The 1986-87 Utah Jazz season marked a significant period in the franchise’s history, showcasing the emergence of key players who would shape the team’s future. Under the guidance of head coach Frank Layden, the Jazz finished the regular season with a 44-38 record, securing fourth place in the Midwest Division and earning a spot in the playoffs.
This season was pivotal for the development of John Stockton and Karl Malone, two players who would become the cornerstone of the Jazz’s success in subsequent years. Stockton, in his third year with the team, began to establish himself as a premier point guard, while Malone, in his second season, started to showcase his scoring prowess. Malone’s performance earned him his first NBA All-Star selection, signaling his rise as a dominant power forward.
In the playoffs, the Jazz faced the Golden State Warriors in the first round. They emerged victorious in a five-game series, with Malone and Stockton playing crucial roles. However, their postseason run was halted in the Western Conference Semifinals by the eventual NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, who defeated the Jazz in five games.
Overall, the 1986-87 season was a foundational year for the Utah Jazz, laying the groundwork for future success. The team’s progress and the development of its young stars set the stage for the Jazz to become consistent playoff contenders in the years to follow.
- Regular Season Record: 44-38
- Playoff Result: Western Conference First Round: 2-3
Utah Jazz 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% |
| Karl Malone | 82 | 21.7 | 10.4 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 5 | 20.0 | 9.6 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| Darrell Griffith | 76 | 15.0 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 33.5 | 5 | 13.6 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 40.0 |
| Thurl Bailey | 81 | 13.8 | 5.3 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 5 | 15.6 | 6.0 | 1.8 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| Kelly Tripucka | 79 | 10.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 36.5 | 5 | 6.4 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Hansen | 72 | 9.7 | 2.8 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 35.6 | 5 | 12.2 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 40.0 |
| Rickey Green | 81 | 9.6 | 2.0 | 6.7 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 36.8 | 4 | 6.8 | 2.0 | 6.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| John Stockton | 82 | 7.9 | 1.8 | 8.2 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 18.4 | 5 | 10.0 | 2.2 | 8.0 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 80.0 |
| Mark Eaton | 79 | 7.7 | 8.8 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 4.1 | 0.0 | 5 | 10.8 | 11.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 4.2 | 0.0 |
| Carey Scurry | 69 | 5.0 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 28.6 | 4 | 6.0 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 50.0 |
| Dell Curry | 67 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 28.3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kent Benson | 73 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 28.6 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Marc Iavaroni | 78 | 3.6 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 5 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 |
Utah Jazz in the 1987 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Golden State Warriors
In the first round of the 1987 NBA Playoffs, the Utah Jazz faced off against the Golden State Warriors. The Jazz, led by the dynamic duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton, won the series 3-2 in a tightly contested matchup. Their victory was highlighted by Malone's scoring prowess and Stockton's playmaking, helping Utah advance to the Western Conference Semifinals.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23, 1987 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 99-85 | |
| Apr 25, 1987 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 103-100 | |
| Apr 29, 1987 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 110-95 | |
| May 01, 1987 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 98-94 | |
| May 03, 1987 | vs. Golden State Warriors | L 118-113 |
Utah Jazz 1986-87 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1986-87 season for the Utah Jazz.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 1986 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 103-77 | |
| Nov 01, 1986 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 119-110 | |
| Nov 05, 1986 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 111-95 | |
| Nov 06, 1986 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 135-121 | |
| Nov 11, 1986 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 104-103 | |
| Nov 13, 1986 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 130-113 | |
| Nov 15, 1986 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 111-103 | |
| Nov 16, 1986 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 124-103 | |
| Nov 20, 1986 | @ Houston Rockets | L 104-90 | |
| Nov 22, 1986 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 96-78 | |
| Nov 25, 1986 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 111-106 | |
