Trisha Shetty (Editor)

1987–88 Los Angeles Lakers season

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Record
  
62–20 (.756)

Period
  
1987 – 1988

Owner
  
Jerry Buss

Head coach
  
Pat Riley

Radio
  
KLAC

Arena
  
The Forum

1987–88 Los Angeles Lakers season

Place
  
Division: 1st (Pacific) Conference: 1st (Western)

Playoff finish
  
NBA Champions (Defeated Pistons 4-3)

Televisions
  
Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket, KCAL-TV

Similar
  
1979–80 Los Angeles, 2000–01 Los Angeles, 2009–10 Los Angeles, 1971–72 Los Angeles, 1949–50 Minneapolis Lakers se

The 1987–88 season saw the Lakers win their eleventh NBA championship, defeating the Detroit Pistons in a seven-game final to become the NBA’s first repeat champions since the Boston Celtics did it in the 1968–69 NBA season. In doing so, the Lakers made good on Pat Riley's famous promise to repeat as champions. “I'm guaranteeing everybody here,” Riley said at the civic celebrations following the Lakers’ 1987 championship win, “next year we’re gonna win it again.” Before the Lakers could make good on Riley's guarantee, they swept the San Antonio Spurs in the opening round of the playoffs. The following two rounds however would not be as easy for the Lakers, but they still managed to get through a tough seven-game series against both the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference Semis and the Dallas Mavericks Western Conference Finals.

Contents

By the time the Lakers had finished their season they had played an NBA record 106 games including another record 24 playoff games, winning 77 and losing 29. The Lakers went 62–20 in the regular season and 15–9 in the playoffs.

The 1988 Finals proved the last time the Showtime-era Lakers would win the NBA Championship. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar abruptly retired after another NBA Finals appearance the following year, in which the Lakers were swept in four straight by the rejuvenated Pistons. Although they made the Finals in 1991, the Lakers lost to the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in five games. After that, the Lakers did not make another Finals appearance and win another NBA Championship until 2000. It was also the final time the Lakers won the Championship at The Forum.

Season standings

z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot

West First Round

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) San Antonio Spurs: Lakers win series 3–0

  • Game 1 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (April 29): Los Angeles 122, San Antonio 110
  • Game 2 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (May 1): Los Angeles 130, San Antonio 112
  • Game 3 @ HemisFair Arena, San Antonio (May 3): Los Angeles 109, San Antonio 107

    • Last Playoff Meeting: 1986 Western Conference First Round (Los Angeles won 3–0)

    West Conference Semifinals

    (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Utah Jazz: Lakers win series 4–3

  • Game 1 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (May 8): Los Angeles 110, Utah 91
  • Game 2 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (May 10): Utah 101, Los Angeles 97
  • Game 3 @ Salt Palace, Salt Lake City (May 13): Utah 96, Los Angeles 89
  • Game 4 @ Salt Palace, Salt Lake City (May 15): Los Angeles 113, Utah 100
  • Game 5 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (May 17): Los Angeles 111, Utah 109
  • Game 6 @ Salt Palace, Salt Lake City (May 19): Utah 108, Los Angeles 80
  • Game 7 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (May 21): Los Angeles 109, Utah 98

    • Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)

    West Conference Finals

    (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Dallas Mavericks: Lakers win series 4–3

  • Game 1 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (May 23): Los Angeles 113, Dallas 98
  • Game 2 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (May 25): Los Angeles 123, Dallas 101
  • Game 3 @ Reunion Arena, Dallas (May 27): Dallas 106, Los Angeles 94
  • Game 4 @ Reunion Arena, Dallas (May 29): Dallas 118, Los Angeles 104
  • Game 5 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (May 31): Los Angeles 119, Dallas 102
  • Game 6 @ Reunion Arena, Dallas (June 2): Dallas 105, Los Angeles 103
  • Game 7 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (June 4): Los Angeles 117, Dallas 102

    • Last Playoff Meeting: 1986 Western Conference Semifinals (Los Angeles won 4–2)

    NBA Finals

    (W1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (E2) Detroit Pistons: Lakers win series 4–3

  • Game 1 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (June 7): Detroit 105, Los Angeles 93
  • Game 2 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (June 9): Los Angeles 108, Detroit 96
  • Game 3 @ Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac (June 12): Los Angeles 99, Detroit 86
  • Game 4 @ Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac (June 14): Detroit 111, Los Angeles 86
  • Game 5 @ Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac (June 16): Detroit 104, Los Angeles 94
  • Game 6 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (June 19): Los Angeles 103, Detroit 102
  • Game 7 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (June 21): Los Angeles 108, Detroit 105

    • Last Playoff Meeting: 1962 Western Division Finals (Los Angeles won 4–3)

    Awards

  • James Worthy, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award
  • Magic Johnson, All-NBA First Team
  • Michael Cooper, NBA All-Defensive First Team

    • All-Star

  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named to his 18th consecutive NBA All-Star Game. He broke the All-Star scoring record during the game at Chicago Stadium
  • Magic Johnson was voted to his 6th consecutive NBA All-Star Game as a starter and 8th overall
  • James Worthy was voted to his 3rd consecutive NBA All-Star Game
  • Pat Riley was the NBA All-Star Games Western Conference coach for the 4th consecutive time and 6th overall

    • References

    1987–88 Los Angeles Lakers season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA