1989–90 Los Angeles Clippers season

1989–90 Los Angeles Clippers season
Head coachDon Casey
General managerElgin Baylor
OwnerDonald Sterling
ArenaLos Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
Results
Record30–52 (.366)
PlaceDivision: 6th (Pacific)
Conference: 11th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
TelevisionKTLA
SportsChannel Los Angeles
(Ralph Lawler, Kevin Loughery, Keith Erickson)
RadioKRLA
(Ralph Lawler, Kevin Loughery, Keith Erickson)

The 1989–90 Los Angeles Clippers season was the 20th season for the Los Angeles Clippers in the National Basketball Association, and their sixth season in Los Angeles, California.[1] The Clippers received the second overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft, and selected power forward Danny Ferry out of Duke University.[2][3][4] However, Ferry refused to play for the Clippers, and left to play overseas in Italy;[5][6] this would force General Manager Elgin Baylor into trading Ferry, along with Reggie Williams to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Ron Harper in November.[7][8][9] During the off-season, the team signed free agent David Rivers.

After a 12–18 start to the regular season, the Clippers won six of their next seven games, and were approaching .500 in winning percentage with a 18–19 record as of January 20, 1990. However, the team posted a seven-game losing streak afterwards, and held a 21–26 record at the All-Star break.[10] At mid-season, the team acquired Winston Garland in a trade with the Golden State Warriors.[11][12][13] The Clippers lost their final five games of the season, finishing in sixth place in the Pacific Division with a 30–52 record.[14]

Harper averaged 23.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.4 steals per game, but only played just 28 games after the trade due to a knee injury, while second-year star Charles D. Smith averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, and second-year star and last season's top draft pick, Danny Manning, provided the team with 16.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. In addition, Ken Norman contributed 16.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, while Benoit Benjamin provided with 13.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game, and second-year guard Gary Grant contributed 13.1 points, 10.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game. Meanwhile, Garland averaged 10.9 points and 5.2 assists per game in 28 games, second-year guard Tom Garrick provided with 7.0 points, 4.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game, rookie shooting guard and second-round draft pick, Jeff Martin, contributed 6.3 points per game, Joe Wolf averaged 4.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, and Rivers provided with 4.2 points and 3.0 assists per game.[15]

The Clippers finished 23rd in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 486,621 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena during the regular season, which was the fifth-lowest in the league.[15][16] Following the season, Wolf signed as a free agent with the Denver Nuggets, while Rivers was released to free agency, and Don Casey was fired as head coach.

For the season, the Clippers slightly changed their uniforms, which would remain in use until 2000.[17][18]

Draft picks

Main article: 1989 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 2 Danny Ferry PF  United States Duke
2 31 Jeff Martin G  United States Murray State
2 33 Jay Edwards G  United States Indiana

Roster

1989–90 Los Angeles Clippers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
F/C 51 Ken Bannister 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1960–04–01 St. Augustine's
C 00 Benoit Benjamin 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1964–11–22 Creighton
G 3 Jay Edwards 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1969–01–03 Indiana
G 11 Winston Garland 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1964–12–19 Missouri State
G 22 Tom Garrick 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1966–07–07 Rhode Island
G 23 Gary Grant 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1965–04–21 Michigan
G/F 4 Ron Harper  6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1964–01–20 Miami (OH)
G 20 Steve Harris 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1963–10–15 Tulsa
F/C 25 Danny Manning 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1966–05–17 Kansas
G 15 Jeff Martin 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1967–01–14 Murray State
F 33 Ken Norman 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1964–09–05 Illinois
G 44 David Rivers 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1965–01–20 Notre Dame
F/C 54 Charles D. Smith 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1965–07–16 Pittsburgh
C 24 Joe Wolf 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1964–12–17 North Carolina
F 42 Michael Young 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1961–01–02 Houston
Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster notes

  • Point guard David Rivers became the 3rd former Laker to play with the crosstown rival Clippers.

Regular season

Season standings

Pacific Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers 63 19 .768 – 37–4 26–15 22–6
x-Portland Trail Blazers 59 23 .720 4 35–6 24–17 20–8
x-Phoenix Suns 54 28 .659 9 32–9 22–19 20–8
Seattle SuperSonics 41 41 .500 22 30–11 11–30 11–17
Golden State Warriors 37 45 .451 26 27–14 10–31 11–17
Los Angeles Clippers 30 52 .366 33 20–21 10–31 7–21
Sacramento Kings 23 59 .280 40 16–25 7–34 7–21
#
Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Los Angeles Lakers 63 19 .768 –
2 y-San Antonio Spurs 56 26 .683 7
3 x-Portland Trail Blazers 59 23 .720 4
4 x-Utah Jazz 55 27 .671 8
5 x-Phoenix Suns 54 28 .659 9
6 x-Dallas Mavericks 47 35 .573 16
7 x-Denver Nuggets 43 39 .524 20
8 x-Houston Rockets 41 41 .500 22
9 Seattle SuperSonics 41 41 .500 22
10 Golden State Warriors 37 45 .451 26
11 Los Angeles Clippers 30 52 .366 33
12 Sacramento Kings 23 59 .280 40
13 Minnesota Timberwolves 22 60 .268 41
14 Charlotte Hornets 19 63 .232 44
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Game log

