1987 NBA playoffs


The 1987 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1986–87 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The Lakers earned their 10th NBA championship, and Magic Johnson was named Bill Russell [NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award|NBA Finals MVP] for a then-record third time.
This was the last time the Celtics would appear in the NBA Finals until 2008. Boston only advanced as far as the Conference Finals twice in that stretch: losing the following year to the Detroit Pistons in six games and in 2002 to the New Jersey Nets, also in 6 games.
The Pistons appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals was the franchise's first. It would be the first of five straight Conference Finals appearances for Detroit. They would make their first NBA Finals appearance since 1956 the following season, the first of 3 straight trips to the Finals.
The Warriors & Pacers made their first playoff appearances since 1977 and 1981 respectively. The Pacers also won their first NBA playoff game, in Game 3 of their first-round series against the Hawks.
Game 5 of the Philadelphia/Milwaukee series would the final game in the amazing career of Julius Erving.
By beating Dallas 3–1, the SuperSonics became the first #7 seed to defeat a #2 seed since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984. They reached the Western Conference Finals, where they were swept by the Lakers. As of, they are the most recent team with a sub-.500 record to win a playoff series. The 1989 & 1991 Warriors, 1998 Knicks, 2010 Spurs and 2023 Lakers were the other 7th seeds to beat the 2nd seed.
One of the most memorable moments of the playoffs occurred in the final moments of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals when, with Boston down 107–106, Isiah Thomas had his inbounds pass stolen by Larry Bird, who passed to Dennis Johnson for the game-winning layup.
The only dent in the Lakers' run to the Finals came in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Warriors, when Sleepy Floyd scored a playoff record 39 points in the second half, with a record 29 coming in the fourth quarter, to seal a 129–121 win. Both records still stand.
This was last time a 7 seed went to the Western Conference Finals until 2023 when the Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers] were swept by the Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets] in 4 games.

First round

Eastern Conference first round

(1) [Boston Celtics] vs. (8) [Chicago Bulls]

Boston won 6–0 in the regular-season series


This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first two meetings.
Boston leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series


(2) [Atlanta Hawks] vs. (7) [Indiana Pacers]

Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Hawks and the Pacers.

(3) [Detroit Pistons] vs. (6) [Washington Bullets]

Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Pistons and the Bullets.

(4) [Milwaukee Bucks] vs. (5) [Philadelphia 76ers]

  • Jack Sikma gets his shot blocked, jumps back up, catches the ball in mid-air and line-drives it in with 2 seconds left for the game-winner.
  • Julius Erving's final NBA game.
Philadelphia won 3–2 in the regular-season series


This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning four of the first six meetings.
Philadelphia leads 4–2 in all-time playoff series


Western Conference first round

(1) Los Angeles Lakers">1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers season">Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Denver Nuggets">1986–87 Denver Nuggets season">Denver Nuggets

Los Angeles won 5–0 in the regular-season series

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first two meetings.
Los Angeles leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series

(2) Dallas Mavericks">1986–87 Dallas Mavericks season">Dallas Mavericks vs. (7) Seattle SuperSonics">1986–87 Seattle SuperSonics season">Seattle SuperSonics

  • Seattle becomes first 7th seeded team to eliminate 2nd seeded team since Playoffs moved to 16-team format in 1984.
Dallas won 5–0 in the regular-season series

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Mavericks winning the first meeting.
Dallas leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

(3) [1986–87 [Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland Trail Blazers]] vs. (6) Houston Rockets">1986–87 Houston Rockets season">Houston Rockets

Portland won 3–2 in the regular-season series

This was the first playoff meeting between the Rockets and the Trail Blazers.

(4) Utah Jazz">1986–87 Utah Jazz season">Utah Jazz vs. (5) [1986–87 [Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]]

Utah won 3–2 in the regular-season series

This was the first playoff meeting between the Warriors and the Jazz.

Conference Semifinals

Eastern Conference Semifinals

(1) [Boston Celtics] vs. (4) [Milwaukee Bucks]

Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series


This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning three of the first four meetings.
Boston leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series


(2) [Atlanta Hawks] vs. (3) [Detroit Pistons]

  • Isiah Thomas makes the game-winning layup with 1 second left.
Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series


This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Hawks winning three of the first four meetings. It is the first win for the Pistons since the franchise moved to Detroit.
Atlanta leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series


Western Conference semifinals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers">1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers season">Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Golden State Warriors">1986–87 Golden State Warriors season">Golden State Warriors

  • Sleepy Floyd's record 39-point 2nd half and 29-point 4th quarter.
Los Angeles won 4–2 in the regular-season series


This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning four of the first five meetings.
Los Angeles leads 4–1 in all-time playoff series


(6) Houston Rockets">1986–87 Houston Rockets season">Houston Rockets vs. (7) Seattle SuperSonics">1986–87 Seattle SuperSonics season">Seattle SuperSonics

Seattle won 4–1 in the regular-season series


This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the SuperSonics winning the first meeting.
Seattle leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series


Conference finals

Eastern Conference finals

(1) [Boston Celtics] vs. (3) [Detroit Pistons]

Boston won 3–2 in the regular-season series


This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first two meetings.
Boston leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series


Western Conference finals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers">1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers season">Los Angeles Lakers vs. (7) Seattle SuperSonics">1986–87 Seattle SuperSonics season">Seattle SuperSonics

Los Angeles won 4–2 in the regular-season series


This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the SuperSonics winning two of the first three meetings.
Seattle leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series


NBA Finals: (W1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (E1) Boston Celtics

Los Angeles won 2–0 in the regular-season series


This was the tenth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning eight of the first nine meetings.
Boston leads 8–1 in all-time playoff series