# 1991–92 Miami Heat season

The 1991–92 NBA season was the fourth season of the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Heat had the fifth overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft, and selected Steve Smith out of Michigan State, and hired Kevin Loughery as their new head coach after the resignation of Ron Rothstein prior to the start of season. The Heat got off to a fast start winning seven of their first ten games, but lost 8 of their next 9 games along the way. After holding out most of the 91–92 season only playing in just five games, the Heat traded Sherman Douglas to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Brian Shaw. The team held a 23–25 record at the All-Star break, as Loughery coached the Heat to their first ever playoff appearance in franchise history, as they finished fourth in the Atlantic Division with a 38–44 record, winning a tie-breaker for the #8 seed in the Eastern Conference over the Atlanta Hawks.
The Heat also managed to hold down the home court quite well during the season, posting a 28–13 record at the Miami Arena. Glen Rice led all Heat scorers averaging 22.3 points per game, while Rony Seikaly averaged 16.4 points and 11.8 rebounds per game, and Grant Long provided the team with 14.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. Smith averaged 12.0 points and 4.6 assists per game, and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while second-year forward Willie Burton provided with 11.2 points per game, and Kevin Edwards and second-year guard Bimbo Coles both contributed 10.1 points per game each.
However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of Eastern Conference Playoffs, the Heat were swept in three straight games by Michael Jordan, and his defending world champion Chicago Bulls, who were coming off a 67–win regular season. The Bulls would defeat the Portland Trail Blazers in six games in the NBA Finals, winning their second consecutive championship.
On December 17, 1991, the Heat suffered a 68-point road loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 148–80 as the Cavaliers had set an NBA record with the second largest margin of victory in a game.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 5 | Steve Smith | SG | United States | Michigan State |
| 2 | 29 | George Ackles | C/PF | United States | UNLV |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Atlantic Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Boston Celtics | 51 | 31 | .622 | — | 34–7 | 17–24 | 19–9 |
| x-New York Knicks | 51 | 31 | .622 | — | 30–11 | 21–20 | 20–8 |
| x-New Jersey Nets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 11 | 25–16 | 15–26 | 15–13 |
| x-Miami Heat | 38 | 44 | .463 | 13 | 28–13 | 10–31 | 14–14 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 16 | 23–18 | 12–29 | 15–13 |
| Washington Bullets | 25 | 57 | .305 | 26 | 14–27 | 11–30 | 7–21 |
| Orlando Magic | 21 | 61 | .256 | 30 | 13–28 | 8–33 | 8–20 |
    y – clinched division title
    x – clinched playoff spot
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Chicago Bulls | 67 | 15 | .817 | – |
| 2 | y-Boston Celtics | 51 | 31 | .622 | 16 |
| 3 | x-Cleveland Cavaliers | 57 | 25 | .695 | 10 |
| 4 | x-New York Knicks | 51 | 31 | .622 | 16 |
| 5 | x-Detroit Pistons | 48 | 34 | .585 | 19 |
| 6 | x-New Jersey Nets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 27 |
| 7 | x-Indiana Pacers | 40 | 42 | .488 | 27 |
| 8 | x-Miami Heat | 38 | 44 | .463 | 29 |
| 9 | Atlanta Hawks | 38 | 44 | .463 | 29 |
| 10 | Philadelphia 76ers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 32 |
| 11 | Milwaukee Bucks | 31 | 51 | .378 | 36 |
| 12 | Charlotte Hornets | 31 | 51 | .378 | 36 |
| 13 | Washington Bullets | 25 | 57 | .305 | 42 |
| 14 | Orlando Magic | 21 | 61 | .256 | 46 |
    z – clinched division title
    y – clinched division title
    x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1991–92 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 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Boston | 1–3 | — | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Charlotte | 2–2 | 1–3 | — | 0–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
| Chicago | 5–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | — | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Cleveland | 5–0 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 2–3 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Dallas | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| Denver | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | — | 0–2 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 1–1 |
| Detroit | 4–1 | 0–4 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Golden State | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| Houston | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 |
| Indiana | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| L.A. Clippers | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | — | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| L.A. Lakers | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Miami | 2–2 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 |
| Milwaukee | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | — | 2–0 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Minnesota | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–6 | 0–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| New Jersey | 1–3 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | — | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 |
| New York | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | — | 4–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 |
| Orlando | 2–2 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–4 | — | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 |
| Philadelphia | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 2–3 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 5–0 |
| Phoenix | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Portland | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | — | 5–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Sacramento | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–5 | — | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 2–0 |
| San Antonio | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 1–3 | — | 3–1 | 2–0 |
| Utah | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 1–3 | — | 2–0 |
| Washington | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 0–4 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — |

