1988–89 Miami Heat season

The 1988–89 Miami Heat season was the first season for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association. The Heat were the first of two expansion teams to play in the state of Florida over a two-year period, and along with the Charlotte Hornets, joined the NBA during the 1988–89 season. The team revealed a new primary logo of a red basketball on fire going through a hoop, and got new uniforms adding red and black to their color scheme. The Heat played their home games at the Miami Arena in Miami, Florida.

In the 1988 NBA expansion draft, the Heat selected veteran players like Billy Thompson, Fred Roberts, Jon Sundvold, Darnell Valentine, Dwayne "Pearl" Washington and Scott Hastings. However, Roberts was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, and Valentine was dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team also signed free agents Pat Cummings and Rory Sparrow during the off-season. The Heat received the ninth overall pick in the 1988 NBA draft, and selected center Rony Seikaly out of Syracuse University, and also selected shooting guard Kevin Edwards out of DePaul University with the 20th overall pick. Other rookies on the team included second-round draft picks, power forward Grant Long out of Eastern Michigan University, and small forward Sylvester Gray from the University of Memphis. The team hired Ron Rothstein as their first ever head coach.

The Heat made their NBA regular season debut on November 5, 1988, in which the team lost to the Los Angeles Clippers by a score of 111–91 at the Miami Arena. Sparrow made the first basket in the team's franchise history, while Washington led the Heat with 16 points and 3 steals off the bench. The Heat struggled posting a dreadful 17-game losing streak to start their inaugural season, which was an NBA record for the worst start to the season at the time; the team had a winless month in November, losing all twelve of their games during that month. On December 14, the Heat won their first ever game of the season and in franchise history, defeating the Clippers on the road by a score of 89–88 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena; Long, Thompson and Cummings all led the team with 15 points each. Five games later on December 23, the Heat won their first ever home game at the Miami Arena, defeating the Utah Jazz by a score of 101–80; Sparrow led the team with 19 points, while Edwards finished with 18 points and 8 assists, and Cummings contributed 17 points.

The Heat struggled all season long, posting a 10-game losing streak between December and January, then posting a seven-game losing streak between January and February, and holding a dreadful 5–40 record at the All-Star break. The team posted a six-game losing streak between February and March, and posted another seven-game losing streak in April, losing 12 of their final 14 games of the season. The Heat finished their inaugural season in last place in the Midwest Division with a record of 15 wins and 67 losses, which was the league's worst record during the regular season.

Edwards led the Heat in scoring averaging a low team-high of 13.8 points, and contributed 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and was also named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, while Sparrow averaged 12.5 points, 5.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game, and Long provided the team with 11.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. In addition, Seikaly averaged 10.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, while Thompson provided with 10.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, and Sundvold contributed 10.4 points per game and shot .522 in three-point field-goal percentage. Meanwhile, Cummings averaged 8.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, Gray provided with 8.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, Washington contributed 7.6 points and 4.2 assists per game, and Hastings averaged 5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas, Sundvold participated in the NBA Three-Point Shootout; Sundvold was selected as a replacement for Trent Tucker of the New York Knicks, as Tucker withdrew due to an illness in his family. The Heat finished twelfth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 612,754 at the Miami Arena during the regular season. Following the season, Hastings signed as a free agent with the Detroit Pistons, and Gray and Washington were both released to free agency.

Despite their location in Miami, the NBA placed the Heat in the Midwest Division of the Western Conference; this meant that the Heat were forced on some of the longest, and farthest road trips in the NBA during the 1988–89 season, as their closest divisional opponent was the Houston Rockets, which were located over 950 miles away in the city of Houston.

The team's new primary logo, and new uniforms would both remain in use until 1999.

