1989–90 Dallas Mavericks season explained

The 1989–90 NBA season was the Mavericks' 10th season in the National Basketball Association.^[1] A year after missing the playoffs, the Mavericks received the eighth overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft, and selected Randy White out of Louisiana Tech,^{[2] [3] [4] [5]} and later on fired head coach John MacLeod at the end of November, replacing with him Richie Adubato.^[6] However, things would not all go smoothly for the Mavericks as Roy Tarpley found himself in hot water again, as he was arrested in November for driving under the influence of drugs.^{[7] [8]} The Mavericks played above .500 for the first half of the season, holding a 26–22 record at the All-Star break.^[9] As the season progressed, the team released Adrian Dantley to free agency;^{[10] [11]} Dantley averaged 14.7 points per game in 45 games with the team. The Mavericks finished third in the Midwest Division with a 47–35 record.^[12]

Rolando Blackman led the team in scoring averaging 19.4 points per game, and was selected for the 1990 NBA All-Star Game,^{[13] [14] [15] [16]} while Derek Harper averaged 18.0 points, 7.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. In addition, Tarpley provided the team with 16.8 points, 13.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, despite only playing just 45 games, while Sam Perkins contributed 15.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, and James Donaldson provided with 9.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.^[17]

In the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Mavericks were swept by the Portland Trail Blazers in three straight games.^{[18] [19] [20] [21]} This would be their final playoff appearance until 2001. The Blazers would lose to the defending champion Detroit Pistons in five games in the NBA Finals.^{[22] [23] [24] [25] [26]} Following the season, Perkins signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers.^{[27] [28] [29]}

Draft picks

See main article: article and 1989 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	8		PF		Louisiana Tech
2	35		F		Colorado State
2	53				South Alabama

Roster

Roster Notes

• Small forward Adrian Dantley was waived on April 2.
• Center James Donaldson holds both American and British citizenship.

Regular season

Season standings

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

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

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| April 26| @ Portland| L 102–109| Derek Harper (24)| Roy Tarpley (14)| Derek Harper (7)| Memorial Coliseum
12,884| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| April 28| @ Portland| L 107–114| Derek Harper (23)| Roy Tarpley (17)| Derek Harper (5)| Memorial Coliseum
12,884| 0–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| May 1| Portland| L 92–106| Rolando Blackman (23)| Roy Tarpley (15)| Derek Harper (12)| Reunion Arena
17,007| 0–3|-

Player statistics

Ragular season

Player
	PG	82	82	3,007	244	609	187	26	1,473	36.7	3.0	7.4	2.3	.3	18.0
	C	81	19	2,199	391	119	51	106	700	27.1	4.8	1.5	.6	1.3	8.6
	SG	80	80	2,934	280	289	77	21	1,552	36.7	3.5	3.6	1.0	.3	19.4
	SF	76	70	2,668	572	175	88	64	1,206	35.1	7.5	2.3	1.2	.8	15.9
	C	73	73	2,265	630	57	22	47	665	31.0	8.6	.8	.3	.6	9.1
	PG	73	2	1,292	93	242	47	9	470	17.7	1.3	3.3	.6	.1	6.4
	SG	66	0	650	82	29	32	16	195	9.8	1.2	.4	.5	.2	3.0
	C	60	2	814	198	41	20	21	270	13.6	3.3	.7	.3	.4	4.5
	PF	55	2	707	173	21	24	6	237	12.9	3.1	.4	.4	.1	4.3
	SF	45	45	1,300	172	80	20	7	662	28.9	3.8	1.8	.4	.2	14.7
	PF	45	35	1,648	589	67	79	70	758	36.6	13.1	1.5	1.8	1.6	16.8
	PG	41	0	302	25	39	15	3	168	7.4	.6	1.0	.4	.1	4.1
	SF	10	0	62	12	6	2	2	26	6.2	1.2	.6	.2	.2	2.6
†	SG	3	0	4	0	0	0	0	2	1.3	.0	.0	.0	.0	.7
	PG	1	0	3	0	2	0	0	0	3.0	.0	2.0	.0	.0	.0

Playoffs

Player
	PF	3	3	129	46	1	7	10	50	43.0	15.3	.3	2.3	3.3	16.7
	SG	3	3	127	9	13	6	2	60	42.3	3.0	4.3	2.0	.7	20.0
	PG	3	3	119	8	23	4	0	58	39.7	2.7	7.7	1.3	.0	19.3
	SF	3	3	118	22	8	3	2	45	39.3	7.3	2.7	1.0	.7	15.0
	C	3	3	74	16	2	2	0	22	24.7	5.3	.7	.7	.0	7.3
	C	3	0	81	13	5	1	2	41	27.0	4.3	1.7	.3	.7	13.7
	PG	3	0	42	3	8	1	0	23	14.0	1.0	2.7	.3	.0	7.7
	C	3	0	25	3	1	0	1	2	8.3	1.0	.3	.0	.3	.7
	SG	1	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	3.0	.0	.0	.0	.0	.0
	PF	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2.0	.0	.0	.0	.0	.0

