The 1988-89 Boston Celtics season marked a period of transition for the franchise. Under head coach Jimmy Rodgers, the team faced challenges as they adjusted to life without head coach K.C. Jones, who had led them to multiple championships. The Celtics finished the regular season with a 42-40 record, a noticeable decline from their previous dominance in the Eastern Conference. This record was enough to secure a playoff berth, albeit as the eighth seed, highlighting their struggle to maintain their foothold as perennial contenders.
Throughout the season, the Celtics contended with injuries and an aging core. Larry Bird, the team’s star forward, missed significant time due to bone spurs in his feet, playing only six games. This placed additional pressure on veterans Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, who shouldered much of the team’s scoring and defensive responsibilities. Despite their efforts, the team’s performance was inconsistent, reflecting the challenges of integrating younger players into the rotation.
In the playoffs, the Celtics faced the Detroit Pistons, a rising powerhouse in the NBA. The series underscored the shifting balance of power in the Eastern Conference, as the Pistons swept the Celtics 3-0 in the first round. This early exit marked the end of an era for Boston, as they began to rebuild and retool for future seasons. The 1988-89 campaign is remembered as a pivotal point where the Celtics’ dominance waned, setting the stage for the team’s evolution in the 1990s.
- Regular Season Record: 42-40
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 0-3
Boston Celtics Roster and Stats for 1988-89 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Kevin McHale | 78 | 22.5 | 8.2 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 3 | 19.0 | 8.0 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Larry Bird | 6 | 19.3 | 6.2 | 4.8 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Robert Parish | 80 | 18.6 | 12.4 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 3 | 15.7 | 8.7 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Reggie Lewis | 81 | 18.5 | 4.7 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 13.6 | 3 | 20.3 | 7.0 | 3.7 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Danny Ainge | 45 | 15.9 | 3.4 | 4.8 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 37.4 | |||||||
| Ed Pinckney | 29 | 10.1 | 5.1 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 3 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Dennis Johnson | 72 | 10.0 | 2.6 | 6.6 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 14.0 | 3 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Paxson | 57 | 8.6 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 16.7 | |||||||
| Brian Shaw | 82 | 8.6 | 4.6 | 5.8 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3 | 17.0 | 5.7 | 6.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kelvin Upshaw | 23 | 7.0 | 1.6 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 20.0 | 3 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Joe Kleine | 28 | 6.1 | 4.9 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 3 | 6.3 | 5.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Brad Lohaus | 48 | 5.6 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Kevin Gamble | 44 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 18.2 | 1 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Otis Birdsong | 13 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 33.3 | 3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Ron Grandison | 72 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Mark Acres | 62 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 100.0 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ramón Rivas | 28 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Boston Celtics in the 1989 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Detroit Pistons
In the 1989 NBA Playoffs, the Boston Celtics faced a surprising first-round exit against the Detroit Pistons. The Celtics, led by Larry Bird, were swept 3-0 in the best-of-five series, highlighting the Pistons' defensive prowess and signaling a shift in the Eastern Conference power dynamics. This marked the beginning of the Pistons' rise and the Celtics' need to rebuild as their era of dominance waned.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 1989 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 101-91 | |
| Apr 30, 1989 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 102-95 | |
| May 02, 1989 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 100-85 |
Boston Celtics 1988-89 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1988-89 season for the Boston Celtics.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 04, 1988 | vs. New York Knicks | W 122-115 | |
| Nov 05, 1988 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 129-115 | |
| Nov 09, 1988 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 110-104 | |
| Nov 11, 1988 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 116-107 | |
| Nov 12, 1988 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 108-100 | |
| Nov 15, 1988 | @ Miami Heat | W 84-65 | |
| Nov 16, 1988 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 107-104 | |
| Nov 18, 1988 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 114-108 | |
| Nov 19, 1988 | @ Washington Bullets | L 108-104 | |
