# 1985–86 Chicago Bulls season

The 1985–86 Chicago Bulls season was the 20th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During the offseason, they acquired forward Charles Oakley from the Cleveland Cavaliers, veteran guard George Gervin from the San Antonio Spurs and signed free agent guards Kyle Macy and John Paxson. The season was a near disaster as Michael Jordan was lost for much of the regular season due to a broken foot. Despite the injury to Jordan, the team managed to qualify for the NBA Playoffs.

## Offseason
### NBA draft

The 1985 NBA draft took place on June 18, 1985. It was also the first NBA Draft of the "Lottery" era. The lottery was put into place so teams did not have to intentionally lose games to receive the number one pick.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
| 1 | 11 | Keith Lee | Center | United States | Memphis State |
| 2 | 28 | Ken Johnson | Forward | United States | Michigan State |
| 2 | 34 | Aubrey Sherrod | Guard | United States | Wichita State |
| 2 | 46 | Adrian Branch | Forward | United States | Maryland |

## Regular season

* Michael Jordan's second season was cut short by a broken foot which caused him to miss 64 games. Despite Jordan's injury and a 30–52 record, the Bulls made the playoffs.
* C - Dave Corzine
* PF - Charles Oakley
* SF - Orlando Woolridge
* SG - Michael Jordan
* PG - Kyle Macy

### Season standings

| Central Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Milwaukee Bucks | 57 | 25 | .695 | – | 33–8 | 24–17 | 21–9 |
| x-Atlanta Hawks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 7 | 34–7 | 16–25 | 21–9 |
| x-Detroit Pistons | 46 | 36 | .561 | 11 | 31–10 | 15–26 | 18–12 |
| x-Chicago Bulls | 30 | 52 | .366 | 27 | 22–19 | 8–33 | 10–20 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 29 | 53 | .354 | 28 | 16–25 | 13–28 | 10–19 |
| Indiana Pacers | 26 | 56 | .317 | 31 | 19–22 | 7–34 | 9–20 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Boston Celtics | 67 | 15 | .817 | – |
| 2 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 57 | 25 | .695 | 10 |
| 3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 54 | 28 | .659 | 13 |
| 4 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 50 | 32 | .610 | 17 |
| 5 | x-Detroit Pistons | 46 | 36 | .561 | 21 |
| 6 | x-Washington Bullets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 28 |
| 7 | x-New Jersey Nets | 39 | 43 | .476 | 28 |
| 8 | x-Chicago Bulls | 30 | 52 | .366 | 37 |
| 9 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 29 | 53 | .354 | 38 |
| 10 | Indiana Pacers | 26 | 56 | .317 | 41 |
| 11 | New York Knicks | 23 | 59 | .280 | 44 |
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1985-86 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 | — | 0–6 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 |
| Boston | 6–0 | — | 5–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 |
| Chicago | 1–5 | 1–5 | — | 3–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–6 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 3–3 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | — | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
| Detroit | 2–4 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Golden State | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | — | 0–5 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 5–0 | — | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
| Indiana | 1–5 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 5–1 |
| L.A. Clippers | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 0–2 | — | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 0–2 |
| L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 0–5 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 4–2 | 6–0 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| New Jersey | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | — | 5–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 |
| New York | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–5 | — | 0–6 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 |
| Philadelphia | 1–4 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 6–0 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 |
| Phoenix | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 2–4 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–4 | 1–1 |
| Portland | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–2 | — | 3–2 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 |
| Sacramento | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | — | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 1–5 | — | 2–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 0–5 | 3–2 | — | 2–3 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–2 | — | 1–1 |
| Washington | 4–1 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |

