The 1987-88 Dallas Mavericks experienced a landmark season, finishing with a 53-29 record, which was the best in their eight-year history at the time. Coached by John MacLeod, the team showcased a balanced attack featuring Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackman, and Derek Harper, all playing pivotal roles. Aguirre led the team in scoring, averaging 25.1 points per game.
In the playoffs, the Mavericks advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time. They defeated the Houston Rockets in the first round and the Denver Nuggets in the semifinals, both in five games. Their impressive run ended against the Los Angeles Lakers, who eventually won the NBA Championship. The Mavericks pushed the Lakers to seven games, demonstrating their potential as a formidable contender in the league.
- Regular Season Record: 53-29
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 3-1, Western Conference Semifinals: 4-2, Western Conference Finals: 3-4
Dallas Mavericks 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% |
| Mark Aguirre | 77 | 25.1 | 5.6 | 3.6 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 30.2 | 17 | 21.6 | 5.9 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 38.2 |
| Rolando Blackman | 71 | 18.7 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 17 | 18.1 | 3.2 | 4.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Derek Harper | 82 | 17.0 | 3.0 | 7.7 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 31.2 | 17 | 13.5 | 2.5 | 7.1 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 25.0 |
| Sam Perkins | 75 | 14.2 | 8.0 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 16.7 | 17 | 13.5 | 6.6 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 14.3 |
| Roy Tarpley | 81 | 13.5 | 11.8 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 17 | 17.9 | 12.9 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| Detlef Schrempf | 82 | 8.5 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 15.6 | 15 | 7.8 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 33.3 |
| Brad Davis | 75 | 7.2 | 1.4 | 4.0 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 40.5 | 17 | 6.4 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 20.0 |
| James Donaldson | 81 | 7.0 | 9.3 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 17 | 9.3 | 8.6 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.0 |
| Uwe Blab | 73 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Steve Alford | 28 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 12.5 | 4 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bill Wennington | 30 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 49.9 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jim Farmer | 30 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Dallas Mavericks in the 1988 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Houston Rockets
In the 1988 NBA Playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks faced the Houston Rockets in a thrilling first-round series. The Mavericks, led by the sharpshooting Rolando Blackman and the versatile Mark Aguirre, managed to edge the Rockets in a tightly contested five-game series. Dallas showcased resilience and depth, ultimately advancing to the second round by capitalizing on their strong team play and home-court advantage.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 1988 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 120-110 | |
| Apr 30, 1988 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 119-108 | |
| May 03, 1988 | @ Houston Rockets | W 93-92 | |
| May 05, 1988 | @ Houston Rockets | W 107-97 |
Playoffs Second Round vs. Denver Nuggets
In the 1988 NBA Playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks faced the Denver Nuggets in the second round, marking a significant milestone for the franchise. The Mavericks triumphed in a thrilling seven-game series, showcasing their resilience and depth, particularly with standout performances from Rolando Blackman and Mark Aguirre. This victory propelled them to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in the team's history, highlighting their growing prominence in the league.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 1988 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 126-115 | |
| May 12, 1988 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 112-108 | |
| May 14, 1988 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 107-105 | |
| May 15, 1988 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 124-103 | |
| May 17, 1988 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 110-106 | |
| May 19, 1988 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 108-95 |
1988 Conference Championship vs. Los Angeles Lakers
In the 1988 NBA Playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history, showcasing their growth and potential. Led by the dynamic duo of Mark Aguirre and Rolando Blackman, the Mavericks pushed the Los Angeles Lakers to a grueling seven-game series before ultimately falling short. Despite the loss, their performance in this playoff run established them as a formidable contender in the league.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 113-98 | |
| May 25, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 123-101 | |
| May 27, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 106-94 | |
| May 29, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 118-104 | |
| May 31, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 119-102 | |
| Jun 02, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 105-103 | |
| Jun 04, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 117-102 |
Dallas Mavericks 1987-88 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1987-88 season for the Dallas Mavericks.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 06, 1987 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 95-93 | |
| Nov 07, 1987 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 130-106 | |
