The 1986-87 New Jersey Nets struggled throughout the NBA season, finishing with a disappointing 24-58 record. This performance placed them 5th in the Atlantic Division and 11th in the Eastern Conference, well out of playoff contention. The team’s season was characterized by inconsistency and a lack of defensive prowess, which contributed to their poor record.
Despite the team’s struggles, Buck Williams, a reliable force for the Nets, averaged 18.0 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, showcasing his consistent inside presence. Another standout was Otis Birdsong, who contributed 17.6 points per game. The Nets underwent a mid-season coaching change, with Dave Wohl being replaced by Bob MacKinnon, but the shift did little to alter their fortunes. The season highlighted the need for rebuilding and strategic changes, setting the stage for future developments in the franchise.
- Regular Season Record: 24-58
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
New Jersey Nets Roster and Stats for 1986-87 Season
POINTS
Orlando Woolridge
20.7
REBOUNDS
Buck Williams
12.5
ASSISTS
Ray Williams
5.8
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Orlando Woolridge | 75 | 20.7 | 4.9 | 3.5 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 12.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Buck Williams | 82 | 18.0 | 12.5 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mike Gminski | 72 | 16.4 | 8.8 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Tony Brown | 77 | 11.3 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 25.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ray Williams | 32 | 9.9 | 2.3 | 5.8 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 25.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Albert King | 61 | 9.5 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 40.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Darryl Dawkins | 6 | 9.5 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Pearl Washington | 72 | 8.6 | 1.8 | 4.2 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 16.7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| James Bailey | 34 | 8.3 | 4.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Leon Wood | 76 | 7.3 | 1.6 | 4.9 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 30.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kevin McKenna | 56 | 7.2 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 42.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ben Coleman | 68 | 6.6 | 4.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Otis Birdsong | 7 | 6.3 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jeff Turner | 76 | 5.0 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Pace Mannion | 23 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 33.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Chris Engler | 18 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Michael Wilson | 5 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
New Jersey Nets 1986-87 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1986-87 season for the New Jersey Nets.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 108-97 | |
| Nov 01, 1986 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 131-111 | |
| Nov 04, 1986 | @ Washington Bullets | L 102-101 | |
| Nov 05, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 112-103 | |
| Nov 07, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 115-94 | |
| Nov 11, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 114-110 | |
| Nov 13, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 120-117 | |
| Nov 15, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 109-90 | |
| Nov 18, 1986 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 125-112 | |
| Nov 19, 1986 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 111-101 | |
| Nov 21, 1986 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 111-95 | |
| Nov 22, 1986 | @ Utah Jazz | L 96-78 | |
| Nov 25, 1986 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 117-99 | |
| Nov 28, 1986 | @ Dallas Mavericks | L 119-94 | |
| Nov 29, 1986 | @ Houston Rockets | W 102-97 | |
| Dec 03, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 107-106 | |
| Dec 05, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 113-100 | |
| Dec 06, 1986 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 105-100 | |
| Dec 09, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 120-107 | |
| Dec 10, 1986 | @ Boston Celtics | L 108-98 | |
| Dec 12, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 123-90 | |
| Dec 13, 1986 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 95-91 | |
| Dec 16, 1986 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 99-98 | |
| Dec 18, 1986 | @ New York Knicks | W 94-93 | |
| Dec 23, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 119-96 | |
| Dec 26, 1986 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 121-112 | |
| Dec 27, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 120-111 | |
| Dec 29, 1986 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 122-117 | |
| Jan 02, 1987 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 129-128 | |
| Jan 03, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 118-97 | |
| Jan 06, 1987 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 124-112 | |
| Jan 07, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 118-96 | |
| Jan 09, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 127-120 | |
| Jan 10, 1987 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 119-109 | |
| Jan 13, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 123-117 | |
| Jan 14, 1987 | @ Washington Bullets | L 118-100 | |
| Jan 17, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 123-113 | |
| Jan 19, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 126-115 | |
| Jan 21, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 120-114 | |
| Jan 23, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 125-120 | |
| Jan 27, 1987 | @ Sacramento Kings | L 118-115 | |
| Jan 28, 1987 | @ Los Angeles Clippers | L 98-91 | |
| Jan 30, 1987 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 125-107 | |
| Feb 01, 1987 | @ Golden State Warriors | L 150-147 | |
| Feb 02, 1987 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 108-100 | |
| Feb 04, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 121-95 | |
| Feb 05, 1987 | @ New York Knicks | L 135-118 | |
| Feb 12, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 121-99 | |
| Feb 15, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 120-104 | |
| Feb 16, 1987 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 128-124 | |
| Feb 19, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 110-106 | |
| Feb 21, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 111-107 | |
| Feb 23, 1987 | @ Boston Celtics | L 116-103 | |
| Feb 24, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 120-112 | |
| Feb 26, 1987 | @ Chicago Bulls | L 128-113 | |
| Feb 27, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 125-115 | |
| Mar 01, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 105-95 | |
| Mar 04, 1987 | @ Washington Bullets | L 117-114 | |
| Mar 06, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 111-83 | |
| Mar 07, 1987 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 114-102 | |
| Mar 10, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 121-79 | |
| Mar 12, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 123-106 | |
| Mar 13, 1987 | @ New York Knicks | W 126-121 | |
| Mar 15, 1987 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 123-99 | |
| Mar 17, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 110-91 | |
| Mar 18, 1987 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 113-112 | |
| Mar 20, 1987 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 106-105 | |
| Mar 22, 1987 | @ Boston Celtics | L 116-104 | |
| Mar 24, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 119-107 | |
| Mar 26, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 109-107 | |
| Mar 27, 1987 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 110-99 | |
| Apr 01, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 121-120 | |
| Apr 03, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 113-109 | |
| Apr 04, 1987 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 112-102 | |
| Apr 07, 1987 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 128-114 | |
| Apr 08, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 118-109 | |
| Apr 10, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 117-108 | |
| Apr 12, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 115-88 | |
| Apr 14, 1987 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 113-95 | |
| Apr 15, 1987 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 136-116 | |
| Apr 17, 1987 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 130-117 | |
| Apr 18, 1987 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 112-103 |