1993–94 Boston Celtics season

The 1993–94 NBA season was the 48th season for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association.^[1] Tragedy struck the team prior to the season when star guard, and team captain Reggie Lewis died of cardiac arrest during practice at the age of 27 on July 27, 1993; Lewis previously collapsed during Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Charlotte Hornets in the 1993 NBA Playoffs.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} Croatian rookie forward Dino Radja, who was drafted by the Celtics in the 1989 NBA draft, would finally make his debut in the NBA.^[7][8]

1993–94 Boston Celtics season
Head coach	Chris Ford
General manager	M.L. Carr
Arena	Boston Garden Hartford Civic Center
Results
Record	32–50 (.390)
Place	Division: 5th (Atlantic) Conference: 10th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	WSBK-TV WBZ-TV SportsChannel New England
Radio	WEEI
< 1992–93 1994–95 >

The Celtics started strong with a 6–2 start to the season, and then played mostly mediocre basketball the rest of the season, hovering at around .500 until right before Christmas when they went on a 7-game losing streak. The Celtics had a 7-game winning streak in January, and held a 20–27 record at the All-Star break,^[9] but also had a winless month in February, where they suffered a 13-game losing streak which they never recovered from,^[10][11] as they finished fifth in the Atlantic Division with a disappointing 32–50 record.^[12]

This season marked the first since 1978–79 that the Celtics failed to qualify for the NBA Playoffs (a streak of 14 seasons).^[13][14] The absence of Lewis, and the retirements over the previous two seasons of Larry Bird and Kevin McHale contributed to the poor season. Dee Brown led the team with 15.5 points and 2.0 steals per game, while Radja averaged 15.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, and Sherman Douglas provided the team with 13.3 points and 8.8 assists per game. In addition, long-time Celtics center Robert Parish averaged 11.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, while Kevin Gamble provided with 11.5 points per game, and Rick Fox contributed 10.8 points per game.^[15]

Following the season, Parish signed as a free agent with the Charlotte Hornets,^{[16][17][18][19]} while Gamble signed with the Miami Heat,^[20][21][22] and Ed Pinckney was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.^[23][24]

Draft picks

Main article: 1993 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	19	Acie Earl	C	United States	Iowa

Roster

1993–94 Boston Celtics roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From C 4 Abdelnaby, Alaa 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1968–06–24 Duke G 7 Brown, Dee 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 1968–11–29 Jacksonville G 12 Corchiani, Chris 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1968–03–28 NC State G 20 Douglas, Sherman 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1966–09–15 Syracuse C 55 Earl, Acie 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1970–06–23 Iowa F 44 Fox, Rick 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1969–07–24 North Carolina F 34 Gamble, Kevin 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1965–11–13 Iowa G 43 Harris, Tony 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1967–05–13 New Orleans G 30 Lichti, Todd 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1967–01–08 Stanford F 31 McDaniel, Xavier 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1963–06–03 Wichita State G 27 Oliver, Jimmy 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1969–07–12 Purdue C 00 Parish, Robert 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1953–08–30 Centenary F 54 Pinckney, Ed 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1963–03–27 Villanova F 40 Radja, Dino 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1967–04–24 Croatia C 50 Wenstrom, Matt 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1970–11–04 North Carolina

Head coach Chris Ford Assistant coach(es) Don Casey Jon Jennings Dennis Johnson Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

Roster Notes

• Center Alaa Abdelnaby holds both American and Egyptian citizenship.

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division v t e	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-New York Knicks	57	25	.695	—	32–9	25–16	18–10
x-Orlando Magic	50	32	.610	7	31–10	19–22	20–8
x-New Jersey Nets	45	37	.549	12	29–12	16–25	17–11
x-Miami Heat	42	40	.512	15	22–19	20–21	16–12
Boston Celtics	32	50	.390	25	18–23	14–27	12–16
Philadelphia 76ers	25	57	.305	32	15–26	10–31	7–21
Washington Bullets	24	58	.293	33	17–24	7–34	8–20

#	Eastern Conference v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	c-Atlanta Hawks	57	25	.695	–
2	y-New York Knicks	57	25	.695	–
3	x-Chicago Bulls	55	27	.671	2
4	x-Orlando Magic	50	32	.610	7
5	x-Indiana Pacers	47	35	.573	10
6	x-Cleveland Cavaliers	47	35	.573	10
7	x-New Jersey Nets	45	37	.549	12
8	x-Miami Heat	42	40	.512	15
9	Charlotte Hornets	41	41	.500	16
10	Boston Celtics	32	50	.390	25
11	Philadelphia 76ers	25	57	.305	32
12	Washington Bullets	24	58	.293	33
13t	Milwaukee Bucks	20	62	.244	37
13t	Detroit Pistons	20	62	.244	37

