The 1987–88 NBA season was the 42nd season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning their second straight championship, beating the Detroit Pistons in seven hard-fought games in the NBA Finals, becoming the NBA's first repeat champions since the Boston Celtics did it in the 1968–69 NBA season.
Notable occurrences +Coaching changesOffseason Team 1986–87 coach 1987–88 coach Dallas Mavericks Dick Motta John MacLeod Phoenix Suns Dick Van Arsdale John Wetzel Milwaukee Bucks Don Nelson Del Harris New York Knicks Bob Hill Rick Pitino Sacramento Kings Jerry Reynolds Bill Russell Los Angeles Clippers Don Chaney Gene ShueIn-season Team Outgoing coach Incoming coach Golden State Warriors George Karl Ed Gregory Philadelphia 76ers Matt Guokas Jim LynamNew Jersey Nets Dave Wohl Bob MacKinnon Bob MacKinnon Willis Reed Sacramento Kings Bill Russell Jerry Reynolds Washington Bullets Kevin Loughery Wes Unseld The 1988 NBA All-Star Game was played at Chicago Stadium in Chicago, with the East defeating the West 138–133. Local hero Michael Jordan steals the show during the weekend, taking home the game's MVP award, after winning the slam dunk contest earlier in the week over runner-up Dominique Wilkins. Michael Jordan becomes the only player in NBA history to win both the scoring title and Defensive Player of the Year honors. He is also the only player in NBA history to combine these awards with the season's Most Valuable Player award. Michael Jordan becomes the only player in NBA history to accumulate over 200 steals with over 100 blocks in a season twice, and in a row. James Worthy records the first ever Game Seven triple double as he records 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. The league awards expansion franchises to Charlotte, Miami, Minneapolis, and Orlando. The Charlotte and Miami franchises would debut in the 1988–89 NBA season, while Minneapolis and Orlando would begin play in the 1989–90 NBA season. The New Jersey Nets had 3 different head coaches during the season, a rare occurrence. The Indiana Pacers had four different head coaches during the following season. The San Antonio Spurs are the last team in NBA history to lose 50 or more games in a season, and still make the playoffs. Although they drafted center David Robinson with the No. 1 overall pick the previous year, he does not join the team until the 1989–90 season, due to a two-year commitment to the United States Navy. With the exception of their first-round sweep of San Antonio, the Los Angeles Lakers played seven-game series the rest of the way. During the run, they overcame the Utah Jazz in the semifinals, the Dallas Mavericks in the conference finals, and the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals. The Mavs' appearance in the conference finals was the team's first, but it would not make the conference finals again until 2003, fifteen years later. Dallas would also make it at least as far as the conference finals in 2006, 2011, 2022, and 2024. This was the first time that the season extended until the 21st of June, which meant that the entire NBA season covered all four seasons of the year, beginning with autumn in November during the regular season and lasting all the way to Game 7 of the Finals which was played on the first official day of summer. On January 5, 1988, Hall of Famer Pete Maravich died of a heart attack during a pickup game. He was 40 years old. The Utah Jazz subsequently honored him by sporting a patch containing his jersey No. 7. The Phoenix Suns mourned the loss of center Nick Vanos, killed in an airline crash on August 16, 1987. The Suns sported black circular patches with his jersey No. 30 on their uniforms for the season. The Detroit Pistons play their final season at Pontiac Silverdome. The Milwaukee Bucks play their final season at MECCA (Milwaukee Arena). The Sacramento Kings play their final season at ARCO Arena I. The Washington Bullets played the 1987–88 season with two players on opposite sides of the NBA height record: 7'7" Manute Bol, then the league's tallest player (tied with another former Bullet, Gheorghe Mureșan) and 5'3" Muggsy Bogues, the league's shortest player. CBS begins broadcasting the NBA games in stereo. Larry Bird becomes the first player in NBA history to enter the 50–40–90 club more than once, and in consecutive seasons.
1987–88 NBA changes The Cleveland Cavaliers changed their road uniform from orange to dark blue color. The Washington Bullets changed their logo and uniforms.
Final standings
By division
By conference
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.
