The 1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers season is often remembered as one of the most dominant in NBA history. Coached by Pat Riley, the Lakers finished the regular season with a 65-17 record, securing the top seed in the Western Conference. This season marked a significant shift toward Magic Johnson as the focal point of the team’s offense, with Johnson winning his first NBA MVP award by averaging 23.9 points, 12.2 assists, and 6.3 rebounds per game.
The Lakers’ roster featured an impressive lineup, including Hall of Famers like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was still a crucial contributor at age 39, and James Worthy, whose scoring and defensive abilities were vital. The team’s style of play, known as “Showtime,” emphasized fast breaks and high-tempo offense, entertaining fans and overwhelming opponents.
In the playoffs, the Lakers continued their dominance, sweeping the Denver Nuggets in the first round, defeating the Golden State Warriors in five games in the conference semifinals, and outlasting the Seattle SuperSonics in four games in the Western Conference Finals. Their playoff run culminated in a six-game victory over the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, earning the franchise its tenth championship. Magic Johnson was named the Finals MVP, further solidifying his role as the team leader.
The 1986-87 season is a benchmark for excellence in the NBA, with the Lakers’ combination of star power, coaching, and innovative playing style leaving a lasting legacy in basketball history.
- Regular Season Record: 65-17
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 3-0, Western Conference Semifinals: 4-1, Western Conference Finals: 4-0, NBA Finals: 4-2
Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats for 1986-87 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Magic Johnson | 80 | 23.9 | 6.3 | 12.2 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 20.5 | 18 | 21.8 | 7.7 | 12.2 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 20.0 |
| James Worthy | 82 | 19.4 | 5.7 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 18 | 23.6 | 5.6 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 78 | 17.5 | 6.7 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 33.2 | 18 | 19.2 | 6.8 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 0.0 |
| Byron Scott | 82 | 17.0 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 43.6 | 18 | 14.8 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 20.6 |
| A.C. Green | 79 | 10.8 | 7.8 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 18 | 11.5 | 7.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Michael Cooper | 82 | 10.5 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 38.5 | 18 | 13.0 | 3.3 | 5.0 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 48.6 |
| Mychal Thompson | 33 | 10.1 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 18 | 8.8 | 4.9 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| Kurt Rambis | 78 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 17 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Billy Thompson | 59 | 5.6 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 3 | 4.7 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Adrian Branch | 32 | 4.3 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 11 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Wes Matthews | 50 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 33.3 | 12 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Frank Brickowski | 37 | 3.9 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Mike Smrek | 35 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 10 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
