# 1987–88 Portland Trail Blazers season

The 1987–88 Portland Trail Blazers season was the 18th season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Blazers finished 53–29, fourth in the Western Conference, qualifying for the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year. It was a four-game improvement over the previous season. In the 1988 NBA Playoffs, the Blazers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year, this time falling to the Utah Jazz three games to one in the best-of-five series.
Kevin Duckworth averaged 15.8 points per game and was named Most Improved Player of The Year, while Clyde Drexler was selected for the 1988 NBA All-Star Game. Steve Johnson was also selected, but did not play due to injury.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 17 | Ronnie Murphy | F | United States | Jacksonville |
| 2 | 29 | Lester Fonville | | United States | Jackson State |
| 2 | 30 | Nikita Wilson | PF | United States | Louisiana State |
| 3 | 63 | Kevin Gamble | SF/SG | United States | Iowa |
| 4 | 86 | Norwood Barber | | United States | Florida State |
| 5 | 109 | David Moss | | United States | Tulsa |
| 6 | 132 | Bernard Jackson | | United States | Loyola (IL) |
| 7 | 155 | Kenny Stone | | United States | George Fox |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Pacific Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Los Angeles Lakers | 62 | 20 | .756 | – | 36–5 | 26–15 | 23–7 |
| x-Portland Trail Blazers | 53 | 29 | .646 | 9 | 33–8 | 20–21 | 23–7 |
| x-Seattle SuperSonics | 44 | 38 | .537 | 18 | 32–9 | 12–29 | 19–11 |
| Phoenix Suns | 28 | 54 | .341 | 34 | 22–19 | 6–35 | 11–19 |
| Golden State Warriors | 20 | 62 | .244 | 42 | 16–25 | 4–37 | 7–23 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 45 | 14–27 | 3–38 | 7–23 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Los Angeles Lakers | 62 | 20 | .756 | – |
| 2 | y-Denver Nuggets | 54 | 28 | .659 | 8 |
| 3 | x-Dallas Mavericks | 53 | 29 | .646 | 9 |
| 4 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 53 | 29 | .646 | 9 |
| 5 | x-Utah Jazz | 47 | 35 | .573 | 15 |
| 6 | x-Houston Rockets | 46 | 36 | .561 | 16 |
| 7 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 44 | 38 | .537 | 18 |
| 8 | x-San Antonio Spurs | 31 | 51 | .378 | 31 |
| 9 | Phoenix Suns | 28 | 54 | .341 | 34 |
| 10 | Sacramento Kings | 24 | 58 | .293 | 38 |
| 11 | Golden State Warriors | 20 | 62 | .244 | 42 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Clippers | 17 | 65 | .207 | 45 |
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1987-88 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 | – | 2–4 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 5–0 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Boston | 4–2 | – | 3–3 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 |
| Chicago | 3–2 | 3–3 | – | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 |
| Cleveland | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–3 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 6–0 |
| Dallas | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | – | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 |
| Detroit | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | – | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| Golden State | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 0–2 | – | 0–5 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 5–0 | – | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
| Indiana | 2–4 | 0–5 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| L.A. Clippers | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 1–1 | – | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| L.A. Lakers | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | – | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | – | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 |
| New Jersey | 0–5 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | – | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–6 |
| New York | 3–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | – | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Philadelphia | 0–6 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | – | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | – | 0–6 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| Portland | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 6–0 | – | 4–1 | 5–0 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–0 |
| Sacramento | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–4 | – | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 |
| San Antonio | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 3–3 | – | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | – | 1–4 | 2–0 |
| Utah | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | – | 2–0 |
| Washington | 3–3 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 6–0 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

