# 1987–88 Los Angeles Clippers season

The 1987–88 Los Angeles Clippers season was their 18th season in the NBA, their 4th in Los Angeles. The Clippers continued to struggle to finish last place in the Pacific Division, and Western Conference with a terrible 17–65 record. Following the season, Michael Cage was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 4 | Reggie Williams | F | United States | Georgetown |
| 1 | 13 | Joe Wolf | C | United States | North Carolina |
| 1 | 19 | Ken Norman | F | United States | Illinois |
| 2 | 38 | Norris Coleman | F | United States | Kansas State |
| 3 | 47 | Tim McCalister | G | United States | Oklahoma |
| 5 | 93 | Chad Kessler | F | United States | Georgia |
| 6 | 116 | Martin Nessley | C | United States | Duke |
| 7 | 139 | Henry Carr | F | United States | Wichita State |

## Roster
### Roster notes

* Guard Mike Woodson will serve as an assistant coach for the franchise from 2014 to 2018.
* This is guard Kenny Field's second tour of duty with the franchise after playing the first few months of the season in the CBA. He previously played for the team last season.
* Guard Larry Drew is currently serving as an assistant coach for the franchise since 2020.

## 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: 17–65 (Home: 14–27; Road: 3–38) :
November: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
4
November 12, 1987 7:30 pm PST
@ L.A. Lakers
L 82–111
The Forum 15,569
1–3 :
December: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
21
December 19, 1987 7:30 pm PST
L.A. Lakers
L 97–108
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 14,417
8–13 :
January: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
32
January 13, 1988 7:30 pm PST
L.A. Lakers
W 110–109 (OT)
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 14,906
9–23 :
February: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
42
February 4, 1988 7:30 pm PST
L.A. Lakers
L 86–117
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 15,371
10–32
47
February 16, 1988 7:30 pm PST
@ L.A. Lakers
L 100–119
The Forum 17,505
11–36 :
March: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
54
March 2, 1988 4:30 pm PST
@ Detroit
L 90–103
Pontiac Silverdome 16,554
12–42
68
March 28, 1988 7:30 pm PST
Detroit
W 102–100
Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 12,156
15–53 :
April: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
74
April 8, 1988 7:30 pm PDT
@ L.A. Lakers
L 107–126
The Forum 17,505
16–58 :
1987–88 schedule :

## Player statistics

* Player
* Benoit Benjamin
* Steve Burtt
* Michael Cage
* Norris Coleman
* Earl Cureton
* Quintin Dailey
* Larry Drew
* Kenny Fields
* Lancaster Gordon
* Claude Gregory
* Greg Kite
* Tod Murphy
* Martin Nessley
* Ken Norman
* Michael Phelps
* Darnell Valentine
* Eric White
* Reggie Williams
* Joe Wolf
* Mike Woodson

## Awards, records and milestones
### Awards

* Forward/center Michael Cage led the league in rebounding (13.0 rpg)

## Transactions

The Clippers were involved in the following transactions during the 1987–88 season.

### Trades

No trades occurred for this team.