## Player stats
### Regular season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Gene Banks | 82 | 33 | 26.1 | .517 | .000 | .718 | 4.4 | 3.1 | .99 | .12 | 10.9 |
| Ron Brewer | 4 | 0 | 4.5 | .333 | .000 | 1.000 | .0 | .0 | .00 | .00 | 1.8 |
| Tony Brown | 10 | 0 | 13.2 | .439 | .000 | .692 | 1.6 | 1.4 | .50 | .10 | 4.5 |
| Dave Corzine | 67 | 4 | 25.5 | .491 | .250 | .743 | 6.5 | 2.2 | .42 | .79 | 9.6 |
| Quintin Dailey | 35 | 0 | 20.7 | .432 | .000 | .823 | 1.9 | 1.9 | .63 | .14 | 16.3 |
| George Gervin | 82 | 75 | 25.2 | .472 | .211 | .879 | 2.6 | 1.8 | .60 | .28 | 16.2 |
| Sidney Green | 80 | 68 | 28.8 | .465 | .000 | .782 | 8.2 | 1.7 | .88 | .46 | 13.4 |
| Rod Higgins | 5 | 0 | 16.2 | .391 | .000 | .833 | 1.4 | 1.0 | .80 | .60 | 4.6 |
| Mike Holton | 24 | 0 | 18.6 | .471 | .100 | .632 | 1.2 | 2.0 | .96 | .00 | 7.1 |
| Michael Jordan | 18 | 7 | 25.1 | .457 | .167 | .840 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.06 | 1.17 | 22.7 |
| Kyle Macy | 82 | 79 | 29.6 | .483 | .411 | .811 | 2.2 | 5.4 | .99 | .13 | 8.6 |
| Billy McKinney | 9 | 0 | 9.2 | .435 | .000 | 1.000 | .6 | 1.4 | .33 | .00 | 2.4 |
| Charles Oakley | 77 | 30 | 23.0 | .519 | .000 | .662 | 8.6 | 1.7 | .88 | .39 | 9.6 |
| Jawann Oldham | 52 | 47 | 24.5 | .517 | .000 | .582 | 5.9 | .7 | .54 | 2.58 | 7.4 |
| John Paxson | 75 | 3 | 20.9 | .466 | .300 | .804 | 1.3 | 3.7 | .73 | .03 | 5.3 |
| Mike Smrek | 38 | 5 | 10.7 | .377 | .000 | .552 | 2.9 | .5 | .16 | .61 | 2.8 |
| Orlando Woolridge | 70 | 59 | 32.1 | .495 | .174 | .788 | 5.0 | 3.0 | .70 | .67 | 20.7 |

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Gene Banks | 3 | 23.0 | .556 | .000 | .500 | 3.3 | 1.7 | .33 | .00 | 7.3 |
| Dave Corzine | 3 | 34.3 | .552 | .000 | 1.000 | 9.0 | 2.0 | .33 | .67 | 12.0 |
| George Gervin | 2 | 5.5 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .5 | .5 | .00 | .00 | .0 |
| Sidney Green | 3 | 17.7 | .300 | .000 | .500 | 4.0 | .0 | .33 | .33 | 6.0 |
| Michael Jordan | 3 | 45.0 | .505 | 1.000 | .872 | 6.3 | 5.7 | 2.33 | 1.33 | 43.7 |
| Kyle Macy | 3 | 29.0 | .357 | .250 | 1.000 | 1.3 | 3.3 | .67 | .00 | 4.0 |
| Charles Oakley | 3 | 29.3 | .524 | .000 | .615 | 10.0 | 1.0 | 2.00 | .67 | 10.0 |
| Jawann Oldham | 1 | 4.0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 2.0 | .0 | .00 | .00 | .0 |
| John Paxson | 3 | 26.7 | .467 | .000 | .765 | .0 | 1.7 | 1.00 | .00 | 9.0 |
| Mike Smrek | 3 | 1.7 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .0 | .0 | .00 | .33 | .0 |
| Orlando Woolridge | 3 | 45.0 | .403 | .000 | .867 | 4.7 | 1.3 | 1.00 | .33 | 21.0 |

## Playoffs

At the time, the Bulls had the fifth worst record of any team to qualify for the playoffs in NBA history. Michael Jordan recovered in time to participate in the playoffs and performed well upon his return. Against a Boston Celtics team that is often considered one of the greatest in NBA history, Jordan set the still-unbroken record for points in a playoff game with 63 in game 2. The Celtics, however, managed to sweep the series.
1986 playoff game log :
First Round: 0–3 (home: 0–1; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 17
@ Boston
L 104–123
Michael Jordan (49)
Charles Oakley (10)
Macy, Paxson (4)
Boston Garden 14,890
0–1
2
April 20
@ Boston
L 131–135 (2OT)
Michael Jordan (63)
Charles Oakley (14)
Michael Jordan (6)
Boston Garden 14,890
0–2
3
April 22
Boston
L 104–122
John Paxson (23)
Dave Corzine (15)
Michael Jordan (9)
Chicago Stadium 18,968
0–3 :
1986 schedule :

## Awards and honors

* Charles Oakley, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team
* Michael Jordan, NBA All-Star Game