1990–91 Golden State Warriors season

{{short description|NBA professional basketball team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{NBA season

| team = Golden State Warriors

| end_year = 1991

| wins = 44

| losses = 38

| division = Pacific

| division_place = 4

| conf_place = 7

| coach = Don Nelson

| gm = Don Nelson

| owner = Jim Fitzgerald

| arena = Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena

| playoffs = Conference Semi-finals
(lost to Lakers 1–4)

| bbr_team = GSW

| television =

• KPIX
• KICU
• Pacific Sports Network

| radio = KNBR

}}

The 1990–91 NBA season was the Warriors' 45th season in the National Basketball Association, and 28th in the San Francisco Bay Area.[https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/GSW/1991.html 1990-91 Golden State Warriors] The trio of Chris Mullin, Mitch Richmond, and second-year star Tim Hardaway were given the name "Run TMC" during the season.{{cite news|last=Osborne |first=Ben |title=Original Old School: Run & Shoot & Shoot… |date=January 3, 2011 |work=SlamOnline.com |url=http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2011/01/original-old-school-run-shoot-shoot/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514042038/http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2011/01/original-old-school-run-shoot-shoot/ |archivedate=May 14, 2013 |url-status=live }} In the opening game, the Warriors defeated the Denver Nuggets 162–158, the highest-scoring regulation game in NBA history.{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Nuggets Run, Gun and Lose | work = The New York Times | date = November 3, 1990 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1990/11/03/sports/pro-basketball-nuggets-run-gun-and-lose.html | access-date = January 15, 2022}}{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = NBA ROUNDUP: Warriors Survive Nuggets' Pace, 162-158 | work = Los Angeles Times | date = November 3, 1990 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-03-sp-3089-story.html | access-date = April 10, 2023}}{{cite news | last = | first = | title = Warriors 162, Nuggets 158 | work = United Press International | date = November 3, 1990 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/11/03/Warriors-162-Nuggets-158/5987657608400/ | access-date = April 10, 2023}}{{cite news | title = Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets Box Score, November 2, 1990 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199011020DEN.html | access-date = February 1, 2022}} Despite their scoring prowess, the Warriors were limited defensively. The team got off to a solid start winning seven of their first nine games, but later on played around .500 along the way. On February 26, 1991, they lost 131–119 to the Orlando Magic despite the Run TMC trio each scoring more than 30 points (the rest of the team totaled 21 points).{{cite news | title = Late Tuesday Night: Magic 131, Warriors 119 | work = Tampa Bay Times | date = February 28, 1991 | url = https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1991/02/28/late-tuesday-night-magic-131-warriors-119/?outputType=amp | access-date = January 15, 2022}}{{cite news | title = Orlando Magic at Golden State Warriors Box Score, February 26, 1991 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199102260GSW.html | access-date = February 1, 2022}}{{cite news|last=Hoffman |first=Benjamin |title=Fascination Lingers for Three Stars of Warriors' Brief Run |date=February 16, 2013 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=http://offthedribble.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/16/fascination-lingers-for-three-stars-of-warriors-brief-run/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130221023800/http://offthedribble.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/16/fascination-lingers-for-three-stars-of-warriors-brief-run/ |archivedate=February 21, 2013 |url-status=live }} At midseason, the team signed rookie guard Mario Elie after a brief stint with the Philadelphia 76ers.{{cite news | title = Golden State Warriors: The 12 Best Free-Agent Signings in Team History | work = Bleacher-Report | date = April 15, 2011 | url = https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/666558-golden-state-warriors-the-12-best-free-agent-signings-in-team-history.amp.html | access-date = January 17, 2022}} The Warriors held a 26–20 record at the All-Star break,{{cite news | title = NBA Games Played on February 7, 1991 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/index.fcgi?month=2&day=7&year=1991 | access-date = November 21, 2022}} and won their final five games of the season, finishing fourth in the Pacific Division with a 44–38 record.{{cite web|title=1990–91 Golden State Warriors Schedule and Results|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/GSW/1991_games.html|access-date=October 16, 2021}}

Mullin averaged 25.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, while Richmond averaged 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, and Hardaway provided the team with 22.9 points, 9.7 assists and 2.6 steals per game. Mullin and Hardaway were both selected for the 1991 NBA All-Star Game.{{cite news | last = Smith | first = Sam | title = Pippen Bypassed for All-Star Team | work = Chicago Tribune | date = January 30, 1991 | url = https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-01-30-9101090666-story.html | access-date = November 22, 2022}}{{cite news | title = 1991 NBA All-Star Game: East 116, West 114 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_1991.html | access-date = December 2, 2021}} In addition, second-year guard Sarunas Marciulionis contributed 10.9 points per game off the bench, and sixth man Rod Higgins provided with 9.5 points per game off the bench.{{cite web|title=1990–91 Golden State Warriors Roster and Stats|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/GSW/1991.html|access-date=December 14, 2021}}

