The 1990–91 NBA season was the Spurs' 15th season in the National Basketball Association , and 24th season as a franchise.[ 1] During the off-season, the Spurs acquired Paul Pressey from the Milwaukee Bucks .[ 2] [ 3] [ 4] After a promising rookie season from second-year star David Robinson , the Spurs would win 17 of their first 22 games, holding a 32–13 record at the All-Star break.[ 5] However, with Terry Cummings and Rod Strickland lost for long stretched games due to hand injuries,[ 6] [ 7] the team struggled in February with a 4–7 record. At midseason, the team released Reggie Williams to free agency, and signed free agent Avery Johnson , who was previously released by the Denver Nuggets .[ 8] The Spurs would bounce back winning 13 of their final 17 games as they won the Midwest Division with a solid 55–27 record.[ 9]
Robinson averaged 25.6 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks per game while being selected to the All-NBA First Team , All-Defensive Second Team, and for selected the 1991 NBA All-Star Game .[ 10] [ 11] In addition, Cummings averaged 17.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, while second-year forward Sean Elliott provided the team with 15.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, Willie Anderson contributed 14.4 points and 4.8 assists per game, and Strickland provided with 13.8 points, 8.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game.[ 12] Robinson also finished in third place in Most Valuable Player voting,[ 13] [ 14] [ 15] and in second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting,[ 16] [ 17] and head coach Larry Brown finished tied in fifth place in Coach of the Year voting.[ 18] [ 19]
In the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs , the Spurs faced the 7th-seeded Golden State Warriors , led by the trio of Chris Mullin , Mitch Richmond and Tim Hardaway . The Spurs won Game 1 at home, 130–121,[ 20] [ 21] [ 22] but would then lose the next three games, thus the series.[ 23] [ 24] [ 25] [ 26] Following the season, David Wingate signed as a free agent with the Washington Bullets .[ 27] [ 28]
On November 3, 1990, the Spurs hosted the Los Angeles Lakers on the premiere broadcast of the NBA on NBC . The Spurs defeated the Lakers, 110–99.[ 29] [ 30] [ 31] [ 32]
1990–91 San Antonio Spurs roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
G
40
Anderson, Willie
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
1967–01–08
Georgia
F
34
Cummings, Terry
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
1961–03–15
DePaul
F
32
Elliott, Sean
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
1968–02–02
Arizona
F
21
Green, Sidney
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
1961–01–04
UNLV
F
3
Higgins, Sean
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
1968–12–30
Michigan
G
15
Johnson, Avery
5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
1965–03–25
Southern
F
45
Massenburg, Tony
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
1967–07–31
Maryland
G
8
Pressey, Paul
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