1987–88 game log Total: 53–29 (home: 33–8; road: 20–21) :
November: 7–5 (home: 6–1; road: 1–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
November 6
Phoenix
W 118–104
Memorial Coliseum
1–0
2
November 7
@ L.A. Clippers
W 124–99
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
2–0
3
November 10
Houston
L 111–118
Memorial Coliseum
2–1
4
November 12
@ Denver
L 113–126
McNichols Sports Arena
2–2
5
November 14
@ Dallas
L 116–127
Reunion Arena
2–3
6
November 17 7:30 p.m. PST
@ L.A. Lakers
L 115–142
VanDeWeghe (24)
Kersey (9)
Lucas, Porter (5)
The Forum 16,347
2–4
7
November 18
@ Seattle
L 114–120
Seattle Center Coliseum
2–5
8
November 20
Washington
W 120–101
Memorial Coliseum
3–5
9
November 22
Indiana
W 120–110
Memorial Coliseum
4–5
10
November 24
Sacramento
W 98–94
Memorial Coliseum
5–5
11
November 27
L.A. Clippers
W 97–87
Memorial Coliseum
6–5
12
November 29
New Jersey
W 125–104
Memorial Coliseum
7–5 :
December: 10–5 (home: 5–0; road: 5–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
13
December 1
Phoenix
W 102–100
Memorial Coliseum
8–5
14
December 2, 1987 7:30 pm PST
@ L.A. Lakers
W 117–104
The Forum 17,505
9–5
15
December 5
@ Phoenix
W 133–115
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
10–5
16
December 6
New York
W 117–99
Memorial Coliseum
11–5
17
December 8, 1987 4:30 pm PST
@ Detroit
L 117–127
Pontiac Silverdome 17,126
11–6
18
December 9
@ Philadelphia
L 86–94
The Spectrum
11–7
19
December 11
@ Milwaukee
L 112–125
MECCA Arena
11–8
20
December 12
@ Indiana
W 108–101
Market Square Arena
12–8
21
December 15
Seattle
W 128–109
Memorial Coliseum
13–8
22
December 18
@ Phoenix
W 129–114
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
14–8
23
December 20
San Antonio
W 148–126
Memorial Coliseum
15–8
24
December 22
Golden State
W 136–91
Memorial Coliseum
16–8
25
December 26
@ Cleveland
L 117–120
Richfield Coliseum
16–9
26
December 29
@ New York
L 110–123
Madison Square Garden
16–10
27
December 30
@ Washington
W 117–112
Capital Centre
17–10 :
January: 8–5 (home: 7–2; road: 1–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
28
January 1
Philadelphia
W 127–125
Memorial Coliseum
18–10
29
January 3, 1988 5:00 pm PST
L.A. Lakers
L 81–98
Memorial Coliseum 12,666
18–11
30
January 5
Seattle
W 126–114
Memorial Coliseum
19–11
31
January 8
Sacramento
W 98–91
Memorial Coliseum
20–11
32
January 13
@ Utah
L 104–116
Salt Palace
20–12
33
January 14
@ Houston
L 98–103
The Summit
20–13
34
January 16
@ San Antonio
W 121–120
HemisFair Arena
21–13
35
January 19
Dallas
L 116–120
Memorial Coliseum
21–14
36
January 22
Denver
W 126–106
Memorial Coliseum
22–14
37
January 24, 1988 7:00 pm PST
Detroit
W 119–111
Memorial Coliseum 12,666
23–14
38
January 26
Milwaukee
W 112–106
Memorial Coliseum
24–14
39
January 27
@ Golden State
L 110–115
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
24–15
40
January 29
Phoenix
W 128–119
Memorial Coliseum
25–15 :
February: 9–6 (home: 5–3; road: 4–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
41
February 2
Atlanta
W 121–118
Memorial Coliseum
26–15
42
February 4
Utah
L 123–126
Memorial Coliseum
26–16
43
February 9
Seattle
W 139–123
Memorial Coliseum
27–16
44
February 11
@ Sacramento
L 113–123
ARCO Arena
27–17
45
February 12
Denver
