The 1988–89 NBA season was the Bulls' 23rd season in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Bulls acquired Bill Cartwright from the New York Knicks, then later on acquired three-point specialist Craig Hodges from the Phoenix Suns in December. The Bulls struggled with a 6–8 start to the season, but later on held a 27–19 record at the All-Star break. Despite losing eight of their final ten games, the team finished fifth in the Central Division with a 47–35 record. Michael Jordan led the league in scoring averaging 32.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 2.9 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, NBA All-Defensive First Team, was selected for the 1989 NBA All-Star Game, and finished in second place in Most Valuable Player voting behind Magic Johnson. In addition, second-year forward Scottie Pippen showed improvement, replacing Brad Sellers as the team's starting small forward during the season, and averaging 14.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game, while Cartwright provided the team with 12.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, and second-year forward Horace Grant provided with 12.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. Hodges contributed 10.0 points per game in 49 games with the Bulls, while Sam Vincent provided with 9.4 points and 4.8 assists per game, John Paxson contributed 7.3 points and 3.9 assists per game, and Sellers contributed 6.9 points per game. In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Bulls defeated the heavily favored, and 3rd-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, and the heavily favored, and 2nd-seeded New York Knicks in six games in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals. However, they would lose to the heavily favored, and top-seeded Detroit Pistons four games to two in the Eastern Conference finals. The Pistons would reach the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year, and defeat the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in four straight games, winning their first ever championship. Following the season, head coach Doug Collins was fired after three seasons with the Bulls, while Vincent was left unprotected in the 1989 NBA Expansion Draft, where he was selected by the newly expansion Orlando Magic, and Sellers was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics.

Draft picks

Roster

Regular season

In the 1988–89 season, Jordan again led the league in scoring, averaging 32.5 ppg on 53.8% shooting from the field. The Bulls finished with a 47–35 record, and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. On March 11, 1989, head coach Doug Collins moved Jordan to the point guard position. Two days later, Jordan finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 14 assists in just 30 minutes of a blowout win against the Pacers. Jordan continued at point guard through the rest of the regular season.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Regular season

Playoffs

Player stats

Regular season

Playoffs

Awards and honors