1990–91 NBA season

45th NBA season

Sports season
  • November 2, 1990 – April 21, 1991
  • April 25 – May 30, 1991 (Playoffs)
  • June 2 – 12, 1991 (Finals)
Number of teams27TV partner(s)NBC, TBS, TNTDraftTop draft pickDerrick ColemanPicked byNew Jersey NetsRegular seasonTop seedPortland Trail BlazersSeason MVPMichael Jordan (Chicago)Top scorerMichael Jordan (Chicago)PlayoffsEastern championsChicago Bulls  Eastern runners-upDetroit PistonsWestern championsLos Angeles Lakers  Western runners-upPortland Trail BlazersFinalsChampionsChicago Bulls  Runners-upLos Angeles LakersFinals MVPMichael Jordan (Chicago) NBA seasons

The 1990–91 NBA season was the 45th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Chicago Bulls winning their first NBA Championship, eliminating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.

This season would prove to be Magic Johnson's last full season as a player, as he announced he was HIV positive and retired early the following season (Johnson would play part of the 1995-96 NBA season with the Lakers before permanently retiring).

Notable occurrences

Coaching changes
Offseason
Team 1989–90 coach 1990–91 coach
Atlanta Hawks Mike Fratello Bob Weiss
Boston Celtics Jimmy Rodgers Chris Ford
Denver Nuggets Doug Moe Paul Westhead
Los Angeles Clippers Don Casey Mike Schuler
Los Angeles Lakers Pat Riley Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
New York Knicks Stu Jackson John MacLeod
Seattle SuperSonics Bernie Bickerstaff K.C. Jones
In-season

NBA 91 release date: October 22, 1990

Team Outgoing coach Incoming coach
Indiana Pacers Dick Versace Bob Hill

1990–91 NBA changes

Final Standings

By division

Eastern Conference
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W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Boston Celtics 56 26 .683 35–6 21–20 20-6
x-Philadelphia 76ers 44 38 .537 12 29-12 15-26 14-12
x-New York Knicks 39 43 .476 17 21-20 18-23 17–9
Washington Bullets 30 52 .366 26 21-20 9-32 10-16
New Jersey Nets 26 56 .317 30 20-21 6–35 8-18
Miami Heat 24 58 .293 32 18-23 6-35 9-17
Central Division
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W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Chicago Bulls 61 21 .744 35–6 26–15 25–5
x-Detroit Pistons 50 32 .610 11 32–9 18–23 19-11
x-Milwaukee Bucks 48 34 .585 13 33–8 15–26 16–14
x-Atlanta Hawks 43 39 .524 18 29–12 14–27 11–19
x-Indiana Pacers 41 41 .500 20 29-12 12–29 15-15
Cleveland Cavaliers 33 49 .402 28 23–18 10–31 11-19
Charlotte Hornets 26 56 .317 35 17–24 9–32 8–22
Western Conference
Midwest Division
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W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-San Antonio Spurs 55 27 .671 33–8 22–19 20–8
x-Utah Jazz 54 28 .659 1 36–5 18–23 21-7
x-Houston Rockets 52 30 .634 3 31-10 21–20 20-8
Orlando Magic 31 51 .378 24 24-17 7–34 13–15
Minnesota Timberwolves 29 53 .354 26 21-20 8-33 9-19
Dallas Mavericks 28 54 .341 27 20-21 8–33 7-21
Denver Nuggets 20 62 .244 35 17-24 3-38 8–20
Pacific Division
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W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Portland Trail Blazers 63 19 .768 36–5 27–14 18-10
x-Los Angeles Lakers 58 24 .707 5 33–8 25-16 19-9
x-Phoenix Suns 55 27 .671 8 32–9 23-18 17–11
x-Golden State Warriors 44 38 .537 19 30–11 14–27 13–15
x-Seattle SuperSonics 41 41 .500 22 28-13 13–28 12-16
Los Angeles Clippers 31 51 .378 32 23–18 8-33 10-18
Sacramento Kings 25 57 .305 38 24-17 1–40 9–19

By conference

#
Eastern Conference
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Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Chicago Bulls 61 21 .744
2 y-Boston Celtics 56 26 .683 5
3 x-Detroit Pistons 50 32 .610 11
4 x-Milwaukee Bucks 48 34 .585 13
5 x-Philadelphia 76ers 44 38 .537 17
6 x-Atlanta Hawks 43 39 .524 18
7 x-Indiana Pacers 41 41 .500 20
8 x-New York Knicks 39 43 .476 22
9 Cleveland Cavaliers 33 49 .402 28
10 Washington Bullets 30 52 .366 31
11 New Jersey Nets 26 56 .317 35
12 Charlotte Hornets 26 56 .317 35
13 Miami Heat 24 58 .293 37
#
Western Conference
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Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Portland Trail Blazers 63 19 .768
2 y-San Antonio Spurs 55 27 .671 8
3 x-Los Angeles Lakers 58 24 .707 5
4 x-Phoenix Suns 55 27 .671 8
5 x-Utah Jazz 54 28 .659 9
6 x-Houston Rockets 52 30 .634 11
7 x-Golden State Warriors 44 38 .537 19
8 x-Seattle SuperSonics 41 41 .500 22
9 Orlando Magic 31 51 .378 32
10 Los Angeles Clippers 31 51 .378 32
11 Minnesota Timberwolves 29 53 .354 34
12 Dallas Mavericks 28 54 .341 35
13 Sacramento Kings 25 57 .305 38
14 Denver Nuggets 20 62 .244 43

Notes

  • z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs
  • c – Clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs
  • y – Clinched division title
  • x – Clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

A ticket for Game 4 of the 1991 NBA Finals at the Great Western Forum.

Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Home court advantage does not necessarily belong to the higher-seeded team, but instead the team with the better regular season record; teams enjoying the home advantage are shown in italics.

First round Conference semifinals Conference finals Finals
            
E1 Chicago* 3
E8 New York 0
E1 Chicago* 4
E5 Philadelphia 1
E4 Milwaukee 0
E5 Philadelphia 3
E1 Chicago* 4
Eastern Conference
E3 Detroit 0
E3 Detroit 3
E6 Atlanta 2
E3 Detroit 4
E2 Boston* 2
E2 Boston* 3
E7 Indiana 2
E1 Chicago* 4
W3 LA Lakers 1
W1 Portland* 3
W8 Seattle 2
W1 Portland* 4
W5 Utah 1
W4 Phoenix 1
W5 Utah 3
W1 Portland* 2
Western Conference
W3 LA Lakers 4
W3 LA Lakers 3
W6 Houston 0
W3 LA Lakers 4
W7 Golden State 1
W2 San Antonio* 1
W7 Golden State 3
  • * Division winner
  • Bold Series winner
  • Italic Team with home-court advantage

Statistics leaders

Category Player Team Stat
Points per game Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls 31.5
Rebounds per game David Robinson San Antonio Spurs 13.0
Assists per game John Stockton Utah Jazz 14.2
Steals per game Alvin Robertson Milwaukee Bucks 3.04
Blocks per game Hakeem Olajuwon Houston Rockets 3.95
FG% Buck Williams Portland Trail Blazers .602
FT% Reggie Miller Indiana Pacers .918
3FG% Jim Les Sacramento Kings .461

NBA awards

Player of the week

The following players were named NBA Player of the Week.

Week Player
Nov. 2 – Nov. 11 Chris Mullin (Golden State Warriors)
Nov. 12 – Nov. 18 Clyde Drexler (Portland Trail Blazers)
Nov. 19 – Nov. 25 Charles Barkley (Philadelphia 76ers)
Nov. 26 – Dec. 2 Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)
Dec. 3 – Dec. 9 John Stockton (Utah Jazz)
Dec. 10 – Dec. 16 Kevin Johnson (Phoenix Suns)
Dec. 17 – Dec. 23 Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)
Dec. 25 – Dec. 29 Ricky Pierce (Milwaukee Bucks)
Dec. 30 – Jan. 6 Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks)
Jan. 7 – Jan. 13 Bernard King (Washington Bullets)
Jan. 14 – Jan. 20 Tim Hardaway (Golden State Warriors)
Jan. 21 – Jan. 27 Michael Adams (Denver Nuggets)
Jan. 28 – Feb. 3 Otis Thorpe (Houston Rockets)
Feb. 4 – Feb. 17 Lionel Simmons (Sacramento Kings)
Feb. 18 – Feb. 24 Reggie Miller (Indiana Pacers)
Feb. 25 – Mar. 3 Gerald Wilkins (New York Knicks)
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10 Dennis Scott (Orlando Magic)
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17 Kenny Smith (Houston Rockets)
Mar. 18 – Mar. 24 Mitch Richmond (Golden State Warriors)
Mar. 25 – Mar. 31 Clyde Drexler (Portland Trail Blazers)
Apr. 1 – Apr. 7 Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)
Apr. 8 – Apr. 14 Clyde Drexler (Portland Trail Blazers)
Apr. 15 – Apr. 21 Scott Skiles (Orlando Magic)

Player of the month

The following players were named NBA Player of the Month.

Month Player
November Chris Mullin (Golden State Warriors)
December Karl Malone (Utah Jazz)
January David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs)
February Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks)
March Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)
April Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)

Rookie of the month

The following players were named NBA Rookie of the Month.

Month Rookie
November Derrick Coleman (New Jersey Nets)
December Lionel Simmons (Sacramento Kings)
January Derrick Coleman (New Jersey Nets)
February Lionel Simmons (Sacramento Kings)
March Dennis Scott (Orlando Magic)
April Derrick Coleman (New Jersey Nets)

Coach of the month

The following coaches were named NBA Coach of the Month.

Month Coach
November Rick Adelman (Portland Trail Blazers)
December Bob Weiss (Atlanta Hawks)
January Mike Dunleavy (Los Angeles Lakers)
February Don Chaney (Houston Rockets)
March Don Chaney (Houston Rockets)
April Rick Adelman (Portland Trail Blazers)

Notes

  1. ^ Entered the NBA as Chris Jackson before changing his name in 1993.

See also

References

  1. ^ Denton, John. "Remembering Scott Skiles' 30-Assists Game 25 Years Later". www.nba.com. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
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