The 1989-90 Boston Celtics season marked a transitional period for the storied franchise. Under the leadership of head coach Jimmy Rodgers, the team finished the regular season with a 52-30 record, securing the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. This performance was a slight improvement over the previous season, where they ended with 42 wins. The Celtics were bolstered by the return of Larry Bird, who had missed most of the 1988-89 season due to injuries. Bird, along with Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, formed the veteran core of the team.
The Celtics showcased strong performances during the regular season, especially at home, where they boasted a 35-6 record. Larry Bird’s return proved pivotal, as he averaged over 24 points per game, while Reggie Lewis emerged as a key contributor, averaging 18.5 points. Despite their solid regular season, the Celtics faced challenges in the playoffs. They were eliminated in the first round by the New York Knicks in a hard-fought series that went to five games. The decisive Game 5 ended with a 121-114 loss at the Boston Garden.
The 1989-90 season highlighted the Celtics’ reliance on their aging stars and underscored the need for fresh talent to maintain their competitive edge. The season served as a catalyst for the eventual rebuilding of the roster in the early 1990s, as the team sought to recapture their former glory in the rapidly evolving NBA landscape.
- Regular Season Record: 52-30
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 2-3
Boston Celtics Roster and Stats for 1989-90 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Larry Bird | 75 | 24.3 | 9.5 | 7.5 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 33.3 | 5 | 24.4 | 9.2 | 8.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 26.3 |
| Kevin McHale | 82 | 20.9 | 8.3 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 33.3 | 5 | 22.0 | 7.8 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 33.3 |
| Reggie Lewis | 79 | 17.0 | 4.4 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 26.6 | 5 | 20.2 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Robert Parish | 79 | 15.7 | 10.1 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 5 | 15.8 | 10.0 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| Dennis Johnson | 75 | 7.1 | 2.7 | 6.5 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 4.2 | 5 | 13.8 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 33.3 |
| Jim Paxson | 72 | 6.4 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 25.0 | 5 | 3.8 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Joe Kleine | 81 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 5 | 6.2 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| Kevin Gamble | 71 | 5.1 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 16.7 | 3 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Michael Smith | 65 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 7.1 | 4 | 4.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ed Pinckney | 77 | 4.7 | 2.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 4 | 4.8 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| John Bagley | 54 | 4.3 | 1.6 | 5.5 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 5.6 | 5 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Charles Smith | 60 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kelvin Upshaw | 14 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 40.0 | |||||||
Boston Celtics in the 1990 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. New York Knicks
In the first round of the 1990 NBA Playoffs, the Boston Celtics faced off against the New York Knicks in a hard-fought series. Despite Boston's strong regular-season performance, the Celtics were upset by the Knicks, losing the series 3-2. The Celtics were unable to capitalize on their home-court advantage, and the series marked a disappointing early exit for the team.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26, 1990 | vs. New York Knicks | W 116-105 | |
| Apr 28, 1990 | vs. New York Knicks | W 157-128 | |
| May 02, 1990 | @ New York Knicks | L 102-99 | |
| May 04, 1990 | @ New York Knicks | L 135-108 | |
| May 06, 1990 | vs. New York Knicks | L 121-114 |
Boston Celtics 1989-90 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1989-90 season for the Boston Celtics.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 03, 1989 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 127-114 | |
| Nov 04, 1989 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 102-100 | |
| Nov 07, 1989 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 106-100 | |
| Nov 08, 1989 | @ Washington Bullets | L 112-103 | |
| Nov 10, 1989 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 117-106 | |
| Nov 11, 1989 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 104-101 | |
| Nov 14, 1989 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 96-94 | |
| Nov 15, 1989 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 126-92 | |
| Nov 17, 1989 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | W 116-99 | |
| Nov 18, 1989 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 103-86 | |
