# 1989–90 Boston Celtics season

The 1989–90 NBA season was the 44th season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. With Larry Bird returning after only playing just six games in the 1988–89 season due to heel injuries, and with last year's first round draft pick Brian Shaw leaving the team to play overseas in Italy, the Celtics struggled around .500 during the first month of the season, but would win 11 of their next 15 games, holding a 28–18 record at the All-Star break, finishing second in the Atlantic Division with a solid 52–30 record. The Celtics also qualified for the playoffs for the eleventh consecutive season.
Bird led the way averaging 24.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game, while being named to the All-NBA Second Team, while sixth man Kevin McHale averaged 20.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, while being named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and Robert Parish provided the team with 15.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Bird, McHale and Parish were all selected for the 1990 NBA All-Star Game. In addition, Reggie Lewis contributed 17.0 points per game, and Dennis Johnson provided with 7.1 points and 6.5 assists per game.
In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Celtics looked ready to make a serious run as they jumped out to a 2–0 series lead over the 5th-seeded New York Knicks, with a 157–128 home win in Game 2, which was a playoff record of the most points scored in a game. However, they would collapse as they lost three straight games, losing 3–2 to the Knicks.
Following the season, Johnson retired, and head coach Jimmy Rodgers was fired after coaching the Celtics for two seasons.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 13 | Michael Smith | SF/PF | United States | Brigham Young |
| 2 | 40 | Dino Rađa | PF | Yugoslavia | KK Jugoplastika |

## Regular season

Larry Bird, the Celtics star player, was coming back after surgery to both heels the previous season and later said he never felt the same. Despite the injury, the Celtics were able to rise to 2nd place in the Atlantic Division. By the end of the regular season, the Celtics had scored an average of 110 points per a game, and allowed an average of 106 points per game. During the playoffs against the Knicks that year, the Celtics quickly took the first 2 games of the series, but the New York Knicks would come back and rally to win 3 games in a row, sending the Celtics home.

### 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
## Playoffs

1990 playoff game log :
First round: 2–3 (home: 2–1; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 26
New York
W 116–105
Larry Bird (24)
Larry Bird (18)
Larry Bird (10)
Boston Garden 14,890
1–0
2
April 28
New York
W 157–128
Kevin McHale (31)
Robert Parish (16)
Larry Bird (16)
Boston Garden 14,890
2–0
3
May 2
@ New York
L 99–102
Larry Bird (31)
Robert Parish (10)
Larry Bird (8)
Madison Square Garden 18,212
2–1
4
May 4
@ New York
L 108–135
Kevin McHale (24)
Larry Bird (8)
Johnson, Bagley (6)
Madison Square Garden 18,212
2–2
5
May 6
New York
L 114–121
Larry Bird (31)
Bird, Parish (9)
Dennis Johnson (10)
Boston Garden 14,890
2–3 :
1990 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Regular season

Boston Celtics statistics :
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| John Bagley | 54 | 17 | 20.3 | .459 | .056 | .744 | 1.6 | 5.5 | .7 | .1 | 4.3 |
| Larry Bird | 75 | 75 | 39.3 | .473 | .333 | .930 | 9.5 | 7.5 | 1.4 | .8 | 24.3 |
| Kevin Gamble | 71 | 10 | 13.9 | .455 | .167 | .794 | 1.6 | 1.7 | .4 | .1 | 5.1 |
| Dennis Johnson | 75 | 65 | 27.1 | .434 | .042 | .843 | 2.7 | 6.5 | 1.1 | .2 | 7.1 |
| Joe Kleine | 81 | 4 | 16.9 | .480 | .000 | .830 | 4.4 | .6 | .2 | .3 | 5.4 |
| Reggie Lewis | 79 | 54 | 31.9 | .496 | .267 | .808 | 4.4 | 2.8 | 1.1 | .8 | 17.0 |
| Kevin McHale | 82 | 25 | 33.2 | .549 | .333 | .893 | 8.3 | 2.1 | .4 | 1.9 | 20.9 |
| Robert Parish | 79 | 78 | 30.3 | .580 | | .747 | 10.1 | 1.3 | .5 | .9 | 15.7 |
| Jim Paxson | 72 | 25 | 17.8 | .453 | .250 | .811 | 1.1 | 1.9 | .5 | .1 | 6.4 |
| Ed Pinckney | 77 | 50 | 14.1 | .542 | .000 | .773 | 2.9 | .9 | .4 | .5 | 4.7 |
| Charles Smith | 60 | 0 | 8.7 | .444 | .000 | .697 | 1.2 | 1.7 | .6 | .1 | 2.9 |
| Michael Smith | 65 | 7 | 9.5 | .476 | .071 | .828 | 1.5 | 1.2 | .1 | .0 | 5.0 |
| Kelvin Upshaw$^†$ | 14 | 0 | 9.4 | .308 | .400 | .667 | .9 | 2.0 | .1 | .1 | 2.1 |

### Playoffs

Boston Celtics statistics :
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| John Bagley | 5 | 0 | 14.0 | .533 | .000 | .750 | .8 | 3.4 | .8 | .2 | 3.8 |
| Larry Bird | 5 | 5 | 41.4 | .444 | .263 | .906 | 9.2 | 8.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 24.4 |
| Kevin Gamble | 3 | 0 | 2.7 | .600 | | | .3 | .7 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |
| Dennis Johnson | 5 | 5 | 32.4 | .484 | .333 | 1.000 | 2.8 | 5.6 | .4 | .4 | 13.8 |
| Joe Kleine | 5 | 0 | 15.8 | .765 | .000 | .833 | 2.8 | .4 | .4 | .6 | 6.2 |
| Reggie Lewis | 5 | 5 | 40.0 | .597 | .000 | .771 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 1.4 | .4 | 20.2 |
| Kevin McHale | 5 | 5 | 38.4 | .609 | .333 | .862 | 7.8 | 2.6 | .4 | 2.0 | 22.0 |
| Robert Parish | 5 | 5 | 34.0 | .574 | | .944 | 10.0 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 15.8 |
| Jim Paxson | 5 | 0 | 12.4 | .500 | .000 | .750 | .0 | 1.4 | 1.0 | .0 | 3.8 |
| Ed Pinckney | 4 | 0 | 6.3 | .857 | | .778 | 1.5 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 4.8 |
| Charles Smith | 3 | 0 | 3.0 | .500 | | | .3 | 1.0 | .3 | .0 | .7 |
| Michael Smith | 4 | 0 | 4.0 | .625 | .000 | 1.000 | .0 | .0 | .3 | .0 | 4.3 |

## Awards and records

* Larry Bird, All-NBA Second Team
* Kevin McHale, NBA All-Defensive Second Team