W 120–105
Memorial Coliseum
28–17
46
February 14
Houston
L 103–115
Memorial Coliseum
28–18
47
February 15
@ Utah
L 94–112
Salt Palace
28–19
48
February 17
@ L.A. Clippers
W 110–96
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
29–19
49
February 19
Boston
L 104–124
Memorial Coliseum
29–20
50
February 21
San Antonio
W 117–112
Memorial Coliseum
30–20
51
February 23
@ New Jersey
W 114–102
Brendan Byrne Arena
31–20
52
February 24
@ Boston
L 112–113
Boston Garden
31–21
53
February 26
@ Chicago
W 104–96
Chicago Stadium
32–21
54
February 27
@ Atlanta
W 123–120
The Omni
33–21
55
February 29
Cleveland
W 107–94
Memorial Coliseum
34–21 :
March: 9–4 (home: 4–0; road: 5–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
56
March 3
@ Phoenix
W 135–112
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
35–21
57
March 5
Golden State
W 123–117
Memorial Coliseum
36–21
58
March 8
@ Dallas
W 112–110
Reunion Arena
37–21
59
March 10
@ Houston
W 112–109
The Summit
38–21
60
March 13
L.A. Clippers
W 121–100
Memorial Coliseum
39–21
61
March 15, 1988 7:30 pm PST
L.A. Lakers
W 112–95
Memorial Coliseum
40–21
62
March 17
@ Denver
L 115–116 (OT)
McNichols Sports Arena
40–22
63
March 18
@ Golden State
W 121–116
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
41–22
64
March 20
Dallas
W 105–99
Memorial Coliseum
42–22
65
March 23
@ Seattle
L 108–118
Seattle Center Coliseum
42–23
66
March 25
@ Dallas
L 101–106
Reunion Arena
42–24
67
March 26
@ Houston
L 109–115
The Summit
42–25
68
March 29
@ San Antonio
W 136–113
HemisFair Arena
43–25 :
April: 10–4 (home: 6–2; road: 4–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
69
April 1
Chicago
L 101–116
Memorial Coliseum
43–26
70
April 3
San Antonio
W 110–107
Memorial Coliseum
44–26
71
April 5
L.A. Clippers
W 141–119
Memorial Coliseum
45–26
72
April 6
@ L.A. Clippers
W 111–103
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
46–26
73
April 8
@ Seattle
L 100–114
Seattle Center Coliseum
46–27
74
April 9, 1988 7:30 pm PDT
L.A. Lakers
W 119–109
Memorial Coliseum 12,666
47–27
75
April 12, 1988 7:30 pm PDT
@ L.A. Lakers
L 103–109
The Forum 17,505
47–28
76
April 14
@ Utah
W 128–123
Salt Palace
48–28
77
April 15
Golden State
W 147–113
Memorial Coliseum
49–28
78
April 17
Sacramento
W 112–102
Memorial Coliseum
50–28
79
April 19
Utah
L 122–129
Memorial Coliseum
50–29
80
April 20
@ Golden State
W 131–117
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena
51–29
81
April 22
Denver
W 141–135 (OT)
Memorial Coliseum
52–29
82
April 23
@ Sacramento
W 124–110
ARCO Arena
53–29 :
1987–88 schedule :

### Playoffs

1988 playoff game log :
First round: 1–3 (home: 1–1; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 28
Utah
W 108–96
Clyde Drexler (26)
Clyde Drexler (13)
Terry Porter (12)
Memorial Coliseum 12,666
1–0
2
April 30
Utah
L 105–114
Clyde Drexler (25)
Maurice Lucas (14)
Terry Porter (7)
Memorial Coliseum 12,666
1–1
3
May 4
@ Utah
L 108–113
Jerome Kersey (23)
Kevin Duckworth (16)
Drexler, Porter (4)
Salt Palace 12,444
1–2
4
May 6
@ Utah
L 96–111
Kevin Duckworth (33)
Kersey, Duckworth (10)
Clyde Drexler (6)
Salt Palace 12,444
1–3 :
1988 schedule :

## Awards and honors

* Clyde Drexler, All-NBA Second Team
* Kevin Duckworth, NBA Most Improved Player