1988–89 San Antonio Spurs season

The 1988–89 San Antonio Spurs season was the 13th season for the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association, and their 22nd season as a franchise.

Season summary

Off-season The Spurs received the tenth overall pick in the 1988 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard Willie Anderson from the University of Georgia; the team also acquired rookie shooting guard, and second-round draft pick Vernon Maxwell out of the University of Florida from the Denver Nuggets on draft day. During the off-season, the Spurs hired Larry Brown as their new head coach, acquired Albert King from the Philadelphia 76ers, acquired second-year forward Dallas Comegys from the New Jersey Nets, and later on signed Darwin Cook during the first month of the regular season.

Regular season Under Brown, and with the addition of Willie Anderson and Maxwell, the Spurs struggled posting an eight-game losing streak in December, posted a seven-game losing streak in January, and later on held a 13–33 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team traded Cook, and Dave Greenwood to the Nuggets in exchange for Jay Vincent, and Calvin Natt; in March, the team signed rookie shooting guard Anthony Bowie. The Spurs continued to struggle posting a 13-game losing streak between February and March, and then posted a nine-game losing streak to end the season, finishing in fifth place in the Midwest Division with an awful 21–61 record.

Willie Anderson averaged 18.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.9 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while Alvin Robertson averaged 17.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. In addition, Johnny Dawkins contributed 14.2 points, 7.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game, but only played just 32 games due to a leg injury, while second-year center Greg Anderson provided the team with 13.7 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, Frank Brickowski provided with 13.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, and Maxwell contributed 11.7 points and 3.8 assists per game. Meanwhile, Vincent averaged 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game in 24 games after the trade, Bowie contributed 8.6 points per game in 18 games, Natt averaged 8.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in ten games, King provided with 7.1 points per game, but only appeared in just 46 games, and Comegys averaged 6.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Willie Anderson also finished in second place in Rookie of the Year voting, behind Mitch Richmond of the Golden State Warriors.

The Spurs finished 23rd in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 323,573 at the HemisFair Arena during the regular season, which was the third-lowest in the league.

Aftermath Following the season, Robertson and Greg Anderson were both traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, while Dawkins was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, Bowie signed as a free agent with the Houston Rockets, and Vincent, Natt, King and Comegys were all released to free agency.

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 10 Willie Anderson SF/SG Georgia 2 27 Shelton Jones SF St. John's 3 56 Barry Sumpter PF/C Austin Peay State 3 75 Archie Marshall SF Kansas

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

z - clinched division title y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot

Game log Regular season

| HemisFair Arena | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | November 8, 1988 | @ Houston | L 102–120

| The Summit | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | November 9, 1988 | Miami | W 117–93

| HemisFair Arena | 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | November 11, 1988 | @ Dallas | L 102–115

| Reunion Arena | 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | November 12, 1988 | Utah | L 96–105

| HemisFair Arena | 2–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | November 16, 1988 | Detroit | L 88–94

| HemisFair Arena | 2–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | November 17, 1988 | @ Denver | L 112–139

| McNichols Sports Arena | 2–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | November 19, 1988 | Charlotte | L 105–107

| HemisFair Arena | 2–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | November 23, 1988 | Atlanta | W 119–109

| HemisFair Arena | 3–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 | November 25, 1988 | @ Utah | L 95–115

| Salt Palace | 3–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | November 26, 1988 | Phoenix | W 117–104

| HemisFair Arena | 4–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | November 29, 1988 | @ Atlanta | L 104–120

| The Omni | 4–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 13 | November 30, 1988 | @ Miami | W 105–101

| Miami Arena | 5–8

| HemisFair Arena | 6–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 15 | December 6, 1988 | Seattle | L 107–112

| HemisFair Arena | 6–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | December 8, 1988 | Cleveland | L 95–104

| HemisFair Arena | 6–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | December 11, 1988 | @ Portland | L 123–128 (OT)

| Memorial Coliseum | 6–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 | December 13, 1988 | @ Sacramento | L 89–108

| ARCO Arena | 6–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | December 15, 1988 | @ Seattle | L 107–122

| Seattle Center Coliseum | 6–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 17, 1988 | Golden State | L 113–123

| HemisFair Arena | 6–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | December 18, 1988 | @ Houston | L 109–120

| The Summit | 6–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 20, 1988 | @ Phoenix | L 110–128

| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 6–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 21, 1988 | Sacramento | W 125–107

| HemisFair Arena | 7–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | December 23, 1988 | L.A. Clippers | L 108–114

| HemisFair Arena | 7–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 25 | December 26, 1988 | @ Miami | L 109–111

| Miami Arena | 7–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | December 27, 1988 | @ Dallas | L 101–110