1958–12–24
Tulsa
C
50
Robinson, David
7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
1965–08–06
Navy
C
24
Schintzius, Dwayne
7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
260 lb (118 kg)
1968–10–14
Florida
G
1
Strickland, Rod
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
1966–07–11
DePaul
G
25
Wingate, David
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
1963–12–15
Georgetown
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
edit
1990-91 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
CHA
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
LAC
LAL
MIA
MIL
MIN
NJN
NYK
ORL
PHI
PHO
POR
SAC
SAS
SEA
UTA
WAS
Atlanta
—
3–1
1–4
1–4
3–2
2–0
1–1
0–5
1–1
1–1
4–1
2–0
1–1
4–0
2–3
1–1
3–1
3–1
1–1
0–4
0–2
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–2
Boston
1–3
—
3–1
2–2
3–1
2–0
2–0
2–2
1–1
2–0
2–2
2–0
1–1
4–1
2–2
2–0
4–1
5–0
1–1
2–3
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
5–1
Charlotte
4–1
1–3
—
0–5
1–4
1–1
0–2
1–4
1–1
0–2
0–5
1–1
0–2
2–2
2–3
1–1
2–2
0–4
2–0
2–2
0–2
0–2
2–0
1–1
0–2
0–2
2–2
Chicago
4–1
2–2
5–0
—
5–0
2–0
2–0
3–2
1–1
0–2
4–1
2–0
1–1
4–0
4–1
2–0
3–1
4–0
2–0
1–3
1–1
0–2
2–0
0–2
2–0
2–0
3–1
Cleveland
2–3
1–3
4–1
0–5
—
2–0
1–1
2–3
0–2
0–2
1–4
1–1
1–1
3–1
2–3
1–1
2–2
3–1
2–0
2–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–3
Dallas
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
—
3–1
0–2
2–2
1–3
2–0
1–3
2–2
0–2
1–1
1–4
2–0
2–0
1–4
1–1
0–4
1–3
2–2
1–4
2–2
0–5
2–0
Denver
1–1
0–2
2–0
0–2
1–1
1–3
—
0–2
1–3
0–5
0–2
0–4
0–4
0–2
1–1
3–2
1–1
1–1
2–3
0–2
0–4
0–4
3–1
1–4
0–4
1–3
1–1
Detroit
5–0
2–2
4–1
2–3
3–2
2–0
2–0
—
1–1
2–0
3–2
2–0
0–2
3–1
2–3
2–0
3–1
1–3
2–0
2–2
0–2
1–1
2–0
0–2
1–1
0–2
3–1
Golden State
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
3–1
1–1
—
2–2
1–1
3–2
2–3
2–0
1–1
3–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
2–0
1–3
2–3
2–3
2–2
3–1
1–3
0–2
Houston
1–1
0–2
2–0
2–0
2–0
3–1
5–0
0–2
2–2
—
1–1
2–2
1–3
2–0
2–0
5–0
2–0
2–0
3–2
2–0
3–1
0–4
3–1
2–3
2–2
2–2
1–1
Indiana
1–4
2–2
5–0
1–4
4–1
0–2
2–0
2–3
1–1
1–1
—
1–1
0–2
2–2
2–3
1–1
3–1
2–2
1–1
1–3
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–2
L.A. Clippers
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
3–1
4–0
0–2
2–3
2–2
1–1
—
0–4
0–2
1–1
3–1
1–1
0–2
1–3
0–2
2–3
1–3
3–2
2–2
2–3
1–3
0–2
L.A. Lakers
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–2
4–0
2–0
3–2
3–1
2–0
4–0
—
2–0
0–2
3–1
2–0
1–1
4–0
1–1
3–2
2–3
4–0
3–1
3–2
2–2
2–0
Miami
0–4
1–4
2–2
0–4
1–3
2–0
2–0
1–3
0–2
0–2
2–2
2–0
0–2
—
0–4
0–2
3–3
1–4
1–1
1–4
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
3–2
Milwaukee
3–2
2–2
3–2
1–4
3–2
1–1
1–1
3–2
1–1
0–2
3–2
1–1
2–0
4–0
—
1–1
2–2
4–0
2–0
2–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–1
Minnesota
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
4–1
2–3
0–2
1–3
0–5
1–1
1–3
1–3
2–0
1–1
—
1–1
1–1
2–2
2–0
0–4
0–4
3–1
0–4
2–2
1–4
1–1
New Jersey
1–3
1–4
2–2
1–3
2–2
0–2
1–1
1–3
1–1
0–2
1–3
1–1
0–2
3–3
2–2
1–1
—
0–5
1–1
2–3
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–3
New York
1–3
0–5
4–0
0–4
1–3
0–2
1–1
