The 1989-90 Cleveland Cavaliers season marked a period of consistent performance in the NBA. Under the leadership of head coach Lenny Wilkens, the team aimed to build on their previous successes. The Cavaliers finished the regular season with a record of 42-40, securing a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. This record placed them fourth in the Central Division, reflecting a solid, albeit not outstanding, performance throughout the season.
Key players included Brad Daugherty, who led the team in scoring and rebounding, and Mark Price, known for his exceptional playmaking and shooting ability. The team also benefitted from the contributions of Larry Nance and Ron Harper, who provided additional scoring and defensive prowess. The Cavaliers’ balanced approach on both offense and defense was a hallmark of their season.
In the playoffs, the Cavaliers faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. Despite their efforts, the Cavaliers were eliminated in a hard-fought series, losing 3-2. The series was competitive, showcasing the potential of the Cavaliers but also highlighting areas for improvement, particularly in handling high-pressure situations against strong opponents.
Overall, the 1989-90 season was a testament to the Cavaliers’ resilience and skill, setting the stage for future endeavors. While they fell short of a deep playoff run, the experience gained during this season was invaluable for the team’s development in the challenging landscape of the NBA.
- Regular Season Record: 42-40
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 2-3
Cleveland Cavaliers 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% |
| Ron Harper | 7 | 22.0 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 20.0 | |||||||
| Mark Price | 73 | 19.6 | 3.4 | 9.1 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 40.6 | 5 | 20.0 | 2.8 | 8.8 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 35.3 |
| Hot Rod Williams | 82 | 16.8 | 8.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 19.0 | 9.2 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Brad Daugherty | 41 | 16.8 | 9.1 | 3.2 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 5 | 22.8 | 9.6 | 4.0 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| Larry Nance | 62 | 16.3 | 8.3 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 100.0 | 5 | 12.2 | 4.8 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 0.0 |
| Craig Ehlo | 81 | 13.6 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 41.9 | 5 | 13.8 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 33.3 |
| Randolph Keys | 48 | 7.6 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 20.0 | |||||||
| Chucky Brown | 75 | 7.3 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Reggie Williams | 32 | 6.8 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 22.2 | |||||||
| Steve Kerr | 78 | 6.7 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 50.7 | 5 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Winston Bennett | 55 | 6.1 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 5 | 10.0 | 4.2 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Chris Dudley | 37 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Paul Mokeski | 38 | 4.0 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| John Morton | 37 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 23.3 | 2 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Derrick Chievous | 14 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 3 | 6.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Tree Rollins | 48 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 3 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Gary Voce | 1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1990 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Philadelphia 76ers
In the 1990 NBA Playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. Despite a strong roster featuring Brad Daugherty and Mark Price, the Cavaliers were unable to contain Charles Barkley and were eliminated in a tightly contested five-game series, losing 3-2. This loss marked a disappointing end to a season where the Cavs had hoped to make a deeper playoff run.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26, 1990 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 111-106 | |
| Apr 29, 1990 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 107-101 | |
| May 01, 1990 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 122-95 | |
| May 03, 1990 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 108-96 | |
| May 05, 1990 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 113-97 |
Cleveland Cavaliers 1989-90 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1989-90 season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 03, 1989 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 124-119 | |
| Nov 04, 1989 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 106-98 | |
| Nov 08, 1989 | vs. Orlando Magic | L 117-110 | |
| Nov 10, 1989 | @ Washington Bullets | L 100-92 | |
| Nov 11, 1989 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 104-101 | |
| Nov 14, 1989 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 103-92 | |
| Nov 15, 1989 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 129-104 | |
| Nov 17, 1989 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 131-125 | |