| Nov 22, 1988 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 114-102 | |
| Nov 23, 1988 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 114-109 | |
| Nov 25, 1988 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 115-96 | |
| Nov 26, 1988 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 104-91 | |
| Nov 29, 1988 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 100-93 | |
| Nov 30, 1988 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 133-100 | |
| Dec 02, 1988 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 112-84 | |
| Dec 06, 1988 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 105-100 | |
| Dec 07, 1988 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 106-103 | |
| Dec 09, 1988 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 121-107 | |
| Dec 13, 1988 | @ Washington Bullets | L 115-105 | |
| Dec 14, 1988 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 112-104 | |
| Dec 16, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 110-96 | |
| Dec 18, 1988 | vs. New York Knicks | W 117-104 | |
| Dec 21, 1988 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 115-114 | |
| Dec 27, 1988 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 130-109 | |
| Dec 29, 1988 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 131-115 | |
| Dec 30, 1988 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 112-99 | |
| Jan 03, 1989 | @ New York Knicks | L 109-107 | |
| Jan 04, 1989 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 106-104 | |
| Jan 06, 1989 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 115-92 | |
| Jan 09, 1989 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 119-84 | |
| Jan 11, 1989 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 127-108 | |
| Jan 12, 1989 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 106-103 | |
| Jan 15, 1989 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 110-104 | |
| Jan 16, 1989 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 96-87 | |
| Jan 18, 1989 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 115-104 | |
| Jan 20, 1989 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 117-109 | |
| Jan 22, 1989 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 112-99 | |
| Jan 25, 1989 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 103-94 | |
| Jan 27, 1989 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 128-116 | |
| Jan 29, 1989 | vs. Miami Heat | W 121-103 | |
| Jan 31, 1989 | @ Washington Bullets | L 110-103 | |
| Feb 01, 1989 | @ Charlotte Hornets | W 107-94 | |
| Feb 03, 1989 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 117-108 | |
| Feb 05, 1989 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 89-87 | |
| Feb 08, 1989 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 109-102 | |
| Feb 14, 1989 | @ Houston Rockets | L 137-123 | |
| Feb 16, 1989 | @ Utah Jazz | L 129-114 | |
| Feb 17, 1989 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 135-126 | |
| Feb 19, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 119-110 | |
| Feb 21, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 96-91 | |
| Feb 22, 1989 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 99-91 | |
| Feb 24, 1989 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 125-112 | |
| Feb 26, 1989 | @ New York Knicks | L 122-110 | |
| Feb 28, 1989 | @ Charlotte Hornets | W 112-87 | |
| Mar 01, 1989 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 104-90 | |
| Mar 03, 1989 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 107-106 | |
| Mar 04, 1989 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 98-95 | |
| Mar 08, 1989 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 104-95 | |
| Mar 12, 1989 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 121-115 | |
| Mar 13, 1989 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 114-91 | |
| Mar 16, 1989 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 111-99 | |
| Mar 17, 1989 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 106-98 | |
| Mar 20, 1989 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 119-108 | |
| Mar 21, 1989 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 98-86 | |
| Mar 24, 1989 | vs. New York Knicks | W 115-111 | |
| Mar 26, 1989 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 105-103 | |
| Mar 28, 1989 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 117-115 | |
| Mar 29, 1989 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 106-97 | |
| Mar 31, 1989 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 126-109 | |
| Apr 02, 1989 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 117-100 | |
| Apr 04, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 124-108 | |
| Apr 06, 1989 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 132-118 | |
| Apr 07, 1989 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 113-100 | |
| Apr 10, 1989 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 113-112 | |
| Apr 13, 1989 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 132-118 | |
| Apr 14, 1989 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 113-104 | |
| Apr 17, 1989 | @ Charlotte Hornets | W 113-108 | |
| Apr 18, 1989 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 121-113 | |
| Apr 20, 1989 | @ New York Knicks | L 137-117 | |
| Apr 21, 1989 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 120-110 | |
| Apr 23, 1989 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 120-110 |