NBA professional basketball team season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1990–91 NBA season was the 21st season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association .[ 1] During the off-season, the Blazers acquired Danny Ainge from the Sacramento Kings ,[ 2] [ 3] [ 4] and later on traded second-year guard Dražen Petrović to the New Jersey Nets , and acquired Walter Davis from the Denver Nuggets in a three-team midseason trade.[ 5] [ 6] The Blazers won their first eleven games of the season,[ 7] on their way to a franchise best start at a record of 27–3,[ 8] and holding a 39–9 record at the All-Star break.[ 9] They would post a 16-game winning streak near the end of the season as they finished with a league best record at 63–19, setting a franchise-high win total that still stands today, and made their ninth consecutive trip to the NBA Playoffs .[ 10] It was their first Pacific Division title since the 1977–78 season ,[ 11] and ended the Los Angeles Lakers ' streak of nine straight years as Pacific Division champions and number-one seed in the Western Conference.
Clyde Drexler averaged 21.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and finished in sixth place in Most Valuable Player voting,[ 12] [ 13] [ 14] while Terry Porter averaged 17.0 points, 8.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game, and Kevin Duckworth provided the team with 15.8 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Drexler, Porter and Duckworth were all selected for the 1991 NBA All-Star Game , with head coach Rick Adelman coaching the Western Conference.[ 15] [ 16] In addition, Jerome Kersey contributed 14.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, while Buck Williams provided with 11.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team. Off the bench, second-year forward Clifford Robinson averaged 11.7 points per game, and Ainge contributed 11.1 points per game.[ 17] Adelman also finished in second place in Coach of the Year voting.[ 18] [ 19] [ 20]
However, after advancing to the Western Conference finals with a 3–2 win over the Seattle SuperSonics in the Western Conference First Round,[ 21] [ 22] [ 23] [ 24] and a 4–1 win over the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Semi-finals,[ 25] [ 26] [ 27] [ 28] the Blazers were denied a second straight trip to the NBA Finals , falling to the 3rd-seeded Lakers in six games in the Western Conference finals.[ 29] [ 30] [ 31] [ 32] The Lakers would lose in five games to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals .[ 33] [ 34] [ 35] [ 36] [ 37]
Following the season, Davis was released to free agency, and re-signed with his former team, the Denver Nuggets .[ 38] [ 39]
1990–91 Portland Trail Blazers roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
C
31
Abdelnaby, Alaa
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
240 lb (109 kg)
1968–06–24
Duke
G
9
Ainge, Danny
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
1959–03–17
BYU
F
2
Bryant, Mark
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
1965–04–25
Seton Hall
C
42
Cooper, Wayne
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
1956–11–16
New Orleans
G
6
Davis, Walter
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
193 lb (88 kg)
1954–09–09
North Carolina
G
22
Drexler, Clyde
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
1962–06–22
Houston
C
00
Duckworth, Kevin
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
275 lb (125 kg)
1964–04–01
Eastern Illinois
F
25
Kersey, Jerome
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
1962–06–26
Longwood
G
30
Porter, Terry
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
1963–04–08
UW–Stevens Point
F
3
Robinson, Clifford R.
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
1966–12–16
Connecticut
F
52
Williams, Buck
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
1960–03–08
Maryland
G
21
Young, Danny
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
1962–07–26
Wake Forest
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents [ edit ]
1990–91 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
–
3–1
1–4
1–4
3–2
2–0
1–1
0–5
1–1
1–1
4–1
2–0
1–1
4–0
2–3
1–1
3–1
3–1
1–1
0–4
0–2
