The 1988-89 season marked the inaugural campaign for the Miami Heat in the NBA. As an expansion team, expectations were modest, and the Heat’s performance reflected the typical struggles of a new franchise. The team, coached by Ron Rothstein, finished with a record of 15-67, placing them last in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference.
The Heat played their home games at the Miami Arena, quickly establishing a fan base despite the team’s on-court challenges. Their debut game took place on November 5, 1988, against the Los Angeles Clippers, resulting in a 111-91 loss. The team endured a rough start, losing their first 17 games before securing a win against the Clippers on December 14, 1988, breaking the record for the longest losing streak to start a season at that time.
Rookie guard Kevin Edwards led the team in scoring, averaging 13.8 points per game. Other notable contributors included center Rony Seikaly, who averaged 10.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, and point guard Rory Sparrow, who provided veteran leadership. The Heat’s struggles were typical for an expansion team, as they worked to build chemistry and develop young talent. Despite the losing record, the season laid the groundwork for the franchise’s future, allowing them to evaluate their roster and plan for improvements in subsequent seasons.
- Regular Season Record: 15-67
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Miami Heat 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 Edwards | 79 | 13.8 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 27.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Rory Sparrow | 80 | 12.5 | 2.7 | 5.4 | 1.3 | 0.2 | 24.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Grant Long | 82 | 11.9 | 6.7 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Rony Seikaly | 78 | 10.9 | 7.0 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Billy Thompson | 79 | 10.8 | 7.2 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jon Sundvold | 68 | 10.4 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 52.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Pat Cummings | 53 | 8.8 | 5.3 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Sylvester Gray | 55 | 8.0 | 5.2 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Pearl Washington | 54 | 7.6 | 2.3 | 4.2 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 7.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Clinton Wheeler | 8 | 7.0 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Anthony Taylor | 21 | 6.9 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Kelvin Upshaw | 9 | 6.3 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Shasky | 65 | 5.5 | 3.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Todd Mitchell | 22 | 5.4 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Scott Hastings | 75 | 5.1 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 32.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Craig Neal | 32 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 32.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Dave Popson | 7 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Miami Heat 1988-89 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1988-89 season for the Miami Heat.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 05, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | L 111-91 | |
| Nov 08, 1988 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 92-88 | |
| Nov 09, 1988 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 117-93 | |
| Nov 11, 1988 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 121-100 | |
| Nov 15, 1988 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 84-65 | |
| Nov 17, 1988 | @ Houston Rockets | L 113-107 | |
| Nov 18, 1988 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 123-117 | |
| Nov 23, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 138-91 | |
| Nov 26, 1988 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 103-93 | |
| Nov 27, 1988 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 109-80 | |
| Nov 29, 1988 | @ Charlotte Hornets | L 99-84 | |
| Nov 30, 1988 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 105-101 | |
| Dec 02, 1988 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 105-102 | |
| Dec 07, 1988 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 96-94 | |
| Dec 09, 1988 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 121-110 | |
| Dec 10, 1988 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 111-88 | |
| Dec 12, 1988 | @ Utah Jazz | L 110-94 | |
| Dec 14, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 89-88 | |
| Dec 15, 1988 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 94-90 | |
| Dec 17, 1988 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 104-87 | |
| Dec 20, 1988 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 116-100 | |
| Dec 21, 1988 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 109-101 | |
| Dec 23, 1988 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 101-80 | |
| Dec 26, 1988 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 111-109 | |
| Dec 27, 1988 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 101-93 | |
| Dec 29, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 129-99 | |
| Dec 30, 1988 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 109-83 | |
| Jan 03, 1989 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 119-95 | |
| Jan 04, 1989 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 109-100 | |
| Jan 06, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 118-86 | |
| Jan 07, 1989 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 107-99 | |
| Jan 10, 1989 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 92-88 | |
| Jan 12, 1989 | @ Washington Bullets | L 106-100 | |
| Jan 13, 1989 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 107-101 | |
| Jan 15, 1989 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 118-117 | |
| Jan 19, 1989 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 112-108 | |
| Jan 23, 1989 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 119-101 | |
| Jan 24, 1989 | @ Houston Rockets | L 118-93 | |
| Jan 26, 1989 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 129-108 | |
| Jan 29, 1989 | @ Boston Celtics | L 121-103 | |
| Jan 30, 1989 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 105-98 | |
| Feb 02, 1989 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 100-93 | |
| Feb 05, 1989 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 102-98 | |
| Feb 07, 1989 | @ Utah Jazz | L 96-77 | |
| Feb 09, 1989 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 117-92 | |
| Feb 14, 1989 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 109-98 | |
| Feb 16, 1989 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 93-80 | |
| Feb 17, 1989 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 103-102 | |
| Feb 19, 1989 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 124-115 | |
| Feb 20, 1989 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 117-109 | |
| Feb 22, 1989 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 139-108 | |
| Feb 24, 1989 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 111-91 | |
| Feb 26, 1989 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 124-102 | |
| Feb 28, 1989 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 111-110 | |
| Mar 02, 1989 | @ New York Knicks | L 132-123 | |
| Mar 03, 1989 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 107-95 | |
| Mar 05, 1989 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 109-100 | |
| Mar 08, 1989 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 127-87 | |
| Mar 10, 1989 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 131-130 | |
| Mar 11, 1989 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 111-78 | |
| Mar 13, 1989 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 112-104 | |
| Mar 15, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 109-103 | |
| Mar 17, 1989 | @ Utah Jazz | L 118-96 | |
| Mar 18, 1989 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 111-105 | |
| Mar 20, 1989 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 115-97 | |
| Mar 22, 1989 | vs. New York Knicks | W 107-103 | |
| Mar 25, 1989 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 107-105 | |
| Mar 27, 1989 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 100-79 | |
| Mar 29, 1989 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 96-89 | |
| Mar 31, 1989 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 114-93 | |
| Apr 02, 1989 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 98-96 | |
| Apr 04, 1989 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 109-87 | |
| Apr 06, 1989 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 101-93 | |
| Apr 08, 1989 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 107-104 | |
| Apr 10, 1989 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 108-69 | |
| Apr 11, 1989 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 114-98 | |
| Apr 13, 1989 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 116-111 | |
| Apr 14, 1989 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 97-86 | |
| Apr 16, 1989 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 121-108 | |
| Apr 18, 1989 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 103-99 | |
| Apr 19, 1989 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 117-91 | |
| Apr 22, 1989 | @ Houston Rockets | W 91-89 |
