1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers season | |
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NBA champions | |
Conference champions | |
Division champions | |
Head coach | Pat Riley |
General manager | Jerry West |
Owners | Jerry Buss |
Arena | The Forum |
Results | |
Record | 65–17 (.793) |
Place | Division: 1st (Pacific) Conference: 1st (Western) |
Playoff finish | NBA Champions (Defeated Celtics 4–2) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | Prime Ticket, KHJ |
Radio | AM 570 KLAC |
The 1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 41st season of the franchise, 39th in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and 27th in Los Angeles. Coming from a shocking defeat to the Houston Rockets in the previous season's Western Conference Finals in five games, where they won the first game, but proceeded to drop the next four, the Lakers avenged their playoff upset by making the NBA Finals for the sixth time in the 1980s. Prior to reaching the NBA Finals, in the playoffs, the Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets in three games in the First Round, defeated the Golden State Warriors in five games in the Semi-finals, and swept the Seattle SuperSonics in four games in the Conference Finals. This team was named one of the 10 greatest teams in NBA history.
The highlight of the season saw the Lakers winning the NBA Finals, and their tenth NBA title (fifth in Los Angeles) over the defending NBA champions and rivals, the Boston Celtics, in six games. This marked the third and final time the Lakers and Celtics faced off against each other in the NBA Finals in the 1980s, as well as the last time the Lakers and Celtics faced off against each other in the NBA Finals until 2008, where the Celtics defeated the Lakers 4–2 to win their 17th NBA championship. The two teams would then meet again in 2010, where the Lakers defeated the Celtics 4–3 to win their 16th NBA championship.
Draft picks
Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Club Team |
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1 | 23 | Ken Barlow | United States | Notre Dame |
3 | 69 | Andre Turner | United States | Memphis State |
Roster
Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Roster |
Regular season
Season standings
W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | |
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y-Los Angeles Lakers | 65 | 17 | .793 | – | 37–4 | 28–13 | 24–6 |
x-Portland Trail Blazers | 49 | 33 | .598 | 16 | 34–7 | 15–26 | 17–13 |
x-Golden State Warriors | 42 | 40 | .512 | 23 | 25–16 | 17–24 | 17–13 |
x-Seattle SuperSonics | 39 | 43 | .476 | 26 | 25–16 | 14–27 | 15–15 |
Phoenix Suns | 36 | 46 | .439 | 29 | 26–15 | 10–31 | 14–16 |
Los Angeles Clippers | 12 | 70 | .146 | 53 | 9–32 | 3–38 | 3–27 |
# | |||||
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Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
1 | z-Los Angeles Lakers | 65 | 17 | .793 | – |
2 | y-Dallas Mavericks | 55 | 27 | .671 | 10 |
3 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 49 | 33 | .598 | 16 |
4 | x-Utah Jazz | 44 | 38 | .537 | 21 |
5 | x-Golden State Warriors | 42 | 40 | .512 | 23 |
6 | x-Houston Rockets | 42 | 40 | .512 | 23 |
7 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 39 | 43 | .476 | 26 |
8 | x-Denver Nuggets | 37 | 45 | .451 | 28 |
9 | Phoenix Suns | 36 | 46 | .439 | 29 |
10 | Sacramento Kings | 29 | 53 | .354 | 36 |
11 | San Antonio Spurs | 28 | 54 | .341 | 37 |
12 | Los Angeles Clippers | 12 | 70 | .146 | 53 |
Record vs. opponents
1986-87 NBA Records | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | UTA | WAS |
Atlanta | – | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 |
Boston | 3–3 | – | 6–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
Chicago | 2–4 | 0–6 | – | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 |
Cleveland | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–5 | – | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 |
Dallas | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | – | 4–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
Denver | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | – | 0–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 |
Detroit | 3–3 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
Golden State | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 1–1 | – | 4–1 | 0–2 | 6–0 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
Houston | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–4 | – | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
Indiana | 3–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | – | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
L.A. Clippers | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 1–4 | 0–2 | – | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 6–0 | – | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
Milwaukee | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 |
New Jersey | 0–5 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | – | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
New York | 1–5 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | – | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
Philadelphia | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | – | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
Phoenix | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 2–4 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 0–2 |
Portland | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 | – | 3–2 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
Sacramento | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | – | 3–3 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 1–1 |
San Antonio | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–3 | – | 1–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 |
Seattle | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 4–1 | – | 3–2 | 1–1 |
Utah | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–3 | – | 1–1 |
Washington | 0–5 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |
Game log
Regular season
Playoffs
1987 playoff game log Total: 15–3 (Home: 10–0; Road: 5–3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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First Round: 3–0 (home: 2–0; road: 1–0)
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Conference Semi-finals: 4–1 (home: 3–0; road: 1–1)
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Conference Finals: 4–0 (home: 2–0; road: 2–0)
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NBA Finals: 4–2 (home: 3–0; road: 1–2)
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1987 schedule |
Player statistics
Note: GP= Games played; MPG= Minutes per Game; REB = Rebounds; AST = Assists; STL = Steals; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points; PPG = Points per Game
Season
Player | GP | MPG | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Magic Johnson | 80 | 36.3 | 504 | 977 | 138 | 36 | 1909 | 23.8 |
James Worthy | 82 | 34.4 | 466 | 226 | 108 | 83 | 1594 | 19.4 |
Byron Scott | 82 | 33.3 | 286 | 281 | 125 | 18 | 1397 | 17.0 |
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 78 | 31.3 | 523 | 203 | 49 | 97 | 1366 | 17.5 |
Michael Cooper | 82 | 27.5 | 254 | 373 | 78 | 43 | 859 | 10.5 |
A.C. Green | 79 | 28.4 | 615 | 84 | 70 | 80 | 852 | 10.8 |
Kurt Rambis | 78 | 19.4 | 453 | 63 | 74 | 41 | 446 | 5.7 |
Mychal Thompson | 33 | 20.6 | 136 | 28 | 14 | 30 | 333 | 10.1 |
Billy Thompson | 59 | 12.9 | 171 | 60 | 15 | 30 | 332 | 5.6 |
Wes Matthews | 50 | 10.6 | 47 | 100 | 23 | 4 | 208 | 4.2 |
Frank Brickowski | 37 | 10.9 | 97 | 12 | 14 | 4 | 146 | 3.9 |
Adrian Branch | 32 | 6.8 | 53 | 16 | 16 | 3 | 138 | 4.3 |
Mike Smrek | 35 | 6.7 | 37 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 76 | 2.2 |