2 at the Boston Garden, which was a playoff record of the most points scored in a game.^{[24][25][26][27]} However, they would collapse as they lost three straight games, losing 3–2 to the Knicks.^{[28][29][30][31]}

Following the season, Johnson and Paxson both retired,^{[32][33][34][35]} and head coach Jimmy Rodgers was fired after coaching the Celtics for two seasons.^[36][37][38]

Draft picks

Main article: 1989 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	13	Michael Smith	SF/PF	United States	Brigham Young
2	40	Dino Rađa	PF	Yugoslavia	KK Jugoplastika

Roster

1989–90 Boston Celtics roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From G 5 John Bagley 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1960–04–23 Boston College F 33 Larry Bird 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1956–12–07 Indiana State G/F 34 Kevin Gamble 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1965–11–13 Iowa G 3 Dennis Johnson 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1954–09–18 Pepperdine C 53 Joe Kleine 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 255 lb (116 kg) 1962–01–04 Arkansas G 35 Reggie Lewis 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1965–11–21 Northeastern F 32 Kevin McHale 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1957–12–19 Minnesota C 00 Robert Parish 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1953–08–30 Centenary G 4 Jim Paxson 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1957–07–09 Dayton F 54 Ed Pinckney 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1963–03–27 Villanova G 13 Charles Smith 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 1967–11–29 Georgetown F 11 Michael Smith 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1965–05–19 BYU

Head coach Jimmy Rodgers Assistant(s) Chris Ford Lanny Van Eman Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

Larry Bird, the Celtics star player, was coming back after surgery to both heels the previous season and later said he never felt the same. Despite the injury, the Celtics were able to rise to 2nd place in the Atlantic Division.^[39] By the end of the regular season, the Celtics had scored an average of 110 points per a game, and allowed an average of 106 points per game. During the playoffs against the Knicks that year, the Celtics quickly took the first 2 games of the series, but the New York Knicks would come back and rally to win 3 games in a row, sending the Celtics home.^[40]

Season standings

Atlantic Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Philadelphia 76ers	53	29	.646	–	34–7	19–22	19–7
x-Boston Celtics	52	30	.634	1	30–11	22–19	19–7
x-New York Knicks	45	37	.549	8	29–12	16–25	17–9
Washington Bullets	31	51	.378	22	20–21	11–30	10–16
Miami Heat	18	64	.220	35	11–30	7–34	4–22
New Jersey Nets	17	65	.207	36	13–28	4–37	9–17

#	Eastern Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	c-Detroit Pistons	59	23	.720	–
2	y-Philadelphia 76ers	53	29	.646	6
3	x-Chicago Bulls	55	27	.671	4
4	x-Boston Celtics	52	30	.634	7
5	x-New York Knicks	45	37	.549	14
6	x-Milwaukee Bucks	44	38	.537	15
7	x-Cleveland Cavaliers	42	40	.512	17
8	x-Indiana Pacers	42	40	.512	17
9	Atlanta Hawks	41	41	.500	18
10	Washington Bullets	31	51	.378	28
11	Miami Heat	18	64	.220	41
12	Orlando Magic	18	64	.220	41
13	New Jersey Nets	17	65	.207	42

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

Playoffs

1990 playoff game log
First round: 2–3 (home: 2–1; road: 0–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 26 New York W 116–105 Larry Bird (24) Larry Bird (18) Larry Bird (10) Boston Garden 14,890 1–0 2 April 28 New York W 157–128 Kevin McHale (31) Robert Parish (16) Larry Bird (16) Boston Garden 14,890 2–0 3 May 2 @ New York L 99–102 Larry Bird (31) Robert Parish (10) Larry Bird (8) Madison Square Garden 18,212 2–1 4 May 4 @ New York L 108–135 Kevin McHale (24) Larry Bird (8) Johnson, Bagley (6) Madison Square Garden 18,212 2–2 5 May 6 New York L 114–121 Larry Bird (31) Bird, Parish (9) Dennis Johnson (10) Boston Garden 14,890 2–3
1990 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

Regular season

Boston Celtics statistics

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
John Bagley	54	17	20.3	.459	.056	.744	1.6	5.5	.7	.1	4.3
Larry Bird	75	75	39.3	.473	.333	.930	9.5	7.5	1.4	.8	24.3
Kevin Gamble	71	10	13.9	.455	.167	.794	1.6	1.7	.4	.1	5.1
Dennis Johnson	75	65	27.1	.434	.042	.843	2.7	6.5	1.1	.2	7.1
Joe Kleine	81	4	16.9	.480	.000	.830	4.4	.6	.2	.3	5.4
Reggie Lewis	79	54	31.9	.496	.267	.808	4.4	2.8	1.1	.8	17.0
Kevin McHale	82	25	33.2	.549	.333	.893	8.3	2.1	.4	1.9	20.9
Robert Parish	79	78	30.3	.580		.747	10.1	1.3	.5	.9	15.7
Jim Paxson	72	25	17.8	.453	.250	.811	1.1	1.9	.5	.1	6.4
Ed Pinckney	77	50	14.1	.542	.000	.773	2.9	.9	.4	.5	4.7
Charles Smith	60	0	8.7	.444	.000	.697	1.2	1.7	.6	.1	2.9
Michael Smith	65	7	9.5	.476	.071	.828	1.5	1.2	.1	.0	5.0
Kelvin Upshaw†	14	0	9.4	.308	.400	.667	.9	2.0	.1	.1	2.1

Playoffs

Boston Celtics statistics

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
John Bagley	5	0	14.0	.533	.000	.750	.8	3.4	.8	.2	3.8
Larry Bird	5	5	41.4	.444	.263	.906	9.2	8.8	1.0	1.0	24.4
Kevin Gamble	3	0	2.7	.600			.3	.7	.0	.0	2.0
Dennis Johnson	5	5	32.4	.484	.333	1.000	2.8	5.6	.4	.4	13.8
Joe Kleine	5	0	15.8	.765	.000	.833	2.8	.4	.4	.6	6.2
Reggie Lewis	5	5	40.0	.597	.000	.771	5.0	4.4	1.4	.4	20.2
Kevin McHale	5	5	38.4	.609	.333	.862	7.8	2.6	.4	2.0	22.0
Robert Parish	5	5	34.0	.574		.944	10.0	2.6	1.0	1.4	15.8
Jim Paxson	5	0	12.4	.500	.000	.750	.0	1.4	1.0	.0	3.8
Ed Pinckney	4	0	6.3	.857		.778	1.5	.0	.0	.0	4.8
Charles Smith	3	0	3.0	.500			.3	1.0	.3	.0	.7
Michael Smith	4	0	4.0	.625	.000	1.000	.0	.0	.3	.0	4.3

Player Statistics Citation:^[19]

Awards and records

• Larry Bird, All-NBA Second Team
• Kevin McHale, NBA All-Defensive Second Team

Transactions

See also

• 1989–90 NBA season