1987 NBA Playoffs

The 1987 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1986-1987 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics four games to two in the Finals. The Lakers earned their 11th NBA championship, and Magic Johnson won his record third NBA Finals MVP trophy.

Before 2008 this was the last time the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA Finals though Boston threatened in 2002, making it to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the New Jersey Nets in six games.

By making it to the Eastern Conference finals, the Detroit Pistons advanced farther in the playoffs than they had in the past 25 years. They would make their first NBA Finals appearance since 1956 the following season, the first of three consecutive trips to the championship round (winning the last two).

The Golden State Warriors made their first playoff appearance since 1977, and the Indiana Pacers made their return to the playoffs after a six-year absence.

By defeating the Dallas Mavericks 3 games to 1, the Seattle SuperSonics became the first #7 seed to defeat a #2 seed since the NBA playoff format was expanded to 16 teams at the end of the 1983-1984 season. They managed to reach the Western Conference Finals.

Perhaps the most memorable moment of this year's NBA Playoffs occurred in the final moments of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals when, with Boston trailing by 1, Detroit's Isiah Thomas's pass intended for Bill Laimbeer was stolen by Boston's Larry Bird, who passed to Dennis Johnson for the game-winning basket.

Bracket

16TeamBracket

RD2=Conf. Semifinals
RD3=Conf. Finals
RD4=NBA Finals
group1=Western Conference
group2=Eastern Conference

RD1-seed01=1
RD1-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD1-score01=3
RD1-seed02=8
RD1-team02=Denver
RD1-score02=0

RD1-seed03=4
RD1-team03=Utah
RD1-score03=2
RD1-seed04=5
RD1-team04=Golden State
RD1-score04=3

RD1-seed05=3
RD1-team05=Portland
RD1-score05=1
RD1-seed06=6
RD1-team06=Houston
RD1-score06=3

RD1-seed07=2
RD1-team07=Dallas
RD1-score07=1
RD1-seed08=7
RD1-team08=Seattle
RD1-score08=3

RD1-seed09=1
RD1-team09=Boston
RD1-score09=3
RD1-seed10=8
RD1-team10=Chicago
RD1-score10=0

RD1-seed11=4
RD1-team11=Milwaukee
RD1-score11=3
RD1-seed12=5
RD1-team12=Philadelphia
RD1-score12=2

RD1-seed13=3
RD1-team13=Detroit
RD1-score13=3
RD1-seed14=6
RD1-team14=Washington
RD1-score14=0

RD1-seed15=2
RD1-team15=Atlanta
RD1-score15=3
RD1-seed16=7
RD1-team16=Indiana
RD1-score16=1

RD2-seed01=1
RD2-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD2-score01=4
RD2-seed02=5
RD2-team02=Golden State
RD2-score02=1

RD2-seed03=6
RD2-team03=Houston
RD2-score03=2
RD2-seed04=7
RD2-team04=Seattle
RD2-score04=4

RD2-seed05=1
RD2-team05=Boston
RD2-score05=4
RD2-seed06=4
RD2-team06=Milwaukee
RD2-score06=3

RD2-seed07=3
RD2-team07=Detroit
RD2-score07=4
RD2-seed08=2
RD2-team08=Atlanta
RD2-score08=1

RD3-seed01=1
RD3-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD3-score01=4
RD3-seed02=7
RD3-team02=Seattle
RD3-score02=0

RD3-seed03=1
RD3-team03=Boston
RD3-score03=4
RD3-seed04=3
RD3-team04=Detroit
RD3-score04=3

RD4-seed01=W1
RD4-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD4-score01=4
RD4-seed02=E1
RD4-team02=Boston
RD4-score02=2

Western Conference

Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

1st Round

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Denver Nuggets:"Lakers win series 3-0"
*Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 128, Denver 95
*Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 139, Denver 127
*Game 3 @ Denver: Los Angeles 140, Denver 103

(2) Dallas Mavericks vs. (7) Seattle SuperSonics:"SuperSonics win series 3-1"
*Game 1 @ Dallas: Dallas 151, Seattle 129
*Game 2 @ Dallas: Seattle 112, Dallas 110
*Game 3 @ Seattle: Seattle 117, Dallas 107
*Game 4 @ Seattle: Seattle 124, Dallas 98

(3) Portland Trail Blazers vs.(6) Houston Rockets:"Rockets win series 3-1"
*Game 1 @ Portland: Houston 125, Portland 115
*Game 2 @ Portland: Portland 111, Houston 98
*Game 3 @ Houston: Houston 117, Portland 108
*Game 4 @ Houston: Houston 113, Portland 101

