1988-89 National Basketball Association season

Seasons

1987-88

1988-89

1989-90

Teams and Alignment

Conference	Division	Team	Primary Venue	Municipality
Eastern Conference	Atlantic Division	Boston Celtics	Boston Garden	Boston
		Charlotte Hornets	Charlotte Coliseum	Charlotte, North Carolina
		New Jersey Nets	Meadowlands Arena	East Rutherford, New Jersey
		New York Knickerbockers	Madison Square Garden	Manhattan, New York
		Philadelphia 76ers	The Spectrum	Philadelphia
		Washington Bullets	Capital Centre	Lake Arbor, Maryland
	Central Division	Atlanta Hawks	Omni Coliseum	Atlanta
		Chicago Bulls	Chicago Stadium	Chicago
		Cleveland Cavaliers	Richfield Coliseum	Summit County, Ohio
		Detroit Pistons	The Palace of Auburn Hills	Auburn Hills, Michigan
		Indiana Pacers	Market Square Arena	Indianapolis
		Milwaukee Bucks	Bradley Center	Milwaukee
Western Conference	Midwest Division	Dallas Mavericks	Reunion Arena	Dallas
		Denver Nuggets	McNichols Sports Arena	Denver
		Houston Rockets	The Summit	Houston
		Miami HEAT	Miami Arena	Miami
		San Antonio Spurs	HemisFair Arena	San Antonio
		Utah Jazz	Salt Palace (1969)	Salt Lake City
	Pacific Division	Golden State Warriors	Oakland Arena	Oakland, California
		Los Angeles Clippers	Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena	Los Angeles
		Los Angeles Lakers	Kia Forum	Inglewood, California
		Phoenix Suns	Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum	Phoenix
		Portland Trail Blazers	Veterans Memorial Coliseum	Portland, Oregon
		Sacramento Kings	ARCO Arena (1988)	Sacramento, California
		Seattle SuperSonics	Climate Pledge Arena	Seattle

Changes

• Charlotte Hornets enfranchised in Eastern Conference Atlantic Division, playing at Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
• Detroit Pistons relocate from Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan to The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
• Miami HEAT enfranchised in Western Conference Midwest Division, playing at Miami Arena in Miami.
• Milwaukee Bucks relocate from UWM Panther Arena to Bradley Center.
• Sacramento Kings relocate from ARCO Arena (1985) to ARCO Arena (1988) and realigned from Western Conference Midwest Division to Western Conference Pacific Division.

Regular Season Results

Conference	Division	Team	W	L	GB
Eastern Conference	Atlantic Division	New York Knickerbockers	52	30
		Philadelphia 76ers	46	36	6
		Boston Celtics	42	40	10
		Washington Bullets	40	42	12
		New Jersey Nets	26	56	26
		Charlotte Hornets	20	62	32
	Central Division	Detroit Pistons	63	19
		Cleveland Cavaliers	57	25	6
		Atlanta Hawks	52	30	11
		Milwaukee Bucks	49	33	14
		Chicago Bulls	47	35	16
		Indiana Pacers	28	54	35
Western Conference	Midwest Division	Utah Jazz	51	31
		Houston Rockets	45	37	6
		Denver Nuggets	44	38	7
		Dallas Mavericks	38	44	13
		San Antonio Spurs	21	61	30
		Miami HEAT	15	67	36
	Pacific Division	Los Angeles Lakers	57	25
		Phoenix Suns	55	27	2
		Seattle SuperSonics	47	35	10
		Golden State Warriors	43	39	14
		Portland Trail Blazers	39	43	18
		Sacramento Kings	27	55	30
		Los Angeles Clippers	21	61	36

Postseason Results

Team (Best-of-Five)		Team (Best-of-Seven)		Team (Best-of-Seven)		Team (Best-of-Seven)		Champions
Detroit Pistons	3	Detroit Pistons	4	Detroit Pistons	4	Detroit Pistons	4	Detroit Pistons
Boston Celtics	0
Atlanta Hawks	2	Milwaukee Bucks	0
Milwaukee Bucks	3
New York Knickerbockers	3	New York Knickerbockers	2	Chicago Bulls	2
Philadelphia 76ers	0
Cleveland Cavaliers	2	Chicago Bulls	4
Chicago Bulls	3
Los Angeles Lakers	3	Los Angeles Lakers	4	Los Angeles Lakers	4	Los Angeles Lakers	0
Portland Trail Blazers	0
Seattle SuperSonics	3	Seattle SuperSonics	0
Houston Rockets	1
Utah Jazz	0	Golden State Warriors	1	Phoenix Suns	0
Golden State Warriors	3
Phoenix Suns	3	Phoenix Suns	4
Denver Nuggets	0

Special Event Results

Event	Away	Score	Home
NBA All-Star Game	Eastern Conference	134-143	Western Conference