| Nov 21, 1989 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 119-111 | |
| Nov 22, 1989 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 109-97 | |
| Nov 24, 1989 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 118-111 | |
| Nov 25, 1989 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 108-100 | |
| Nov 29, 1989 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 118-95 | |
| Dec 01, 1989 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 102-89 | |
| Dec 05, 1989 | @ Charlotte Hornets | W 114-101 | |
| Dec 06, 1989 | vs. New York Knicks | W 113-98 | |
| Dec 08, 1989 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 103-102 | |
| Dec 09, 1989 | @ New York Knicks | L 124-92 | |
| Dec 13, 1989 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 109-97 | |
| Dec 15, 1989 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 119-110 | |
| Dec 19, 1989 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 95-86 | |
| Dec 20, 1989 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 113-109 | |
| Dec 22, 1989 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 89-88 | |
| Dec 26, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 112-111 | |
| Dec 27, 1989 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 115-112 | |
| Dec 29, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 96-89 | |
| Jan 03, 1990 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 120-101 | |
| Jan 05, 1990 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | L 114-105 | |
| Jan 06, 1990 | @ Washington Bullets | W 102-88 | |
| Jan 09, 1990 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 87-78 | |
| Jan 10, 1990 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 104-97 | |
| Jan 12, 1990 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 97-90 | |
| Jan 13, 1990 | @ Miami Heat | W 105-96 | |
| Jan 17, 1990 | @ Orlando Magic | W 133-111 | |
| Jan 19, 1990 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 109-104 | |
| Jan 21, 1990 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 120-115 | |
| Jan 24, 1990 | vs. Miami Heat | W 116-95 | |
| Jan 25, 1990 | @ Washington Bullets | L 99-98 | |
| Jan 28, 1990 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 126-118 | |
| Jan 31, 1990 | vs. New York Knicks | W 97-91 | |
| Feb 02, 1990 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | L 116-105 | |
| Feb 04, 1990 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 121-89 | |
| Feb 06, 1990 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 119-106 | |
| Feb 07, 1990 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 146-125 | |
| Feb 13, 1990 | @ Houston Rockets | W 107-94 | |
| Feb 14, 1990 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 106-95 | |
| Feb 16, 1990 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 120-101 | |
| Feb 18, 1990 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 116-110 | |
| Feb 20, 1990 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 120-99 | |
| Feb 21, 1990 | @ Utah Jazz | L 116-103 | |
| Feb 23, 1990 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 123-111 | |
| Feb 25, 1990 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 115-107 | |
| Feb 28, 1990 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 111-98 | |
| Mar 02, 1990 | @ Miami Heat | W 122-110 | |
| Mar 04, 1990 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 118-114 | |
| Mar 07, 1990 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 130-117 | |
| Mar 09, 1990 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 115-108 | |
| Mar 11, 1990 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 107-105 | |
| Mar 13, 1990 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 112-100 | |
| Mar 14, 1990 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 113-102 | |
| Mar 16, 1990 | @ Orlando Magic | W 130-127 | |
| Mar 18, 1990 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 122-106 | |
| Mar 21, 1990 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 123-114 | |
| Mar 23, 1990 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 101-98 | |
| Mar 24, 1990 | @ New York Knicks | W 115-110 | |
| Mar 27, 1990 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 101-96 | |
| Mar 28, 1990 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 122-104 | |
| Mar 30, 1990 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 123-111 | |
| Apr 01, 1990 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 133-125 | |
| Apr 03, 1990 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 93-82 | |
| Apr 04, 1990 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 125-106 | |
| Apr 06, 1990 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 109-104 | |
| Apr 07, 1990 | @ Miami Heat | W 115-105 | |
| Apr 10, 1990 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 112-96 | |
| Apr 12, 1990 | vs. Miami Heat | W 139-118 | |
| Apr 15, 1990 | vs. New York Knicks | W 101-94 | |
| Apr 17, 1990 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 111-105 | |
| Apr 18, 1990 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 133-112 | |
| Apr 20, 1990 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 120-116 | |
| Apr 22, 1990 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 118-98 |