[1] A year after missing the playoffs, the Mavericks received the eighth overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft, and selected Randy White out of Louisiana Tech,[2][3][4][5] and later on fired head coach John MacLeod at the end of November, replacing with him Richie Adubato.
[6] However, things would not all go smoothly for the Mavericks as Roy Tarpley found himself in hot water again, as he was arrested in November for driving under the influence of drugs.
[7][8] The Mavericks played above .500 for the first half of the season, holding a 26–22 record at the All-Star break.
[17] In the Western Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Mavericks were swept by the Portland Trail Blazers in three straight games.
The Blazers would lose to the defending champion Detroit Pistons in five games in the NBA Finals.