1989–90 Minnesota Timberwolves season
The 1989–90 NBA season was the Timberwolves' 1st season in the National Basketball Association.[1] Nearly 30 years since the Lakers left for Los Angeles, the NBA returned to Minnesota with an expansion team known as the "Timberwolves". The T-Wolves made their debut on November 3 losing to the Seattle SuperSonics, 106–94 on the road. Five days later, they made their home debut at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome losing to the Chicago Bulls 96–84. Just two nights later, the Wolves would finally get their first win beating the Philadelphia 76ers at home in overtime, 125–118 on November 10. However, the Timberwolves struggled in their first season, posting two nine-game losing streaks, finishing sixth place in the Midwest Division with a 22–60 record.[2] Tony Campbell led the team in scoring averaging 23.2 points per game, and top draft pick Pooh Richardson made the All-Rookie First Team.
1989–90 Minnesota Timberwolves season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Bill Musselman |
Arena | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome |
Results | |
Record | 22–60 (.268) |
Place | Division: 6th (Midwest) Conference: 13th (Western) |
Playoff finish | Did Not Qualify |
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | KSTP-TV/KITN-TV (Kevin Harlan, Len Elmore, Tom Hanneman) |
Radio | WDGY (Kevin Harlan, Dave Shea) |
Draft picks
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 10 | Pooh Richardson | PG | ![]() |
UCLA |
2 | 34 | Gary Leonard | C | ![]() |
Missouri |
2 | 38 | Doug West | SG | ![]() |
Villanova |
Roster
1989–90 Minnesota Timberwolves roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
NBA Expansion Draft
Prior to the 1989 NBA draft, the NBA held a coin toss between the Timberwolves and the other new expansion team, the Orlando Magic, to determine their order for the NBA Draft and the expansion draft. The Magic won the coin toss and chose to have the first pick in the expansion draft and pick 11th in the NBA Draft, while the Timberwolves picked second in the expansion draft and 10th in the NBA Draft.
The previous season's expansion teams, the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat, were not involved in this year's expansion draft and did not lose any player.
Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | Previous Team |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 | Rick Mahorn | F/C | ![]() |
Detroit Pistons |
4 | Tyrone Corbin | G/F | ![]() |
Phoenix Suns |
6 | Steve Johnson | F/C | ![]() |
Portland Trail Blazers |
8 | Brad Lohaus | F/C | ![]() |
Sacramento Kings |
10 | David Rivers | G | ![]() |
Los Angeles Lakers |
12 | Mark Davis | G/F | ![]() |
Milwaukee Bucks |
14 | Scott Roth | F | ![]() |
San Antonio Spurs |
16 | Shelton Jones | F | ![]() |
Philadelphia 76ers |
18 | Eric White | F | ![]() |
Los Angeles Clippers |
20 | Maurice Martin | G/F | ![]() |
Denver Nuggets |
22 | Gunther Behnke | C | ![]() |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
Regular season
Standings
Midwest Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-San Antonio Spurs | 56 | 26 | .683 | – | 34–7 | 22–19 | 19–9 |
x-Utah Jazz | 55 | 27 | .671 | 1 | 36–5 | 19–22 | 21–7 |
x-Dallas Mavericks | 47 | 35 | .573 | 9 | 30–11 | 17–24 | 17–11 |
x-Denver Nuggets | 43 | 39 | .524 | 13 | 28–13 | 15–26 | 15–13 |
x-Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | .500 | 15 | 31–10 | 10–31 | 13–15 |
Minnesota Timberwolves | 22 | 60 | .268 | 34 | 17–24 | 5–36 | 6–22 |
Charlotte Hornets | 19 | 63 | .232 | 37 | 13–28 | 6–35 | 7–21 |
# | Western Conference | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
1 | z-Los Angeles Lakers | 63 | 19 | .768 | – |
2 | y-San Antonio Spurs | 56 | 26 | .683 | 7 |
3 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 59 | 23 | .720 | 4 |
4 | x-Utah Jazz | 55 | 27 | .671 | 8 |
5 | x-Phoenix Suns | 54 | 28 | .659 | 9 |
6 | x-Dallas Mavericks | 47 | 35 | .573 | 16 |
7 | x-Denver Nuggets | 43 | 39 | .524 | 20 |
8 | x-Houston Rockets | 41 | 41 | .500 | 22 |
9 | Seattle SuperSonics | 41 | 41 | .500 | 22 |
10 | Golden State Warriors | 37 | 45 | .451 | 26 |
11 | Los Angeles Clippers | 30 | 52 | .366 | 33 |
12 | Sacramento Kings | 23 | 59 | .280 | 40 |
13 | Minnesota Timberwolves | 22 | 60 | .268 | 41 |
14 | Charlotte Hornets | 19 | 63 | .232 | 44 |
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 | — |
Player statistics
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tony Campbell* | 82 | 81 | 38.6 | .457 | .167 | .787 | 5.5 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 23.2 |
Tyrone Corbin | 82 | 80 | 36.7 | .481 | .000 | .770 | 7.4 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 14.7 |
Sam Mitchell* | 80 | 30 | 30.2 | .446 | .000 | .768 | 5.8 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 12.7 |
Pooh Richardson | 82 | 48 | 31.5 | 461 | .277 | .589 | 2.6 | 6.8 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 11.4 |
Randy Breuer | 51 | 47 | 26.0 | .416 | .000 | .662 | 5.7 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 10.2 |
Tod Murphy | 82 | 59 | 30.4 | 471 | .372 | .709 | 6.9 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 8.3 |
Brad Lohaus | 28 | 24 | 21.1 | .465 | .063 | .808 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 7.5 |
Scott Roth | 71 | 3 | 14.9 | .397 | .356 | .696 | 3.0 | 1.9 | .7 | .7 | 9.0 |
Adrian Branch* | 66 | 0 | 11.3 | .379 | 346 | .746 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 6.8 |
Donald Royal | 73 | 73 | 11.3 | .470 | .417 | .850 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 5.9 |
Brad Sellers | 14 | 0 | 8.1 | .469 | .000 | .557 | 5.2 | 1.5 | .8 | 2.0 | 8.8 |
Doug West | 52 | 0 | 7.3 | .517 | .000 | .763 | 3.0 | .4 | .3 | .5 | 5.5 |
Sidney Lowe* | 80 | 38 | 21.8 | .498 | .000 | .703 | 5.2 | 1.1 | .8 | .7 | 11.7 |
Gary Leonard | 22 | 0 | 5.8 | .468 | .440 | .883 | 2.8 | 5.4 | 1.2 | .1 | 11.8 |
Steve Johnson | 4 | 0 | 4.3 | .402 | .359 | .733 | 1.5 | 3.0 | .7 | .1 | 7.2 |
* – Stats with the Timberwolves.
Awards and honors
- Pooh Richardson, NBA All-Rookie Team