## Playoffs

1992 playoff game log :
First Round: 0–3 (home: 0–1; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 24
@ Chicago
L 94–113
Steve Smith (19)
Rony Seikaly (11)
Steve Smith (7)
Chicago Stadium 18,676
0–1
2
April 26
@ Chicago
L 90–120
Rony Seikaly (26)
Rony Seikaly (7)
Bimbo Coles (4)
Chicago Stadium 18,676
0–2
3
April 29
Chicago
L 114–119
Glen Rice (25)
Rony Seikaly (12)
Shaw, Smith (6)
Miami Arena 15,008
0–3 :
1992 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Ragular season

| Player | POS | GP | GS | MP | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | MPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Grant Long | PF | 82 | 82 | 3,063 | 691 | 225 | 139 | 40 | 1,212 | 37.4 | 8.4 | 2.7 | 1.7 | .5 | 14.8 |
| Bimbo Coles | PG | 81 | 28 | 1,976 | 189 | 366 | 73 | 13 | 816 | 24.4 | 2.3 | 4.5 | .9 | .2 | 10.1 |
| Kevin Edwards | PG | 81 | 1 | 1,840 | 211 | 170 | 99 | 20 | 819 | 22.7 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 1.2 | .2 | 10.1 |
| Glen Rice | SF | 79 | 79 | 3,007 | 394 | 184 | 90 | 35 | 1,765 | 38.1 | 5.0 | 2.3 | 1.1 | .4 | 22.3 |
| Rony Seikaly | C | 79 | 78 | 2,800 | 934 | 109 | 40 | 121 | 1,296 | 35.4 | 11.8 | 1.4 | .5 | 1.5 | 16.4 |
| Alec Kessler | PF | 77 | 4 | 1,197 | 314 | 34 | 17 | 32 | 410 | 15.5 | 4.1 | .4 | .2 | .4 | 5.3 |
| Willie Burton | SF | 68 | 50 | 1,585 | 244 | 123 | 46 | 37 | 762 | 23.3 | 3.6 | 1.8 | .7 | .5 | 11.2 |
| Steve Smith | SG | 61 | 59 | 1,806 | 188 | 278 | 59 | 19 | 729 | 29.6 | 3.1 | 4.6 | 1.0 | .3 | 12.0 |
| Keith Askins | SF | 59 | 4 | 843 | 142 | 38 | 40 | 15 | 219 | 14.3 | 2.4 | .6 | .7 | .3 | 3.7 |
| Brian Shaw$^†$ | PG | 46 | 23 | 987 | 135 | 161 | 45 | 12 | 320 | 21.5 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 1.0 | .3 | 7.0 |
| Alan Ogg | C | 43 | 0 | 367 | 74 | 7 | 5 | 28 | 108 | 8.5 | 1.7 | .2 | .1 | .7 | 2.5 |
| John Morton$^†$ | SF | 21 | 0 | 216 | 19 | 27 | 12 | 1 | 92 | 10.3 | .9 | 1.3 | .6 | .0 | 4.4 |
| Miloš Babić | C | 9 | 0 | 35 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 3.9 | 1.2 | .7 | .1 | .0 | 2.0 |
| Sherman Douglas$^†$ | PG | 5 | 2 | 98 | 6 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 37 | 19.6 | 1.2 | 3.8 | .8 | .0 | 7.4 |
| Jon Sundvold | PG | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2.7 | .0 | .7 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| Winston Bennett$^†$ | SF | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1.0 | .5 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
* $^†$ Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Heat only.

### Playoffs

| Player | POS | GP | GS | MP | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | MPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Grant Long | PF | 3 | 3 | 120 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 37 | 40.0 | 5.0 | 2.7 | 1.7 | .0 | 12.3 |
| Glen Rice | SF | 3 | 3 | 119 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 57 | 39.7 | 3.3 | 1.7 | .7 | .0 | 19.0 |
| Rony Seikaly | C | 3 | 3 | 117 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 62 | 39.0 | 10.0 | 1.3 | .3 | 1.7 | 20.7 |
| Steve Smith | SG | 3 | 3 | 100 | 6 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 48 | 33.3 | 2.0 | 5.0 | 1.3 | .3 | 16.0 |
| Brian Shaw | PG | 3 | 3 | 85 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 28.3 | 4.3 | 4.0 | .7 | .0 | 12.0 |
| Kevin Edwards | PG | 3 | 0 | 55 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 18.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | .7 | .0 | 5.0 |
| Keith Askins | SF | 3 | 0 | 48 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 16.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | .3 | .0 | 4.3 |
| Bimbo Coles | PG | 3 | 0 | 45 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 15.0 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 1.0 | .0 | 7.7 |
| Alan Ogg | C | 3 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5.0 | .3 | .0 | .3 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Alec Kessler | PF | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6.0 | .5 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| John Morton | SF | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |
| Jon Sundvold | PG | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .0 |

## Awards and records

* Steve Smith, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team