Hornets vs Heat 1993 Eastern Conference Semifinals

Lore & Background

Alonzo Mourning was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the second overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft. Larry Johnson, drafted first overall by the Hornets in 1991, won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award for the 1991-92 season. Mourning was later traded to the Miami Heat in 1995.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Charlotte Coliseum hummed with anticipation during the spring of '93. The lights reflected off the polished hardwood as players took their warmups, unaware this was merely a prologue to years of heated competition. In Miami, the noise was just as electric, signaling that two young franchises were ready to challenge the old guard.

Reader's Guide

The Hornets finished the 1992-93 season with a 44-38 record, their first winning record and first playoff berth. They upset the Boston Celtics in the first round before falling to the New York Knicks in five games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Miami Heat finished the 1992-93 season with a 36-46 record and were eliminated in the first round by the Chicago Bulls.

Did You Know?

• Alonzo Mourning was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in 1992, not the Miami Heat.
• Larry Johnson won the NBA Rookie of the Year award for the 1991-92 season, not 1990.
• The Miami Heat's record in 1992-93 was 36-46, not 50-32.
• The Hornets lost in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 1993, not the first round.