1986–87 NBA season

The 1986–87 NBA season was the 41st season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning their fourth championship of the decade, beating the Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.

1986–87 NBA season
LeagueNational Basketball Association
SportBasketball
DurationOct 31, 1986 – Apr 19, 1987
Apr 23 – May 30, 1987 (Playoffs)
Jun 2–14, 1987 (Finals)
Number of teams23
TV partner(s)CBS, TBS
Draft
Top draft pickBrad Daugherty
Picked byCleveland Cavaliers
Regular season
Top seedLos Angeles Lakers
Season MVPMagic Johnson (L.A. Lakers)
Top scorerMichael Jordan (Chicago)
Playoffs
Eastern championsBoston Celtics
  Eastern runners-upDetroit Pistons
Western championsLos Angeles Lakers
  Western runners-upSeattle SuperSonics
Finals
ChampionsLos Angeles Lakers
  Runners-upBoston Celtics
Finals MVPMagic Johnson (L.A. Lakers)

Notable occurrences

Coaching changes
Offseason
Team 1985–86 coach 1986–87 coach
San Antonio Spurs Cotton Fitzsimmons Bob Weiss
Portland Trail Blazers Jack Ramsay Mike Schuler
Chicago Bulls Stan Albeck Doug Collins
Cleveland Cavaliers Gene Littles Lenny Wilkens
Indiana Pacers George Irvine Jack Ramsay
Golden State Warriors Johnny Bach George Karl
In-season
Team Outgoing coach Incoming coach
New York Knicks Hubie Brown Bob Hill
Phoenix Suns John MacLeod Dick Van Arsdale
Sacramento Kings Phil Johnson Jerry Reynolds

Final standings

By division

Atlantic Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Boston Celtics 5923.72039–220–2115–9
x-Philadelphia 76ers 4537.5491428–1317–2412–12
x-Washington Bullets 4240.5121727–1415–2613–11
New Jersey Nets 2458.2933519–225–3612–12
New York Knicks 2458.2933518–236–358–16
Central Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Atlanta Hawks 5725.69535–622–1917–13
x-Detroit Pistons 5230.634532–920–2117–13
x-Milwaukee Bucks 5032.610732–918–2317–13
x-Indiana Pacers 4141.5001628–1313–2813–16
x-Chicago Bulls 4042.4881729–1211–3017–12
Cleveland Cavaliers 3151.3782625–166–358–22
Midwest Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Dallas Mavericks 5527.67135–620–2119–11
x-Utah Jazz 4438.5371131–1013–2819–11
x-Houston Rockets 4240.5121325–1617–2419–11
x-Denver Nuggets 3745.4511827–1410–3114–16
Sacramento Kings 2953.3542620–219–3210–20
San Antonio Spurs 2854.3412721–207–349–21
Pacific Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers 6517.79337–428–1324–6
x-Portland Trail Blazers 4933.5981634–715–2617–13
x-Golden State Warriors 4240.5122325–1617–2417–13
x-Seattle SuperSonics 3943.4762625–1614–2715–15
Phoenix Suns 3646.4392926–1510–3114–16
Los Angeles Clippers 1270.146539–323–383–27

By conference

# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Boston Celtics5923.720
2 y-Atlanta Hawks5725.6952
3 x-Detroit Pistons5230.6347
4 x-Milwaukee Bucks5032.6109
5 x-Philadelphia 76ers4537.54914
6 x-Washington Bullets4240.51217
7 x-Indiana Pacers4141.50018
8 x-Chicago Bulls4042.48819
9 Cleveland Cavaliers3151.37828
10 New Jersey Nets2458.29335
11 New York Knicks2458.29335


# Western Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Los Angeles Lakers6517.793
2 y-Dallas Mavericks5527.67110
3 x-Portland Trail Blazers4933.59816
4 x-Utah Jazz4438.53721
5 x-Golden State Warriors4240.51223
6 x-Houston Rockets4240.51223
7 x-Seattle SuperSonics3943.47626
8 x-Denver Nuggets3745.45128
9 Phoenix Suns3646.43929
10 Sacramento Kings2953.35436
11 San Antonio Spurs2854.34137
12 Los Angeles Clippers1270.14653


Notes

  • z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs
  • c – Clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs
  • y – Clinched division title
  • x – Clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Home court advantage does not necessarily belong to the higher-seeded team, but instead the team with the better regular season record; teams enjoying the home advantage are shown in italics.

  First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
                                     
E1 Boston* 3  
E8 Chicago 0  
  E1 Boston* 4  
  E4 Milwaukee 3  
E4 Milwaukee 3
E5 Philadelphia 2  
  E1 Boston* 4  
Eastern Conference
  E3 Detroit 3  
E3 Detroit 3  
E6 Washington 0  
  E3 Detroit 4
  E2 Atlanta* 1  
E2 Atlanta* 3
E7 Indiana 1  
  E1 Boston* 2
  W1 LA Lakers* 4
W1 LA Lakers* 3  
W8 Denver 0  
  W1 LA Lakers* 4
  W5 Golden State 1  
W4 Utah 2
W5 Golden State 3  
  W1 LA Lakers* 4
Western Conference
  W7 Seattle 0  
W3 Portland 1  
W6 Houston 3  
  W6 Houston 2
  W7 Seattle 4  
W2 Dallas* 1
W7 Seattle 3  


* Division winner
Bold Series winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

Statistics leaders

CategoryPlayerTeamStat
Points per gameMichael JordanChicago Bulls37.1
Rebounds per gameCharles BarkleyPhiladelphia 76ers14.6
Assists per gameMagic JohnsonLos Angeles Lakers12.2
Steals per gameAlvin RobertsonSan Antonio Spurs3.21
Blocks per gameMark EatonUtah Jazz4.06
FG%Kevin McHaleBoston Celtics.604
FT%Larry BirdBoston Celtics.910
3FG%Kiki VandeweghePortland Trail Blazers.481

NBA awards

Yearly awards

Note: All above information were obtained on the History section on NBA.com

Player of the week

The following players were named NBA Player of the Week.

