1989–90 New Jersey Nets season explained

The 1989–90 New Jersey Nets season was the Nets' 23rd season in the National Basketball Association, and 14th season in East Rutherford, New Jersey.^[1] The Nets decided to start the rebuilding process by acquiring Sam Bowie from the Portland Trail Blazers on draft day.^{[2] [3] [4]} Under new head coach Bill Fitch, they started the season winning their first two games, but went on to lose eleven of their next twelves games, including a nine-game losing streak. At midseason, the team acquired Chris Dudley from the Cleveland Cavaliers.^{[5] [6]} The Nets struggled all season long posting a 14-game losing streak between January and February, and losing eleven consecutive games in March. They lost their final seven games of the season, finishing last place in the Atlantic Division with a league worst record at 17–65.^[7] Following the season, Dennis Hopson was traded to the Chicago Bulls.^{[8] [9]}

Draft picks

See main article: article and 1989 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	12		PG		Oklahoma
2	32		F		DePaul

Regular season

Record vs. opponents

1989–90 NBA records
width=100	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

Regular season

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| November 3, 1989| @ Miami| W 110–90| Hopson (19)| Shackleford (16)| Blaylock,
Conner (5)| Miami Arena
15,008| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| November 4, 1989| @ Orlando| W 111–106| Hopson (24)| Shackleford (12)| Blaylock (5)| Orlando Arena
15,077| 2–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| November 7, 1989| Miami| L 77–83| Hopson (17)| Shackleford (14)| Conner (3)| Brendan Byrne Arena
11,999| 2–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 4| November 9, 1989| @ New York| L 105–107| Morris (21)| Hopson (9)| Blaylock,
Morris (6)| Madison Square Garden
13,482| 2–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 5|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 6|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 7|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 8|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 9|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 10|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 11|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 12|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 13|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 14|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 15| December 1, 1989| Miami| W 101–77| Shackleford (19)| Bowie (16)| Blaylock (3)| Brendan Byrne Arena
10,240| 4–11|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 16|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 17|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 18|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 19|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 20|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 21|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 22| December 19, 1989| @ Miami| W 100–98| Hopson (20)| Bowie (6)| Conner,
Morris (5)| Miami Arena
15,008| 7–15|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 23|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 24|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 25| December 23, 1989| @ New York| L 85–94| Hinson,
Morris (22)| Carroll (10)| Conner (6)| Madison Square Garden
17,047| 7–18|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 26|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 27| December 28, 1989| New York| L 104–106| Hopson (21)| Hinson (12)| Blaylock (6)| Brendan Byrne Arena
20,049| 8–19|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 28|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 29|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 30|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 31|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 32|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 33|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 34|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 35|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 36|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 37|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 38| January 19, 1990| @ Orlando| L 105–120| Carroll (22)| Carroll (11)| Conner (6)| Orlando Arena
15,077| 12–26|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 39|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 40| January 25, 1990| Orlando| L 112–117| Shackleford (22)| Bowie (11)| Conner (6)| Brendan Byrne Arena
8,356| 12–28|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 41|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 42|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 43|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 44|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 45|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 46|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 47|- align="center"|colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break|- style="background:#cfc;"|- bgcolor="#bbffbb"|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 48|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 49|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 50|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 51|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 52|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 53|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 54|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 55|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 56|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 57|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 58|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 59|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 60|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 61| March 10, 1990| @ New York| L 91–110| Gervin (24)| Haley (11)| Myers,
Shackleford (5)| Madison Square Garden
18,212| 15–46|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 62|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 63|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 64|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 65|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 66|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 67|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 68|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 69|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 70| March 28, 1990| New York| W 106–101| Morris (24)| Morris (15)| Conner,
Myers (6)| Brendan Byrne Arena
18,438| 16–54|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 71|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 72|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 73|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 74|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 75| April 8, 1990| Miami| W 102–101| Morris (23)| Bowie,
Morris (11)| Wood (3)| Brendan Byrne Arena
7,821| 17–58|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 76|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 77|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 78|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 79|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 80|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 81|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 82| April 22, 1990| Orlando| L 102–110| Short (23)| Dudley (20)| Conner (5)| Brendan Byrne Arena
12,248| 17–65

Player statistics

Regular season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
	50	17	25.3	.371	.225	.778	2.8	4.2	1.6	.3	10.1
	68	54	32.5	.416	.323	.776	10.1	1.3	.6	1.8	14.7
	16	0	8.0	.500		.389	1.6	.2	.4	.3	2.3
	5	0	4.2	.143	.000		.0	1.0	.2	.2	.4
†	46	20	21.8	.393	.000	.794	5.4	.9	.4	1.2	8.8
	82	61	28.7	.414	.154	.804	3.2	4.7	2.1	.1	7.9
†	27	8	24.9	.441		.305	8.1	.7	.8	1.1	6.1
	21	0	16.1	.472	.000	.730	3.1	.4	1.0	.3	12.0
†	56	26	18.3	.394	.000	.661	5.0	.4	.3	.2	6.0
	25	19	31.7	.507		.869	6.9	.9	.6	1.1	15.0
	79	64	32.3	.434	.317	.792	3.5	1.9	1.3	.6	15.8
	28	0	5.7	.362	.000	.810	.9	.5	.5	.0	2.4
	21	0	5.1	.350		.600	1.6	.3	.1	.1	1.8
	80	76	30.6	.422	.316	.722	5.3	1.8	1.6	1.0	14.8
†	28	2	19.4	.411	.000	.725	2.4	3.6	.7	.3	7.1
	70	37	22.2	.462	.000	.687	6.8	.8	.6	.5	8.2
	82	24	27.0	.455	.286	.835	3.0	1.8	.8	.2	13.1
	17	0	6.7	.404	.231	.667	.6	.3	.3	.2	3.0
	28	2	7.1	.327	.190	.875	.4	1.7	.2	.0	1.8

References

• New Jersey Nets on Database Basketball
• New Jersey Nets on Basketball Reference

Notes and References

1. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/NJN/1990.html 1989–90 New Jersey Nets
2. News: Brown . Clifton . PRO-BASKETBALL; Nets Get Bowie for Buck Williams . The New York Times . June 25, 1989 . January 13, 2022.
3. News: Associated Press . Trail Blazers Trade Bowie, No. 12 Pick in Draft to Nets for Buck Williams . Los Angeles Times . June 25, 1989 . December 6, 2022.
4. News: Associated Press . Blazers Trade Bowie, No. 12 Pick for Williams . Deseret News . June 25, 1989 . December 6, 2022.
5. News: Goldaper . Sam . Knicks Trade Strickland to Spurs for Cheeks . The New York Times . February 22, 1990 . December 31, 2022.
6. News: Associated Press . NBA WEDNESDAY'S TRADES: Cheeks Dealt for Strickland; Carroll to Nuggets . Los Angeles Times . February 22, 1990 . December 31, 2022.
7. Web site: 1989–90 New Jersey Nets Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. January 13, 2022.
8. News: Brown . Clifton . Nets Continue to Deal, Trading Hopson to Bulls . The New York Times . June 27, 1990 . December 6, 2022.
9. News: 2 Dennis Hopson . Chicago Tribune . November 2, 1990 . December 6, 2022.