3–1
0–2
0–2
2–2
2–0
1–1
4–1
0–4
1–1
5–0
—
0–2
5–1
0–2
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
3–2
Orlando
1–1
1–1
0–2
0–2
0–2
4–1
3–2
0–2
2–2
2–3
1–1
3–1
0–4
1–1
0–2
2–2
1–1
2–0
—
0–2
2–2
0–4
2–2
1–3
1–3
1–4
1–1
Philadelphia
4–0
3–2
2–2
3–1
2–2
1–1
2–0
2–2
0–2
0–2
3–1
2–0
1–1
4–1
2–2
0–2
3–2
1–5
2–0
—
1–1
1–1
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
3–2
Phoenix
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
4–0
4–0
2–0
3–1
1–3
1–1
3–2
2–3
2–0
1–1
4–0
1–1
2–0
2–2
1–1
—
3–2
3–1
1–3
3–2
2–2
2–0
Portland
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
2–0
3–1
4–0
1–1
3–2
4–0
2–0
3–1
3–2
2–0
1–1
4–0
2–0
2–0
4–0
1–1
2–3
—
3–2
2–2
4–0
3–1
2–0
Sacramento
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
1–1
2–2
1–3
0–2
3–2
1–3
0–2
2–3
0–4
1–1
1–1
1–3
1–1
0–2
2–2
1–1
1–3
2–3
—
1–3
1–4
1–3
2–0
San Antonio
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
4–1
4–1
2–0
2–2
3–2
1–1
2–2
1–3
2–0
1–1
4–0
2–0
1–1
3–1
2–0
3–1
2–2
3–1
—
3–1
2–3
2–0
Seattle
1–1
0–2
2–0
0–2
1–1
2–2
4–0
1–1
1–3
2–2
1–1
3–2
2–3
2–0
1–1
2–2
1–1
1–1
3–1
1–1
2–3
0–4
4–1
1–3
—
1–3
2–0
Utah
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
5–0
3–1
2–0
3–1
2–2
0–2
3–1
2–2
1–1
1–1
4–1
2–0
0–2
4–1
2–0
2–2
1–3
3–1
3–2
3–1
—
2–0
Washington
2–2
1–5
2–2
1–3
3–1
0–2
1–1
1–3
2–0
1–1
2–2
2–0
0–2
2–3
1–3
1–1
3–2
2–3
1–1
2–3
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
—
1990–91 game log Total: 55–27 (home: 33–8; road: 22–19)
November: 8–4 (home: 5–0; road: 3–4)
December: 11–2 (home: 5–2; road: 6–0)
January: 12–5 (home: 8–1; road: 4–4)
February: 4–7 (home: 3–3; road: 1–4)
March: 12–5 (home: 9–0; road: 3–5)
April: 8–4 (home: 3–2; road: 5–2)
1990–91 schedule
1991 playoff game log
First Round: 1–3 (home: 1–1; road: 0–2)
1991 schedule
Player
POS
GP
GS
MP
REB
AST
STL
BLK
PTS
MPG
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PPG
Sean Elliott
SF
82
82
3,044
456
238
69
33
1,301
37.1
5.6
2.9
.8
.4
15.9
David Robinson
C
82
81
3,095
1,063
208
127
320
2,101
37.7
13.0
2.5
1.5
3.9
25.6
Willie Anderson
SG
75
75
2,592
351
358
79
46
1,083
34.6
4.7
4.8
1.1
.6
14.4
Paul Pressey
SG
70
18
1,683
176
271
63
32
528
24.0
2.5
3.9
.9
.5
7.5
Terry Cummings
PF
67
62
2,195
521
157
61
30
1,177
32.8
7.8
2.3
.9
.4
17.6
Sidney Green
PF
66
7
1,099
313
52
32
13
443
16.7
4.7
.8
.5
.2
6.7
David Greenwood
PF
63
11
1,018
221
52
29
25
239
16.2
3.5
.8
.5
.4
3.8
Rod Strickland
PG
58
56
2,076
219
463
117
11
800
35.8
3.8
8.0
2.0
.2
13.8
Sean Higgins
SF
50
0
464
63
35
8
1
225
9.3
1.3
.7
.2
.0
4.5
Avery Johnson †
PG
47
10
742
56
153
33
2
241
15.8
1.2
3.3
.7
.0
5.1
Dwayne Schintzius
C
42
7
398
121
17
2
29
158
9.5
2.9
.4
.0
.7
3.8
Tony Massenburg
PF
35
0
161
58
4
4
9
82
4.6
1.7
.1
.1
.3
2.3
David Wingate
SG
25
0
563
75
46
19
5
136
22.5
3.0
1.8
.8
.2
5.4
Reggie Williams †
SF
22
0
354
59
46
20
11
171
16.1
2.7
2.1
.9
.5
7.8
Byron Dinkins †
PG
10
0
144
11
19
2
0
34
14.4
1.1
1.9
.2
.0
3.4
Pete Myers
SG
8
1
103
18
14
3
3
29
12.9
2.3
1.8
.4
.4
3.6
Clifford Lett
PG
7
0
99
7
7
2
1
34
14.1
1.0
1.0
.3
.1
4.9
† Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Spurs only.
