The 1986-87 Chicago Bulls season was a pivotal one in the franchise’s history, marked by individual brilliance and team restructuring. Under head coach Doug Collins, the Bulls finished the regular season with a 40-42 record, securing the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. This season was particularly notable for the emergence of Michael Jordan as a transcendent superstar, who led the league in scoring with an average of 37.1 points per game.
Jordan’s performance was historic; he became the only player besides Wilt Chamberlain to score over 3,000 points in a single season. His offensive prowess was complemented by averages of 5.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.9 steals per game, earning him his first NBA scoring title and a spot on the All-NBA First Team. Despite Jordan’s heroics, the Bulls struggled to find consistency, primarily due to a lack of depth and experience on the roster.
In the postseason, the Bulls faced the top-seeded Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. The Celtics, led by Larry Bird, were a formidable opponent and swept the Bulls in three games. Although the Bulls were eliminated early, the series was a showcase for Jordan’s talent, especially highlighted by his 35-point performance in Game 1 and his 42-point effort in Game 3. His ability to compete against the league’s best set the stage for Chicago’s future success.
The 1986-87 season underscored the need for a stronger supporting cast around Jordan. It was a year of transition, setting the foundation for the Bulls’ eventual dominance in the 1990s. The experiences and lessons from this season were instrumental in shaping the team’s strategy, focusing on acquiring key players that would complement Jordan’s skills in subsequent years.
- Regular Season Record: 40-42
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Chicago Bulls 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% |
| Michael Jordan | 82 | 37.1 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 18.2 | 3 | 35.7 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 40.0 |
| Charles Oakley | 82 | 14.5 | 13.1 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 36.6 | 3 | 20.0 | 15.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 50.0 |
| John Paxson | 82 | 11.3 | 1.7 | 5.7 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 37.1 | 3 | 8.7 | 1.0 | 3.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 42.9 |
| Gene Banks | 63 | 9.7 | 4.9 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3 | 10.3 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Brad Sellers | 80 | 8.5 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 20.0 | 3 | 5.0 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Dave Corzine | 82 | 8.3 | 6.6 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 3 | 9.0 | 7.0 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Sedale Threatt | 40 | 7.9 | 1.3 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 3 | 6.7 | 1.7 | 5.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Earl Cureton | 43 | 6.9 | 5.3 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Steve Colter | 27 | 4.9 | 1.6 | 3.5 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Mike Brown | 62 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Elston Turner | 70 | 3.5 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 12.5 | 3 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ben Poquette | 21 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Pete Myers | 29 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Granville Waiters | 44 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Perry Young | 5 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Fred Cofield | 5 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Darren Daye | 1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Chicago Bulls 1986-87 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1986-87 season for the Chicago Bulls.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 01, 1986 | @ New York Knicks | W 108-103 | |
| Nov 02, 1986 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 94-89 | |
| Nov 04, 1986 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 111-104 | |
| Nov 07, 1986 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 115-109 | |
| Nov 08, 1986 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 101-96 | |
| Nov 11, 1986 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 112-110 | |
| Nov 12, 1986 | @ Washington Bullets | L 101-99 | |
| Nov 14, 1986 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 110-98 | |
| Nov 21, 1986 | vs. New York Knicks | W 101-99 | |
| Nov 22, 1986 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 93-84 | |
| Nov 26, 1986 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 109-107 | |
| Nov 28, 1986 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 110-103 | |
| Nov 29, 1986 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 113-106 | |
| Dec 02, 1986 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | W 115-109 | |
| Dec 03, 1986 | @ Utah Jazz | L 99-94 | |
| Dec 05, 1986 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 114-112 | |
| Dec 06, 1986 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 106-97 | |
| Dec 09, 1986 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 106-100 | |
| Dec 10, 1986 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 123-95 | |
| Dec 12, 1986 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 106-93 | |
| Dec 13, 1986 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-90 | |
| Dec 16, 1986 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 99-98 | |
| Dec 18, 1986 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 97-88 | |
| Dec 20, 1986 | vs. Utah Jazz | L 91-89 | |
| Dec 23, 1986 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 108-92 | |
| Dec 25, 1986 | @ New York Knicks | L 86-85 | |
| Dec 27, 1986 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 105-93 | |
| Dec 30, 1986 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 102-99 | |
| Jan 02, 1987 | @ Boston Celtics | L 113-99 | |
| Jan 03, 1987 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 124-119 | |
| Jan 06, 1987 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 99-95 | |
| Jan 08, 1987 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 121-117 | |
| Jan 10, 1987 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 119-109 | |
| Jan 15, 1987 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 107-96 | |
| Jan 17, 1987 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 105-89 | |
| Jan 19, 1987 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 109-95 | |
| Jan 20, 1987 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 103-90 | |
| Jan 23, 1987 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 117-96 | |
| Jan 24, 1987 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 114-84 | |
| Jan 27, 1987 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 105-97 | |
| Jan 28, 1987 | @ Boston Celtics | L 132-103 | |
| Jan 30, 1987 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 121-112 | |
| Feb 01, 1987 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 94-92 | |
| Feb 03, 1987 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 98-91 | |
| Feb 05, 1987 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 120-105 | |
| Feb 10, 1987 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 104-99 | |
| Feb 13, 1987 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 106-98 | |
| Feb 14, 1987 | @ New York Knicks | W 112-108 | |
| Feb 16, 1987 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 124-120 | |
| Feb 20, 1987 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 110-100 | |
| Feb 22, 1987 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 102-98 | |
| Feb 24, 1987 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 113-103 | |
| Feb 26, 1987 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 128-113 | |
| Feb 28, 1987 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 107-104 | |
| Mar 01, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 105-95 | |
| Mar 03, 1987 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 114-80 | |
| Mar 04, 1987 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 125-120 | |
| Mar 06, 1987 | vs. New York Knicks | L 110-109 | |
| Mar 08, 1987 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 115-105 | |
| Mar 09, 1987 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 108-103 | |
| Mar 11, 1987 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 117-108 | |
| Mar 13, 1987 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 100-99 | |
| Mar 14, 1987 | @ Washington Bullets | L 106-105 | |
| Mar 16, 1987 | @ Houston Rockets | L 97-96 | |
| Mar 17, 1987 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 114-96 | |
| Mar 19, 1987 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 114-97 | |
| Mar 21, 1987 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 112-97 | |
| Mar 22, 1987 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 115-113 | |
| Mar 24, 1987 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 93-91 | |
| Mar 26, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 109-107 | |
| Mar 27, 1987 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 111-106 | |
| Mar 29, 1987 | vs. New York Knicks | W 115-96 | |
| Mar 31, 1987 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 101-75 | |
| Apr 01, 1987 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 99-94 | |
| Apr 03, 1987 | @ Washington Bullets | L 122-118 | |
| Apr 04, 1987 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 110-97 | |
| Apr 07, 1987 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 116-86 | |
| Apr 10, 1987 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 98-96 | |
| Apr 12, 1987 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 116-95 | |
| Apr 13, 1987 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 114-107 | |
| Apr 16, 1987 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 117-114 | |
| Apr 17, 1987 | @ Boston Celtics | L 108-105 |