1991–92 Miami Heat season

1991–92 Miami Heat season
Head coachKevin Loughery
General managerLewis Schaffel
Owners
ArenaMiami Arena
Results
Record38–44 (.463)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Atlantic)
Conference: 8th (Eastern)
Playoff finishFirst round
(lost to Bulls 0–3)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
TelevisionWBFS-TV
SportsChannel Florida
(Eric Reid, Dave Wohl)
RadioWQAM
(Eric Reid, Dave Wohl)
WRFM
(Jose Paneda, Jorge Cunill)

The 1991–92 Miami Heat season was the fourth season for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association.[1] The Heat received the fifth overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard Steve Smith out of Michigan State University,[2][3][4] and also hired Kevin Loughery as their new head coach during the off-season.[5][6][7]

Under Loughery, and with the addition of Smith, the Heat got off to a fast start by winning seven of their first ten games of the regular season. However, the team soon fell below .500 in winning percentage by losing eight of their next nine games, as Sherman Douglas only played just five games due to poor conditioning; the Heat soon traded Douglas to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Brian Shaw in January.[8][9][10] With the addition of Shaw, the team continued to play below .500 as they held a 23–25 record at the All-Star break.[11] However, despite playing under .500 for the remainder of the season, the Heat finished in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a 38–44 record,[12] winning a tie-breaker for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference over the Atlanta Hawks, and qualifying for their first ever NBA playoff appearance in franchise history.[13][14]

Glen Rice averaged 22.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, and led the Heat with 155 three-point field goals, while Rony Seikaly averaged 16.4 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, and Grant Long provided the team with 14.8 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. In addition, Smith contributed 12.0 points and 4.6 assists per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, while second-year forward Willie Burton provided with 11.2 points per game. Off the bench, Kevin Edwards averaged 10.1 points and 1.2 steals per game, while second-year guard Bimbo Coles contributed 10.1 points and 4.5 assists per game, second-year forward Alec Kessler provided with 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, and second-year forward Keith Askins averaged 3.7 points per game.[15]

The Heat also posted a very successful 28–13 home record at the Miami Arena during the regular season, but struggled on the road with a 10–31 record away from home.[16] Rice finished tied in fourth place in Most Improved Player voting, while Long finished tied in eighth place,[17] and Loughery finished tied in ninth place in Coach of the Year voting.[17]

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1992 NBA playoffs, the Heat faced off against Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and the top–seeded and defending NBA champion Chicago Bulls. The Heat were swept by the Bulls in three straight games, as Jordan scored 56 points in Game 3, in which the Bulls defeated the Heat at the Miami Arena, 119–114.[18][19][20] The Bulls would defeat the Portland Trail Blazers in six games in the 1992 NBA Finals, winning their second consecutive NBA championship.[21][22][23] Following the season, Jon Sundvold was released to free agency.

On December 17, 1991, the Heat suffered a 68-point road loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 148–80 at the Coliseum at Richfield, as the Cavaliers had set an NBA record with the second largest margin of victory in a game.[24][25][26]

Draft picks

Main article: 1991 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team
1 5 Steve Smith SG  United States Michigan State
2 29 George Ackles C/PF  United States UNLV

Roster

1991–92 Miami Heat roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
SF 2 Keith Askins 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 197 lb (89 kg) 1967–12–15 Alabama
SF 30 Winston Bennett 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1965–02–09 Kentucky
SF 34 Willie Burton 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1968–05–26 Minnesota
PG 12 Bimbo Coles 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1968–04–22 Virginia Tech
PG 21 Kevin Edwards 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1965–10–30 DePaul
C 33 Alec Kessler 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1967–01–13 Georgia
PF 43 Grant Long 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1966–03–12 Eastern Michigan
PG 23 John Morton 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1967–05–18 Seton Hall
C 53 Alan Ogg 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1967–07–05 UAB
SF 41 Glen Rice 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1967–05–28 Michigan
C 4 Rony Seikaly 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1965–05–10 Syracuse
SG 22 Brian Shaw 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1966–03–22 UC Santa Barbara
SG 3 Steve Smith 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1969–03–31 Michigan State
PG 20 Jon Sundvold 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1961–07–02 Missouri
Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster
Updated: April 10, 1992

Regular season

Season standings

Atlantic Division
 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
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
#
Eastern Conference
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
11 Milwaukee Bucks 31 51 .378 36
12 Charlotte Hornets 31 51 .378 36
13 Washington Bullets 25 57 .305 42
14 Orlando Magic 21 61 .256 46
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

1992 playoff game log
First Round: 0–3 (home: 0–1; road: 0–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 April 24 @ Chicago L 94–113 Steve Smith (19) Rony Seikaly (11) Steve Smith (7) Chicago Stadium
18,676 		0–1
2 April 26 @ Chicago L 90–120 Rony Seikaly (26) Rony Seikaly (7) Bimbo Coles (4) Chicago Stadium
18,676 		0–2
3 April 29 Chicago L 114–119 Glen Rice (25) Rony Seikaly (12) Shaw, Smith (6) Miami Arena
15,008 		0–3
1992 schedule

