# 1986–87 Milwaukee Bucks season

The 1986-87 NBA season was the Bucks' 19th season in the NBA. For the first time since 1978-79, the Bucks did not win their division.
During the season, coach and general manager Don Nelson started to experience a rift in friendship with Bucks owner Herb Kohl due to personal disagreements with Kohl on how to run the team. During Game 4 of the 1987 Eastern Conference semifinals between the Bucks and the Boston Celtics, Nelson controversially announced to the local and national sports media that he did not expect to return to the Bucks after the season was over due to said rift with Kohl. Nelson would in fact resign after the Bucks lost the series to Boston in seven games, coming back from being down 3–1 in the series only to lose the seventh and deciding game in Boston Garden. After 11 seasons coaching and managing the Bucks, Nelson took the year off only to return in the 1988–89 season as coach and manager of the Golden State Warriors. The Bucks hired Nelson's assistant coach, Del Harris, to take over the team for the 1987–88 season.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 22 | Scott Skiles | PG | United States | Michigan State |
| 2 | 45 | Keith Smith | SG | United States | Loyola Marymount |
| 3 | 68 | Baskerville Holmes | PF | United States | Memphis |
| 5 | 114 | Bobby Deaton | | United States | Southwestern |
| 6 | 137 | John Kimbrell | | United States | Lipscomb |
| 7 | 160 | Jeff Strong | | United States | Missouri |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Central Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Atlanta Hawks | 57 | 25 | .695 | – | 35–6 | 22–19 | 17–13 |
| x-Detroit Pistons | 52 | 30 | .634 | 5 | 32–9 | 20–21 | 17–13 |
| x-Milwaukee Bucks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 7 | 32–9 | 18–23 | 17–13 |
| x-Indiana Pacers | 41 | 41 | .500 | 16 | 28–13 | 13–28 | 13–16 |
| x-Chicago Bulls | 40 | 42 | .488 | 17 | 29–12 | 11–30 | 17–12 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 31 | 51 | .378 | 26 | 25–16 | 6–35 | 8–22 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | c-Boston Celtics | 59 | 23 | .720 | – |
| 2 | y-Atlanta Hawks | 57 | 25 | .695 | 2 |
| 3 | x-Detroit Pistons | 52 | 30 | .634 | 7 |
| 4 | x-Milwaukee Bucks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 9 |
| 5 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 45 | 37 | .549 | 14 |
| 6 | x-Washington Bullets | 42 | 40 | .512 | 17 |
| 7 | x-Indiana Pacers | 41 | 41 | .500 | 18 |
| 8 | x-Chicago Bulls | 40 | 42 | .488 | 19 |
| 9 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 31 | 51 | .378 | 28 |
| 10 | New Jersey Nets | 24 | 58 | .293 | 35 |
| 11 | New York Knicks | 24 | 58 | .293 | 35 |
    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 | — | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 |
| Boston | 3–3 | — | 6–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Chicago | 2–4 | 0–6 | — | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–5 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 |
| Dallas | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 4–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | — | 0–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 |
| Detroit | 3–3 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Golden State | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 1–1 | — | 4–1 | 0–2 | 6–0 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–4 | — | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Indiana | 3–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| L.A. Clippers | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 1–4 | 0–2 | — | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 6–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 |
| New Jersey | 0–5 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | — | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| New York | 1–5 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | — | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–4 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 0–2 |
| Portland | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 | — | 3–2 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Sacramento | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | — | 3–3 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–3 | — | 1–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 4–1 | — | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–3 | — | 1–1 |
| Washington | 0–5 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |

### Game log

1986–87 game log Total: 50–32 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0) :
October: 1–0 (home: 0–0; road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1October 31, 1986@ Detroit
W 120–104
Pontiac Silverdome
1–0 :
November: 1–0 (home: 1–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
2November 1, 1986Boston
W 111–105
MECCA Arena
2–0 :
December: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
January: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
February: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
March: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
April: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
1986–87 schedule :

## Playoffs

1987 playoff game log :
First Round: 3–2 (home: 2–1; road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 24
Philadelphia
W 107–104
Terry Cummings (21)
Jack Sikma (11)
Paul Pressey (10)
MECCA Arena 11,052
1–0
2
April 26
Philadelphia
L 122–125 (OT)
Ricky Pierce (24)
Randy Breuer (9)
Paul Pressey (9)
MECCA Arena 11,052
1–1
3
April 29
@ Philadelphia
W 121–120
Terry Cummings (26)
Jack Sikma (12)
John Lucas (9)
Spectrum 14,361
2–1
4
May 1
@ Philadelphia
L 118–124
Terry Cummings (29)
Jack Sikma (13)
John Lucas (10)
Spectrum 15,464
2–2
5
May 3
Philadelphia
W 102–89
Jack Sikma (18)
Jack Sikma (21)
Paul Pressey (9)
MECCA Arena 11,052
3–2 :
Conference semifinals: 3–4 (home: 2–1; road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
May 5
@ Boston
L 98–111
Terry Cummings (28)
Terry Cummings (12)
Paul Pressey (8)
Boston Garden 14,890
0–1
2
May 6
@ Boston
L 124–126
Terry Cummings (28)
Jack Sikma (14)
Paul Pressey (6)
Boston Garden 14,890
0–2
3
May 8
Boston
W 126–121 (OT)
John Lucas (30)
Terry Cummings (12)
Paul Pressey (7)
MECCA Arena 11,052
1–2
4
May 10
Boston
L 137–138 (2OT)
Terry Cummings (31)
Terry Cummings (11)
Paul Pressey (11)
MECCA Arena 11,052
1–3
5
May 13
@ Boston
W 129–124
Sidney Moncrief (33)
Sikma, Cummings (9)
Paul Pressey (10)
Boston Garden 14,890
2–3
6
May 15
Boston
W 121–111
Sidney Moncrief (34)
Terry Cummings (11)
Paul Pressey (11)
MECCA Arena 11,052
3–3
7
May 17
@ Boston
L 113–119
Paul Pressey (28)
Jack Sikma (10)
Paul Pressey (8)
Boston Garden 14,890
3–4 :
1987 schedule :