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–2
Boston
1–3
–
3–1
2–2
3–1
2–0
2–0
2–2
1–1
2–0
2–2
2–0
1–1
4–1
2–2
2–0
4–1
5–0
1–1
2–3
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
5–1
Charlotte
4–1
1–3
–
0–5
1–4
1–1
0–2
1–4
1–1
0–2
0–5
1–1
0–2
2–2
2–3
1–1
2–2
0–4
2–0
2–2
0–2
0–2
2–0
1–1
0–2
0–2
2–2
Chicago
4–1
2–2
5–0
–
5–0
2–0
2–0
3–2
1–1
0–2
4–1
2–0
1–1
4–0
4–1
2–0
3–1
4–0
2–0
1–3
1–1
0–2
2–0
0–2
2–0
2–0
3–1
Cleveland
2–3
1–3
4–1
0–5
–
2–0
1–1
2–3
0–2
0–2
1–4
1–1
1–1
3–1
2–3
1–1
2–2
3–1
2–0
2–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–3
Dallas
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
–
3–1
0–2
2–2
1–3
2–0
1–3
2–2
0–2
1–1
1–4
2–0
2–0
1–4
1–1
0–4
1–3
2–2
1–4
2–2
0–5
2–0
Denver
1–1
0–2
2–0
0–2
1–1
1–3
–
0–2
1–3
0–5
0–2
0–4
0–4
0–2
1–1
3–2
1–1
1–1
2–3
0–2
0–4
0–4
3–1
1–4
0–4
1–3
1–1
Detroit
5–0
2–2
4–1
2–3
3–2
2–0
2–0
–
1–1
2–0
3–2
2–0
0–2
3–1
2–3
2–0
3–1
1–3
2–0
2–2
0–2
1–1
2–0
0–2
1–1
0–2
3–1
Golden State
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
3–1
1–1
–
2–2
1–1
3–2
2–3
2–0
1–1
3–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
2–0
1–3
2–3
2–3
2–2
3–1
1–3
0–2
Houston
1–1
0–2
2–0
2–0
2–0
3–1
5–0
0–2
2–2
–
1–1
2–2
1–3
2–0
2–0
5–0
2–0
2–0
3–2
2–0
3–1
0–4
3–1
2–3
2–2
2–2
1–1
Indiana
1–4
2–2
5–0
1–4
4–1
0–2
2–0
2–3
1–1
1–1
–
1–1
0–2
2–2
2–3
1–1
3–1
2–2
1–1
1–3
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
L.A. Clippers
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
3–1
4–0
0–2
2–3
2–2
1–1
–
0–4
0–2
1–1
3–1
1–1
0–2
1–3
0–2
2–3
1–3
3–2
2–2
2–3
1–3
0–2
L.A. Lakers
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–2
4–0
2–0
3–2
3–1
2–0
4–0
–
2–0
0–2
3–1
2–0
1–1
4–0
1–1
3–2
2–3
4–0
3–1
3–2
2–2
2–0
Miami
0–4
1–4
2–2
0–4
1–3
2–0
2–0
1–3
0–2
0–2
2–2
2–0
0–2
–
0–4
0–2
3–3
1–4
1–1
1–4
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
3–2
Milwaukee
3–2
2–2
3–2
1–4
3–2
1–1
1–1
3–2
1–1
0–2
3–2
1–1
2–0
4–0
–
1–1
2–2
4–0
2–0
2–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–1
Minnesota
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
4–1
2–3
0–2
1–3
0–5
1–1
1–3
1–3
2–0
1–1
–
1–1
1–1
2–2
2–0
0–4
0–4
3–1
0–4
2–2
1–4
1–1
New Jersey
1–3
1–4
2–2
1–3
2–2
0–2
1–1
1–3
1–1
0–2
1–3
1–1
0–2
3–3
2–2
1–1
–
0–5
1–1
2–3
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–3
New York
1–3
0–5
4–0
0–4
1–3
0–2
1–1
3–1
0–2
0–2
2–2
2–0
1–1
4–1
0–4
1–1
5–0
–
0–2
5–1
0–2
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
3–2
Orlando
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
0–2
4–1
3–2
0–2
2–2
2–3
1–1
3–1
0–4
1–1
0–2
2–2
1–1
2–0
–
0–2
2–2
0–4
2–2
1–3
1–3
1–4
1–1
Philadelphia
4–0
3–2
2–2
3–1
2–2
1–1
2–0
2–2
0–2
0–2
3–1
2–0
1–1
4–1
2–2
0–2
3–2
1–5
2–0
–
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
3–2
Phoenix
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
4–0
4–0
2–0
3–1
1–3
1–1
3–2
2–3
2–0
1–1
4–0
1–1
2–0
2–2
1–1
–
3–2
3–1
1–3
3–2
2–2
2–0
Portland
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
2–0
3–1
4–0
1–1
3–2
4–0
2–0
3–1
3–2
2–0
1–1
4–0
2–0
2–0
4–0
1–1
2–3
–
3–2
2–2
4–0
3–1
2–0
Sacramento
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
2–2
1–3
0–2
3–2
1–3
0–2
2–3
0–4
1–1
1–1
1–3
1–1
0–2
2–2
1–1
1–3
2–3
–
1–3
1–4
1–3
2–0
San Antonio
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
4–1
4–1
2–0
2–2
3–2
1–1
2–2
1–3
2–0
1–1
4–0
2–0
1–1
3–1
2–0
3–1
2–2
3–1
–
3–1
2–3
2–0
Seattle
1–1
0–2
2–0
0–2
1–1
2–2
4–0
1–1
1–3
2–2
1–1
3–2
2–3
2–0
1–1
2–2
1–1
1–1
3–1
1–1
2–3
0–4
4–1
1–3
–
1–3
2–0
Utah
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
5–0
3–1
2–0
3–1
2–2
0–2
3–1
2–2
1–1
1–1
4–1
2–0
0–2
4–1
2–0
2–2
1–3
3–1
3–2
3–1
–
2–0
Washington
2–2
1–5
2–2
1–3
3–1
0–2
1–1
1–3
2–0
1–1
2–2
2–0
0–2
2–3
1–3
1–1
3–2
2–3
1–1
2–3
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
—
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(January 2011 )
† Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Trail Blazers only.
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(January 2011 )
^ 1990–91 Portland Trail Blazers
^ "A Trading Flurry Uncapped in NBA: Basketball: Ainge Goes to Portland, Schayes to Milwaukee, Pressey to San Antonio, Bol to Philadelphia After Salary Cap Raised by Nearly $2 Million" . Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. August 2, 1990. Retrieved December 15, 2021 .
