The 1985-86 Chicago Bulls season marked a pivotal moment in the franchise’s history, primarily due to the presence of a young Michael Jordan, who was entering his second year in the NBA. However, the season was challenging, as Jordan missed a significant portion of the regular season due to a broken foot, playing only 18 games. Despite his absence, he averaged an impressive 22.7 points per game during the limited time he was on the court.
The Bulls finished the regular season with a 30-52 record, placing them eighth in the Eastern Conference. This subpar performance was largely attributed to the absence of Jordan and the team’s struggles to find consistent scoring elsewhere. The roster featured players like Orlando Woolridge, who led the team in scoring with an average of 20.7 points per game during Jordan’s absence, and Charles Oakley, a rookie who provided a strong presence on the boards.
Despite the losing record, the Bulls secured a playoff spot due to the expanded playoff format at the time. They faced the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round, a team that would eventually win the NBA Championship that year. The Bulls were swept in three games, but the series is best remembered for Michael Jordan’s extraordinary performance in Game 2, where he scored a playoff-record 63 points in a double-overtime thriller, prompting Celtics legend Larry Bird to famously call him “God disguised as Michael Jordan.”
While the 1985-86 season did not bring postseason success for the Bulls, it was a significant year in establishing the foundation for the team’s future dominance in the NBA. Jordan’s return from injury and his spectacular playoff performance hinted at the potential that would soon lead Chicago to multiple championships in the coming years.
- Regular Season Record: 30-52
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Chicago Bulls Roster and Stats for 1985-86 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Michael Jordan | 18 | 22.7 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 16.7 | 3 | 43.7 | 6.3 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 100.0 |
| Orlando Woolridge | 70 | 20.7 | 5.0 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 17.4 | 3 | 21.0 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Quintin Dailey | 35 | 16.3 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| George Gervin | 82 | 16.2 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 21.1 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Sidney Green | 80 | 13.4 | 8.2 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 3 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Gene Banks | 82 | 10.9 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 3 | 7.3 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Charles Oakley | 77 | 9.6 | 8.6 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 3 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Dave Corzine | 67 | 9.6 | 6.5 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 25.0 | 3 | 12.0 | 9.0 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Kyle Macy | 82 | 8.6 | 2.2 | 5.4 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 41.4 | 3 | 4.0 | 1.3 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 25.0 |
| Jawann Oldham | 52 | 7.4 | 5.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Michael Holton | 24 | 7.1 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 10.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| John Paxson | 75 | 5.3 | 1.3 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 29.4 | 3 | 9.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Rod Higgins | 5 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Tony Brown | 10 | 4.5 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mike Smrek | 38 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Billy McKinney | 9 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Ron Brewer | 4 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Chicago Bulls 1985-86 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1985-86 season for the Chicago Bulls.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 25, 1985 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 116-115 | |
| Oct 26, 1985 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 121-118 | |
| Oct 29, 1985 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 111-105 | |
| Oct 31, 1985 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 120-112 | |
| Nov 02, 1985 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 118-100 | |
| Nov 06, 1985 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 122-105 | |
| Nov 07, 1985 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 106-97 | |
| Nov 09, 1985 | @ New York Knicks | W 97-94 | |
| Nov 12, 1985 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 132-103 | |
| Nov 13, 1985 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 110-106 | |
| Nov 15, 1985 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 118-103 | |
| Nov 16, 1985 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | L 132-128 | |
| Nov 19, 1985 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 121-114 | |
| Nov 20, 1985 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 116-101 | |
| Nov 23, 1985 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 135-108 | |
| Nov 24, 1985 | @ Washington Bullets | L 115-106 | |
| Nov 26, 1985 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 128-123 | |
| Nov 27, 1985 | @ Utah Jazz | L 114-96 | |
| Nov 29, 1985 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 122-107 | |
| Dec 01, 1985 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 117-113 | |
| Dec 03, 1985 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 131-118 | |
| Dec 04, 1985 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 100-99 | |
| Dec 06, 1985 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 131-123 | |
| Dec 07, 1985 | @ Houston Rockets | L 116-104 | |
| Dec 10, 1985 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 109-107 | |
| Dec 12, 1985 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 106-102 | |
| Dec 14, 1985 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 108-103 | |
| Dec 15, 1985 | @ Boston Celtics | L 109-104 | |
| Dec 17, 1985 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 116-108 | |
| Dec 19, 1985 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 98-92 | |
| Dec 21, 1985 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 117-104 | |
| Dec 26, 1985 | vs. New York Knicks | L 113-96 | |
| Dec 28, 1985 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 108-104 | |
| Dec 30, 1985 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 121-117 | |
| Jan 02, 1986 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 131-122 | |
| Jan 04, 1986 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 111-100 | |
| Jan 07, 1986 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 110-105 | |
| Jan 11, 1986 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 132-123 | |
| Jan 14, 1986 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 117-113 | |
| Jan 15, 1986 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 123-115 | |
| Jan 17, 1986 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 120-118 | |
| Jan 19, 1986 | @ Washington Bullets | L 112-98 | |
| Jan 20, 1986 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 133-118 | |
| Jan 25, 1986 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 133-114 | |
| Jan 27, 1986 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 124-116 | |
| Jan 28, 1986 | @ New York Knicks | L 118-111 | |
| Jan 30, 1986 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 101-91 | |
| Feb 01, 1986 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 132-122 | |
| Feb 02, 1986 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 131-106 | |
| Feb 04, 1986 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 117-115 | |
| Feb 06, 1986 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 117-97 | |
| Feb 12, 1986 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 106-98 | |
| Feb 14, 1986 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 104-88 | |
| Feb 16, 1986 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 120-114 | |
| Feb 17, 1986 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 124-110 | |
| Feb 19, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 99-96 | |
| Feb 21, 1986 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 108-96 | |
| Feb 22, 1986 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 129-125 | |
| Feb 24, 1986 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 110-100 | |
| Feb 25, 1986 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 122-108 | |
| Feb 28, 1986 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 116-96 | |
| Mar 04, 1986 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 106-94 | |
| Mar 05, 1986 | @ Boston Celtics | L 108-97 | |
| Mar 07, 1986 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 112-108 | |
| Mar 09, 1986 | vs. New York Knicks | W 114-101 | |
| Mar 11, 1986 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 113-100 | |
| Mar 13, 1986 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 112-102 | |
| Mar 15, 1986 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 125-116 | |
| Mar 17, 1986 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 106-96 | |
| Mar 19, 1986 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 118-112 | |
| Mar 21, 1986 | @ Boston Celtics | L 126-105 | |
| Mar 22, 1986 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 123-97 | |
| Mar 25, 1986 | vs. New York Knicks | W 111-98 | |
| Mar 28, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 118-107 | |
| Mar 29, 1986 | @ New York Knicks | W 106-96 | |
| Apr 01, 1986 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 116-107 | |
| Apr 03, 1986 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 109-108 | |
| Apr 05, 1986 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 102-97 | |
| Apr 07, 1986 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 107-101 | |
| Apr 08, 1986 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 131-118 | |
| Apr 11, 1986 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 105-103 | |
| Apr 13, 1986 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 104-97 |