Season of National Basketball Association team the New York Knicks
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1986–87 NBA season was the Knicks' 41st season in the NBA [1] and the last time they would miss the playoffs until their 2001-02 season.
With second-year center Patrick Ewing still struggling with injuries and after starting the season 4-12, head coach Hubie Brown was fired and Bob Hill took over for the rest of the season. Brown returned to coach the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2002-03 season. Bernard King, only able to play six games this year, was released at the end of the season, signing as a free agent with the Washington Bullets.
Draft picks
Roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
C
25
Cartwright, Bill
7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
1957–07–30
San Francisco
PF
42
Cummings, Pat
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
1956–07–11
Cincinnati
C
33
Ewing, Patrick
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
240 lb (109 kg)
1962–08–05
Georgetown
PG
7
Henderson, Gerald
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
1956–01–16
VCU
SF
30
King, Bernard
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
1956–12–04
Tennessee
PF
14
McNealy, Chris
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
1961–07–15
San José State
C
44
Oldham, Jawann
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
1957–07–04
Seattle
SF
55
Orr, Louis
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
1958–05–07
Syracuse
PG
2
Sparrow, Rory
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
1958–06–12
Villanova
PF
23
Thornton, Bob
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
1962–07–10
UC Irvine
SG
6
Tucker, Trent
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
193 lb (88 kg)
1959–12–20
Minnesota
SF
34
Walker, Kenny
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
210 lb (95 kg)
1964–08–18
Kentucky
C
45
Wilkins, Eddie Lee
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
1962–05–07
Gardner–Webb
SG
21
Wilkins, Gerald
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
1963–09–11
Chattanooga
PF
8
Wright, Brad
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
1962–03–26
UCLA
Head coach
Legend
(C) Team captain(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Regular season
Season standings
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
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
Player statistics
Season
Awards and records
Transactions
References
See also
Franchise Arenas Personnel G League affiliate Retired numbers NBA championships Rivalries Culture and lore
1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s