# 1988–89 Washington Bullets season

The 1988–89 NBA season was the Bullets' 28th season in the NBA. In the 1988 NBA draft, the Bullets selected Harvey Grant from the University of Oklahoma with the twelfth overall pick, and Ledell Eackles from the University of New Orleans with the 36th overall pick. During the off-season, the team acquired Dave Feitl from the Golden State Warriors.
Under Wes Unseld's first full season as head coach, and with the addition of Grant and Eackles, the Bullets struggled losing seven straight games in December, which led to a 4–14 start, and held a 17–28 record at the All-Star break. However, the team played above .500 for the remainder of the regular season, and finished in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 40–42 record, which was two more wins then the previous season, but the team failed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing just two games behind the 8th-seeded Boston Celtics.
Jeff Malone led the team in scoring averaging 21.7 points per game, while Bernard King averaged 20.7 points per game, and sixth man Hot Plate Williams provided the team with 13.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game off the bench, and finished in fourth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting. In addition, Eackles contributed 11.5 points per game off the bench, while Terry Catledge provided with 10.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, Darrell Walker contributed 9.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.0 steals per game, and starting center Charles Jones averaged 2.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, but only played 53 games due to a knee injury. Unseld finished in fifth place in Coach of the Year voting.
Following the season, Catledge was left unprotected in the 1989 NBA Expansion Draft, where he was selected by the newly expansion Orlando Magic, and Feitl was released to free agency.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 12 | Harvey Grant | SF/PF | United States | Oklahoma |
| 2 | 36 | Ledell Eackles | SG/SF | United States | New Orleans |
| 3 | 60 | Ed Davender | | United States | Kentucky |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Atlantic Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-New York Knicks | 52 | 30 | .634 | – | 35–6 | 17–24 | 18–12 |
| x-Philadelphia 76ers | 46 | 36 | .561 | 6 | 30–11 | 16–25 | 19–11 |
| x-Boston Celtics | 42 | 40 | .512 | 10 | 32–9 | 10–31 | 19–11 |
| Washington Bullets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 12 | 30–11 | 10–31 | 17–13 |
| New Jersey Nets | 26 | 56 | .317 | 26 | 17–24 | 9–32 | 9–21 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 20 | 62 | .244 | 32 | 12–29 | 8–33 | 8–22 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Detroit Pistons | 63 | 19 | .768 | – |
| 2 | y-New York Knicks | 52 | 30 | .634 | 11 |
| 3 | x-Cleveland Cavaliers | 57 | 25 | .695 | 6 |
| 4 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 52 | 30 | .634 | 11 |
| 5 | x-Milwaukee Bucks | 49 | 33 | .598 | 14 |
| 6 | x-Chicago Bulls | 47 | 35 | .573 | 16 |
| 7 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 46 | 36 | .561 | 17 |
| 8 | x-Boston Celtics | 42 | 40 | .512 | 21 |
| 9 | Washington Bullets | 40 | 42 | .488 | 23 |
| 10 | Indiana Pacers | 28 | 54 | .341 | 35 |
| 11 | New Jersey Nets | 26 | 56 | .317 | 37 |
| 12 | Charlotte Hornets | 20 | 62 | .244 | 43 |
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1988-89 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIA | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 3–1 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Boston | 1–3 | — | 6–0 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| Charlotte | 1–4 | 0–6 | — | 1–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 |
| Chicago | 2–4 | 3–1 | 4–1 | — | 0–6 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 6–0 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Detroit | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 6–0 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 |
| Golden State | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | — | 1–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 |
| Indiana | 1–5 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 |
| L.A. Clippers | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 1–1 | — | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | — | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
| Miami | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–4 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 |
| Milwaukee | 0–6 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 4–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 |
| New Jersey | 1–4 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | — | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 |
| New York | 2–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–2 | — | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 |
| Philadelphia | 2–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Portland | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | — | 3–3 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 1–1 |
| Sacramento | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | 2–2 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | — | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–0 | — | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 1–3 | — | 2–0 |