Statistics leaders + Category Player Team Stat Points per game Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls 35.0 Rebounds per game Michael Cage Los Angeles Clippers 13.0 Assists per game John Stockton Utah Jazz 13.8 Steals per game Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls 3.16 Blocks per game Mark Eaton Utah Jazz 3.71 FG% Kevin McHale Boston Celtics .604 FT% Jack Sikma Milwaukee Bucks .922 3FG% Craig Hodges Milwaukee Bucks .492
NBA awards Yearly awards Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls Rookie of the Year: Mark Jackson, New York Knicks Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls Sixth Man of the Year: Roy Tarpley, Dallas Mavericks Most Improved Player: Kevin Duckworth, Portland Trail Blazers Coach of the Year: Doug Moe, Denver Nuggets
All-NBA First Team: F – Larry Bird, Boston Celtics F – Charles Barkley, Philadelphia 76ers C – Akeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets G – Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls G – Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
All-NBA Second Team: F – Karl Malone, Utah Jazz F – Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta Hawks C – Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks G – Clyde Drexler, Portland Trail Blazers G – John Stockton, Utah Jazz
All-NBA Rookie Team: Derrick McKey, Seattle SuperSonics Cadillac Anderson, San Antonio Spurs Mark Jackson, New York Knicks Kenny Smith, Sacramento Kings Armen Gilliam, Phoenix Suns
NBA All-Defensive First Team: Kevin McHale, Boston Celtics Rodney McCray, Houston Rockets Akeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Lakers Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
NBA All-Defensive Second Team: Buck Williams, New Jersey Nets Karl Malone, Utah Jazz Mark Eaton, Utah Jazz (tie) Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks (tie) Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs Lafayette Lever, Denver Nuggets
Player of the week The following players were named NBA Player of the Week. WeekPlayerNov. 6 – Nov. 15Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)Nov. 16 – Nov. 22Xavier McDaniel (Seattle SuperSonics)Nov. 23 – Nov. 29Clyde Drexler (Portland Trail Blazers)Nov. 30 – Dec. 6Clyde Drexler (Portland Trail Blazers)Dec. 7 – Dec. 13Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)Dec. 14 – Dec. 20Larry Nance (Phoenix Suns)Dec. 21 – Dec. 27Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks)Dec. 28 – Jan. 3Karl Malone (Utah Jazz)Jan. 4 – Jan. 10Byron Scott (Los Angeles Lakers)Jan. 11 – Jan. 17Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks)Jan. 18 – Jan. 24Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)Jan. 25 – Jan. 31Bernard King (Washington Bullets)Feb. 1 – Feb. 14Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks)Feb. 15 – Feb. 21John Stockton (Utah Jazz)Feb. 22 – Feb. 28Roy Tarpley (Dallas Mavericks)Feb. 29 – Mar. 6Bobby Hansen (Utah Jazz)Feb. 7 – Mar. 13Clyde Drexler (Portland Trail Blazers)Mar. 14 – Mar. 20Charles Barkley (Philadelphia 76ers)Mar. 21 – Mar. 27Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)Mar. 28 – Apr. 3Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)Apr. 4 – Apr. 10Harold Pressley (Sacramento Kings)Apr. 11 – Apr. 17Lafayette Lever (Denver Nuggets)Apr. 18 – Apr. 24Karl Malone (Utah Jazz)
Player of the month The following players were named NBA Player of the Month. MonthPlayerNovemberMichael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)DecemberLarry Nance (Phoenix Suns)JanuaryMichael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)FebruaryJohn Stockton (Utah Jazz)MarchKarl Malone (Utah Jazz)AprilLafayette Lever (Denver Nuggets)
Rookie of the month The following players were named NBA Rookie of the Month. MonthRookieNovemberMark Jackson (New York Knicks)DecemberMark Jackson (New York Knicks)JanuaryArmon Gilliam (Phoenix Suns)FebruaryMark Jackson (New York Knicks)MarchGreg Anderson (San Antonio Spurs)AprilKevin Johnson (Phoenix Suns)
Coach of the month The following coaches were named NBA Coach of the Month. MonthCoachNovemberDoug Collins (Chicago Bulls)DecemberChuck Daly (Detroit Pistons)JanuaryWes Unseld (Washington Bullets)FebruaryPat Riley (Los Angeles Lakers)MarchDoug Moe (Denver Nuggets)AprilLenny Wilkens (Cleveland Cavaliers)
See also List of NBA regular season records
References
Further reading