1986–87 Detroit Pistons season

The 1986–87 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons' 39th season in the NBA and 30th season in the city of Detroit.[1] The team played at the Pontiac Silverdome in suburban Pontiac, Michigan.

1986–87 Detroit Pistons season
Head coachChuck Daly
General managerJack McCloskey
Owner(s)William Davidson
ArenaPontiac Silverdome
Results
Record52–30 (.634)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Central)
Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishEastern Conference finals
(lost to Celtics 3–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

The disappointing finish of the previous year caused a roster shake-up as the team dealt Earl Cureton to the Chicago Bulls for Sidney Green, Kent Benson and Kelly Tripucka to the Utah Jazz for Adrian Dantley, and guard John Long to the Seattle SuperSonics for draft picks. The team added John Salley and Dennis Rodman in the 1986 NBA draft to complete the turnover. The moves by GM "Trader Jack" McCloskey paid immediate dividends as the team finished 52–30 (.634), 2nd in the Central Division. The team advanced to the playoffs, defeating the Washington Bullets 3–0 in the first round and then the Atlanta Hawks 4–1 to advance to the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics.[1]

The tightly contested conference finals went to a 7th game thanks to Celtics star Larry Bird when he made an improbable steal in the closing seconds of Game 5 to keep the Boston season alive. Leading by 1 point, Pistons star Isiah Thomas waived off a timeout request from Pistons coach Chuck Daly, hurried a lofting inbound pass to center Bill Laimbeer, as Bird stepped in for the steal, passing to teammate Dennis Johnson for the 108–107 Boston win. Long-time Celtic announcer Johnny Most’s call of Bird’s game-saving steal in the 1987 playoffs at the end of Game 5 in the Eastern Conference finals vs. Detroit was memorable with "Aaaaaaand now there’s a steal by Bird, underneath to DEE-Jay, he lays it in…and Boston has a one-point lead right with one second to go… What a play by Bird!...Oh my this place is goin’ crazy!”[2][3][4] After a Pistons home win in Game 6, the series returned to the Boston Garden for the 7th game with the Celtics holding off Detroit 117–114 for the series victory.

Detroit was led on the season by guard Thomas (20.6 ppg, 10.0 apg, NBA All-Star), center Laimbeer (15.4 ppg, 11.6 rpg, NBA All-Star), and forward Dantley (21.5 ppg).

Draft picks
Main article: 1986 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
111John SalleyPF/C United StatesGeorgia Tech
227Dennis RodmanSF/PF United StatesSoutheastern Oklahoma State

Roster
1986–87 Detroit Pistons roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
SF 00 Campbell, Tony 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1962-05-07 Ohio State
SF 45 Dantley, Adrian 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 208 lb (94 kg) 1955-02-28 Notre Dame
SG 4 Dumars, Joe 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1963-05-24 McNeese State
PF 12 Green, Sidney 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1961-01-04 UNLV
SG 15 Johnson, Vinnie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1956-09-01 Baylor
C 40 Laimbeer, Bill 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1957-05-19 Notre Dame
F/C 44 Mahorn, Rick 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1958-09-21 Hampton
C 42 Nevitt, Chuck 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) 217 lb (98 kg) 1959-06-13 North Carolina State
PF 41 Nimphius, Kurt 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 218 lb (99 kg) 1958-03-13 Arizona State
SF 10 Rodman, Dennis 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1961-05-13 SE Oklahoma State
F/C 22 Salley, John 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1964-05-16 Georgia Tech
PG 11 Thomas, Isiah (C) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1961-04-30 Indiana
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster
Last transaction: February 10, 1987