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^ 1990-91 San Antonio Spurs
^ "A Trading Flurry Uncapped in NBA: Basketball: Ainge Goes to Portland, Schayes to Milwaukee, Pressey to San Antonio, Bol to Philadelphia After Salary Cap Raised by Nearly $2 Million" . Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. August 2, 1990. Retrieved December 15, 2021 .
^ Hente, Karl (August 2, 1990). "As Salary Cap Rises, Players Fly Around NBA" . The Washington Post . Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ Goldaper, Sam (November 5, 1990). "N.B.A.; Even Newer Spurs Doing Fine" . The New York Times . Retrieved April 9, 2023 .
^ "NBA Games Played on February 7, 1991" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved November 21, 2022 .
^ "Strickland Breaks Hand" . United Press International . February 2, 1991. Retrieved January 17, 2022 .
^ "Strickland Breaks Hand" . Deseret News . February 3, 1991. Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ Watson, Phil (August 29, 2016). "San Antonio Spurs: 25 Best Players to Play for The Spurs" . Hoopshabit . Retrieved December 15, 2021 .
^ "1990–91 San Antonio Spurs Schedule and Results" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 16, 2021 .
^ Smith, Sam (January 30, 1991). "Pippen Bypassed for All-Star Team" . Chicago Tribune . Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "1991 NBA All-Star Game: East 116, West 114" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved December 2, 2021 .
^ "1990–91 San Antonio Spurs Roster and Stats" . Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 16, 2021 .
^ Brown, Clifton (May 21, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Amid Pressing Matters, Jordan Accepts M.V.P." The New York Times . Retrieved September 5, 2022 .
^ Howard-Cooper, Scott (May 21, 1991). "NBA PLAYOFFS: Jordan Is MVP in Landslide Vote" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ Smith, Sam (May 21, 1991). "Jordan MVP by a Landslide" . Chicago Tribune . Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Rodman Is Named Defensive Player of Year" . The New York Times . May 14, 1991. Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "1990–91 NBA Awards Voting" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved January 3, 2022 .
^ "Chaney Gets Coaching Award, New Contract" . United Press International . May 23, 1991. Retrieved December 31, 2022 .
^ "Rockets' Chaney Named Coach of Year" . Chicago Tribune . May 24, 1991. Retrieved December 31, 2022 .
^ "San Antonio 130, Golden State 121" . United Press International . April 25, 1991. Retrieved September 5, 2022 .
^ "Plenty in Reserve" . Orlando Sentinel . April 29, 1991. Retrieved April 10, 2023 .
^ "1991 NBA Western Conference First Round Game 1: Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs Box Score, April 25, 1991" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "BASKETBALL; 4 Guards and 4 Games Do It for Warriors" . The New York Times . Associated Press. May 4, 1991. Retrieved March 10, 2022 .
^ "Warriors Unlikely Winners: NBA Playoffs: Golden State Eliminates Spurs in Four Games to Gain Series Against the Lakers" . Los Angeles Times . Associated Press. May 4, 1991. Retrieved September 5, 2022 .
^ Liotta, Tim (May 4, 1991). "Spurs Get Boot from Warriors" . The Washington Post . Retrieved September 22, 2022 .
^ "1991 NBA Western Conference First Round: Warriors vs. Spurs" . Basketball-Reference . Retrieved April 10, 2023 .
^ Aldridge, David (October 2, 1991). "Bullets Bring in Wingate for Shot in Backcourt" . The Washington Post . Retrieved November 22, 2022 .
^ "Transactions" . The New York Times . October 3, 1991. Retrieved January 19, 2022 .
^ Herbert, Steven (November 3, 1990). "The Lakers' 1990-1991 National Basketball Assn. season" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 15, 2021 .
^ "Spurs 110, Lakers 99" . United Press International . November 3, 1990. Retrieved April 10, 2023 .
^ "Pro Basketball; Spurs Overcome Injuries and Win" . The New York Times . Associated Press. November 4, 1990. Retrieved April 10, 2023 .
^ Heisler, Mark (November 4, 1990). "Spurs Use a 20-0 Ambush to Run Lakers Out of Town: Pro Basketball: San Antonio, Without Its Starting Guards, Gets Dunleavy Era Off on the Wrong Foot, 110-99. Worthy Scores 35" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved April 10, 2023 .