Awards and records

• Derek Harper, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
• Rolando Blackman, NBA All-Star Game

See also

• 1989-90 NBA season

Notes and References

1. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DAL/1990.html 1989-90 Dallas Mavericks
2. News: Goldaper . Sam . Kings Take Ellison First in N.B.A. Draft; Clippers Pick Ferry . The New York Times . June 28, 1989 . January 13, 2022.
3. News: McManis . Sam . THE NBA DRAFT: The Other Teams: Sacramento's Secret Is Out: It's Ellison . Los Angeles Times . June 28, 1989 . November 23, 2022.
4. News: Cotton . Anthony . Bullets Draft Hammonds . The Washington Post . June 28, 1989 . December 31, 2022.
5. Web site: 1989 NBA Draft . Basketball-Reference . December 31, 2022.
6. News: Associated Press . MacLeod Fired as Mavericks Coach . Los Angeles Times . November 29, 1989 . November 23, 2022.
7. News: Associated Press . Tarpley Cleared for Mavericks . The New York Times . January 23, 1990 . November 23, 2022.
8. News: Forward Roy Tarpley of the Dallas Mavericks... . Los Angeles Times . September 7, 1990 . November 23, 2022.
9. News: NBA Games Played on February 8, 1990 . Basketball-Reference . November 23, 2022.
10. News: Goldaper . Sam . Mavericks Bracing for Knicks . The New York Times . January 19, 1990 . January 19, 2022.
11. News: Adrian Dantley, Rejecting a Guaranteed $1.2 Million... . Los Angeles Times . January 22, 1990 . November 23, 2022.
12. Web site: 1989–90 Dallas Mavericks Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. December 9, 2021.
13. News: Howard-Cooper . Scott . NBA ALL-STAR GAME: Entire Family Is Back Together--Almost . Los Angeles Times . February 11, 1990 . November 23, 2022.
14. News: Bird, Johnson Return Magic to All-Star Game . Sun Sentinel . February 11, 1990 . November 15, 2023.
15. News: NBA.com Staff . 1990 NBA All-Star Recap . NBA.com . September 13, 2021 . November 15, 2023.
16. Web site: 1990 NBA All-Star Game: East 130, West 113 . Basketball-Reference . December 9, 2021.
17. Web site: 1989–90 Dallas Mavericks Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. December 14, 2021.
18. News: Rabun . Mike . Trail Blazers 106, Mavericks 92 . United Press International . May 1, 1990 . September 20, 2022.
19. News: Hafner . Dan . Portland Victory Could Prove Costly: NBA Playoffs: Trail Blazers Win at Dallas, But Williams and Duckworth Are Injured. The Pistons and Spurs Also Sweep Their Series . Los Angeles Times . May 2, 1990 . December 7, 2021.
20. News: 1990 NBA Western Conference First Round Game 3: Portland Trail Blazers at Dallas Mavericks Box Score, May 1, 1990 . Basketball-Reference . December 31, 2022.
21. Web site: 1990 NBA Western Conference First Round: Mavericks vs. Trail Blazers . Basketball-Reference . April 9, 2023.
22. News: Barnes . Mike . Pistons 92, Trail Blazers 90 . United Press International . June 14, 1990 . December 30, 2022.
23. News: Brown . Clifton . Pistons Rally to Repeat as N.B.A. Champions . The New York Times . June 15, 1990 . September 22, 2022.
24. News: McManis . Sam . Vinnie, Vidi, Vici: Pistons Repeat Feat: NBA Finals: Johnson Hits Game-Winner in Last Second as Detroit Rallies from Seven-Point Deficit for a 92-90 Victory. Thomas Is the Unanimous Choice as MVP . Los Angeles Times . June 15, 1990 . September 22, 2022.
25. News: Aldridge . David . In Final Second, Pistons Win Second Finals . The Washington Post . June 15, 1990 . September 22, 2022.
26. Web site: 1990 NBA Finals: Trail Blazers vs. Pistons . Basketball-Reference . April 9, 2023.
27. News: Associated Press . Free-Agent Forward Perkins Leaves Mavs, Signs with Lakers . Los Angeles Times . August 6, 1990 . September 22, 2022.
28. News: SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Lakers Sign Perkins . The New York Times . August 7, 1990 . December 15, 2021.
29. News: Mavericks' Perkins Signs with Lakers . The Washington Post . August 7, 1990 . December 31, 2022.