1990–91 Boston Celtics season
1990–91 Boston Celtics season | |
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Division Champions | |
Head coach | Chris Ford |
Owner(s) | Don Gaston, Alan N. Cohen, Paul Dupee |
Arena |
Boston Garden Hartford Civic Center |
Results | |
Record | 56–26 (.683) |
Place |
Division: 1st (Atlantic) Conference: 2nd (Eastern) |
Playoff finish |
East Conference Semifinals (eliminated 2-4) |
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | SportsChannel New England, WFXT, WTXX, WTIC-TV |
Radio | WHDH, WTIC Radio |
The 1990–91 Boston Celtics season was the 45th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA).[1] After failing to advance past the first round in the two previous seasons, it appeared going into the 1990–91 season that the Celtics were fading as NBA title contenders. However, the Celtics burst to a 29–5 start reminiscent of their title years of the 1980s and once again established themselves as contenders. Besides general team improvement (and perhaps the chemistry employed by new head coach Chris Ford), the Celtics were helped by the return of 1988 first round draft pick Brian Shaw (who had played in Italy in the 89–90 season). Beginning in January, Larry Bird began to miss significant playing time due to back injuries (Bird would miss 22 regular season games) and the team struggled in his absence. The team limped to the finish, losing 6 of their final 8 games to finish at 56–26 (still good for the Atlantic Division title and #2 seed in the East). Rookie Dee Brown won the Slam Dunk Contest during the All-Star Weekend.
In the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the Celtics survived a scare from the 7th-seeded Indiana Pacers, going the full five games before winning a classic finale (in which Bird went to the locker room during the game with injury, only to return and finish with 32 points). In the eastern semis, the Celtics held home court advantage against the 2-time defending NBA Champion Detroit Pistons, but Bird missed game 1 with injury and the Pistons took the game at Boston Garden. Bird returned for the remainder of the series and the Celtics rallied to win games 2 and 3 (game 3 a blowout win in Detroit), but Detroit won 3 in a row afterwards to take the series.
Draft picks
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
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1 | 19 | Dee Brown | SG/PG | United States | Jacksonville |
Roster
Boston Celtics roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Depth chart
PG-20 Brian Shaw SG-35 Reggie Lewis SF-34 Kevin Gamble PF-33 Larry Bird C-00 Robert Parrish
Regular season
Season standings
Atlantic Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
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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 |
- y – clinched division title
- x – clinched playoff spot
# | 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 |
- z – clinched division title
- y – clinched division title
- x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1990-91 NBA Records | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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 | — |
Game log
1990-91 Game Log | |
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November
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December
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January
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February
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March
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April
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1990-91 Schedule |
Playoffs
1991 playoff game log | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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First Round: 3–2 (Home: 2–1; Road: 1–1)
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East Semifinals: 2–4 (Home: 1–2; Road: 1–2)
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1991 playoff schedule |
Player statistics
Legend | |||||
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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 |
Season
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
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Larry Bird | 60 | 60 | 38.0 | .454 | .389 | .891 | 8.5 | 7.2 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 19.4 |
Dee Brown | 82 | 5 | 23.7 | .464 | .206 | .873 | 2.2 | 4.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 8.7 |
Kevin Gamble | 82 | 76 | 33.0 | .587 | .000 | .815 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 15.6 |
Joe Kleine | 72 | 1 | 11.8 | .468 | .000 | .783 | 3.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 3.6 |
Reggie Lewis | 79 | 79 | 36.4 | .491 | .077 | .826 | 5.2 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 18.7 |
Kevin McHale | 68 | 10 | 30.4 | .553 | .405 | .829 | 7.1 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 2.1 | 18.4 |
Robert Parish | 81 | 81 | 30.1 | .598 | .000 | .767 | 10.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
14.9 |
Ed Pinckney | 70 | 16 | 16.6 | .539 | .000 | .897 | 4.9 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 5.2 |
Dave Popson | 19 | 0 | 3.4 | .406 | .000 | .900 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.8 |
Brian Shaw | 79 | 79 | 35.1 | .469 | .111 | .819 | 4.7 | 7.6 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 13.8 |
Charles E. Smith | 5 | 0 | 6.0 | .429 | .000 | .600 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.8 |
Derek Smith | 2 | 0 | 8.0 | .250 | .000 | .750 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2.5 |
Michael Smith | 47 | 3 | 8.3 | .475 | .250 | .815 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 4.6 |
Stojko Vranković | 31 | 0 | 5.4 | .462 | .000 | .556 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 1.9 |
A. J. Wynder | 6 | 0 | 6.5 | .250 | .000 | .750 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
Playoffs
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
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Larry Bird | 10 | 10 | 39.6 | .408 | .143 | .863 | 7.2 | 6.5 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 17.1 |
Dee Brown | 11 | 0 | 25.8 | .491 | .000 | .824 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 12.2 |
Kevin Gamble | 11 | 11 | 21.6 | .483 | .000 | .667 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 6.0 |
Joe Kleine | 5 | 1 | 6.2 | .444 | .000 | .000 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.6 |
Reggie Lewis | 11 | 11 | 42.0 | .487 | .000 | .824 | 6.2 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 22.4 |
Kevin McHale | 11 | 1 | 34.2 | .527 | .545 | .825 | 6.5 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 20.7 |
Robert Parish | 10 | 10 | 29.6 | .598 | .000 | .689 | 9.2 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 15.8 |
Ed Pinckney | 11 | 0 | 15.5 | .762 | .000 | .810 | 3.6 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 4.5 |
Brian Shaw | 11 | 11 | 28.7 | .470 | .333 | .867 | 3.5 | 4.6 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 11.0 |
Derek Smith | 10 | 0 | 8.6 | .429 | .000 | .786 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 2.9 |
Michael Smith | 2 | 0 | 3.0 | .500 | .000 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
Stojko Vranković | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | 1.000 | .000 | .000 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
Awards and records
- Dee Brown, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team
Transactions
Players Added Draft Free agency
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Players Lost Released
Free agency
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