The 1987-88 Los Angeles Lakers season was a landmark campaign, marking their successful bid to repeat as NBA champions. Under the leadership of head coach Pat Riley, the Lakers finished the regular season with a 62-20 record, clinching the Pacific Division title. The team was powered by a formidable lineup, including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy, each playing pivotal roles in their success.
Magic Johnson, the team’s point guard, was instrumental throughout the season, earning the NBA Most Valuable Player award for his exceptional playmaking and leadership skills. The Lakers’ offense was characterized by its fast-paced “Showtime” style, which overwhelmed many opponents. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, despite being in the twilight of his career, continued to be a crucial presence in the paint, while James Worthy provided consistent scoring and defensive prowess.
In the playoffs, the Lakers navigated a challenging path to the finals. They defeated the San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, and the Dallas Mavericks to secure the Western Conference Championship. The NBA Finals saw the Lakers face off against the Detroit Pistons in a hard-fought seven-game series. James Worthy delivered a standout performance in Game 7, earning the NBA Finals MVP award as the Lakers triumphed 108-105, securing their fifth championship of the decade. The 1987-88 season cemented the Lakers’ status as a dominant force in the NBA during the 1980s.
- Regular Season Record: 62-20
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 3-0, Western Conference Semifinals: 4-3, Western Conference Finals: 4-3, NBA Finals: 4-3
Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats for 1987-88 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Byron Scott | 81 | 21.7 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 34.6 | 24 | 19.6 | 4.2 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 43.6 |
| James Worthy | 75 | 19.7 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 12.5 | 24 | 21.1 | 5.8 | 4.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 11.1 |
| Magic Johnson | 72 | 19.6 | 6.2 | 11.9 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 19.6 | 24 | 19.9 | 5.4 | 12.6 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 50.0 |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 80 | 14.6 | 6.0 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 24 | 14.1 | 5.5 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| Mychal Thompson | 80 | 11.6 | 6.1 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 24 | 9.7 | 7.1 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| A.C. Green | 82 | 11.4 | 8.7 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 24 | 10.0 | 7.3 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Tony Campbell | 13 | 11.0 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 33.3 | 15 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Michael Cooper | 61 | 8.7 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 32.0 | 24 | 6.4 | 2.4 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 40.3 |
| Wes Matthews | 51 | 5.7 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 23.3 | 10 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kurt Rambis | 70 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 19 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Milt Wagner | 40 | 3.8 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 20.0 | 5 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Ray Tolbert | 14 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Mike Smrek | 48 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 8 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Billy Thompson | 9 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
| Jeff Lamp | 3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||||||
Los Angeles Lakers in the 1988 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. San Antonio Spurs
In the first round of the 1988 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the San Antonio Spurs. The series, which was a best-of-five format, saw the Lakers dominate, winning 3-0. Led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Lakers showcased their championship pedigree, setting the stage for their eventual title run.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 29, 1988 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 122-110 | |
| May 01, 1988 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 130-112 | |
| May 03, 1988 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 109-107 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Utah Jazz
In the 1988 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Utah Jazz in a challenging second-round series that went the full seven games. Led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Lakers showcased their championship resilience, overcoming the Jazz's formidable duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton. The Lakers ultimately advanced, setting the stage for their eventual NBA title run, marking a significant step in their successful repeat quest as champions.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 08, 1988 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 110-91 | |
| May 10, 1988 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 101-97 | |
| May 13, 1988 | @ Utah Jazz | L 96-89 | |
| May 15, 1988 | @ Utah Jazz | W 113-100 | |
| May 17, 1988 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 111-109 | |
| May 19, 1988 | @ Utah Jazz | L 108-80 | |
| May 21, 1988 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 109-98 |
1988 Conference Championship vs. Dallas Mavericks
In the 1988 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers faced off against the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, triumphing in a grueling seven-game series. Led by Magic Johnson's playmaking brilliance and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's veteran presence, the Lakers showcased their resilience and championship pedigree. This victory propelled them to the NBA Finals, where they aimed to secure back-to-back championships.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 1988 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 113-98 | |
| May 25, 1988 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 123-101 | |
| May 27, 1988 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 106-94 | |
| May 29, 1988 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 118-104 | |
| May 31, 1988 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 119-102 | |
| Jun 02, 1988 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 105-103 | |
| Jun 04, 1988 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 117-102 |
1988 NBA Finals vs. Detroit Pistons
In the 1988 NBA Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers showcased their resilience and championship pedigree by defeating the Detroit Pistons in a grueling seven-game series. Magic Johnson orchestrated the offense with his unparalleled playmaking, while James Worthy earned the Finals MVP with a spectacular performance, including a legendary triple-double in Game 7. This victory marked the Lakers' repeat championship, cementing their status as the u0022Showtimeu0022 dynasty of the 1980s.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 07, 1988 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 105-93 | |
