1992–93 Boston Celtics season

Last updated

1992–93   Boston Celtics season
Head coach Chris Ford
General manager Dave Gavitt
Arena Boston Garden
Hartford Civic Center
Results
Record48–34 (.585)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Atlantic)
Conference: 4th (Eastern)
Playoff finish First round
(lost to Hornets 1–3)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television WFXT
SportsChannel New England
Radio WEEI
< 1991–92 1993–94 >

The 1992–93 Boston Celtics season was the 47th season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. [1] This marked the first season since the 1978–79 season that Hall of Fame player Larry Bird was not on the team; this was also the final season for long-time Celtics All-Star forward Kevin McHale, as he would retire the following off-season. [2] [3] [4] During the off-season, the Celtics signed free agent and former All-Star forward Xavier McDaniel, [5] [6] [7] then later on in December, traded top draft pick Jon Barry out of Georgia Tech University to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Alaa Abdelnaby, [8] [9] [10] and also re-signed free agent John Bagley, who played for the team the previous season, but was not re-signed during the off-season. [11] [12]

Contents

However, the Celtics got off to a bad start by losing eight of their first ten games of the regular season, as Ed Pinckney only played just seven games due to a knee injury. [13] [14] Despite the bad start, the team would post a 7-game winning streak in January, hold a 26–24 record at the All-Star break, [15] and would then post a nine-game winning streak in March, finishing in second place in the Atlantic Division with a solid 48–34 record, and earning the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference; [16] the Celtics also qualified for the NBA playoffs for the 14th consecutive year. [17]

Reggie Lewis led the team in scoring, averaging 20.8 points and 1.5 steals per game, while McDaniel averaged 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, and Kevin Gamble provided the team with 13.3 points per game. In addition, Robert Parish averaged 12.6 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, while Dee Brown contributed 10.9 points, 5.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game, and McHale provided with 10.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game off the bench, but shot a career-low of .459 in field-goal percentage. Meanwhile, Abdelnaby averaged 8.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in 63 games with the Celtics after the trade, Sherman Douglas contributed 7.8 points and 6.4 assists per game, and second-year forward Rick Fox contributed 6.4 points per game off the bench. [18]

However, McHale would briefly feud with head coach Chris Ford near the end of the regular season over his lack of playing time, which did not help with causing distractions and lack of focus for the Celtics. [19] [20] Abdelnaby finished tied in eleventh place in Most Improved Player voting, [21] while Ford finished in seventh place in Coach of the Year voting. [22] [21]

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1993 NBA playoffs, the Celtics faced off against the 5th–seeded Charlotte Hornets, who were led by the trio of All-Star forward Larry Johnson, rookie center Alonzo Mourning, and Muggsy Bogues. However, during Game 1 at the Boston Garden, Lewis collapsed on the court; Lewis scored 17 points in 13 minutes as the Celtics defeated the Hornets, 112–101. [23] [24] [25] However, without Lewis for the rest of the series, the Celtics lost the next three games, losing Game 4 to the Hornets on the road, 104–103 at the Charlotte Coliseum, as Mourning hit a game-winning buzzer-beater; the Celtics lost the series in four games. [26] [27] [28] Game 1 of that series would also be the final game for Lewis, as he would die of cardiac arrest during practice three months later at the age of 27, before the next season began. [29] [30] [31]

Following the season, Joe Kleine signed as a free agent with the Phoenix Suns, [32] [33] and Bagley signed with the Atlanta Hawks during the next season. [34] [35]

Draft picks

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalityCollege
121 Jon Barry (traded to Milwaukee) SG Flag of the United States.svg United States Georgia Tech
247 Darren Morningstar C Flag of the United States.svg United States Pittsburgh

Roster

1992–93 Boston Celtics roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.PlayerHeightWeightDOBFrom
PF 4 Alaa Abdelnaby 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)240 lb (109 kg)1968–06–24 Duke
PG 5 John Bagley 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)185 lb (84 kg)1960–04–23 Boston College
PG 7 Dee Brown 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)160 lb (73 kg)1968–11–29 Jacksonville
PG 20 Sherman Douglas 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)160 lb (73 kg)1966–09–15 Syracuse
SF 44 Rick Fox 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)230 lb (104 kg)1969–07–24 North Carolina
SF 34 Kevin Gamble 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)210 lb (95 kg)1965–11–13 Iowa
C 53 Joe Kleine 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)255 lb (116 kg)1962–01–04 Arkansas
SG 35 Reggie Lewis 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)195 lb (88 kg)1965–11–21 Northeastern
SF 31 Xavier McDaniel 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)205 lb (93 kg)1963–06–04 Wichita State
PF 32 Kevin McHale 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)210 lb (95 kg)1957–12–19 Minnesota
C 00 Robert Parish 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)230 lb (104 kg)1953–08–30 Centenary
PF 54 Ed Pinckney 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)195 lb (88 kg)1963–03–27 Villanova
F 43 Lorenzo Williams 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)200 lb (91 kg)1969–07–15 Stetson
Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injury icon 2.svg Injured

