# 1986–87 Utah Jazz season

The 1986–87 Utah Jazz season was the team's 13th in the NBA. They began the season hoping to improve upon their 42–40 output from the previous season. They bested it by two wins, finishing 44–38 and qualified for the playoffs for the fourth straight season.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 15 | Dell Curry | SG/SF | United States | Virginia Polytech |
| 3 | 61 | John Shasky | C | United States | Minnesota |
| 3 | 63 | Bill Breeding | | United States | Rocky Mountain |
| 4 | 84 | Marty Embry | | United States | DePaul |
| 5 | 107 | Kerry Boagni | PF | United States | California State-Fullerton |
| 6 | 130 | Chuck Everson | | United States | Villanova |
| 7 | 153 | Mark Mitchell | | United States | Hartford |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Midwest Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Dallas Mavericks | 55 | 27 | .671 | – | 35–6 | 20–21 | 19–11 |
| x-Utah Jazz | 44 | 38 | .537 | 11 | 31–10 | 13–28 | 19–11 |
| x-Houston Rockets | 42 | 40 | .512 | 13 | 25–16 | 17–24 | 19–11 |
| x-Denver Nuggets | 37 | 45 | .451 | 18 | 27–14 | 10–31 | 14–16 |
| Sacramento Kings | 29 | 53 | .354 | 26 | 20–21 | 9–32 | 10–20 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 28 | 54 | .341 | 27 | 21–20 | 7–34 | 9–21 |
| # | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte | Western Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Los Angeles Lakers | 65 | 17 | .793 | – |
| 2 | y-Dallas Mavericks | 55 | 27 | .671 | 10 |
| 3 | x-Portland Trail Blazers | 49 | 33 | .598 | 16 |
| 4 | x-Utah Jazz | 44 | 38 | .537 | 21 |
| 5 | x-Golden State Warriors | 42 | 40 | .512 | 23 |
| 6 | x-Houston Rockets | 42 | 40 | .512 | 23 |
| 7 | x-Seattle SuperSonics | 39 | 43 | .476 | 26 |
| 8 | x-Denver Nuggets | 37 | 45 | .451 | 28 |
| 9 | Phoenix Suns | 36 | 46 | .439 | 29 |
| 10 | Sacramento Kings | 29 | 53 | .354 | 36 |
| 11 | San Antonio Spurs | 28 | 54 | .341 | 37 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Clippers | 12 | 70 | .146 | 53 |