Week Player
October 31 – November 9 Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)
November 10 – November 16 Robert Parish (Boston Celtics)
November 17 – November 23 Alvin Robertson (San Antonio Spurs)
November 24 – November 30 Hot Rod Williams (Cleveland Cavaliers)
December 1 – December 7 Tom Chambers (Seattle SuperSonics)
December 8 – December 14 Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks)
December 15 – December 21 Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)
December 22 – December 28 Patrick Ewing (New York Knicks)
December 29 – January 4 Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)
January 5 – January 11 Isiah Thomas (Detroit Pistons)
January 12 – January 19 Otis Thorpe (Sacramento Kings)
January 20 – January 26 Alex English (Denver Nuggets)
January 27 – February 1 Fat Lever (Denver Nuggets)
February 2 – February 15 Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)
February 16 – February 22 Moses Malone (Washington Bullets)
February 23 – March 1 Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)
March 2 – March 8 Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)
March 9 – March 15 Karl Malone (Utah Jazz)
March 16 – March 22 Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)
March 23 – March 29 Larry Smith (Golden State Warriors)
March 30 – April 5 Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)
April 6 – April 12 Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)
April 13 – April 15 Julius Erving (Philadelphia 76ers)

Player of the month

The following players were named NBA Player of the Month.

Month Player
November Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)
December Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)
January Charles Barkley (Philadelphia 76ers)
February Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)
March Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)

Rookie of the month

The following players were named NBA Rookie of the Month.

Month Rookie
November Chuck Person (Indiana Pacers)
December Ron Harper (Cleveland Cavaliers)
January Ron Harper (Cleveland Cavaliers)
February Chuck Person (Indiana Pacers)
March Brad Daugherty (Cleveland Cavaliers)

Coach of the month

The following coaches were named NBA Coach of the Month.

Month Coach
November Pat Riley (Los Angeles Lakers)
December Frank Layden (Utah Jazz)
January Bill Fitch (Houston Rockets)
February Mike Schuler (Portland Trail Blazers)
March George Karl (Golden State Warriors)

Notables

First games

The following is a list of notable players who played their first NBA game during the 1986–87 season, listed with their first team.

* Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
PlayerTeamNotability
Brad DaughertyCleveland CavaliersFirst overall pick in the 1986 Draft
Five-time NBA All-Star
One-time All-NBA Team
1986–87 All-Rookie Team
Chuck PersonIndiana Pacers1986–87 NBA Rookie of the Year winner
1986–87 All-Rookie Team
Dennis Rodman*Detroit PistonsTwo-time NBA All-Star
Two-time All-NBA Team
Eight-time All-Defensive Team
Two-time Defensive Player of the Year
Five-time NBA champion
Mark PriceCleveland CavaliersFour-time NBA All-Star
Four-time All-NBA Team
Kevin DuckworthPortland Trail BlazersTwo-time NBA All-Star
1987–88 Most Improved Player
Jeff HornacekPhoenix SunsOne-time NBA All-Star
Scott SkilesMilwaukee Bucks1990–91 Most Improved Player
Roy TarpleyDallas MavericksOne-time Sixth Man of the Year
1986–87 All-Rookie Team
Dell CurryUtah JazzOne-time Sixth Man of the Year
Nate McMillanSeattle SuperSonicsTwo-time All-Defensive Team
Ron HarperCleveland CavaliersFive-time NBA champion
1986–87 All-Rookie Team
John "Hot Rod" WilliamsCleveland Cavaliers1986–87 All-Rookie Team
John SalleyDetroit PistonsFour-time NBA champion

Last games

PlayerTeamNotability
Julius Erving*Philadelphia 76ers11-time NBA All-Star
Seven-time All-NBA Team
One-time NBA MVP
Two-time NBA All-Star Game MVP
One-time NBA champion
Eddie JohnsonSeattle SuperSonicsTwo-time NBA All-Star
Two-time All-Defensive Team
Dan RoundfieldWashington BulletsThree-time NBA All-Star
One-time All-NBA Team
Five-time All-Defensive Team
Bill Walton*Boston CelticsFirst overall pick in the 1974 Draft
Two-time NBA All-Star
Two-time All-NBA Team
Two-time All-Defensive Team
One-time NBA MVP
One-time NBA Finals MVP
One-time Sixth Man of the Year
Two-time NBA champion
Scott WedmanBoston CelticsTwo-time NBA All-Star
One-time All-Defensive Team
Two-time NBA champion
1974–75 All-Rookie Team
Gus WilliamsAtlanta HawksTwo-time NBA All-Star
Two-time All-NBA Team
One-time NBA champion
1975–76 All-Rookie Team

References

  1. AP. "3 SUNS PLAYERS ARE INDICTED IN DRUG INVESTIGATION". nytimes.com. Archived from the original on 6 November 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  2. Services, From Times Wire (9 May 1987). "More NBA Players Linked to Arizona Drug/Gambling Probe". Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2018 via LA Times.
  3. "Twin Towers On The Rise". Sports Illustrated. 65 (18). November 3, 1986. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  4. "NBA Playoffs : Hot Sonics Beat Rockets in Overtime, 111-106". Los Angeles Times. Times Wire Services. May 3, 1987. Archived from the original on June 10, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  5. "N.B.A. Playoffs; Mavericks Eliminated By Sonics". New York Times. Associated Press. May 1, 1987. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
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