1991–92 NBA season

1991–92 NBA season
League	National Basketball Association
Sport	Basketball
Duration	November 1, 1991 – April 19, 1992
TV partner/s	NBC, TBS, TNT
Draft
Top draft pick	Larry Johnson
Picked by	Charlotte Hornets
Regular season
Season MVP	Michael Jordan (Chicago)
Top scorer	Michael Jordan (Chicago)
Playoffs
Eastern champions	Chicago Bulls
Eastern runners-up	Cleveland Cavaliers
Western champions	Portland Trail Blazers
Western runners-up	Utah Jazz
Finals
Finals champions	Chicago Bulls
Runners-up	Portland Trail Blazers
Finals MVP	Michael Jordan (Chicago)
NBA seasons
← 1990–91	1992–93 →

The 1991–92 NBA season was the 46th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Chicago Bulls winning their second-straight NBA Championship, beating the Portland Trail Blazers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.

Contents 1 Notable occurrences 2 Standings 2.1 By division 2.2 By conference 3 Statistics leaders 4 NBA awards 5 See also

Notable occurrences

• In one of the most shocking announcements in sports history, Lakers star Magic Johnson announces his retirement early in the season after receiving the news that he had tested HIV-positive.
• Philadelphia 76er Charles Barkley honors Johnson by switching from his usual number 34 to 32, which he will wear for the entire season. The 76ers had retired the number in honor of Billy Cunningham, who un-retired it for Barkley to wear.
• Due to back problems, Celtics star Larry Bird retires at the end of the season, thus bringing one of the most memorable eras in NBA history (Magic vs. Bird) to a close.
• The 1992 NBA All-Star Game was played at the Orlando Arena in Orlando, Florida, with the West defeating the East 153–113. In an emotionally charged game, Magic Johnson wins the game's MVP award; despite having retired from the game a few days into the season, fans were still able to vote him into the starting lineup because the printed ballots still featured Magic's name.
• In the wake of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers rescheduled and moved their home playoff games to the nearest area possible. Game 4 of the Lakers-Blazers series was played at Las Vegas' Thomas & Mack Center while Game 4 of the Clippers-Jazz series was played at Anaheim's Convention Center.
• The Utah Jazz play their first game at the Delta Center.
• The Phoenix Suns play their final season at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
• The Chicago Bulls set a franchise record with 67 wins in a season (later broken by the 1995-96 team).
• Dennis Rodman recorded 1,530 rebounds and averaged 18.7 rebounds per game in the regular season, both of which are the highest figures since 1972. It is the first of an NBA record seven consecutive rebounding titles for Rodman.
• Michael Jordan scored 35 points in the first half to set an NBA Finals record for most points in a half. His six three-pointers also set a record for most in a half.
• The Miami Heat are the first of the four late-1980s expansion franchises to make it to the playoffs. They are swept in the first round by the Bulls. Fourteen years later, they would become the first of those teams to win an NBA Championship.
• On December 17, the Cleveland Cavaliers crushed the Miami Heat by a score of 148-80. This 68-point win by the Cavaliers set the record for largest margin of victory in the history of the NBA.
• All NBA teams sport patches on their warmups commemorating the centennial anniversary of basketball. This was also the first of a six-year deal between the NBA and Champion Athletics as the league's official outfitter.
• The season marked the last time the Boston Celtics won 50 games (they won 51 that season) for nearly two decades. They would not win 50 games or more until the 2007-08 season.
• Following the first round loss to the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons head coach Chuck Daly resigned, ending the Pistons' 'Bad Boys' era.