Roster
Updated: March 17, 1993

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y- New York Knicks 6022.732—37–423–1823–5
x- Boston Celtics 4834.5851228–1320–2119–9
x- New Jersey Nets 4339.5241726–1517–2414–14
Orlando Magic 4141.5001927–1414–2715–13
Miami Heat 3646.4392426–1510–319–19
Philadelphia 76ers 2656.3173415–2611–3011–17
Washington Bullets 2260.2683815–267–347–21
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1c-New York Knicks 6022.732–
2y-Chicago Bulls 5725.6953
3x-Cleveland Cavaliers 5428.6596
4x-Boston Celtics 4834.58512
5x-Charlotte Hornets 4438.53716
6x-New Jersey Nets 4339.52417
7x-Atlanta Hawks 4339.52417
8x-Indiana Pacers 4141.50019
9 Orlando Magic 4141.50019
10 Detroit Pistons 4042.48820
11 Miami Heat 3646.43924
12 Milwaukee Bucks 2854.34132
13 Philadelphia 76ers 2656.31736
14 Washington Bullets 2260.26838
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

1993 playoff game log
First round: 1–3 (home: 1–1; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1April 29 Charlotte W 112–101 Xavier McDaniel (21) Douglas, Parish (9) Sherman Douglas (11) Boston Garden
14,890		1–0
2May 1 Charlotte L 98–99 (2OT) Kevin McHale (30) Robert Parish (16) Sherman Douglas (10) Boston Garden
14,890		1–1
3May 3@ Charlotte L 89–119 Kevin Gamble (19) Alaa Abdelnaby (6) Sherman Douglas (8) Charlotte Coliseum
23,698		1–2
4May 5@ Charlotte L 103–104 Robert Parish (24) Robert Parish (9) Sherman Douglas (9) Charlotte Coliseum
23,698		1–3
1993 schedule

Player statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG  Points per game

Regular season

Boston Celtics statistics
PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
Alaa Abdelnaby †635218.3.525.7604.8.3.3.38.2
John Bagley 1009.7.360.000.833.72.0.2.02.3
Kenny Battle 319.7.462.0001.0003.7.7.3.04.7
Dee Brown 804828.2.468.317.7933.15.81.7.410.9
Sherman Douglas 793624.5.498.207.5602.16.4.6.17.8
Rick Fox 711415.2.484.174.8022.21.6.9.36.4
Kevin Gamble 825831.0.507.374.8263.02.81.0.513.3
Joe Kleine 78314.5.404.000.7074.4.5.2.23.3
Bart Kofoed 705.9.231.000.786.11.4.3.12.4
Reggie Lewis 808039.3.470.233.8674.33.71.51.020.8
Xavier McDaniel 822727.0.495.273.7936.02.0.9.613.5
Kevin McHale 71023.3.459.111.8415.01.0.2.810.7
Robert Parish 797927.2.535.6899.4.8.71.412.6
Ed Pinckney 7521.6.417.9236.1.1.61.04.6
Marcus Webb 905.7.520.000.6191.1.2.1.24.3
Lorenzo Williams †2276.9.516.2862.0.2.2.61.5
Joe Wolf †204.5.000.5001.5.0.0.5.5

Playoffs

Boston Celtics statistics
PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
Alaa Abdelnaby 4417.0.4583.3.3.0.35.5
Dee Brown 4333.3.366.1431.0001.53.8.51.011.3
Sherman Douglas 4441.5.378.000.6676.59.51.0.011.0
Rick Fox 4017.8.280.3331.0004.81.3.5.34.3
Kevin Gamble 4435.5.548.4171.0002.32.51.5.313.8
Joe Kleine 407.3.6001.3.0.0.31.5
Reggie Lewis 1113.0.636.000.7502.01.0.01.017.0
Xavier McDaniel 4031.5.415.000.6674.52.3.3.812.5
Kevin McHale 4028.3.582.8577.3.8.51.819.0
Robert Parish 4436.5.544.8579.51.3.31.517.0
Lorenzo Williams 103.01.0001.0.0.0.02.0
  • † Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Celtics only.