| Reunion Arena | 7–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | December 30, 1988 | Boston | L 99–112

| HemisFair Arena | 7–20

| HemisFair Arena | 8–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 | January 5, 1989 | Philadelphia | W 119–104

| HemisFair Arena | 9–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | January 7, 1989 | @ Golden State | W 104–102

| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 10–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 | January 8, 1989 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 96–126

| Great Western Forum | 10–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | January 11, 1989 | Houston | L 117–122 (2OT)

| HemisFair Arena | 10–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 33 | January 12, 1989 | @ Utah | L 91–115

| Salt Palace | 10–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 | January 14, 1989 | Portland | L 99–103

| HemisFair Arena | 10–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 | January 16, 1989 | @ New York | L 106–116

| Madison Square Garden | 10–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | January 17, 1989 | @ New Jersey | L 112–117

| Brendan Byrne Arena | 10–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | January 19, 1989 | @ Washington | L 112–115

| Capital Centre | 10–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 38 | January 23, 1989 | Miami | W 119–101

| HemisFair Arena | 11–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 | January 25, 1989 | Utah | L 103–117

| HemisFair Arena | 10–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 40 | January 27, 1989 | @ Dallas | L 82–126

| Reunion Arena | 10–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 | January 28, 1989 | Houston | L 91–96

| HemisFair Arena | 11–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 | January 31, 1989 | Denver | W 117–111

| HemisFair Arena | 12–30

| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 13–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 44 | February 4, 1989 | @ Portland | L 100–137

| Memorial Coliseum | 13–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 45 | February 7, 1989 | @ Sacramento | L 99–114

| ARCO Arena | 13–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 46 | February 9, 1989 | Chicago | L 103–108

| HemisFair Arena | 13–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 47 | February 14, 1989 | @ Seattle | L 113–129

| Seattle Center Coliseum | 13–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 | February 15, 1989 | @ Golden State | L 96–133

| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 13–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 | February 18, 1989 | @ Utah | L 93–107

| Salt Palace | 13–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 50 | February 20, 1989 | Dallas | L 93–105

| HemisFair Arena | 13–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | February 22, 1989 | Golden State | L 107–118

| HemisFair Arena | 13–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | February 24, 1989 | @ Indiana | L 93–112

| Market Square Arena | 13–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 53 | February 25, 1989 | @ Charlotte | L 113–124

| Charlotte Coliseum | 13–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 | February 27, 1989 | @ Milwaukee | L 96–105

| Bradley Center | 13–41 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 55 | February 28, 1989 | @ Chicago | L 102–121

| Chicago Stadium | 13–42

| Richfield Coliseum | 13–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 57 | March 4, 1989 | Denver | W 106–89

| HemisFair Arena | 14–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 58 | March 7, 1989 | Portland | L 103–116

| HemisFair Arena | 14–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 59 | March 9, 1989 | New Jersey | W 112–98

| HemisFair Arena | 15–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 | March 11, 1989 | Dallas | W 97–90

| HemisFair Arena | 16–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 61 | March 13, 1989 | L.A. Clippers | L 103–115

| HemisFair Arena | 17–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 62 | March 15, 1989 | Milwaukee | W 110–108

| HemisFair Arena | 17–45 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 63 | March 16, 1989 | @ Denver | L 102–119

| McNichols Sports Arena | 17–46 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 64 | March 18, 1989 | Utah | W 114–98

| HemisFair Arena | 18–46 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 65 | March 20, 1989 | @ Boston | L 108–119

| Boston Garden | 18–47 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 | March 22, 1989 | @ Detroit | L 94–115

| The Palace of Auburn Hills | 18–48 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 67 | March 24, 1989 | @ Philadelphia | L 122–135

| The Spectrum | 18–49 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 68 | March 25, 1989 | @ Miami | L 105–107

| Miami Arena | 18–50 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 69 | March 28, 1989 | Washington | W 130–114

| HemisFair Arena | 19–50 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 | March 30, 1989 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 98–138

| Great Western Forum | 19–51 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 71 | March 31, 1989 | @ L.A. Clippers | L 106–109

| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 19–52

| HemisFair Arena | 20–52 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 73 | April 6, 1989 | Sacramento | W 122–116

| HemisFair Arena | 21–52 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 74 | April 8, 1989 | Indiana | L 126–128 (OT)

| HemisFair Arena | 21–53 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 75 | April 10, 1989 | Seattle | L 89–102

| HemisFair Arena | 21–54 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 76 | April 12, 1989 | L.A. Lakers | L 100–107

| HemisFair Arena | 21–55 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 77 | April 14, 1989 | Dallas | L 110–118

| HemisFair Arena | 21–56 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

1988–89 San Antonio Spurs season

Bron en licentie