Standings

By division Eastern Conference Atlantic Division v · d · e W L PCT GB Home Road Div y-Boston Celtics 51 31 .622 — 34–7 17–24 19-9 x-New York Knicks 51 31 .622 — 30-11 21-20 20-8 x-New Jersey Nets 40 42 .488 11 25-16 15-26 15-13 x-Miami Heat 38 44 .463 13 28-13 10-31 14-14 Philadelphia 76ers 35 47 .427 16 23-18 12-29 15-13 Washington Bullets 25 57 .305 26 14-27 11-30 7-21 Orlando Magic 21 61 .256 30 13-28 8-33 8-20 Central Divisionv · d · e W L PCT GB Home Road Div y-Chicago Bulls 67 15 .817 — 36–5 31–10 22–6 x-Cleveland Cavaliers 57 25 .695 10 35–6 22–19 21-7 x-Detroit Pistons 48 34 .585 19 25–16 23–18 15–13 x-Indiana Pacers 40 42 .488 27 26–15 14–27 13–15 Atlanta Hawks 38 44 .463 29 23-18 15–26 7-21 Charlotte Hornets 31 51 .378 36 22-19 9–32 10-18 Milwaukee Bucks 31 51 .378 36 25–16 6–35 10-18 Western Conference Midwest Divisionv · d · e W L PCT GB Home Road Div y-Utah Jazz 55 27 .671 — 37-4 18–23 20-6 x-San Antonio Spurs 47 35 .573 8 31–10 16–25 18-8 Houston Rockets 42 40 .512 13 28-13 14–27 12-14 Denver Nuggets 24 58 .293 21 18-23 6–35 8-18 Dallas Mavericks 22 60 .268 33 15-26 7-34 11-15 Minnesota Timberwolves 15 67 .183 40 9-32 6–35 9-17 Pacific Division v · d · e W L PCT GB Home Road Div y-Portland Trail Blazers 57 25 .695 — 33-8 24-17 21-9 x-Golden State Warriors 55 27 .671 2 31-10 24-17 19-11 x-Phoenix Suns 53 29 .646 4 36-5 17-24 17-13 x-Seattle SuperSonics 47 35 .573 10 28-13 19-22 16-14 x-Los Angeles Clippers 45 37 .549 12 29-12 16-25 13-17 x-Los Angeles Lakers 43 39 .578 14 24-17 19-22 13-17 Sacramento Kings 29 53 .354 28 21-20 8-33 6-24 By conference # Eastern Conference v · d · e Team W L PCT GB 1 z-Chicago Bulls 67 15 .817 – 2 y-Boston Celtics 51 31 .622 16 3 x-Cleveland Cavaliers 57 25 .695 10 4 x-New York Knicks 51 31 .622 16 5 x-Detroit Pistons 48 34 .585 19 6 x-New Jersey Nets 40 42 .488 27 7 x-Indiana Pacers 40 42 .488 27 8 x-Miami Heat 38 44 .463 29 9 Atlanta Hawks 38 44 .463 29 10 Philadelphia 76ers 35 47 .427 32 11t Milwaukee Bucks 31 51 .378 36 11t Charlotte Hornets 31 51 .378 36 13 Washington Bullets 25 57 .305 42 14 Orlando Magic 21 61 .256 46 # Western Conference v · d · e Team W L PCT GB 1 z-Portland Trail Blazers 57 25 .695 – 2 y-Utah Jazz 55 27 .671 2 3 x-Golden State Warriors 55 27 .671 2 4 x-Phoenix Suns 53 29 .646 4 5 x-San Antonio Spurs 47 35 .573 10 6 x-Seattle SuperSonics 47 35 .573 10 7 x-Los Angeles Clippers 45 37 .549 12 8 x-Los Angeles Lakers 43 39 .524 14 9 Houston Rockets 42 40 .512 15 10 Sacramento Kings 29 53 .354 28 11 Denver Nuggets 24 58 .293 33 12 Dallas Mavericks 22 60 .268 35 13 Minnesota Timberwolves 15 67 .183 42 Notes z – clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot Statistics leaders Category Player Team Stat Points per game Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls 30.1 Rebounds per game Dennis Rodman Detroit Pistons 18.7 Assists per game John Stockton Utah Jazz 13.7 Steals per game John Stockton Utah Jazz 3.0 Blocks per game David Robinson San Antonio Spurs 4.5 FG% Buck Williams Portland Trail Blazers 60.4 FT% Mark Price Cleveland Cavaliers 94.7 3FG% Dana Barros Seattle SuperSonics 44.6 NBA awards Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls Rookie of the Year: Larry Johnson, Charlotte Hornets Defensive Player of the Year: David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs Sixth Man of the Year: Detlef Schrempf, Indiana Pacers Most Improved Player: Pervis Ellison, Washington Bullets Coach of the Year: Don Nelson, Golden State Warriors All-NBA First Team: F - Karl Malone, Utah Jazz F - Chris Mullin, Golden State Warriors C - David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs G - Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls G - Clyde Drexler, Portland Trail Blazers All-NBA Second Team: F - Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls F - Charles Barkley, Philadelphia 76ers C - Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks G - Tim Hardaway, Golden State Warriors G - John Stockton, Utah Jazz All-NBA Third Team: F - Dennis Rodman, Detroit Pistons F - Kevin Willis, Atlanta Hawks C - Brad Daugherty, Cleveland Cavaliers G - Mark Price, Cleveland Cavaliers G - Kevin Johnson, Phoenix Suns All-NBA Rookie Team: Steve Smith, Miami Heat Larry Johnson, Charlotte Hornets Billy Owens, Golden State Warriors Stacey Augmon, Atlanta Hawks Dikembe Mutombo, Denver Nuggets NBA All-Defensive First Team: Dennis Rodman, Detroit Pistons Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls Joe Dumars, Detroit Pistons NBA All-Defensive Second Team: Larry Nance, Cleveland Cavaliers Buck Williams, Portland Trail Blazers Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks John Stockton, Utah Jazz Micheal Williams, Indiana Pacers Note: All information on this page were obtained on the History section on NBA.com See also v · d · eNBA seasons Also this year: 1991 Draft • 1992 Playoffs • 1992 Finals  • 1992 All-Star Game 1940s 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1950s 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1960s 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1970s 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1980s 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1990s 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 2000s 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2010s 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 v · d · e1991–92 NBA season by team 1991 NBA Draft • All-Star Game • Playoffs • Finals • Transactions Eastern Atlantic Boston • Miami • New Jersey • New York • Orlando • Philadelphia • Washington Central Atlanta • Charlotte • Chicago • Cleveland • Detroit • Indiana • Milwaukee Western Midwest Dallas • Denver • Houston • Minnesota • San Antonio • Utah Pacific Golden State • L.A. Clippers • L.A. Lakers • Phoenix • Portland • Sacramento • Seattle