Player statistics

Ragular season

Player POS GP GS MP REB AST STL BLK PTS MPG RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Grant Long PF 82 82 3,063 691 225 139 40 1,212 37.4 8.4 2.7 1.7 .5 14.8
Bimbo Coles PG 81 28 1,976 189 366 73 13 816 24.4 2.3 4.5 .9 .2 10.1
Kevin Edwards PG 81 1 1,840 211 170 99 20 819 22.7 2.6 2.1 1.2 .2 10.1
Glen Rice SF 79 79 3,007 394 184 90 35 1,765 38.1 5.0 2.3 1.1 .4 22.3
Rony Seikaly C 79 78 2,800 934 109 40 121 1,296 35.4 11.8 1.4 .5 1.5 16.4
Alec Kessler PF 77 4 1,197 314 34 17 32 410 15.5 4.1 .4 .2 .4 5.3
Willie Burton SF 68 50 1,585 244 123 46 37 762 23.3 3.6 1.8 .7 .5 11.2
Steve Smith SG 61 59 1,806 188 278 59 19 729 29.6 3.1 4.6 1.0 .3 12.0
Keith Askins SF 59 4 843 142 38 40 15 219 14.3 2.4 .6 .7 .3 3.7
Brian Shaw† PG 46 23 987 135 161 45 12 320 21.5 2.9 3.5 1.0 .3 7.0
Alan Ogg C 43 0 367 74 7 5 28 108 8.5 1.7 .2 .1 .7 2.5
John Morton† SF 21 0 216 19 27 12 1 92 10.3 .9 1.3 .6 .0 4.4
Miloš Babić C 9 0 35 11 6 1 0 18 3.9 1.2 .7 .1 .0 2.0
Sherman Douglas† PG 5 2 98 6 19 4 0 37 19.6 1.2 3.8 .8 .0 7.4
Jon Sundvold PG 3 0 8 0 2 0 0 3 2.7 .0 .7 .0 .0 1.0
Winston Bennett† SF 2 0 2 1 0 0 0 2 1.0 .5 .0 .0 .0 1.0
  • † Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Heat only.

Playoffs

Player POS GP GS MP REB AST STL BLK PTS MPG RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Grant Long PF 3 3 120 15 8 5 0 37 40.0 5.0 2.7 1.7 .0 12.3
Glen Rice SF 3 3 119 10 5 2 0 57 39.7 3.3 1.7 .7 .0 19.0
Rony Seikaly C 3 3 117 30 4 1 5 62 39.0 10.0 1.3 .3 1.7 20.7
Steve Smith SG 3 3 100 6 15 4 1 48 33.3 2.0 5.0 1.3 .3 16.0
Brian Shaw PG 3 3 85 13 12 2 0 36 28.3 4.3 4.0 .7 .0 12.0
Kevin Edwards PG 3 0 55 7 7 2 0 15 18.3 2.3 2.3 .7 .0 5.0
Keith Askins SF 3 0 48 9 3 1 0 13 16.0 3.0 1.0 .3 .0 4.3
Bimbo Coles PG 3 0 45 7 6 3 0 23 15.0 2.3 2.0 1.0 .0 7.7
Alan Ogg C 3 0 15 1 0 1 3 3 5.0 .3 .0 .3 1.0 1.0
Alec Kessler PF 2 0 12 1 0 0 0 2 6.0 .5 .0 .0 .0 1.0
John Morton SF 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 2.0 .0 .0 .0 .0 2.0
Jon Sundvold PG 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2.0 .0 .0 .0 .0 .0

Awards and records

Transactions

References

  1. ^ "1991-92 Miami Heat". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  2. ^ Goldaper, Sam (June 27, 1991). "BASKETBALL; Hornets Make Johnson No. 1 Pick in the Draft". The New York Times. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  3. ^ Heisler, Mark (June 27, 1991). "Beyond 6 Players, It's a Reach: NBA Draft: Three UNLV Players Are Selected in the First Round, Including Larry Johnson as No. 1 by the Hornets". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  4. ^ "1991 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  5. ^ "Loughery Named Heat Coach". United Press International. June 17, 1991. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  6. ^ "Loughery Takes Miami Heat Job". Los Angeles Times. Staff and Wire Reports. June 18, 1991. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  7. ^ Farrell, Charles S. (June 22, 1991). "In Sports, Race Still Calls the Plays". The New York Times. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  8. ^ "Celtics Trade Shaw to Heat for Douglas". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. January 11, 1992. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  9. ^ Winderman, Ira (January 11, 1992). "Douglas to Celtics for Shaw". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  10. ^ Brown, Clifton (January 12, 1992). "PRO BASKETBALL; Injured Celtics Send Shaw to the Heat for Douglas". The New York Times. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  11. ^ "NBA Games Played on February 6, 1992". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  12. ^ "1991–92 Miami Heat Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  13. ^ "Surging Celtics Win Atlantic Division". Tampa Bay Times. April 20, 1992. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  14. ^ "No Layoff – Playoff O.K., Heat Back in, But It's in". Sun Sentinel. April 20, 1992. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
  15. ^ "1991–92 Miami Heat Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  16. ^ Miami Heat (1988-Present)
  17. ^ a b "1991–92 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  18. ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Jordan Scores 56 Points, Finishing Sweep of Heat". The New York Times. April 30, 1992. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  19. ^ "Jordan Warms to Task, Hits 56, Eliminates Heat". The Washington Post. April 30, 1992. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  20. ^ "1992 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Heat vs. Bulls". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  21. ^ Brown, Clifton (June 15, 1992). "With Jordan Starring, Bulls Make It a Rerun". The New York Times. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  22. ^ Heisler, Mark (June 15, 1992). "Bull Reserves Take Title by Horns: Game 6: Along with Pippen, They Go on a Late 14-2 Run That Carries Chicago to a 97-93 Victory". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  23. ^ "1992 NBA Finals: Trail Blazers vs. Bulls". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
  24. ^ "Cavaliers Set NBA Record, Beating Heat by 68 Points". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. December 18, 1991. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  25. ^ Winderman, Ira (December 18, 1991). "Heat Is Beaten by 68 Points". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  26. ^ "Miami Heat at Cleveland Cavaliers Box Score, December 17, 1991". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
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