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

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Charles Smith 78 76 35.0 .520 .083 .794 6.7 1.5 1.1 1.5 21.1
Joe Wolf 77 19 17.2 .395 .200 .775 3.0 .8 .4 .3 4.8
Tom Garrick 73 22 23.6 .494 .190 .772 2.2 4.0 1.2 .1 7.0
Benoit Benjamin 71 58 32.6 .526 .000 .732 9.3 2.2 .8 2.6 13.5
Danny Manning 71 42 32.0 .533 .000 .741 5.9 2.6 1.3 .5 16.3
Ken Norman 70 64 33.3 .510 .438 .632 6.7 2.3 1.1 .8 16.1
Jeff Martin 69 23 19.6 .411 .133 .705 2.3 .6 .6 .2 6.3
David Rivers 52 11 13.9 .406 .000 .756 1.6 3.0 .6 .0 4.2
Ken Bannister 52 1 11.3 .478 .000 .473 2.2 .3 .3 .1 4.0
Michael Young 45 2 10.2 .474 .308 .711 1.9 .5 .6 .1 4.9
Gary Grant 44 44 34.8 .466 .238 .779 4.4 10.0 2.5 .1 13.1
Ron Harper† 28 28 39.5 .481 .283 .795 5.6 4.8 2.4 1.1 23.0
Winston Garland† 28 15 31.1 .428 .423 .831 3.7 5.2 1.1 .2 10.9
Steve Harris 15 0 6.2 .350 .750 .7 .1 .5 .1 2.1
Carlton McKinney 7 0 14.9 .250 .000 .500 1.7 1.0 .9 .1 2.6
Jim Les† 6 0 14.3 .357 .000 .846 1.2 3.3 .5 .0 3.5
Reggie Williams† 5 5 26.6 .368 .000 .857 3.0 2.0 1.8 .2 12.0
Jay Edwards 4 0 6.5 .429 .000 .333 .5 1.0 .3 .0 1.8
Andre Turner† 3 0 10.3 .154 .000 1.7 1.0 .3 .0 1.3
Torgeir Bryn 3 0 3.3 .000 .667 .7 .0 .7 .3 1.3
  • † Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Clippers only.

Player statistics citation:[15]

Transactions

The Clippers were involved in the following transactions during the 1989–90 season.

Trades

November 16, 1989 To Los Angeles Clippers
  • Ron Harper, 1990 & 1992 first-round draft picks and 1991 second-round draft pick
 To Cleveland Cavaliers
February 22, 1990 To Los Angeles Clippers
 To Golden State Warriors
  • 1990 & 1992 second-round draft picks

Player Transactions Citation:[19]

References

  1. ^ 1989-90 Los Angeles Clippers
  2. ^ Goldaper, Sam (June 28, 1989). "Kings Take Ellison First in N.B.A. Draft; Clippers Pick Ferry". The New York Times. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  3. ^ McManis, Sam (June 28, 1989). "THE NBA DRAFT: The Other Teams: Sacramento's Secret Is Out: It's Ellison". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  4. ^ "1989 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  5. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (August 2, 1989). "Clippers Left High and Dry: Ferry Takes Italian Route". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  6. ^ Steadman, John (September 3, 1989). "Danny Ferry's Great Adventure-- It's Basketball, Italian Style". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  7. ^ "Cavs Trade Harper, Draft Picks to Clippers". United Press International. November 16, 1989. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  8. ^ "Ferry's Rights Are Traded". The New York Times. Associated Press. November 17, 1989. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  9. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (November 17, 1989). "Ferry Is Traded; Benjamin on Board: Deal: The Clippers Give Up Reggie Williams, and Rights to Former Duke Star for Cavaliers' Harper, and Three Draft Picks". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  10. ^ "NBA Games Played on February 8, 1990". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  11. ^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (February 23, 1990). "Clippers Deal for Garland: Trade: He Isn't the Big-Name Player L.A. Wanted, But He Cost Only Two No. 2 Picks and Could Be a Starter Soon". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  12. ^ "Warriors Deal Former Starter Garland, Blab". Chicago Tribune. San Francisco Chronicle. February 23, 1990. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  13. ^ "Warriors Deal Garland, Blab". Orlando Sentinel. February 23, 1990. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  14. ^ "1989–90 Los Angeles Clippers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  15. ^ a b c "1989–90 Los Angeles Clippers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  16. ^ "1989–90 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  17. ^ "Los Angeles Clippers Uniform". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  18. ^ "Los Angeles Clippers Uniform". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  19. ^ "1989–90 Los Angeles Clippers Transactions". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
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