The 1988-89 NBA season was a significant one for the Golden State Warriors. Under the guidance of head coach Don Nelson, the team finished with a 43-39 record. This performance earned them the seventh seed in the Western Conference, marking a return to the playoffs after missing out the previous season. The Warriors were known for their high-octane offense, spearheaded by All-Star Chris Mullin, who averaged 26.5 points per game.
Key contributions also came from Mitch Richmond, who was named NBA Rookie of the Year, averaging 22 points per game. The team’s fast-paced style, often referred to as “Nellie Ball,” emphasized quick shots and a focus on offense over defense. This approach proved effective, as the Warriors ranked among the top teams in scoring that season.
In the playoffs, the Warriors faced the Utah Jazz in the first round. Despite being the underdogs, Golden State managed to upset the second-seeded Jazz in a best-of-five series, winning 3-0. This sweep was highlighted by the strong performances of their dynamic duo, Mullin and Richmond. However, their playoff run was halted in the second round by the Phoenix Suns, who defeated the Warriors in four games.
Overall, the 1988-89 season was a pivotal one for the Warriors, laying the groundwork for their exciting style of play and solidifying the team’s status as a rising force in the league. Their playoff success and individual accolades set the stage for future achievements.
- Regular Season Record: 43-39
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 3-0, Western Conference Semifinals: 1-4
Golden State Warriors 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% |
| Chris Mullin | 82 | 26.5 | 5.9 | 5.1 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 23.0 | 8 | 29.4 | 5.9 | 4.5 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 12.5 |
| Mitch Richmond | 79 | 22.0 | 5.9 | 4.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 36.7 | 8 | 20.1 | 7.3 | 4.4 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 18.8 |
| Terry Teagle | 66 | 15.2 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 16.7 | 8 | 19.8 | 4.6 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Winston Garland | 79 | 14.5 | 4.2 | 6.4 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 23.3 | 8 | 13.4 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 33.3 |
| Rod Higgins | 81 | 10.6 | 4.6 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 39.3 | 8 | 14.9 | 7.4 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 28.6 |
| Otis Smith | 80 | 10.0 | 4.1 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 18.9 | 4 | 4.8 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Ralph Sampson | 61 | 6.4 | 5.0 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 37.5 | 3 | 6.7 | 4.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Steve Alford | 57 | 6.3 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 37.7 | 6 | 4.2 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 44.4 |
| Larry Smith | 80 | 5.7 | 8.1 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 8 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| John Starks | 36 | 4.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 38.5 | |||||||
| Manute Bol | 80 | 3.9 | 5.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 4.2 | 22.0 | 8 | 2.3 | 3.9 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 3.6 | 9.1 |
| Tellis Frank | 32 | 3.3 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Ben McDonald | 11 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Shelton Jones | 2 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Jerome Whitehead | 5 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Orlando Graham | 7 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| John Stroeder | 4 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | |||||||
Golden State Warriors in the 1989 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Utah Jazz
In the 1989 NBA Playoffs, the Golden State Warriors pulled off a stunning upset in the first round by defeating the second-seeded Utah Jazz in a thrilling five-game series. Led by the explosive scoring of Chris Mullin and the dynamic play of Tim Hardaway, the Warriors showcased their u0022Run TMCu0022 style of fast-paced offense, ultimately overwhelming the Jazz with their relentless energy and securing a memorable victory that highlighted their potential as an emerging force in the league.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 1989 | @ Utah Jazz | W 123-119 | |
| Apr 29, 1989 | @ Utah Jazz | W 99-91 | |
| May 02, 1989 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 120-106 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Phoenix Suns
In the 1989 NBA Playoffs, the Golden State Warriors advanced to the second round after a stunning first-round victory over the Utah Jazz. However, they faced a formidable opponent in the Phoenix Suns, who overpowered the Warriors with their depth and high-octane offense, resulting in a series sweep. Despite the loss, the Warriors displayed resilience and talent, setting the stage for future success.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 06, 1989 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 130-103 | |
| May 09, 1989 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 127-122 | |
| May 11, 1989 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 113-104 | |
| May 13, 1989 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 135-99 | |
| May 16, 1989 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 116-104 |
Golden State Warriors 1988-89 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1988-89 season for the Golden State Warriors.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 05, 1988 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 117-104 | |
| Nov 08, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 114-102 | |
| Nov 09, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 113-108 | |
