# 1989–90 New Jersey Nets season

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. The Nets decided to start the rebuilding process by acquiring Sam Bowie from the Portland Trail Blazers on draft day. 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. 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. Following the season, Dennis Hopson was traded to the Chicago Bulls.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 12 | Mookie Blaylock | PG | United States | Oklahoma |
| 2 | 32 | Stanley Brundy | F | United States | DePaul |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Atlantic Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Philadelphia 76ers | 53 | 29 | .646 | – | 34–7 | 19–22 | 19–7 |
| x-Boston Celtics | 52 | 30 | .634 | 1 | 30–11 | 22–19 | 19–7 |
| x-New York Knicks | 45 | 37 | .549 | 8 | 29–12 | 16–25 | 17–9 |
| Washington Bullets | 31 | 51 | .378 | 22 | 20–21 | 11–30 | 10–16 |
| Miami Heat | 18 | 64 | .220 | 35 | 11–30 | 7–34 | 4–22 |
| New Jersey Nets | 17 | 65 | .207 | 36 | 13–28 | 4–37 | 9–17 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | c-Detroit Pistons | 59 | 23 | .720 | – |
| 2 | y-Philadelphia 76ers | 53 | 29 | .646 | 6 |
| 3 | x-Chicago Bulls | 55 | 27 | .671 | 4 |
| 4 | x-Boston Celtics | 52 | 30 | .634 | 7 |
| 5 | x-New York Knicks | 45 | 37 | .549 | 14 |
| 6 | x-Milwaukee Bucks | 44 | 38 | .537 | 15 |
| 7 | x-Cleveland Cavaliers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 17 |
| 8 | x-Indiana Pacers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 17 |
| 9 | Atlanta Hawks | 41 | 41 | .500 | 18 |
| 10 | Washington Bullets | 31 | 51 | .378 | 28 |
| 11 | Miami Heat | 18 | 64 | .220 | 41 |
| 12 | Orlando Magic | 18 | 64 | .220 | 41 |
| 13 | New Jersey Nets | 17 | 65 | .207 | 42 |

### Record vs. opponents

1989–90 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 | – | 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

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

## Player statistics
### Regular season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Mookie Blaylock | 50 | 17 | 25.3 | .371 | .225 | .778 | 2.8 | 4.2 | 1.6 | .3 | 10.1 |
| Sam Bowie | 68 | 54 | 32.5 | .416 | .323 | .776 | 10.1 | 1.3 | .6 | 1.8 | 14.7 |
| Stanley Brundy | 16 | 0 | 8.0 | .500 | | .389 | 1.6 | .2 | .4 | .3 | 2.3 |
| Rick Carlisle | 5 | 0 | 4.2 | .143 | .000 | | .0 | 1.0 | .2 | .2 | .4 |
| Joe Barry Carroll$^†$ | 46 | 20 | 21.8 | .393 | .000 | .794 | 5.4 | .9 | .4 | 1.2 | 8.8 |
| Lester Conner | 82 | 61 | 28.7 | .414 | .154 | .804 | 3.2 | 4.7 | 2.1 | .1 | 7.9 |
| Chris Dudley$^†$ | 27 | 8 | 24.9 | .441 | | .305 | 8.1 | .7 | .8 | 1.1 | 6.1 |
| Derrick Gervin | 21 | 0 | 16.1 | .472 | .000 | .730 | 3.1 | .4 | 1.0 | .3 | 12.0 |
| Jack Haley$^†$ | 56 | 26 | 18.3 | .394 | .000 | .661 | 5.0 | .4 | .3 | .2 | 6.0 |
| Roy Hinson | 25 | 19 | 31.7 | .507 | | .869 | 6.9 | .9 | .6 | 1.1 | 15.0 |
| Dennis Hopson | 79 | 64 | 32.3 | .434 | .317 | .792 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 1.3 | .6 | 15.8 |
| Jaren Jackson | 28 | 0 | 5.7 | .362 | .000 | .810 | .9 | .5 | .5 | .0 | 2.4 |
| Anthony Mason | 21 | 0 | 5.1 | .350 | | .600 | 1.6 | .3 | .1 | .1 | 1.8 |
| Chris Morris | 80 | 76 | 30.6 | .422 | .316 | .722 | 5.3 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 14.8 |
| Pete Myers$^†$ | 28 | 2 | 19.4 | .411 | .000 | .725 | 2.4 | 3.6 | .7 | .3 | 7.1 |
| Charles Shackleford | 70 | 37 | 22.2 | .462 | .000 | .687 | 6.8 | .8 | .6 | .5 | 8.2 |
| Purvis Short | 82 | 24 | 27.0 | .455 | .286 | .835 | 3.0 | 1.8 | .8 | .2 | 13.1 |
| Jay Taylor | 17 | 0 | 6.7 | .404 | .231 | .667 | .6 | .3 | .3 | .2 | 3.0 |
| Leon Wood | 28 | 2 | 7.1 | .327 | .190 | .875 | .4 | 1.7 | .2 | .0 | 1.8 |
* $^†$ Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Nets only.