1986–87 Seattle SuperSonics season
The 1986–87 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 20th season of the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. Bernie Bickerstaff returned for his second season as head coach of the franchise and, despite a modest improvement over their previous season's 31–51 record, managed to clinch a spot in the playoffs, where they defeated the Dallas Mavericks in four games in the First Round, and then the Houston Rockets in six games in the Semifinals, reaching the Western Conference Finals, only to be swept in four games to the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. The 39-43 Sonics remain the last team to date in the NBA to win a playoff series with a losing regular season record.
It is also their first year without team captain Jack Sikma as he was traded in the offseason.
Draft picks
Roster
| 1986–87 Seattle SuperSonics roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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InjuredRegular season
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Game log
| 1986–87 game log | |
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October | |
November | |
December | |
January | |
February | |
March | |
April | |
| 1986–87 season schedule | |
- Green background indicates win.
- Red background indicates loss.
Playoffs
| 1987 playoff game log | |
|---|---|
First round: 3–1 (Home: 2–0; Road: 1–1) | |
Western Conference Finals: 4–2 (Home: 2–1; Road: 2–1) | |
Western Conference Finals: 0–4 (Home: 0–2; Road: 0–2) | |
| 1987 playoff schedule | |
Player statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
Season
- 1.^ Statistics with the SuperSonics.
Playoffs
Awards and records
Awards
- Dale Ellis won the Most Improved Player Award at the end of the season.
- Tom Chambers participated in the 1987 NBA All-Star Game and won the game's Most Valuable Player Award. He also was named Player of the Week between December 1 and December 7.
Records
Transactions
Overview
| Players Added Via draft Via free agency Via trade | Players Lost Via free agency Via trade Via waiver |
Trades
| July 1, 1986 | To Seattle SuperSonics Alton Lister Conditional 1987 and 1989 first round picks | To Milwaukee Bucks Jack Sikma Conditional 1987 and 1989 second round picks |
| July 23, 1986 | To Seattle SuperSonics Dale Ellis | To Dallas Mavericks Al Wood |
| September 29, 1986 | To Seattle SuperSonics Clemon Johnson Conditional 1989 first round pick | To Philadelphia 76ers Tim McCormick Danny Vranes |
| September 30, 1986 | To Seattle SuperSonics John Long | To Detroit Pistons Conditional 1987 and 1991 second round picks |
| October 2, 1986 | To Seattle SuperSonics Russ Schoene Terence Stansbury | To Indiana Pacers John Long Conditional 1993 second round pick |
| October 2, 1986 | To Seattle SuperSonics Ronnie Lester | To Los Angeles Lakers Cash considerations |
| November 12, 1986 | To Seattle SuperSonics Conditional 1987 first round and 1990 second round picks | To New York Knicks Gerald Henderson Conditional 1987 first round pick |
Free agents
Additions | Subtractions |