| Nov 22, 1989 | vs. New York Knicks | W 97-85 | |
| Nov 24, 1989 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 101-82 | |
| Nov 25, 1989 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 85-75 | |
| Nov 28, 1989 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 92-91 | |
| Nov 29, 1989 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 114-84 | |
| Dec 01, 1989 | @ Boston Celtics | L 102-89 | |
| Dec 02, 1989 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | L 101-74 | |
| Dec 05, 1989 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 94-80 | |
| Dec 07, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 105-88 | |
| Dec 09, 1989 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 108-101 | |
| Dec 11, 1989 | @ Utah Jazz | W 113-110 | |
| Dec 13, 1989 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 99-93 | |
| Dec 15, 1989 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 120-101 | |
| Dec 20, 1989 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 104-89 | |
| Dec 22, 1989 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 112-100 | |
| Dec 25, 1989 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 115-104 | |
| Dec 27, 1989 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 99-82 | |
| Dec 28, 1989 | @ Charlotte Hornets | L 94-92 | |
| Dec 30, 1989 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 110-102 | |
| Jan 03, 1990 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 93-87 | |
| Jan 05, 1990 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 119-107 | |
| Jan 06, 1990 | @ Orlando Magic | W 123-112 | |
| Jan 10, 1990 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 116-100 | |
| Jan 12, 1990 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 113-102 | |
| Jan 13, 1990 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 98-96 | |
| Jan 15, 1990 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 92-89 | |
| Jan 17, 1990 | @ Houston Rockets | L 107-98 | |
| Jan 19, 1990 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 104-101 | |
| Jan 20, 1990 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 105-96 | |
| Jan 23, 1990 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 103-88 | |
| Jan 24, 1990 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 103-86 | |
| Jan 26, 1990 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 85-84 | |
| Jan 27, 1990 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 91-84 | |
| Jan 30, 1990 | @ Miami Heat | W 106-94 | |
| Feb 03, 1990 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 105-100 | |
| Feb 05, 1990 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 100-84 | |
| Feb 06, 1990 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 105-96 | |
| Feb 08, 1990 | vs. Miami Heat | W 106-82 | |
| Feb 14, 1990 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 133-131 | |
| Feb 16, 1990 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 109-101 | |
| Feb 17, 1990 | @ New York Knicks | L 119-108 | |
| Feb 19, 1990 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 96-87 | |
| Feb 21, 1990 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 121-109 | |
| Feb 23, 1990 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 123-96 | |
| Feb 25, 1990 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 102-86 | |
| Feb 27, 1990 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 118-105 | |
| Mar 01, 1990 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 131-125 | |
| Mar 02, 1990 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 124-93 | |
| Mar 04, 1990 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 108-96 | |
| Mar 06, 1990 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 95-90 | |
| Mar 08, 1990 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 145-105 | |
| Mar 11, 1990 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 107-96 | |
| Mar 13, 1990 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 119-102 | |
| Mar 15, 1990 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 112-96 | |
| Mar 17, 1990 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 118-102 | |
| Mar 18, 1990 | @ Orlando Magic | W 120-103 | |
| Mar 21, 1990 | @ Boston Celtics | L 123-114 | |
| Mar 23, 1990 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 102-95 | |
| Mar 24, 1990 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 115-108 | |
| Mar 26, 1990 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 116-95 | |
| Mar 28, 1990 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 117-113 | |
| Mar 30, 1990 | @ Miami Heat | W 105-104 | |
| Apr 01, 1990 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 121-91 | |
| Apr 03, 1990 | @ New York Knicks | L 106-97 | |
| Apr 04, 1990 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 101-95 | |
| Apr 06, 1990 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 109-104 | |
| Apr 08, 1990 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 100-97 | |
| Apr 11, 1990 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 107-86 | |
| Apr 12, 1990 | @ Washington Bullets | W 102-100 | |
| Apr 14, 1990 | vs. Miami Heat | W 93-85 | |
| Apr 17, 1990 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 96-88 | |
| Apr 18, 1990 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 100-93 | |
| Apr 20, 1990 | @ Orlando Magic | W 118-104 | |
| Apr 22, 1990 | vs. New York Knicks | W 115-99 |