In the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Warriors lost Game 1 to the 2nd-seeded San Antonio Spurs on the road, 130–121,{{cite news | last = | first = | title = San Antonio 130, Golden State 121 | work = United Press International | date = April 25, 1991 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/04/25/San-Antonio-130-Golden-State-121/5198672552000/ | access-date = September 5, 2022}}{{cite news | agency = | title = Plenty in Reserve | work = Orlando Sentinel | date = April 29, 1991 | url = https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1991-04-29-9104290077-story.html | access-date = April 10, 2023}}{{cite news | title = 1991 NBA Western Conference First Round Game 1: Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs Box Score, April 25, 1991 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199104250SAS.html | access-date = November 22, 2022}} but would again pull off an upset by winning the next three games, thus the series.{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = BASKETBALL; 4 Guards and 4 Games Do It for Warriors | work = The New York Times | date = May 4, 1991 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/04/sports/basketball-4-guards-and-4-games-do-it-for-warriors.html | access-date = March 10, 2022}}{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Warriors Unlikely Winners: NBA Playoffs: Golden State Eliminates Spurs in Four Games to Gain Series Against the Lakers | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 4, 1991 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-04-sp-822-story.html | access-date = September 5, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Liotta | first = Tim | title = Spurs Get Boot from Warriors | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = May 4, 1991 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1991/05/04/spurs-get-boot-from-warriors/e2711a7d-8a21-4d9a-a8df-a63ef24f4111/ | access-date = September 22, 2022}}{{cite web | title = 1991 NBA Western Conference First Round: Warriors vs. Spurs | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1991-nba-western-conference-first-round-warriors-vs-spurs.html | access-date = April 10, 2023}} However, they would lose to Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers, four games to one in the Western Conference Semi-finals.{{cite news | last = Martinez | first = Michael | title = BASKETBALL: THREE TEAMS ADVANCE TO CONFERENCE FINALS; Lakers Prevail Over Warriors | work = The New York Times | date = May 15, 1991 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/15/sports/basketball-three-teams-advance-to-conference-finals-lakers-prevail-over-warriors.html | access-date = October 16, 2021}}{{cite news | last = Heisler | first = Mark | title = Lakers Pull Through in Clinch: Game 5: Campbell Has a Big Fourth Quarter as L.A. Beats the Warriors in Overtime, 124-119, and Advances to the conference finals Against Portland | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 15, 1991 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-15-sp-1593-story.html | access-date = August 27, 2022}}{{cite news | last = | first = | title = Worthy's Overtime Heroics Lift Lakers Over Warriors | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = May 15, 1991 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1991/05/15/worthys-overtime-heroics-lift-lakers-over-warriors/8e938076-58a7-4b64-beca-4112df41574d/ | access-date = December 31, 2022}}{{cite web | title = 1991 NBA Western Conference Semifinals: Warriors vs. Lakers | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1991-nba-western-conference-semifinals-warriors-vs-lakers.html | access-date = April 10, 2023}} The Lakers would lose in five games to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals.{{cite news | last = Barnes | first = Mike | title = Bulls Beat Lakers for Title, 108-101 | work = United Press International | date = June 12, 1991 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/06/12/Bulls-beat-Lakers-for-title-108-101/7329676699200/ | access-date = December 31, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Clifton | title = Jordan Crowns Career and Bulls Reign in N.B.A. | work = The New York Times | date = June 13, 1991 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/13/sports/jordan-crowns-career-and-bulls-reign-in-nba.html | access-date = December 31, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Heisler | first = Mark | title = NBA FINALS: LAKERS vs. CHICAGO BULLS: Bulls' Decree: Jordan Rules: Game 5: Chicago Wins First Championship by Sweeping at Forum, 108-101, But Depleted Lakers Go Down Fighting | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 13, 1991 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-06-13-sp-738-story.html | access-date = September 22, 2022}}{{cite news | last = Aldridge | first = David | title = Jordan, Co. Complete NBA Title Run, 108-101 | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = June 13, 1991 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1991/06/13/jordan-co-complete-nba-title-run-108-101/742aa591-d301-4e37-b927-d78a384e2ab3/ | access-date = September 22, 2022}}{{cite web | title = 1991 NBA Finals: Lakers vs. Bulls | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/1991-nba-finals-lakers-vs-bulls.html | access-date = April 10, 2023}}