Record vs. opponents

1993-94 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	–	4–0	4–1	2–3	3–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	3–2	1–1	1–1	3–1	5–0	2–0	1–3	2–2	3–1	4–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0
Boston	0–4	–	0–4	2–2	1–3	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–3	3–1	1–1	1–4	0–4	2–2	4–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	3–2
Charlotte	1–4	4–0	–	1–4	1–4	1–1	1–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–1	2–0	1–3	3–2	2–0	2–2	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2
Chicago	3–2	2–2	4–1	–	1–3	2–0	1–1	5–0	2–0	1–1	4–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	4–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–0
Cleveland	1–3	3–1	4–1	3–1	–	2–0	1–1	3–2	2–0	0–2	2–3	2–0	1–1	1–3	3–2	2–0	2–2	0–4	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1
Dallas	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	–	1–4	1–1	0–4	1–4	0–2	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	5–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	2–2	0–5	0–4	0–5	1–1
Denver	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–1	–	2–0	1–3	3–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–0	4–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–4	2–2	1–4	1–1
Detroit	0–4	1–3	0–4	0–5	2–3	1–1	0–2	–	0–2	0–2	1–4	1–1	0–2	2–2	1–4	2–0	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–2
Golden State	2–0	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	4–0	3–1	2–0	–	0–4	1–1	4–1	5–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–3	3–2	4–1	2–2	1–4	3–1	2–0
Houston	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–1	2–3	2–0	4–0	–	1–1	4–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	4–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	4–0	4–0	2–3	2–2	3–3	1–1
Indiana	2–3	4–0	2–2	1–4	3–2	2–0	1–1	4–1	1–1	1–1	–	2–0	0–2	3–1	3–1	2–0	3–1	0–4	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1
L.A. Clippers	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	4–0	1–3	1–1	1–4	0–4	0–2	–	2–3	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–5	2–3	3–2	1–3	1–4	1–3	1–1
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–0	1–3	2–0	0–5	1–3	2–0	3–2	–	1–1	2–0	3–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	3–2	0–5	1–4	0–4	0–5	2–2	1–1
Miami	1–3	3–2	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	–	4–0	2–0	2–3	2–2	2–3	4–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1
Milwaukee	0–5	1–3	2–3	0–4	2–3	2–0	0–2	4–1	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–4	–	0–2	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–3
Minnesota	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–5	1–4	0–2	2–2	1–4	0–2	3–1	1–3	0–2	2–0	–	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–4	0–4	2–2	1–4	0–4	1–4	0–2
New Jersey	3–1	4–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	3–2	3–1	1–1	–	4–1	0–5	3–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1
New York	2–2	4–0	1–3	3–1	4–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	1–1	0–2	4–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	4–0	2–0	1–4	–	3–2	3–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	5–0
Orlando	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	3–2	3–1	1–1	5–0	2–3	–	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–1
Philadelphia	0–4	1–4	1–3	1–3	0–4	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	0–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–4	3–1	0–2	1–3	2–3	0–4	–	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–3
Phoenix	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	1–1	3–2	2–2	1–1	5–0	2–3	2–0	2–0	4–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	–	3–2	4–1	3–1	2–3	2–2	2–0
Portland	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	3–1	3–1	2–0	2–3	0–4	1–1	3–2	5–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–0	2–3	–	4–1	1–3	1–4	1–3	2–0
Sacramento	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–4	0–4	0–2	2–3	4–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–4	1–4	–	1–3	0–5	1–3	2–0
San Antonio	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	5–0	4–2	1–1	2–2	3–2	2–0	3–1	4–0	2–0	2–0	4–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	3–1	3–1	–	0–4	0–5	2–0
Seattle	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–1	4–1	2–2	1–1	4–1	5–0	1–1	2–0	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–2	4–1	5–0	4–0	–	3–1	2–0
Utah	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	5–0	4–1	2–0	1–3	3–3	1–1	3–1	2–2	1–1	2–0	4–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	5–0	1–3	–	2–0
Washington	0–4	2–3	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–3	3–1	2–0	1–3	0–5	1–4	3–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	—

