The 1989-90 Miami Heat season marked the franchise’s second year in the NBA. The team was still in the early stages of its development and aimed to improve upon its inaugural season record of 15-67. Coached by Ron Rothstein, the Heat played their home games at the Miami Arena. Despite efforts to bolster the roster, the Heat struggled throughout the season, finishing with a record of 18-64, only a slight improvement from their debut performance.
Rookie guard Glen Rice, selected fourth overall in the 1989 NBA Draft, was a bright spot for the team. He averaged 13.6 points per game, showcasing his potential as a future star. Alongside Rice, second-year forward/center Rony Seikaly continued to develop, averaging 16.6 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, providing a strong interior presence for the team. However, the Heat lacked depth and consistent scoring options, contributing to their difficulties in competing with more established teams.
The Heat’s struggles were evident in their defensive play, as they allowed opponents to score 110.0 points per game on average. Despite their record, the team showed glimpses of potential, occasionally pulling off surprising wins against tougher opponents. The 1989-90 season was another step in the Heat’s ongoing journey to establish themselves in the league, with the franchise focusing on building a competitive team for the future through player development and strategic acquisitions.
- Regular Season Record: 18-64
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Miami Heat 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% |
| Rony Seikaly | 74 | 16.6 | 10.4 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Sherman Douglas | 81 | 14.3 | 2.5 | 7.6 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 16.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Glen Rice | 77 | 13.6 | 4.6 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 24.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Kevin Edwards | 78 | 12.0 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 30.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Billy Thompson | 79 | 11.0 | 7.0 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Tellis Frank | 77 | 9.5 | 5.0 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Grant Long | 81 | 8.5 | 5.0 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jon Sundvold | 63 | 6.1 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 44.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Rory Sparrow | 82 | 5.9 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 20.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Terry Davis | 63 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Pat Cummings | 37 | 4.7 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Scott Haffner | 43 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 14.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jim Rowinski | 14 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Miami Heat 1989-90 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1989-90 season for the Miami Heat.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 03, 1989 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 110-90 | |
| Nov 04, 1989 | @ New York Knicks | L 119-99 | |
| Nov 07, 1989 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 83-77 | |
| Nov 08, 1989 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 115-91 | |
| Nov 10, 1989 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 102-98 | |
| Nov 11, 1989 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 88-84 | |
| Nov 14, 1989 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 101-99 | |
| Nov 15, 1989 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 130-94 | |
| Nov 18, 1989 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 100-99 | |
| Nov 19, 1989 | @ Houston Rockets | L 132-94 | |
| Nov 21, 1989 | @ Charlotte Hornets | W 98-87 | |
| Nov 22, 1989 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 113-103 | |
| Nov 24, 1989 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 103-87 | |
| Nov 25, 1989 | @ Washington Bullets | L 107-88 | |
| Nov 28, 1989 | @ Orlando Magic | L 104-99 | |
| Nov 29, 1989 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | L 105-100 | |
| Dec 01, 1989 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 101-77 | |
| Dec 02, 1989 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 114-107 | |
| Dec 05, 1989 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 113-107 | |
| Dec 06, 1989 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 121-98 | |
| Dec 08, 1989 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 122-114 | |
| Dec 13, 1989 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 102-75 | |
| Dec 15, 1989 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | W 95-84 | |
| Dec 16, 1989 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 99-96 | |
| Dec 19, 1989 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 100-98 | |
| Dec 21, 1989 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 117-115 | |
| Dec 23, 1989 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 135-104 | |
| Dec 26, 1989 | vs. New York Knicks | L 100-94 | |
| Dec 28, 1989 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 132-107 | |
| Dec 30, 1989 | @ Utah Jazz | L 117-98 | |
| Jan 02, 1990 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 119-95 | |
| Jan 04, 1990 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 119-117 | |
| Jan 05, 1990 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 140-110 | |
| Jan 07, 1990 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 132-93 | |
| Jan 09, 1990 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 107-102 | |
| Jan 11, 1990 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 100-89 | |
| Jan 13, 1990 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 105-96 | |
| Jan 15, 1990 | @ Washington Bullets | W 111-105 | |
| Jan 17, 1990 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 121-111 | |
| Jan 19, 1990 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 102-95 | |
| Jan 21, 1990 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 127-101 | |
| Jan 23, 1990 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 118-99 | |
| Jan 24, 1990 | @ Boston Celtics | L 116-95 | |
| Jan 26, 1990 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 115-105 | |
| Jan 30, 1990 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 106-94 | |
| Feb 02, 1990 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 126-91 | |
| Feb 05, 1990 | @ New York Knicks | L 116-107 | |
| Feb 06, 1990 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 118-100 | |
| Feb 08, 1990 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 106-82 | |
| Feb 13, 1990 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 107-95 | |
| Feb 16, 1990 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 119-105 | |
| Feb 17, 1990 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 97-79 | |
| Feb 19, 1990 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 94-85 | |
| Feb 21, 1990 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 92-85 | |
| Feb 23, 1990 | vs. New York Knicks | W 128-121 | |
| Feb 25, 1990 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-108 | |
| Feb 26, 1990 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 123-114 | |
| Feb 28, 1990 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 113-92 | |
| Mar 02, 1990 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 122-110 | |
| Mar 05, 1990 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 105-104 | |
| Mar 07, 1990 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 122-105 | |
| Mar 11, 1990 | vs. New York Knicks | L 106-90 | |
| Mar 13, 1990 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 121-87 | |
| Mar 14, 1990 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 113-108 | |
| Mar 16, 1990 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 129-103 | |
| Mar 17, 1990 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 111-98 | |
| Mar 20, 1990 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 112-98 | |
| Mar 21, 1990 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 118-97 | |
| Mar 23, 1990 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 106-103 | |
| Mar 25, 1990 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 105-102 | |
| Mar 28, 1990 | @ Orlando Magic | W 109-104 | |
| Mar 30, 1990 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 105-104 | |
| Apr 01, 1990 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 111-103 | |
| Apr 04, 1990 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 128-114 | |
| Apr 07, 1990 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 115-105 | |
| Apr 08, 1990 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 102-101 | |
| Apr 12, 1990 | @ Boston Celtics | L 139-118 | |
| Apr 14, 1990 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 93-85 | |
| Apr 16, 1990 | @ New York Knicks | L 119-102 | |
| Apr 18, 1990 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | L 98-91 | |
| Apr 20, 1990 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 117-112 | |
| Apr 21, 1990 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 130-109 |