^ Hente, Karl (August 2, 1990). "As Salary Cap Rises, Players Fly Around NBA" . The Washington Post . Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ Goldaper, Sam (December 26, 1990). "Resurgence for Ainge as Blazer" . The New York Times . Retrieved September 5, 2022 .
^ Curry, Jack (January 24, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Nets Obtain Petrovic and Look Out for No. 1" . The New York Times . Retrieved December 15, 2021 .
^ "Trail Blazers Use 3-Team Trade to Get Walter Davis" . Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. January 24, 1991. Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "Blazers 117, Spurs 103" . United Press International . November 26, 1990. Retrieved January 17, 2022 .
^ "Portland Trail Blazers at Cleveland Cavaliers Box Score, December 29, 1990" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved January 17, 2022 .
^ "NBA Games Played on February 7, 1991" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved November 21, 2022 .
^ "1990–91 Portland Trail Blazers Schedule and Results" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 16, 2021 .
^ "Portland Trail Blazers" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved January 19, 2022 .
^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (May 21, 1991). "NBA PLAYOFFS: Jordan Is MVP in Landslide Vote" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ Smith, Sam (May 21, 1991). "Jordan MVP by a Landslide" . Chicago Tribune . Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "1990–91 NBA Awards Voting" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved January 3, 2022 .
^ Smith, Sam (January 30, 1991). "Pippen Bypassed for All-Star Team" . Chicago Tribune . Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "1991 NBA All-Star Game: East 116, West 114" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved December 2, 2021 .
^ "1990–91 Portland Trail Blazers Roster and Stats" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 14, 2021 .
^ "Chaney Gets Coaching Award, New Contract" . United Press International . May 23, 1991. Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Chaney Selected as Top N.B.A. Coach" . The New York Times . May 24, 1991. Retrieved December 31, 2022 .
^ "Rockets' Chaney Named Coach of Year" . Chicago Tribune . May 24, 1991. Retrieved December 31, 2022 .
^ "Trail Blazers 119, SuperSonics 107" . United Press International . May 4, 1991. Retrieved April 10, 2023 .
^ "BASKETBALL; Blazers Finally Win Series from Stubborn SuperSonics" . The New York Times . Associated Press. May 5, 1991. Retrieved October 16, 2021 .
^ Hafner, Dan (May 5, 1991). "NBA ROUNDUP: Blazers Take Sonics to Court, Win Series" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved August 27, 2022 .
^ "1991 NBA Western Conference First Round: SuperSonics vs. Trail Blazers" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved April 10, 2023 .
^ "BASKETBALL: THREE TEAMS ADVANCE TO CONFERENCE FINALS; Blazers Take 5 to Chase Jazz" . The New York Times . Associated Press. May 15, 1991. Retrieved October 16, 2021 .
^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (May 15, 1991). "NBA PLAYOFFS: WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: Trail Blazers Eliminate Jazz, Look to Lakers" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved August 27, 2022 .
^ Rock, Brad (May 15, 1991). "Blazers Look Ready to Take Care of Some Old Business" . Deseret News . Retrieved December 31, 2022 .
^ "1991 NBA Western Conference Semifinals: Jazz vs. Trail Blazers" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved April 10, 2023 .
^ Araton, Harvey (June 1, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Magic's Pass to Nowhere Is Ticket to Final" . The New York Times . Retrieved August 27, 2022 .
^ Heisler, Mark (May 31, 1991). "Lakers Survive Final Threat: Western Conference: Porter Misses, Johnson Passes and Los Angeles Wins Right to Play Bulls, 91-90" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved July 26, 2017 .
^ Aldridge, David (May 31, 1991). "Lakers Reclaim the West" . The Washington Post . Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "1991 NBA Western Conference Finals: Lakers vs. Trail Blazers" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved April 10, 2023 .
^ Barnes, Mike (June 12, 1991). "Bulls Beat Lakers for Title, 108-101" . United Press International . Retrieved December 31, 2022 .
^ Brown, Clifton (June 13, 1991). "Jordan Crowns Career and Bulls Reign in N.B.A." The New York Times . Retrieved December 31, 2022 .
^ Heisler, Mark (June 13, 1991). "NBA FINALS: LAKERS vs. CHICAGO BULLS: Bulls' Decree: Jordan Rules: Game 5: Chicago Wins First Championship by Sweeping at Forum, 108-101, But Depleted Lakers Go Down Fighting" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved September 22, 2022 .
^ Aldridge, David (June 13, 1991). "Jordan, Co. Complete NBA Title Run, 108-101" . The Washington Post . Retrieved September 22, 2022 .
^ "1991 NBA Finals: Lakers vs. Bulls" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved April 10, 2023 .
^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Walter Davis Waived by Trail Blazers" . The New York Times . October 30, 1991. Retrieved December 2, 2021 .
^ "Pro Basketball" . Los Angeles Times . November 2, 1991. Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
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