Markets and Venues

Combined Statistical Area	Metropolitan Statistical Area	Metropolitan Division	County / Equivalent	Municipality	Venue	Team / Event	Regular	Postseason	Total
Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA-AL Combined Statistical Area	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Metropolitan Division	Fulton County, Georgia	Atlanta	Omni Coliseum	Atlanta Hawks	41	Three	44
Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH Combined Statistical Area	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metropolitan Statistical Area	Boston, MA Metropolitan Division	Suffolk County, Massachusetts	Boston	Boston Garden	Boston Celtics	38	One	39
Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC Combined Statistical Area	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Statistical Area		Mecklenburg County, North Carolina	Charlotte, North Carolina	Charlotte Coliseum	Charlotte Hornets	41		41
Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI Combined Statistical Area	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area	Chicago-Naperville-Schaumburg, IL Metropolitan Division	Cook County, Illinois	Chicago	Chicago Stadium	Chicago Bulls	41	Eight	49
Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH Combined Statistical Area	Akron, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area		Summit County, Ohio	Unincorporated	Richfield Coliseum	Cleveland Cavaliers	41	Three	44
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK Combined Statistical Area	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area	Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division	Dallas County, Texas	Dallas	Reunion Arena	Dallas Mavericks	41		41
Denver-Aurora-Greeley, CO Combined Statistical Area	Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area		Denver County, Colorado	Denver	McNichols Sports Arena	Denver Nuggets	41	One	42
Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI Combined Statistical Area	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area	Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI Metropolitan Division	Oakland County, Michigan	Auburn Hills, Michigan	The Palace of Auburn Hills	Detroit Pistons	41	Nine	50
Houston-Pasadena, TX Combined Statistical Area	Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area		Harris County, Texas	Houston	Reliant Astrodome	NBA All-Star Game			One
					The Summit	Houston Rockets	41	Two	43
Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN Combined Statistical Area	Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN Metropolitan Statistical Area		Marion County, Indiana	Indianapolis	Market Square Arena	Indiana Pacers	41		41
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA Combined Statistical Area	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division	Los Angeles County, California	Inglewood, California	Kia Forum	Los Angeles Lakers	41	Eight	49
				Los Angeles	Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena	Los Angeles Clippers	41		41
Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL Combined Statistical Area	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area	Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL Metropolitan Division	Miami-Dade County, Florida	Miami	Miami Arena	Miami HEAT	41		41
Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI Combined Statistical Area	Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area		Milwaukee County, Wisconsin	Milwaukee	Bradley Center	Milwaukee Bucks	41	Four	45
New Haven-Hartford-Waterbury, CT Combined Statistical Area	Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area		Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut	Hartford, Connecticut	PeoplesBank Arena	Boston Celtics	Three		Three
New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area	New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division	Bergen County, New Jersey	East Rutherford, New Jersey	Meadowlands Arena	New Jersey Nets	41		41
			New York County, New York	Manhattan, New York	Madison Square Garden	New York Knickerbockers	41	Five	46
Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical Area	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area	Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division	Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	The Spectrum	Philadelphia 76ers	41	One	42
Phoenix-Mesa, AZ Combined Statistical Area	Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metropolitan Statistical Area		Maricopa County, Arizona	Phoenix	Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum	Phoenix Suns	41	Seven	48
Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA Combined Statistical Area	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area		Multnomah County, Oregon	Portland, Oregon	Veterans Memorial Coliseum	Portland Trail Blazers	41	One	42
Sacramento-Roseville, CA Combined Statistical Area	Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area		Sacramento County, California	Sacramento, California	ARCO Arena (1988)	Sacramento Kings	41		41
Salt Lake City-Provo-Orem, UT-ID Combined Statistical Area	Salt Lake City-Murray, UT Metropolitan Statistical Area		Salt Lake County, Utah	Salt Lake City	Salt Palace (1969)	Utah Jazz	41	Two	43
San Antonio-New Braunfels-Kerrville, TX Combined Statistical Area	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area		Bexar County, Texas	San Antonio	HemisFair Arena	San Antonio Spurs	41		41
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA Combined Statistical Area	San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area	Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley, CA Metropolitan Division	Alameda County, California	Oakland, California	Oakland Arena	Golden State Warriors	41	Three	44
Seattle-Tacoma, WA Combined Statistical Area	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metropolitan Statistical Area	Seattle-Bellevue-Kent, WA Metropolitan Division	King County, Washington	Seattle	Climate Pledge Arena	Seattle SuperSonics	39		39
					The Kingdome	Seattle SuperSonics	Two	Four	Six
Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA Combined Statistical Area	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area		Baltimore		CFG Bank Arena	Washington Bullets	Three		Three
	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area	Washington, DC-MD Metropolitan Division	Prince George's County, Maryland	Lake Arbor, Maryland	Capital Centre	Washington Bullets	38		38
Total							1,025	62	1,088