NBA career
New York Knicks (1988–1990)
He was selected in the first round of the 1988 NBA draft by his hometown New York Knicks, where he backed up point guard Mark Jackson, the 1988 NBA Rookie of the Year. Nevertheless, Jackson and Strickland shared time that season. Strickland played in all 82 games and averaged 8.9 points and 3.9 assists in 16.8 minutes per game where he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
San Antonio Spurs (1990–1992)
The Knicks dealt Strickland to the San Antonio Spurs for veteran Maurice Cheeks in the middle of the 1989–1990 season. [6] Strickland flourished in San Antonio. The Spurs went 18–6 with him in the starting lineup. He led the Spurs in assists 26 times and averaged 12.3 points and 11.2 assists in 10 playoff games.
In the 1990–91 season Strickland lived up to his expectations as an exciting performer when he was healthy. He missed 24 games that year because of a sore ankle and a broken bone in his right hand. In the 58 games he played, Strickland averaged 13.8 points and 8.0 assists, shooting .482 from the field and .763 from the free throw line. He led the Spurs in assists 46 times and in steals 30 times. Strickland finished the year tied with Terry Porter for 12th in the NBA in assists. In a four-game series loss to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 1991 NBA playoffs, he posted 18.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 2.25 steals in 42.0 minutes per game.
Starting the 1991–92 NBA season in a contract dispute with the Spurs management, Strickland did not play in the first 24 games of the season. He finally signed on December 23, then started 54 of 57 games and averaged 13.8 points, 8.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.07 steals in 36.0 minutes per game. He scored in double figures 48 times and scored 20 or more points on eight occasions. He notched a then career-high 28 points against the Indiana Pacers on February 6 and made a career-high 19 assists versus the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 3. Strickland started two playoff games against the Phoenix Suns before missing the third with a broken bone in his left hand. The Suns swept the series in three games.
Portland Trail Blazers (1992–1996)
Before the start of the 1992–93 season, Strickland signed as a free agent with the Portland Trail Blazers.
On April 5, 1994, Strickland set a Trail Blazers record with 20 assists in a single game, during a 135–113 win over the Phoenix Suns. [7] [8]
On January 24, 1995, Strickland set a career high with 36 points scored, on 15-21 shooting from the field, in a 105–99 loss to the Knicks. [9] During that year's playoffs, Strickland averaged 23.3 points and 12.3 assists per game in a first round loss to the Suns. [10]
On April 5, 1996, Strickland scored 27 points and recorded 12 assists in a 110-102 Game 1 loss to the Utah Jazz. [11] The Trail Blazers eventually lost the series 3–2, and the series was contested until Game 5, when Strickland scored only 10 points while missing 11 of his 16 shots, as the Jazz won 102–64. [12]
Despite regular season success in Portland, Strickland and the Trail Blazers never advanced out of the first round in the playoffs. [13] In four seasons with the Blazers, Strickland averaged 17 points and 8.6 assists per game.
Washington Bullets/Wizards (1996–2001)
Strickland and teammate Harvey Grant were traded to the Washington Bullets for Rasheed Wallace and Mitchell Butler in 1996. In his first season in Washington, Strickland averaged 17.2 ppg and 8.9 apg helping the Bullets make the playoffs in 1997 for the first time in 8 seasons.
In 1997–98, Strickland had the best season of his career as he averaged 17.8 ppg and a league leading 10.5 apg. During the year, Strickland also became only the 25th player in NBA history to record 10,000 points and 5,000 assists. Strickland was selected to the second All-NBA team. While his individual stats improved over the next few seasons for the Wizards, the team got worse, leading to a buyout of his contract.
Last seasons and retirement (2001–2005)
Strickland returned to the Portland Trail Blazers in 2001. He finished his playing career with the Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, and the Houston Rockets. He played in 1,094 games (740 starts) and scored over 14,000 points and tallied nearly 8,000 assists. He also ranked among the NBA's top 10 in assists per game in 1991–92 (5th), 1993–94 (6th), 1994–95 (5th), 1995–96 (4th), 1996–97 (5th), 1997–98 (1st), and 1998–99 (2nd).
Strickland averaged 13.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.5 steals and 30.7 minutes of floor time per game. [14]
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The 1989–90 NBA season was the Spurs' 14th season in the National Basketball Association, and 23rd season as a franchise. This marked the first NBA season for David Robinson, who was selected by the Spurs as the first overall pick in the 1987 NBA draft. In the 1989 NBA draft, the team had the third overall pick, and selected Sean Elliott from the University of Arizona, and acquired All-Star forward Terry Cummings from the Milwaukee Bucks, and acquired All-Star guard Maurice Cheeks and David Wingate from the Philadelphia 76ers during the off-season. The Spurs held a 32–14 record at the All-Star break, finished with a franchise-best 56–26 regular season record, first place in the Midwest Division, and surpassing the 53-win season of 1982–83.
The 1989–90 New York Knicks season was the 44th season for the Knicks in the National Basketball Association. Before the season, owners Gulf+Western reorganized and became Paramount Communications, renaming themselves after the Paramount Pictures film studio.
The 1991–92 NBA season was the Spurs' 16th season in the National Basketball Association, and 25th season as a franchise. During the off-season, the Spurs acquired Antoine Carr from the Sacramento Kings, then signed free agent Vinnie Johnson in December. After a 10–3 start to the season, the Spurs struggled with mediocrity holding a 21–17 record in late January, as head coach Larry Brown was fired, and soon took a coaching job with the Los Angeles Clippers. At midseason, the team signed three-point specialist Trent Tucker. Under replacement, interim and General Manager Bob Bass, the Spurs held a 27–19 record at the All-Star break, finishing second in the Midwest Division with a 47–35 record.
The 1992–93 Portland Trail Blazers season was the 23rd season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. The Trail Blazers entered the season as runners-up in the 1992 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Chicago Bulls in six games. In the off-season, the team signed free agents Rod Strickland, and Mario Elie. The Blazers got off to a fast start winning their first eight games of the season, and held a 31–16 record at the All-Star break. However, Clyde Drexler only played just 49 games due to knee and hamstring injuries. The Blazers finished the season with a 51–31 record, third in the Pacific Division and fourth in the Western Conference. It was their 11th straight trip to the postseason.
The 1993–94 Portland Trail Blazers season was the 24th season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. In the off-season, the Blazers acquired Harvey Grant from the Washington Bullets, and signed free agent Chris Dudley. However, an ankle injury limited Dudley only to just six games. The Blazers held a 27–20 record at the All-Star break, and finished the season with a 47–35 record, fourth in the Pacific Division and seventh in the Western Conference. It was their 12th straight trip to the postseason.
The 1995–96 Portland Trail Blazers season was the 26th season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. After spending their first 25 years at the Memorial Coliseum, the Blazers began playing at the new Rose Garden Arena this season. The team acquired the eighth overall pick in the 1995 NBA draft from the Detroit Pistons, and selected Shawn Respert out of Michigan State University, but soon traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for top draft pick Gary Trent out of Ohio University. Rookie center Arvydas Sabonis from Lithuania, who was drafted 24th overall by the Blazers in the 1986 NBA draft, would finally make his debut in the NBA.
The 2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season was the 31st for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. In the off-season, the Blazers acquired Dale Davis from the Indiana Pacers, and All-Star forward Shawn Kemp from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade. The Blazers struggled losing, three of their first four games, but soon recovered and later on posted a 10-game winning streak between January and February, and held a 35–15 record at the All-Star break.
