1992–93 Portland Trail Blazers Season

The 1992–93 NBA season was the 23rd season for the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association. The Trail Blazers entered the regular season as runners-up in the 1992 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Chicago Bulls in six games. During the off-season, the team signed free agents Rod Strickland, and Mario Elie.

The Trail Blazers got off to a fast start by winning their first eight games of the regular 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 Trail Blazers finished in third place in the Pacific Division with a 51–31 record, and earned the #4 seed in the Western Conference; it was also their eleventh consecutive trip to the NBA playoffs.

Drexler averaged 19.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game, while Clifford Robinson averaged 19.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game off the bench, and was named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year, and Terry Porter provided the team with 18.2 points and 5.2 assists per game, and also led them with 143 three-point field goals. In addition, Strickland provided with 13.7 points, 7.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game, while Jerome Kersey contributed 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, Kevin Duckworth provided with 9.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, and Buck Williams averaged 8.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Off the bench, Elie contributed 8.6 points per game, and Mark Bryant provided with 6.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.

Drexler and Porter were both selected for the 1993 NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, Utah; Drexler also finished tied in tenth place in Most Valuable Player voting, and Robinson finished in fifth place in Most Improved Player voting.

However, the Trail Blazers were unable to follow the previous season's run to the NBA Finals, as they fell to the 5th-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference First Round of the 1993 NBA playoffs, three games to one. Following the season, Duckworth was traded to the Washington Bullets after his production had decreased in the previous two seasons, and Elie was dealt to the Houston Rockets.

This season was not without controversy, as in February 1993, four members of the team: Kersey and Trail Blazer rookies, Tracy Murray, Dave Johnson and Reggie Smith, were all accused of sexual misconduct by two 16-year old teenage girls from Salt Lake City, who claimed they had sex with the players on January 23; the Trail Blazers were on the road to play against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center at the time. Murray and Johnson were both fined $20,000 and suspended for three games, while Kersey and Smith were both fined $15,000.

NBA draft

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

:z - clinched division title
:y - clinched division title
:x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Playoffs

, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 1
, April 29
, San Antonio

L 86–87
, Jerome Kersey (24)
, Jerome Kersey (9)
, Rod Strickland (9)
, Memorial Coliseum
12,888
, 0–1
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
, 2
, May 1
, San Antonio

W 105–96
, Clyde Drexler (21)
, Rod Strickland (8)
, Rod Strickland (9)
, Memorial Coliseum
12,888
, 1–1
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 3
, May 5
, @ San Antonio

L 101–107
, Clyde Drexler (19)
, Buck Williams (7)
, Rod Strickland (9)
, HemisFair Arena
16,057
, 1–2
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 4
, May 7
, @ San Antonio

L 97–100 (OT)
, Mark Bryant (21)
, Jerome Kersey (14)
, Rod Strickland (10)
, HemisFair Arena
16,057
, 1–3
, -

Player statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

Player Statistics Citation:

Awards and honors

* Clyde Drexler, NBA All-Star
* Terry Porter, NBA All-Star
* Clifford Robinson, NBA Sixth Man of the Year

Transactions

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1992-93 Portland Trail Blazers season
Portland Trail Blazers seasons
Portland Trail Blazers 1992
Portland Trail Blazers 1992
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