Game log

Player statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Regular season

Boston Celtics statistics

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Alaa Abdelnaby	13	0	12.2	.436		.640	3.5	.2	.2	.2	4.9
Dee Brown	77	76	37.2	.480	.313	.831	3.9	4.5	2.0	.6	15.5
Chris Corchiani	51	0	9.2	.426	.289	.684	.9	1.7	.4	.0	2.3
Sherman Douglas	78	78	35.8	.462	.232	.641	2.5	8.8	1.1	.1	13.3
Acie Earl	74	8	15.5	.406	.000	.675	3.3	.2	.3	.7	5.5
Rick Fox	82	53	25.6	.467	.330	.757	4.3	2.6	1.0	.6	10.8
Kevin Gamble	75	28	25.1	.458	.243	.817	2.1	2.0	.8	.3	11.5
Tony Harris	5	0	17.6	.290	.333	.920	2.0	1.6	.8	.0	8.8
Todd Lichti†	4	0	12.0	.429		.500	2.0	1.5	1.3	.3	4.8
Xavier McDaniel	82	5	24.0	.461	.244	.676	4.9	1.5	.6	.5	11.3
Jimmy Oliver	44	6	12.3	.416	.406	.758	1.0	.8	.4	.0	4.9
Robert Parish	74	74	26.9	.491		.740	7.3	1.1	.6	1.3	11.7
Ed Pinckney	76	35	20.1	.522		.736	6.3	.8	.8	.6	5.2
Dino Rađa	80	47	28.8	.521	.000	.751	7.2	1.4	.9	.8	15.1
Matt Wenstrom	11	0	3.4	.600		.600	1.1	.0	.0	.2	1.6

• ^† Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Celtics only.

Awards and records

• Dino Radja, NBA All-Rookie Team 2nd Team

Transactions

Additions

Player	Signed	Former Team
Jimmy Oliver		Pescanova Ferrol
Chris Corchiani

References

1. 1993-94 Boston Celtics
2. Thomas Jr., Robert McG. (July 28, 1993). "PRO BASKETBALL; Celtics' Lewis Dies After Collapsing in a Gym". The New York Times. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
3. Almond, Elliott (July 28, 1993). "Celtics' Lewis Collapses on Court, Dies: Pro Basketball: Boston's Leading Scorer Had Been Warned of Possible Danger Because of Heart Condition". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
4. Nakamura, David (July 28, 1993). "Celtics' Lewis Dies After Collapsing". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
5. Kent, Milton (July 28, 1993). "Celtics' Reggie Lewis Collapses, Dies; Dunbar Graduate Collapses 2nd Time in Three Months". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
6. Greenberg, Alan (July 28, 1993). "After Sudden Collapse, an End to a Young Life". Hartford Courant. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
7. "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Celtics Complete Radja Deal". The New York Times. July 10, 1993. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
8. Arace, Michael (November 2, 1993). "Celtics' Radja Proving He Belongs". Hartford Courant. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
9. "NBA Games Played on February 10, 1994". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
10. "NBA ROUNDUP: Home No Help for Celtics". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. March 3, 1994. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
11. "Cavs Deal Celtics 13th Straight Loss". The Oklahoman. March 3, 1994. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
12. "1993–94 Boston Celtics Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
13. Arace, Michael (July 24, 1994). "Instantly, the Celtics Are Credible". Hartford Courant. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
14. "Boston Celtics". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
15. "1993–94 Boston Celtics Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
16. "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Parish Signs Multiyear Deal with Hornets". The New York Times. August 5, 1994. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
17. "Parish Joins Hornets as Mourning's Backup". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. August 5, 1994. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
18. Smith, Sam (August 5, 1994). "Parish Signs Deal with Hornets; Brickowski Bullish on Chicago?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
19. "Parish Signs Deal with Charlotte". Deseret News. Associated Press. August 5, 1994. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
20. Winderman, Ira (October 8, 1994). "New Motivation in Heat's Camp". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
21. Patton, Robes (October 28, 1994). "Loughery Keeps Looking for the Right Combination". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
22. "Eastern Conference". The Washington Post. November 4, 1994. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
23. Heisler, Mark (June 30, 1994). "NBA DRAFT: Blockbuster Trade That Wasn't Overshadows Player Selections". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
24. "Bucks Trade Edwards to Celtics". United Press International. June 30, 1994. Retrieved January 19, 2022.

See also

• 1993–94 NBA season