Offseason

Expansion draft

Draft picks

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

z – clinched division title

y – clinched division title

x – clinched playoff spot

Game log

|- | 1 || November 5|| L.A. Clippers || L 91–111 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 0–1 |- | 2 || November 8|| @ Dallas || L 88–92 || Reunion Arena || 16,129 || 0–2 |- | 3 || November 9|| @ San Antonio || L 93–117 || HemisFair Arena || || 0–3 |- | 4 || November 11|| Houston || L 100–121 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 0–4 |- | 5 || November 15|| Boston || L 65–84 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 0–5 |- | 6 || November 17|| @ Houston || L 107–113 || The Summit || 16,288 || 0–6 |- | 7 || November 18|| Golden State || L 117–123 (OT) || Miami Arena || 13,907 || 0–7 |- | 8 || November 23|| L.A. Lakers || L 91–138 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 0–8 |- | 9 || November 26|| @ Milwaukee || L 93–103 || Bradley Center || 18,573 || 0–9 |- | 10 || November 27|| @ Cleveland || L 80–109 || Richfield Coliseum || || 0–10 |- | 11 || November 29|| @ Charlotte || L 84–99 || Charlotte Coliseum || 23,388 || 0–11 |- | 12 || November 30|| San Antonio || L 101–105 || Miami Arena || 14,298 || 0–12 |-

|- | 13 || December 2|| Portland || L 102–105 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 0–13 |- | 14 || December 7|| Sacramento || L 94–96 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 0–14 |- | 15 || December 9|| Denver || L 110–121 || Miami Arena || 14,812 || 0–15 |- | 16 || December 10|| @ Chicago || L 88–111 || Chicago Stadium || 17,615 || 0–16 |- | 17 || December 12|| @ Utah || L 94–110 || Salt Palace || 12,444 || 0–17 |- | 18 || December 14|| @ L.A. Clippers || W 89–88 || Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena || || 1–17 |- | 19 || December 15|| @ Sacramento || L 90–94 || ARCO Arena || 16,517 || 1–18 |- | 20 || December 17|| Dallas || L 87–104 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 1–19 |- | 21 || December 20|| @ Detroit || L 100–116 || The Palace of Auburn Hills || 21,454 || 1–20 |- | 22 || December 21|| Seattle || L 101–109 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 1–21 |- | 23 || December 23|| Utah || W 101–80 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 2–21 |- | 24 || December 26|| San Antonio || W 111–109 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 3–21 |- | 25 || December 27|| Houston || L 93–101 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 3–22 |- | 26 || December 29|| @ Seattle || L 99–129 || Seattle Center Coliseum || 14,794 || 3–23 |- | 27 || December 30|| @ Denver || L 83–109 || McNichols Sports Arena || 12,214 || 3–24 |-

|- | 28 || January 3|| @ Portland || L 95–119 || Memorial Coliseum || 12,848 || 3–25 |- | 29 || January 4|| @ Golden State || L 100–109 || Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena || 12,831 || 3–26 |- | 30 || January 6|| @ L.A. Lakers || L 86–118 || Great Western Forum || 17,505 || 3–27 |- | 31 || January 7|| @ Phoenix || L 99–107 || Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum || 12,288 || 3–28 |- | 32 || January 10|| Utah || L 88–92 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 3–29 |- | 33 || January 12|| @ Washington || L 100–106 || Capital Centre || || 3–30 |- | 34 || January 13|| Milwaukee || L 101–107 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 3–31 |- | 35 || January 15|| Indiana || W 118–117 (2OT) || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 4–31 |- | 36 || January 19|| Chicago || L 108–112 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 4–32 |- | 37 || January 23|| @ San Antonio || L 101–119 || HemisFair Arena || || 4–33 |- | 38 || January 24|| @ Houston || L 93–118 || The Summit || 16,611 || 4–34 |- | 39 || January 26|| Denver || L 108–129 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 4–35 |- | 40 || January 29|| @ Boston || L 103–121 || Boston Garden || 14,890 || 4–36 |- | 41 || January 30|| Golden State || L 98–105 || Miami Arena || 14,880 || 4–37 |-