| Nov 11, 1988 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 141-103 | |
| Nov 12, 1988 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 107-100 | |
| Nov 14, 1988 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 100-96 | |
| Nov 16, 1988 | @ Boston Celtics | L 107-104 | |
| Nov 18, 1988 | @ Miami Heat | W 123-117 | |
| Nov 19, 1988 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 111-92 | |
| Nov 23, 1988 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 93-85 | |
| Nov 26, 1988 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 119-109 | |
| Nov 27, 1988 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 109-94 | |
| Nov 29, 1988 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 109-99 | |
| Dec 02, 1988 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 129-102 | |
| Dec 03, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 136-106 | |
| Dec 06, 1988 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 114-103 | |
| Dec 09, 1988 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 110-105 | |
| Dec 10, 1988 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 109-102 | |
| Dec 13, 1988 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 117-111 | |
| Dec 15, 1988 | @ Houston Rockets | L 124-115 | |
| Dec 17, 1988 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 123-113 | |
| Dec 20, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 113-111 | |
| Dec 22, 1988 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 117-109 | |
| Dec 23, 1988 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 111-107 | |
| Dec 27, 1988 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 119-112 | |
| Jan 04, 1989 | vs. Miami Heat | W 109-100 | |
| Jan 05, 1989 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 131-129 | |
| Jan 07, 1989 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 104-102 | |
| Jan 09, 1989 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 130-124 | |
| Jan 11, 1989 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 107-106 | |
| Jan 13, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 127-113 | |
| Jan 14, 1989 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 131-105 | |
| Jan 16, 1989 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 146-117 | |
| Jan 18, 1989 | vs. New York Knicks | W 133-119 | |
| Jan 20, 1989 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 121-114 | |
| Jan 21, 1989 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 136-111 | |
| Jan 23, 1989 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 142-109 | |
| Jan 25, 1989 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 105-104 | |
| Jan 27, 1989 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 113-112 | |
| Jan 28, 1989 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 114-112 | |
| Jan 30, 1989 | @ Miami Heat | W 105-98 | |
| Feb 02, 1989 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 127-113 | |
| Feb 04, 1989 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 116-107 | |
| Feb 08, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 121-118 | |
| Feb 09, 1989 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 142-117 | |
| Feb 15, 1989 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 133-96 | |
| Feb 16, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 143-138 | |
| Feb 18, 1989 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 121-119 | |
| Feb 21, 1989 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 139-121 | |
| Feb 22, 1989 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 118-107 | |
| Feb 24, 1989 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 127-92 | |
| Feb 27, 1989 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 141-132 | |
| Mar 01, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 142-121 | |
| Mar 02, 1989 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 131-127 | |
| Mar 04, 1989 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 155-143 | |
| Mar 05, 1989 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 110-96 | |
| Mar 07, 1989 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 138-112 | |
| Mar 09, 1989 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 120-114 | |
| Mar 10, 1989 | @ Utah Jazz | L 126-112 | |
| Mar 12, 1989 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 126-115 | |
| Mar 14, 1989 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 139-110 | |
| Mar 15, 1989 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 113-100 | |
| Mar 17, 1989 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 127-118 | |
| Mar 19, 1989 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 124-117 | |
| Mar 21, 1989 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 151-127 | |
| Mar 23, 1989 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 154-124 | |
| Mar 25, 1989 | @ Houston Rockets | L 144-104 | |
| Mar 27, 1989 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 121-109 | |
| Mar 28, 1989 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 115-106 | |
| Mar 30, 1989 | @ Charlotte Hornets | W 113-104 | |
| Mar 31, 1989 | @ New York Knicks | W 134-114 | |
| Apr 02, 1989 | @ Washington Bullets | L 120-103 | |
| Apr 04, 1989 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 124-118 | |
| Apr 06, 1989 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 132-118 | |
| Apr 08, 1989 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 122-116 | |
| Apr 11, 1989 | vs. Miami Heat | W 114-98 | |
| Apr 13, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 128-126 | |
| Apr 15, 1989 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 114-110 | |
| Apr 17, 1989 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 116-109 | |
| Apr 18, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 122-118 | |
| Apr 21, 1989 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 139-121 | |
| Apr 22, 1989 | @ Utah Jazz | L 111-95 |