L 91–100 || The Palace of Auburn Hills || 21,454 || 6–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 22 || December 20, 1988 || @ Milwaukee || L 115–125 || Bradley Center || 15,075 || 6–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 23 || December 21, 1988 || Milwaukee || L 100–112 || Charlotte Coliseum || 23,010 || 6–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 24 || December 23, 1988 || Chicago || W 103–101 || Charlotte Coliseum || 23,388 || 7–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 25 || December 26, 1988 || Houston || L 95–97 || Charlotte Coliseum || 23,388 || 7–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 26 || December 28, 1988 || @ Cleveland || L 98–122 || Richfield Coliseum || 17,353 || 7–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 27 || December 30, 1988 || New York || W 122–111 || Charlotte Coliseum || 23,388 || 8–19 |- |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 28 || January 3, 1989 || New Jersey || L 106–109 || Charlotte Coliseum || 23,388 || 8–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 29 || January 4, 1989 || @ Washington || L 86–109 || Capital Centre || || 8–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 30 || January 6, 1989 || @ Boston || L 92–115 || Boston Garden || 14,890 || 8–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 31 || January 7, 1989 || Washington || W 107–104 || Charlotte Coliseum || 23,388 || 9–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 32 || January 9, 1989 || Utah || L 92–114 || Charlotte Coliseum || 23,388 || 9–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 33 || January 11, 1989 || Chicago || L 101–106 || Charlotte Coliseum || 23,388 || 9–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 34 || January 12, 1989 || @ New York || L 89–106 || Madison Square Garden || 16,943 || 9–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 35 || January 15, 1989 || Philadelphia || L 109–116 || Charlotte Coliseum || 23,388 || 9–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 36 || January 16, 1989 || @ Philadelphia || W 127–122 (OT) || Spectrum || 10,116 || 10–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 37 || January 18, 1989 || @ Milwaukee || L 106–118 || Bradley Center || 16,145 || 10–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 38 || January 19, 1989 || Phoenix || L 112–126 || Charlotte Coliseum || 23,388 || 10–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="edbebf" | 39 || January 21, 1989 || @ Atlanta || L 113–137 || The Omni || 16,371