| Washington | 1–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

1988–89 game log Total: 40–42 (Home: 30–11; Road: 10–31) :
November: 4–7 (home: 2–3; road: 2–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
November 5
Chicago
L 98–111
Capital Centre
0–1
2
November 8
@ New Jersey
L 101–109
Brendan Byrne Arena
0–2
3
November 9
New York
L 110–117
Capital Centre
0–3
4
November 11
Charlotte
W 96–87
Capital Centre
1–3
5
November 12
@ New York
L 101–111
Madison Square Garden
1–4
6
November 18
@ Boston
L 108–114
Boston Garden
1–5
7
November 19
Boston
W 108–104
Capital Centre
2–5
8
November 22
Philadelphia
L 103–130
Capital Centre
2–6
9
November 23
@ Milwaukee
L 102–124
Bradley Center
2–7
10
November 25
@ Indiana
W 106–101
Market Square Arena
3–7
11
November 26
@ Charlotte
W 120–113
Charlotte Coliseum
4–7 :
December: 4–11 (home: 3–2; road: 1–9)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
12
December 1
@ Atlanta
L 115–127
The Omni
4–8
13
December 2
Detroit
L 114–120
Capital Centre
4–9
14
December 4
@ L.A. Lakers
L 112–119 (OT)
The Forum
4–10
15
December 6
@ Phoenix
L 92–130
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
4–11
16
December 7
@ Utah
L 94–111
Salt Palace
4–12
17
December 9
@ Portland
L 90–93
Memorial Coliseum
4–13
18
December 10
@ Golden State
L 102–109
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
4–14
19
December 13
Boston
W 115–105
Capital Centre
5–14
20
December 17
@ New York
L 102–117
Madison Square Garden
5–15
21
December 18
L.A. Lakers
W 115–110
Capital Centre
6–15
22
December 21
Utah
L 82–98
Capital Centre
6–16
23
December 25
@ Philadelphia
L 110–125
The Spectrum
6–17
24
December 26
@ New Jersey
W 120–108
Brendan Byrne Arena
7–17
25
December 29
Houston
W 126–109
Capital Centre
8–17
26
December 30
@ Cleveland
L 110–127
Richfield Coliseum
8–18 :
January: 8–6 (home: 8–3; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
27
January 2
Phoenix
L 122–125
Capital Centre
8–19
28
January 4
Charlotte
W 109–86
Capital Centre
9–19
29
January 6
Milwaukee (at Baltimore, Maryland)
L 121–128 (2OT)
Baltimore Arena
9–20
30
January 7
@ Charlotte
L 104–107
Charlotte Coliseum
9–21
31
January 10
Denver
W 120–117
Capital Centre
10–21
32
January 12
Miami
W 106–100
Capital Centre
11–21
33
January 13
@ Detroit
L 103–119
The Palace of Auburn Hills
11–22
34
January 16
Atlanta
L 106–117
Capital Centre
11–23
35
January 19
San Antonio
W 115–112
Capital Centre
12–23
36
January 21
Philadelphia
W 107–105
Capital Centre
13–23
37
January 26
Indiana
W 126–106
Capital Centre
14–23
38
January 27
@ Chicago
L 106–117
Chicago Stadium
14–24
38
January 29
Cleveland (at Baltimore, Maryland)
W 122–117 (OT)
Baltimore Arena
15–24
40
January 31
Boston
W 110–103
Capital Centre
16–24 :
February: 6–7 (home: 3–1; road: 3–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
41
February 1
@ Philadelphia
L 110–114 (OT)
The Spectrum
16–25
42
February 3
@ Boston
L 108–117
Boston Garden
16–26
43
February 4
Milwaukee
L 102–113
Capital Centre
16–27
44
February 7
@ New York
L 105–117
Madison Square Garden
16–28
45
February 9
New Jersey
W 110–103
Capital Centre
17–28
46
February 14
@ Sacramento
W 107–99
ARCO Arena
18–28
45
February 15
@ Denver
L 106–117
Capital Centre
18–29
48
February 17
@ Seattle
L 112–126
Seattle Center Coliseum
18–30
49
February 18
@ L.A. Clippers
W 98–93
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
19–30
50
February 21
L.A. Clippers
W 123–109
Capital Centre
20–30
51
February 24
New York (at Baltimore, Maryland)
W 130–127
Baltimore Arena
21–30
52
February 25
@ Dallas
L 93–127
Reunion Arena
21–31
53
February 27
@ Houston
W 104–98
Capital Centre
22–31 :
March: 11–6 (home: 9–0; road: 2–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
54
March 1
New Jersey
W 120–105
Capital Centre
23–31
55
March 4
Dallas
W 119–105
Capital Centre
24–31
56
March 5
Charlotte
W 114–101
Capital Centre
25–31
57
March 7
@ Milwaukee
L 101–121
Bradley Center
25–32
58
March 8
Atlanta
W 119–111
Capital Centre
26–32
59
March 10
Sacramento
W 114–97
Capital Centre
27–32
60
March 12
@ Detroit
L 104–110
The Palace of Auburn Hills
27–33
61
March 13
Seattle
W 106–101
Capital Centre
28–33
62
March 17
@ New Jersey
W 124–121 (OT)
Brendan Byrne Arena
29–33
63
March 18
Philadelphia
W 123–114
Capital Centre
30–33
64
March 20
@ Cleveland
L 97–103
Richfield Coliseum
30–34
65
March 22
@ Indiana
L 92–101
Market Square Arena
30–35
66
March 23
@ Charlotte
W 102–97
Charlotte Coliseum
31–35
67
March 25
Indiana
W 111–108 (OT)
Capital Centre
32–35
68
March 28
@ San Antonio
L 114–130
HemisFair Arena
32–36
69
March 29
@ Atlanta
L 102–120
The Omni
32–37
70
March 31
Portland
W 107–105
Capital Centre
33–37 :
April: 7–5 (home: 5–2; road: 2–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
71
April 2
Golden State
W 120–103
Capital Centre
34–37
72
April 4
New Jersey
W 104–96
Capital Centre
35–37
73
April 6
@ Miami
W 101–93
Miami Arena
36–37
74
April 7
Cleveland
W 107–96
Capital Centre
37–37
75
April 9
New York
L 92–94
Capital Centre
37–38
76
April 10
Detroit
L 100–124
Capital Centre
37–39
78
April 16
@ Detroit
L 98–104
The Palace of Auburn Hills
38–40
79
April 18
@ Boston
W 121–113
Boston Garden
39–40
80
April 20
Chicago
W 100–98
Capital Centre
40–40
81
April 21
@ Chicago
L 113–115
Chicago Stadium
40–41
82
April 23
@ Philadelphia
L 106–115
The Spectrum
40–42 :
1988–89 schedule :