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.[1] 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.

1987–88 Los Angeles Clippers season
Head coachGene Shue
General managerElgin Baylor
Owner(s)Donald Sterling
ArenaLos Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
Results
Record17–65 (.207)
PlaceDivision: 6th (Pacific)
Conference: 12th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionKTLA
(Ralph Lawler, Junior Bridgeman)
RadioKIIS
(Pete Arbogast)
< 1986–87 1988–89 >

Draft picks edit

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 edit

Los Angeles Clippers 1987-88 roster
Players Coaches
Pos. # Name Ht. Wt. From
C 00 Benjamin, Benoit 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Creighton
G 15 Burtt, Steve 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Iona
F/C 44 Cage, Michael 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) San Diego State
F 45 Coleman, Norris (waived) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Kansas State
F 25 Cureton, Earl 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Detroit Mercy
G 20 Dailey, Quintin 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) San Francisco
G 22 Drew, Larry 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Missouri
G 54 Fields, Kenny (waived) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 240 lb (109 kg) UCLA
G 4 Gordon, Lancaster (waived) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Louisville
F 43 Gregory, Claude 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Wisconsin
C 32 Kite, Greg 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 250 lb (113 kg) BYU
F 46 Murphy, Tod (waived) 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) UC Irvine
C 51 Nessley, Martin (waived) 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 260 lb (118 kg) Duke
G 10 Nixon, Norm 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Duquesne
F 33 Norman, Ken 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Illinois
G 14 Phelps, Mike (waived) 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Alcorn State
G 1 Valentine, Darnell 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 183 lb (83 kg) Kansas
F 31 White, Eric 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Pepperdine
F 34 Williams, Reggie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Georgetown
C 24 Wolf, Joe 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) North Carolina
G 42 Woodson, Mike 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 198 lb (90 kg) Indiana
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  •   Injured

Roster notes edit

  • Guard Mike Woodson will serve as an assistant coach for the franchise from 2014-18.
  • 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.

Regular season edit

Season standings edit

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
#
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 edit

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 edit

Regular season edit

1987–88 game log
Total: 17–65 (Home: 14–27; Road: 3–38)
November: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
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)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
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)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
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)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
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)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
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)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance
Record
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 edit

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
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 edit

Awards edit

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

Transactions edit

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

Trades edit

No trades occurred for this team.

Free agents edit

References edit