(4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Golden State Warriors:"Warriors win series 3-2"
*Game 1 @ Utah: Utah 98, Golden State 85
*Game 2 @ Utah: Utah 103, Golden State 100
*Game 3 @ Golden State: Golden State 110, Utah 95
*Game 4 @ Golden State: Golden State 98, Utah 94
*Game 5 @ Utah: Golden State 118, Utah 113

Conference Semifinals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Golden State Warriors:"Lakers win series 4-1"
*Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 125, Golden State 116
*Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 116, Golden State 101
*Game 3 @ Golden State: Los Angeles 133, Golden State 108
*Game 4 @ Golden State: Golden State 129, Los Angeles 121
*Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 118, Golden State 106

(6) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Seattle SuperSonics:"SuperSonics win series 4-2"
*Game 1 @ Houston: Seattle 111, Houston 106
*Game 2 @ Houston: Seattle 99, Houston 97
*Game 3 @ Seattle: Houston 102, Seattle 84
*Game 4 @ Seattle: Seattle 117, Houston 102
*Game 5 @ Houston: Houston 112, Seattle 107
*Game 6 @ Seattle: Seattle 128, Houston 125

Conference Finals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (7) Seattle SuperSonics:"Lakers win series 4-0"
*Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 92, Seattle 87
*Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 112, Seattle 104
*Game 3 @ Seattle: Los Angeles 122, Seattle 121
*Game 4 @ Seattle: Los Angeles 133, Seattle 102

Eastern Conference

Champion: Boston Celtics

1st Round

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Chicago Bulls:"Celtics win series 3-0"
*Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 108, Chicago 104
*Game 2 @ Boston: Boston 105, Chicago 96
*Game 3 @ Chicago: Boston 105, Chicago 94

(2) Atlanta Hawks vs. (7) Indiana Pacers:"Hawks win series 3-1"
*Game 1 @ Atlanta: Atlanta 110, Indiana 94
*Game 2 @ Atlanta: Atlanta 94, Indiana 93
*Game 3 @ Indiana: Indiana 96, Atlanta 87
*Game 4 @ Indiana: Atlanta 101, Indiana 97

(3) Detroit Pistons vs. (6) Washington Bullets:"Pistons win series 3-0"
*Game 1 @ Detroit: Detroit 106, Washington 92
*Game 2 @ Detroit: Detroit 128, Washington 85
*Game 3 @ Washington: Detroit 97, Washington 96

(4) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (5) Philadelphia 76ers"Bucks win series 3-2"
*Game 1 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 107, Philadelphia 104
*Game 2 @ Milwaukee: Philadelphia 125, Milwaukee 122
*Game 3 @ Philadelphia: Milwaukee 121, Philadelphia 120
*Game 4 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 124, Milwaukee 118
*Game 5 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 102, Philadelphia 89

Conference Semifinals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Milwaukee Bucks"Celtics win series 4-3"
*Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 111, Milwaukee 98
*Game 2 @ Boston: Boston 126, Milwaukee 124
*Game 3 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 126, Boston 121
*Game 4 @ Milwaukee: Boston 138, Milwaukee 137
*Game 5 @ Boston: Milwaukee 129, Boston 124
*Game 6 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 121, Boston 111
*Game 7 @ Boston: Boston 119, Milwaukee 113

(2) Atlanta Hawks vs. (3) Detroit Pistons "Pistons win series 4-1
*Game 1 @ Atlanta: Detroit 112, Atlanta 111
*Game 2 @ Atlanta: Atlanta 115, Detroit 102
*Game 3 @ Detroit: Detroit 108, Atlanta 99
*Game 4 @ Detroit: Detroit 89, Atlanta 88 (Isiah Thomas makes a game winning layup at the buzzer)
*Game 5 @ Atlanta: Detroit 104, Atlanta 96

Conference Finals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Detroit Pistons"Celtics win series 4-3"
*Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 104, Detroit 91
*Game 2 @ Boston: Boston 110, Detroit 101
*Game 3 @ Detroit: Detroit 122, Boston 104
*Game 4 @ Detroit: Detroit 145, Boston 119
*Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 108, Detroit 107 (Larry Bird steals Isiah Thomas's inbound pass)
*Game 6 @ Detroit: Detroit 113, Boston 105
*Game 7 @ Boston: Boston 117, Detroit 114

NBA Finals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (1) Boston Celtics"Lakers win series 4-2"
*Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 126, Boston 113
*Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 141, Boston 122
*Game 3 @ Boston: Boston 109, Los Angeles 103
*Game 4 @ Boston: Los Angeles 107, Boston 106 (Magic Johnson's "Baby-Hook" beats Boston)
*Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 123, Los Angeles 108
*Game 6 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 106, Boston 93

External links

* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1987.html Basketball-Reference.com's 1987 NBA Playoffs page]