|- | 42 || February 2|| Seattle || L 93–100 || Miami Arena || 14,798 || 4–38 |- | 43 || February 5|| Sacramento || W 102–98 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 5–38 |- | 44 || February 7|| @ Utah || L 77–96 || Salt Palace || 12,444 || 5–39 |- | 45 || February 9|| @ Denver || L 92–117 || McNichols Sports Arena || 14,935 || 5–40 |- | 46 || February 14|| Cleveland || L 98–109 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 5–41 |- | 47 || February 16|| @ Dallas || L 80–93 || Reunion Arena || 17,007 || 5–42 |- | 48 || February 17|| Charlotte || W 103–102 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 6–42 |- | 49 || February 19|| Atlanta || W 124–115 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 7–42 |- | 50 || February 20|| @ New Jersey || L 109–117 || Brendan Byrne Arena || || 7–43 |- | 51 || February 22|| Philadelphia || L 108–139 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 7–44 |- | 52 || February 24|| L.A. Clippers || W 111–91 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 8–44 |- | 53 || February 26|| Portland || L 102–124 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 8–45 |- | 54 || February 28|| Dallas || L 110–111 (OT) || Miami Arena || 14,779 || 8–46 |-

|- | 55 || March 2|| @ New York || L 123–132 || Madison Square Garden || 14,054 || 8–47 |- | 56 || March 3|| Utah || L 95–107 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 8–48 |- | 57 || March 5|| Detroit || L 100–109 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 8–49 |- | 58 || March 8|| L.A. Lakers || L 87–127 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 8–50 |- | 59 || March 10|| Denver || W 131–130 (2OT) || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 9–50 |- | 60 || March 11|| @ Atlanta || L 78–111 || The Omni || 16,371 || 9–51 |- | 61 || March 13|| Phoenix || L 104–112 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 9–52 |- | 62 || March 15|| @ L.A. Clippers || W 109–103 || Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena || || 10–52 |- | 63 || March 17|| @ Utah || L 96–118 || Salt Palace || 12,444 || 10–53 |- | 64 || March 18|| @ Denver || L 105–111 || McNichols Sports Arena || 15,068 || 10–54 |- | 65 || March 20|| @ Phoenix || L 97–115 || Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum || 12,315 || 10–55 |- | 66 || March 22|| New York || W 107–103 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 11–55 |- | 67 || March 25|| San Antonio || W 107–105 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 12–55 |- | 68 || March 27|| New Jersey || W 100–79 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 13–55 |- | 69 || March 29|| @ Indiana || L 89–96 || Market Square Arena || || 13–56 |- | 70 || March 31|| @ Philadelphia || L 93–114 || Spectrum || 14,127 || 13–57 |-

|- | 71 || April 2|| @ Dallas || L 96–98 || Reunion Arena || 16,846 || 13–58 |- | 72 || April 4|| @ San Antonio || 87–109 || HemisFair Arena || || 13–59 |- | 73 || April 6|| Washington || L 93–101 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 13–60 |- | 74 || April 8|| Houston || W 107–104 (OT) || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 14–60 |- | 75 || April 10|| @ Sacramento || L 69–108 || ARCO Arena || 16,517 || 14–61 |- | 76 || April 11|| @ Golden State || L 98–114 || Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena || 15,025 || 14–62 |- | 77 || April 13|| @ Seattle || L 111–116 || Seattle Center Coliseum || 11,267 || 14–63 |- | 78 || April 14|| @ Portland || L 86–97 || Memorial Coliseum || 12,880 || 14–64 |- | 79 || April 16|| @ L.A. Lakers || L 108–121 || Great Western Forum || 17,505 || 14–65 |- | 80 || April 18|| Dallas || L 99–103 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 14–66 |- | 81 || April 19|| Phoenix || L 91–117 || Miami Arena || 15,008 || 14–67 |- | 82 || April 22|| @ Houston || W 91–89 || The Summit || 16,611 || 15–67 |-

|- | 1988-89 Schedule

Awards, records, and honors

• Kevin Edwards, NBA All-Rookie Second Team

Player statistics

Ragular season

References

• Heat on Basketball Reference