### 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
### Regular season

1986–87 game log Total: 44–38 (home: 31–10; road: 13–28) :
October: 0–1 (home: 0–0; road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 31
@ Dallas
L 77–103
Reunion Arena
0–1 :
November: 7–6 (home: 7–1; road: 0–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
2
November 1
Portland
W 119–110
Salt Palace
1–1
3
November 5
Cleveland
W 111–95
Salt Palace
2–1
4
November 6
@ Denver
L 121–135
McNichols Sports Arena
2–2
5
November 11
Dallas
W 104–103
Salt Palace
3–2
6
November 13
L.A. Clippers
7
November 15
Denver
W 111–103
Salt Palace
5–2
8
November 16
@ Portland
L 103–124
Memorial Coliseum
5–3
9
November 20
@ Houston
10
November 22
New Jersey
11
November 25
@ Golden State
12
November 26
Seattle
13
November 28
Atlanta
14
November 29
@ Dallas
L 107–118
Reunion Arena
7–7 :
December: 12–3 (home: 6–0; road: 6–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
15
December 3
Chicago
16
December 5
New York
17
December 6
@ Sacramento
18
December 10
@ Denver
W 112–110
McNichols Sports Arena
11–7
19
December 11
Dallas
W 103–99
Salt Palace
12–7
20
December 13
L.A. Clippers
21
December 16
@ Washington
22
December 17
@ Detroit
23
December 19
@ Cleveland
W 134–128 (2OT)
Richfield Coliseum
15–8
24
December 20
@ Chicago
25
December 22
@ Philadelphia
26
December 23
@ New Jersey
27
December 27
Houston
28
December 29
San Antonio
29
December 30
@ San Antonio :
January: 6–8 (home: 5–3; road: 1–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
30
January 2
Philadelphia
31
January 4
@ L.A. Lakers
32
January 8
L.A. Lakers
33
January 10
Indiana
34
January 11
@ Seattle
35
January 13
@ Portland
L 113–121
Memorial Coliseum
21–14
36
January 15
@ Phoenix
37
January 17
@ San Antonio
38
January 21
Detroit
39
January 23
Golden State
40
January 26
Seattle
41
January 27
@ Houston
42
January 29
Portland
W 120–114
Salt Palace
25–17
43
January 31
L.A. Clippers :
February: 7–6 (home: 5–4; road: 2–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
44
February 1
@ Sacramento
45
February 3
Sacramento
46
February 5
@ L.A. Clippers
47
February 10
Phoenix
48
February 13
@ Phoenix
49
February 14
San Antonio
50
February 16
Boston
51
February 18
Milwaukee
52
February 20
Washington
53
February 21
@ Houston
54
February 24
Seattle
55
February 26
Houston
56
February 28
L.A. Lakers :
March: 8–8 (home: 6–0; road: 2–8)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
57
March 3
@ New York
58
March 4
@ Boston
59
March 6
@ Milwaukee
60
March 7
@ Atlanta
61
March 9
@ Indiana
62
March 11
@ Denver
L 116–122
McNichols Sports Arena
33–29
63
March 12
@ Sacramento
64
March 14
Sacramento
65
March 17
Golden State
66
March 18
@ L.A. Lakers
67
March 21
Houston
68
March 23
Denver
W 122–118
Salt Palace
38–30
69
March 25
@ L.A. Clippers
70
March 27
San Antonio
71
March 28
@ Golden State
72
March 31
Phoenix :
April: 4–6 (home: 2–2; road: 2–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
73
April 1
@ San Antonio
74
April 3
@ Phoenix
75
April 4
@ Dallas
L 107–121
Reunion Arena
41–34
76
April 6
Sacramento
77
April 8
Dallas
W 103–90
Salt Palace
42–35
78
April 10
Denver
W 106–103
Salt Palace
43–35
79
April 12
@ Golden State
80
April 14
@ Seattle
81
April 16
L.A. Lakers
82
April 17
@ Portland
L 101–111
Memorial Coliseum
44–38 :
1986–87 schedule :

### Playoffs

1987 playoff game log :
First Round: 2–3 (home: 2–1; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
April 23
Golden State
W 99–95
Malone, Bailey (20)
Mark Eaton (15)
Rickey Green (15)
Salt Palace 11,376
1–0
2
April 25
Golden State
W 103–100
Darrell Griffith (25)
Karl Malone (13)
Hansen, Stockton (5)
Salt Palace 12,095
2–0
3
April 29
@ Golden State
L 95–110
Kelly Tripucka (16)
Karl Malone (9)
John Stockton (8)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 15,025
2–1
4
May 1
@ Golden State
L 94–98
Hansen, Malone (20)
Mark Eaton (15)
John Stockton (11)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena 15,025
2–2
5
May 3
Golden State
L 113–118
Karl Malone (23)
Mark Eaton (10)
John Stockton (13)
Salt Palace 11,071
2–3 :
1987 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Season

* Player
* Thurl Bailey
* Kent Benson
* Dell Curry
* Mark Eaton
* Rickey Green
* Darrell Griffith
* Bob Hansen
* Marc Iavaroni
* Karl Malone
* Carey Scurry
* John Stockton
* Kelly Tripucka

### Playoffs

* Player
* Thurl Bailey
* Kent Benson
* Dell Curry
* Mark Eaton
* Rickey Green
* Darrell Griffith
* Bob Hansen
* Marc Iavaroni
* Karl Malone
* Carey Scurry
* John Stockton
* Kelly Tripucka

## Awards and records

* Mark Eaton, NBA All-Defensive Second Team