| Jun 09, 1988 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 108-96 | |
| Jun 12, 1988 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 99-86 | |
| Jun 14, 1988 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 111-86 | |
| Jun 16, 1988 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 104-94 | |
| Jun 19, 1988 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 103-102 | |
| Jun 21, 1988 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 108-105 |
Los Angeles Lakers 1987-88 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1987-88 season for the Los Angeles Lakers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 06, 1987 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 113-109 | |
| Nov 08, 1987 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 101-92 | |
| Nov 10, 1987 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 133-124 | |
| Nov 12, 1987 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 111-82 | |
| Nov 14, 1987 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 118-110 | |
| Nov 15, 1987 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 147-130 | |
| Nov 17, 1987 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 142-115 | |
| Nov 20, 1987 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 119-116 | |
| Nov 22, 1987 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 124-116 | |
| Nov 24, 1987 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 103-85 | |
| Nov 27, 1987 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 127-119 | |
| Dec 01, 1987 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 125-120 | |
| Dec 02, 1987 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 117-104 | |
| Dec 04, 1987 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 85-83 | |
| Dec 05, 1987 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 97-95 | |
| Dec 08, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 98-81 | |
| Dec 09, 1987 | @ Washington Bullets | L 120-112 | |
| Dec 11, 1987 | @ Boston Celtics | W 115-114 | |
| Dec 13, 1987 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 90-89 | |
| Dec 15, 1987 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 122-97 | |
| Dec 17, 1987 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 113-106 | |
| Dec 19, 1987 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 108-97 | |
| Dec 20, 1987 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 103-94 | |
| Dec 23, 1987 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 117-103 | |
| Dec 26, 1987 | @ Utah Jazz | W 117-109 | |
| Dec 29, 1987 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 131-115 | |
| Jan 03, 1988 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 98-81 | |
| Jan 04, 1988 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 133-115 | |
| Jan 06, 1988 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 103-89 | |
| Jan 08, 1988 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 106-104 | |
| Jan 09, 1988 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 101-98 | |
| Jan 12, 1988 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 117-113 | |
| Jan 13, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 110-109 | |
| Jan 16, 1988 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 107-96 | |
| Jan 18, 1988 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 121-110 | |
| Jan 21, 1988 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 115-113 | |
| Jan 22, 1988 | vs. New York Knicks | W 113-112 | |
| Jan 24, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 116-109 | |
| Jan 26, 1988 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 111-100 | |
| Jan 28, 1988 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 115-94 | |
| Jan 29, 1988 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 117-107 | |
| Feb 02, 1988 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 110-101 | |
| Feb 04, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 117-86 | |
| Feb 09, 1988 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 110-108 | |
| Feb 11, 1988 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 120-108 | |
| Feb 12, 1988 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 133-132 | |
| Feb 14, 1988 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 115-106 | |
| Feb 16, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 119-100 | |
| Feb 18, 1988 | @ Houston Rockets | W 111-96 | |
| Feb 19, 1988 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 126-119 | |
| Feb 21, 1988 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 117-110 | |
| Feb 23, 1988 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 111-100 | |
| Feb 26, 1988 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 112-105 | |
| Feb 28, 1988 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 111-97 | |
| Mar 01, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 114-100 | |
| Mar 04, 1988 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 120-107 | |
| Mar 06, 1988 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 108-97 | |
| Mar 07, 1988 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 110-104 | |
| Mar 09, 1988 | @ New York Knicks | W 104-99 | |
| Mar 10, 1988 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 128-107 | |
| Mar 12, 1988 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 110-101 | |
| Mar 14, 1988 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 115-105 | |
| Mar 15, 1988 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 112-95 | |
| Mar 19, 1988 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 102-95 | |
| Mar 20, 1988 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 130-127 | |
| Mar 22, 1988 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 117-95 | |
| Mar 25, 1988 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 120-119 | |
| Mar 26, 1988 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 114-92 | |
| Mar 29, 1988 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 122-111 | |
| Apr 02, 1988 | @ Utah Jazz | L 106-92 | |
| Apr 03, 1988 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 108-104 | |
| Apr 05, 1988 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 94-90 | |
| Apr 08, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 126-107 | |
| Apr 09, 1988 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 119-109 | |
| Apr 12, 1988 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 109-103 | |
| Apr 13, 1988 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 120-106 | |
| Apr 15, 1988 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 117-114 | |
| Apr 17, 1988 | @ Houston Rockets | L 127-119 | |
| Apr 19, 1988 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 133-126 | |
| Apr 20, 1988 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 114-107 | |
| Apr 22, 1988 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 117-112 | |
| Apr 24, 1988 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 136-100 |