Player statistics citation: [18]

Awards and records

Transactions

References

  1. ↑ 1992-93 Boston Celtics
  2. ↑ "McHale Makes Retirement Official After Hornets Eliminate Celtics". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. May 6, 1993. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  3. ↑ MacMullan, Jackie (May 6, 1993). "For Celtics' McHale, Retirement Proves to Be Painful Decision". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  4. ↑ Moran, Malcolm (May 7, 1993). "PRO BASKETBALL; McHale Looks Back and It's Funny". The New York Times. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  5. ↑ Araton, Harvey (September 11, 1992). "BASKETBALL; Knicks Lose McDaniel to the Celtics". The New York Times. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  6. ↑ Arace, Michael (September 11, 1992). "McDaniel Signs with Celtics". Hartford Courant. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  7. ↑ Bunn, Curtis G. (September 13, 1992). "Celtic-Pride Talk Convincing to McDaniel". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  8. ↑ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Celtics Trade Barry and Obtain Abdelnaby". The New York Times. December 5, 1992. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Bucks Deal Abdelnaby for Barry". Deseret News. United Press International. December 5, 1992. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  10. ↑ Arace, Michael (December 5, 1992). "A Workable Trade for Abdelnaby, Barry". Hartford Courant. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Celtics Re-Sign Bagley". Deseret News. December 24, 1992. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Celtics Re-Sign Bagley to Spark Hurting Offense". Lakeland Ledger. Ledger Wire Services. December 24, 1992. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  13. ↑ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Pinckney Out for Two Months or More". The New York Times. November 21, 1992. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  14. ↑ Moran, Malcolm (May 9, 1993). "PRO BASKETBALL; Potholes on Parquet: Celtics Search for Blueprint of Bright Future". The New York Times. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  15. ↑ "NBA Games Played on February 18, 1993". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  16. ↑ "1992–93 Boston Celtics Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Boston Celtics". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  18. 1 2 "1992–93 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  19. ↑ "McHale Doesn't Like View". Tampa Bay Times. April 13, 1993. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  20. ↑ Greenberg, Alan (April 16, 1993). "It's Never Been McHale's Place to Cause Stir". Hartford Courant. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  21. 1 2 "1992–93 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Coach of Year: NBA Honors Riley as League's Finest". Deseret News. May 18, 1993. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  23. ↑ Arace, Michael (April 30, 1993). "Celtics Win, But Lewis Leaves Game". Hartford Courant. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  24. ↑ "PRO BASKETBALL; Celtics' Lewis Out of Playoffs". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 3, 1993. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Lewis' Ailment Could Be Life-Threatening: Heart Problem: Celtics' Top Scorer Will Probably Have to Give Up NBA, Team Doctor Says". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. May 4, 1993. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  26. ↑ Moran, Malcolm (May 6, 1993). "PRO BASKETBALL; Hornets Oust Celtics in Down-to-Wire Style". The New York Times. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
  27. ↑ "NBA ROUNDUP: Mourning's Late Shot Sinks Celtics". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. May 6, 1993. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  28. ↑ "1993 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Hornets vs. Celtics". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  29. ↑ Thomas Jr., Robert McG. (July 28, 1993). "PRO BASKETBALL; Celtics' Lewis Dies After Collapsing in a Gym". The New York Times. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  30. ↑ Almond, Elliott (July 28, 1993). "Celtics' Lewis Collapses on Court, Dies: Pro Basketball: Boston's Leading Scorer Had Been Warned of Possible Danger Because of Heart Condition". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  31. ↑ Nakamura, David (July 28, 1993). "Celtics' Lewis Dies After Collapsing". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  32. ↑ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Kleine and Suns Agree to Contract". The New York Times. August 14, 1993. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  33. ↑ Wang, Gene (November 4, 1993). "1993-94 NBA Previews". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  34. ↑ "Transactions". The New York Times. December 14, 1993. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  35. ↑ "Celtics Blow Lead, Not Game". Star-News. December 14, 1993. Retrieved May 14, 2024.

See also

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.