Regular season

Season standings
Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Atlanta Hawks 5725.695–35–622–1917–13
x-Detroit Pistons 5230.634532–920–2117–13
x-Milwaukee Bucks 5032.610732–918–2317–13
x-Indiana Pacers 4141.5001628–1313–2813–16
x-Chicago Bulls 4042.4881729–1211–3017–12
Cleveland Cavaliers 3151.3782625–166–358–22
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Boston Celtics5923.720–
2 y-Atlanta Hawks5725.6952
3 x-Detroit Pistons5230.6347
4 x-Milwaukee Bucks5032.6109
5 x-Philadelphia 76ers4537.54914
6 x-Washington Bullets4240.51217
7 x-Indiana Pacers4141.50018
8 x-Chicago Bulls4042.48819
9 Cleveland Cavaliers3151.37828
10 New Jersey Nets2458.29335
11 New York Knicks2458.29335
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents
1986–87 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIL NJN NYK PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA UTA WAS
Atlanta —3–34–24–22–02–03–31–11–13–32–01–13–35–05–13–31–11–12–02–02–02–05–0
Boston 3–3—6–03–22–02–03–22–02–05–12–00–23–34–24–23–32–02–02–02–02–01–14–2
Chicago 2–40–6—5–11–11–13–30–20–23–22–00–24–23–24–23–31–11–11–11–12–00–23–3
Cleveland 2–42–31–5—0–21–11–51–10–23–32–00–21–54–24–12–41–11–11–11–11–10–22–4
Dallas 0–20–21–12–0—4–21–15–03–30–25–03–22–02–02–02–03–22–35–14–25–03–31–1
Denver 0–20–21–11–12–4—0–24–13–31–12–30–51–12–02–00–23–23–22–45–12–32–41–1
Detroit 3–32–33–35–11–12–0—1–11–13–32–01–13–35–16–05–01–10–21–11–12–01–13–3
Golden State 1–10–22–01–10–51–41–1—4–10–26–02–40–22–02–01–11–54–24–14–14–22–30–2
Houston 1–10–22–02–03–33–31–11–4—2–04–11–40–21–11–10–23–22–35–15–11–43–31–1
Indiana 3–31–52–33–32–01–13–32–00–2—2–00–22–45–13–22–41–10–21–12–01–11–14–2
L.A. Clippers 0–20–20–20–20–53–20–20–61–40–2—0–60–21–10–20–21–50–61–41–42–42–30–2
L.A. Lakers 1–12–02–02–02–35–01–14–24–12–06–0—1–12–02–02–05–15–15–04–14–23–21–1
Milwaukee 3–33–32–45–10–21–13–32–02–04–22–01–1—4–24–22–32–00–22–01–12–01–14–1
New Jersey 0–52–42–32–40–20–21–50–21–11–51–10–22–4—5–13–31–10–20–20–20–21–12–4
New York 1–52–42–41–40–20–20–60–21–12–32–00–22–41–5—3–31–10–22–01–10–21–12–4
Philadelphia 3–33–33–34–20–22–00–51–12–04–22–00–23–23–33–3—1–12–02–01–12–01–13–3
Phoenix 1–10–21–11–12–32–31–15–12–31–15–11–50–21–11–11–1—2–42–32–31–54–10–2
Portland 1–10–21–11–13–22–32–02–43–22–06–01–52–02–02–00–24–2—3–24–14–23–21–1
Sacramento 0–20–21–11–11–54–21–11–41–51–14–10–50–22–00–20–23–22–3—3–32–31–51–1
San Antonio 0–20–21–11–12–41–51–11–41–50–24–11–41–12–01–11–13–21–43–3—1–42–40–2
Seattle 0–20–20–21–10–53–20–22–44–11–14–22–40–22–02–00–25–12–43–24–1—3–21–1
Utah 0–21–12–02–03–34–21–13–23–31–13–22–31–11–11–11–11–42–35–14–22–3—1–1
Washington 0–52–43–34–21–11–13–32–01–12–42–01–11–44–24–23–32–01–11–12–01–11–1—

Playoffs
1987 playoff game log
First Round: 3–0 (home: 2–0; road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 April 24 Washington W 106–92 Isiah Thomas (34) Laimbeer, Rodman (10) Isiah Thomas (9) Pontiac Silverdome
15,419		 1–0
2 April 26 Washington W 128–85 Adrian Dantley (24) Bill Laimbeer (9) Vinnie Johnson (13) Pontiac Silverdome
14,389		 2–0
3 April 29 @ Washington W 97–96 Dantley, Johnson (21) Rick Mahorn (12) Isiah Thomas (10) Capital Centre
10,831		 3–0
Conference semifinals: 4–1 (home: 2–0; road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 May 3 @ Atlanta W 112–111 Isiah Thomas (30) Dennis Rodman (10) Isiah Thomas (10) Omni Coliseum
14,361		 1–0
2 May 5 @ Atlanta L 102–115 Laimbeer, Rodman (20) Bill Laimbeer (12) Isiah Thomas (6) Omni Coliseum
16,522		 1–1
3 May 8 Atlanta W 108–99 Isiah Thomas (35) Dennis Rodman (9) Isiah Thomas (8) Pontiac Silverdome
24,544		 2–1
4 May 10 Atlanta W 89–88 Isiah Thomas (31) Rick Mahorn (17) Joe Dumars (5) Pontiac Silverdome
17,269		 3–1
5 May 13 @ Atlanta W 104–96 Joe Dumars (21) Rick Mahorn (16) Isiah Thomas (12) Omni Coliseum
16,522		 4–1
Conference finals: 3–4 (home: 3–0; road: 0–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 May 19 @ Boston L 91–104 Isiah Thomas (18) Rick Mahorn (11) Isiah Thomas (10) Boston Garden
14,890		 0–1
2 May 21 @ Boston L 101–110 Isiah Thomas (36) Bill Laimbeer (16) Bill Laimbeer (7) Boston Garden
14,890		 0–2
3 May 23 Boston W 122–104 Adrian Dantley (25) Rick Mahorn (12) Vinnie Johnson (8) Pontiac Silverdome
23,525		 1–2
4 May 24 Boston W 145–119 Adrian Dantley (32) Bill Laimbeer (13) Thomas, Dumars (8) Pontiac Silverdome
27,387		 2–2
5 May 26 @ Boston L 107–108 Adrian Dantley (25) Bill Laimbeer (14) Isiah Thomas (11) Boston Garden
14,890		 2–3
6 May 28 Boston W 113–105 Dantley, Johnson (24) Rick Mahorn (18) Isiah Thomas (9) Pontiac Silverdome
28,383		 3–3
7 May 30 @ Boston L 114–117 Joe Dumars (35) Bill Laimbeer (13) Isiah Thomas (9) Boston Garden
14,890		 3–4
1987 schedule

Awards and records

References
  1. "1986–87 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com.
  2. "History on This Day: Larry Bird steals the pass from Isiah Thomas". May 26, 2021.
  3. Parquet, Professor (August 18, 2017). "History week: The anatomy of Larry Bird's legendary steal to beat Detroit in 1987 East Finals". CelticsBlog.
  4. "Top Moments: Larry Bird's steal saves Celtics against Pistons". www.nba.com.

See also
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