| Nov 26, 1986 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 127-91 | |
| Nov 28, 1986 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 97-88 | |
| Nov 29, 1986 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 118-107 | |
| Dec 03, 1986 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 99-94 | |
| Dec 05, 1986 | vs. New York Knicks | W 123-96 | |
| Dec 06, 1986 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 114-111 | |
| Dec 10, 1986 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 112-110 | |
| Dec 11, 1986 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 103-99 | |
| Dec 13, 1986 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | W 115-100 | |
| Dec 16, 1986 | @ Washington Bullets | W 109-106 | |
| Dec 17, 1986 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 122-107 | |
| Dec 19, 1986 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 134-128 | |
| Dec 20, 1986 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 91-89 | |
| Dec 22, 1986 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 114-111 | |
| Dec 23, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 119-96 | |
| Dec 27, 1986 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 103-96 | |
| Dec 29, 1986 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 109-101 | |
| Dec 30, 1986 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 115-109 | |
| Jan 02, 1987 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 104-99 | |
| Jan 04, 1987 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 121-113 | |
| Jan 08, 1987 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 107-101 | |
| Jan 10, 1987 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 105-96 | |
| Jan 11, 1987 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 127-111 | |
| Jan 13, 1987 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 121-113 | |
| Jan 15, 1987 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 123-107 | |
| Jan 17, 1987 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 102-91 | |
| Jan 21, 1987 | vs. Detroit Pistons | W 112-108 | |
| Jan 23, 1987 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 123-100 | |
| Jan 26, 1987 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | L 108-95 | |
| Jan 27, 1987 | @ Houston Rockets | W 92-88 | |
| Jan 29, 1987 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | W 120-114 | |
| Jan 31, 1987 | vs. Los Angeles Clippers | L 114-113 | |
| Feb 01, 1987 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 121-113 | |
| Feb 03, 1987 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 101-95 | |
| Feb 05, 1987 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | W 126-103 | |
| Feb 10, 1987 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 102-98 | |
| Feb 13, 1987 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 105-98 | |
| Feb 14, 1987 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 108-95 | |
| Feb 16, 1987 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 109-89 | |
| Feb 18, 1987 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 113-109 | |
| Feb 20, 1987 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 118-113 | |
| Feb 21, 1987 | @ Houston Rockets | L 94-81 | |
| Feb 24, 1987 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 133-103 | |
| Feb 26, 1987 | vs. Houston Rockets | L 85-84 | |
| Feb 28, 1987 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 107-100 | |
| Mar 03, 1987 | @ New York Knicks | L 99-86 | |
| Mar 04, 1987 | @ Boston Celtics | L 123-105 | |
| Mar 06, 1987 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 124-123 | |
| Mar 07, 1987 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 122-97 | |
| Mar 09, 1987 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 107-102 | |
| Mar 11, 1987 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 122-116 | |
| Mar 12, 1987 | @ Sacramento Kings | W 113-109 | |
| Mar 14, 1987 | vs. Sacramento Kings | W 123-116 | |
| Mar 17, 1987 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 118-103 | |
| Mar 18, 1987 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 111-97 | |
| Mar 21, 1987 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 125-108 | |
| Mar 23, 1987 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 122-118 | |
| Mar 25, 1987 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 111-101 | |
| Mar 27, 1987 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 144-133 | |
| Mar 28, 1987 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 116-110 | |
| Mar 31, 1987 | vs. Phoenix Suns | W 110-95 | |
| Apr 01, 1987 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 107-104 | |
| Apr 03, 1987 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 112-98 | |
| Apr 04, 1987 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 121-107 | |
| Apr 06, 1987 | vs. Sacramento Kings | L 110-104 | |
| Apr 08, 1987 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 103-90 | |
| Apr 10, 1987 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 106-103 | |
| Apr 12, 1987 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 109-107 | |
| Apr 14, 1987 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 103-102 | |
| Apr 16, 1987 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 110-97 | |
| Apr 17, 1987 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 111-101 |