1988-89 NBA
Early Three-Point Era
Detroit Pistons won the title.
- Teams
- 25
- Games per team
- 82
- Pace (poss. per 48 min)
- 100.6
- Points per team game
- 109.2
- League true shooting
- .537
- Share of shots from three
- 7.4%
Award winners
- MVPMagic Johnson
- Defensive Player of the YearMark Eaton
- Rookie of the YearMitch Richmond
- Sixth ManEddie Johnson
- Most ImprovedKevin Johnson
Standings and postseason
East
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Pistons | 63 | 19 | 6.24 | Won title |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 57 | 25 | 7.95 | Lost 2nd round |
| Atlanta Hawks | 52 | 30 | 5.26 | Lost conf. finals |
| New York Knicks | 52 | 30 | 3.62 | Lost conf. finals |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 49 | 33 | 4.11 | Lost conf. finals |
| Chicago Bulls | 47 | 35 | 2.13 | Lost conf. finals |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 46 | 36 | 1.68 | Lost conf. finals |
| Boston Celtics | 42 | 40 | 1.26 | Lost 1st round |
| Washington Bullets | 40 | 42 | -1.77 | Missed playoffs |
| Indiana Pacers | 28 | 54 | -3.00 | Missed playoffs |
| New Jersey Nets | 26 | 56 | -5.69 | Missed playoffs |
| Charlotte Hornets | 20 | 62 | -7.74 | Missed playoffs |
West
| Team | W | L | SRS | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | 57 | 25 | 6.38 | Lost Finals |
| Phoenix Suns | 55 | 27 | 6.84 | Lost conf. finals |
| Utah Jazz | 51 | 31 | 4.01 | Lost conf. finals |
| Seattle SuperSonics | 47 | 35 | 2.44 | Lost conf. finals |
| Houston Rockets | 45 | 37 | 0.22 | Lost conf. finals |
| Denver Nuggets | 44 | 38 | 0.91 | Lost 2nd round |
| Golden State Warriors | 43 | 39 | -0.59 | Lost conf. finals |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 39 | 43 | 0.92 | Lost 1st round |
| Dallas Mavericks | 38 | 44 | -1.79 | Missed playoffs |
| Sacramento Kings | 27 | 55 | -5.35 | Missed playoffs |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 21 | 61 | -9.50 | Missed playoffs |
| San Antonio Spurs | 21 | 61 | -7.45 | Missed playoffs |
| Miami Heat | 15 | 67 | -11.13 | Missed playoffs |
Rules in force
| Free-throw lane width | 16 ft |
|---|---|
| Three-point line | 23 ft 9 in (22 ft corners) |
| Arm bar / forearm contact | allowed (source pending) |
| Hand-checking | allowed |
| Zone defense | not permitted (source pending) |
| Team foul penalty (bonus) | bonus after team foul limit |
| Backcourt count | 10 seconds (source pending) |
| Shot clock | 24 seconds |
See how each rule changed over time on the rules timeline.
What changed this season
No league-wide rule or format changes recorded for this season.