The 1987-88 Indiana Pacers season marked a period of transition and struggle. Coached by Jack Ramsay, the Pacers finished the regular season with a record of 38-44, missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. The team was led by standout guard Reggie Miller, who showed glimpses of his future stardom in his rookie season, averaging 10 points per game.
Key players included Chuck Person, who led the team in scoring with an average of 21.6 points per game, and Wayman Tisdale, contributing 16.1 points per game. Despite their individual efforts, the Pacers struggled defensively, ranking near the bottom in points allowed. The season highlighted the need for the franchise to build a more cohesive and defensively sound unit. This season set the stage for future improvements as the team continued to develop its young talent, eventually becoming a competitive force in the NBA.
- Regular Season Record: 38-44
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Indiana Pacers Roster and Stats for 1987-88 Season
POINTS
Chuck Person
17.0
REBOUNDS
Steve Stipanovich
8.3
ASSISTS
Vern Fleming
7.1
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Chuck Person | 79 | 17.0 | 6.8 | 3.9 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 33.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Wayman Tisdale | 79 | 16.1 | 6.2 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Vern Fleming | 80 | 13.9 | 4.6 | 7.1 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Steve Stipanovich | 80 | 13.5 | 8.3 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 20.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| John Long | 81 | 12.8 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 44.2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Reggie Miller | 82 | 10.0 | 2.3 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 35.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Herb Williams | 75 | 10.0 | 6.3 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ron Anderson | 74 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Scott Skiles | 51 | 4.4 | 1.3 | 3.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 30.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Stuart Gray | 74 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Clinton Wheeler | 59 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Greg Dreiling | 20 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Brian Rowsom | 4 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Indiana Pacers 1987-88 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1987-88 season for the Indiana Pacers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 06, 1987 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 108-95 | |
| Nov 07, 1987 | vs. New York Knicks | W 108-95 | |
| Nov 10, 1987 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 121-118 | |
| Nov 11, 1987 | @ Boston Celtics | L 120-106 | |
| Nov 14, 1987 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 111-110 | |
| Nov 15, 1987 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 103-98 | |
| Nov 17, 1987 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 126-111 | |
| Nov 18, 1987 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 117-106 | |
| Nov 20, 1987 | @ Utah Jazz | L 112-81 | |
| Nov 22, 1987 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 120-110 | |
| Nov 25, 1987 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 133-102 | |
| Nov 27, 1987 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 88-86 | |
| Nov 28, 1987 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 131-115 | |
| Nov 30, 1987 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 104-94 | |
| Dec 02, 1987 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 108-102 | |
| Dec 04, 1987 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 108-90 | |
| Dec 08, 1987 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 103-101 | |
| Dec 10, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 108-91 | |
| Dec 12, 1987 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 108-101 | |
| Dec 15, 1987 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 93-91 | |
| Dec 17, 1987 | @ Washington Bullets | L 115-111 | |
| Dec 18, 1987 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 121-97 | |
| Dec 20, 1987 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 127-116 | |
| Dec 23, 1987 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 110-109 | |
| Dec 26, 1987 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 106-92 | |
| Dec 30, 1987 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 105-95 | |
| Jan 02, 1988 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 99-97 | |
| Jan 05, 1988 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 93-77 | |
| Jan 07, 1988 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 114-108 | |
| Jan 09, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 101-98 | |
| Jan 11, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 111-90 | |
| Jan 13, 1988 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 110-108 | |
| Jan 15, 1988 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 112-108 | |
| Jan 16, 1988 | @ Houston Rockets | L 132-102 | |
| Jan 18, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 115-105 | |
| Jan 20, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 104-97 | |
| Jan 22, 1988 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 113-104 | |
| Jan 24, 1988 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 128-109 | |
| Jan 26, 1988 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 97-93 | |
| Jan 27, 1988 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 103-86 | |
| Jan 29, 1988 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 94-89 | |
| Feb 01, 1988 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 90-88 | |
| Feb 03, 1988 | @ Boston Celtics | L 118-103 | |
| Feb 04, 1988 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 109-95 | |
| Feb 09, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 110-108 | |
| Feb 11, 1988 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 108-107 | |
| Feb 12, 1988 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 107-102 | |
| Feb 16, 1988 | vs. New York Knicks | W 117-104 | |
| Feb 18, 1988 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 88-83 | |
| Feb 21, 1988 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 130-112 | |
| Feb 23, 1988 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 131-111 | |
| Feb 24, 1988 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 97-94 | |
| Feb 26, 1988 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 116-101 | |
| Feb 27, 1988 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 106-98 | |
| Mar 01, 1988 | @ New York Knicks | L 98-96 | |
| Mar 02, 1988 | @ Washington Bullets | L 111-102 | |
| Mar 04, 1988 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 95-88 | |
| Mar 06, 1988 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 105-100 | |
| Mar 08, 1988 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 117-104 | |
| Mar 11, 1988 | @ Boston Celtics | L 122-112 | |
| Mar 13, 1988 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 108-100 | |
| Mar 15, 1988 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 119-113 | |
| Mar 17, 1988 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 99-95 | |
| Mar 18, 1988 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 129-109 | |
| Mar 20, 1988 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 102-96 | |
| Mar 22, 1988 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 123-104 | |
| Mar 25, 1988 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 101-100 | |
| Mar 26, 1988 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 109-100 | |
| Mar 31, 1988 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 102-100 | |
| Apr 02, 1988 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 108-94 | |
| Apr 03, 1988 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 102-100 | |
| Apr 05, 1988 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 106-105 | |
| Apr 08, 1988 | @ Washington Bullets | L 107-100 | |
| Apr 09, 1988 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 105-100 | |
| Apr 11, 1988 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 95-93 | |
| Apr 13, 1988 | @ New York Knicks | L 127-107 | |
| Apr 14, 1988 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 116-110 | |
| Apr 16, 1988 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 126-92 | |
| Apr 18, 1988 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 112-107 | |
| Apr 20, 1988 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 116-98 | |
| Apr 22, 1988 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 103-98 | |
| Apr 23, 1988 | vs. New York Knicks | L 88-86 |