## Player statistics

Source:

### Season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Terry Cummings | 82 | 77 | 33.8 | 51.1 | 0.0 | 66.2 | 8.5 | 2.8 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 20.8 |
| Ricky Pierce | 79 | 31 | 31.7 | 53.4 | 10.7 | 88.0 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 19.5 |
| John Lucas | 43 | 40 | 31.6 | 45.7 | 36.5 | 78.7 | 2.9 | 6.7 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 17.5 |
| Paul Pressey | 61 | 60 | 33.7 | 47.7 | 29.1 | 73.8 | 4.9 | 7.2 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 13.9 |
| Jack Sikma | 82 | 82 | 30.9 | 46.3 | 0.0 | 84.7 | 10.0 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 12.7 |
| Sidney Moncrief | 39 | 30 | 25.4 | 48.8 | 25.8 | 84.0 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 11.8 |
| Craig Hodges | 78 | 43 | 27.5 | 46.2 | 37.3 | 89.1 | 1.8 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 10.8 |
| Randy Breuer | 76 | 10 | 19.3 | 48.5 | 0.0 | 58.4 | 4.6 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 7.9 |
| Jerry Reynolds | 58 | 24 | 16.6 | 39.3 | 33.3 | 64.1 | 3.0 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 7.0 |
| Junior Bridgeman | 34 | 4 | 12.3 | 46.2 | 16.7 | 80.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 5.1 |
| Don Collins | 6 | 0 | 9.5 | 35.7 | 0.0 | 71.4 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 4.2 |
| Scott Skiles | 13 | 0 | 15.8 | 29.0 | 21.4 | 83.3 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 3.8 |
| Mike Glenn | 4 | 0 | 8.5 | 38.5 | 0.0 | 71.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.8 |
| Keith Smith | 42 | 4 | 11.0 | 38.0 | 33.3 | 75.0 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 3.3 |
| Kenny Fields | 4 | 0 | 5.5 | 75.0 | 0.0 | 20.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.3 |
| Dudley Bradley | 68 | 2 | 13.2 | 35.7 | 26.0 | 81.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 3.1 |
| Hank McDowell | 7 | 0 | 10.0 | 47.1 | 0.0 | 85.7 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.1 |
| Cedric Henderson | 2 | 0 | 3.0 | 66.7 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| Paul Mokeski | 62 | 3 | 10.1 | 40.3 | 0.0 | 71.9 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 2.4 |
| Jerome Henderson | 6 | 0 | 6.0 | 30.8 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.0 |
| Marvin Webster | 15 | 0 | 6.8 | 52.6 | 100.0 | 75.0 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.8 |
| Chris Engler | 5 | 0 | 9.6 | 25.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.4 |

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Terry Cummings | 12 | 10 | 36.9 | 48.8 | 0.0 | 68.7 | 7.9 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 22.3 |
| Sidney Moncrief | 12 | 10 | 35.5 | 47.3 | 28.6 | 81.1 | 4.5 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 19.4 |
| Jack Sikma | 12 | 12 | 35.5 | 48.7 | 0.0 | 98.0 | 10.8 | 1.9 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 16.2 |
| Ricky Pierce | 12 | 2 | 26.4 | 47.9 | 0.0 | 82.1 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 15.9 |
| John Lucas | 12 | 12 | 30.2 | 45.3 | 33.3 | 81.3 | 2.1 | 5.2 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 15.6 |
| Paul Pressey | 12 | 12 | 38.8 | 46.6 | 12.5 | 73.9 | 5.2 | 8.6 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 14.3 |
| Craig Hodges | 12 | 0 | 18.8 | 51.9 | 29.4 | 90.9 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 7.9 |
| Randy Breuer | 12 | 2 | 13.0 | 48.5 | 0.0 | 66.7 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 3.3 |
| Paul Mokeski | 12 | 0 | 8.9 | 36.4 | 0.0 | 80.0 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 2.3 |
| Dudley Bradley | 12 | 0 | 3.8 | 36.4 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
| Jerry Reynolds | 4 | 0 | 1.3 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
| Jerome Henderson | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |

## Awards and records

* Ricky Pierce, NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award
* Paul Pressey, NBA All-Defensive Second Team

## Transactions
### Trades

| July 1, 1986 | To Milwaukee Bucks---- Jack Sikma | To Seattle SuperSonics---- Alton Lister |