| Nov 10, 1987 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 117-101 | |
| Nov 11, 1987 | @ Utah Jazz | L 121-92 | |
| Nov 13, 1987 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 103-95 | |
| Nov 14, 1987 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 127-116 | |
| Nov 18, 1987 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 97-87 | |
| Nov 20, 1987 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 119-116 | |
| Nov 21, 1987 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 103-96 | |
| Nov 25, 1987 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 113-107 | |
| Nov 27, 1987 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 94-93 | |
| Nov 28, 1987 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 106-98 | |
| Dec 04, 1987 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 116-95 | |
| Dec 05, 1987 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 109-96 | |
| Dec 09, 1987 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 125-98 | |
| Dec 11, 1987 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 108-104 | |
| Dec 13, 1987 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 113-99 | |
| Dec 15, 1987 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 106-93 | |
| Dec 16, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 109-105 | |
| Dec 18, 1987 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 117-112 | |
| Dec 19, 1987 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 95-90 | |
| Dec 22, 1987 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 111-100 | |
| Dec 23, 1987 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 110-109 | |
| Dec 26, 1987 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 105-100 | |
| Dec 29, 1987 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 126-117 | |
| Jan 02, 1988 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 116-109 | |
| Jan 04, 1988 | @ Houston Rockets | L 117-107 | |
| Jan 06, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 103-89 | |
| Jan 07, 1988 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 105-91 | |
| Jan 09, 1988 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 115-99 | |
| Jan 13, 1988 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 110-108 | |
| Jan 16, 1988 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 101-98 | |
| Jan 18, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 99-87 | |
| Jan 19, 1988 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | W 120-116 | |
| Jan 22, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 110-87 | |
| Jan 23, 1988 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 113-97 | |
| Jan 26, 1988 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 128-111 | |
| Jan 27, 1988 | @ Phoenix Suns | W 121-102 | |
| Jan 29, 1988 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 117-109 | |
| Jan 30, 1988 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 108-92 | |
| Feb 01, 1988 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 108-103 | |
| Feb 03, 1988 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 115-105 | |
| Feb 04, 1988 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 118-101 | |
| Feb 09, 1988 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 124-93 | |
| Feb 10, 1988 | @ Utah Jazz | L 93-80 | |
| Feb 12, 1988 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 105-104 | |
| Feb 14, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 110-100 | |
| Feb 15, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 128-122 | |
| Feb 17, 1988 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 123-108 | |
| Feb 19, 1988 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 113-100 | |
| Feb 22, 1988 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 114-107 | |
| Feb 24, 1988 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 93-89 | |
| Feb 25, 1988 | @ Houston Rockets | W 108-106 | |
| Feb 27, 1988 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 100-91 | |
| Feb 29, 1988 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 123-96 | |
| Mar 02, 1988 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 115-90 | |
| Mar 04, 1988 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 118-110 | |
| Mar 06, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 108-97 | |
| Mar 08, 1988 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 112-110 | |
| Mar 12, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | W 110-101 | |
| Mar 14, 1988 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 121-101 | |
| Mar 16, 1988 | @ Utah Jazz | L 120-105 | |
| Mar 18, 1988 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 106-98 | |
| Mar 20, 1988 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 105-99 | |
| Mar 22, 1988 | vs. New York Knicks | W 124-105 | |
| Mar 25, 1988 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 106-101 | |
| Mar 26, 1988 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 131-112 | |
| Mar 28, 1988 | @ New York Knicks | L 114-106 | |
| Mar 29, 1988 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 120-106 | |
| Apr 01, 1988 | @ Washington Bullets | L 118-103 | |
| Apr 03, 1988 | @ Boston Celtics | L 110-101 | |
| Apr 06, 1988 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 119-93 | |
| Apr 08, 1988 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 118-95 | |
| Apr 09, 1988 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 135-109 | |
| Apr 12, 1988 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 104-96 | |
| Apr 13, 1988 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 112-110 | |
| Apr 15, 1988 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 115-88 | |
| Apr 17, 1988 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 133-122 | |
| Apr 19, 1988 | @ Houston Rockets | W 104-96 | |
| Apr 20, 1988 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 114-107 | |
| Apr 22, 1988 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 127-96 | |
| Apr 24, 1988 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 119-109 |