1987–88 Indiana Pacers season

1987–88 Indiana Pacers season
Head coach	Jack Ramsay
General manager	Donnie Walsh
Owner(s)	Herbert Simon
Arena	Market Square Arena
Results
Record	38–44 (.463)
Place	Division: 6th (Central) Conference: 9th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	WTTV (Eddie Doucette, Dick Vitale)
Radio	WNDE (Mike Inglis, Clark Kellogg)

The 1987–88 NBA season was Indiana's 12th season in the NBA and 21st season as a franchise. This season saw the team draft Reggie Miller out of UCLA with the eleventh pick in the 1987 NBA draft. The Pacers finished sixth in the Central Division, and ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 38–44 record, losing a tie-breaker for the final playoff spot to the New York Knicks, and the Washington Bullets.

Offseason

Draft picks

Main article: 1987 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	11	Reggie Miller	SG	United States	UCLA
2	34	Brian Rowsom	PF	United States	UNC Wilmington

Roster

1987–88 Indiana Pacers roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From F 15 Anderson, Ron 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1958–10–15 Fresno State C 54 Dreiling, Greg 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1962–11–07 Kansas G 10 Fleming, Vern 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1962–02–04 Georgia C 55 Gray, Stuart 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1963–05–27 UCLA G 25 Long, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1956–08–28 Detroit Mercy G 31 Miller, Reggie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1965–08–24 UCLA F 45 Person, Chuck 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1964–06–27 Auburn F 24 Rowsom, Brian 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1965–10–23 UNC Wilmington G 3 Skiles, Scott 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1964–03–05 Michigan State C 40 Stipanovich, Steve 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1960–11–17 Missouri F 23 Tisdale, Wayman 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1964–06–09 Oklahoma G 5 Wheeler, Clinton 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1959–10–27 William Paterson C 32 Williams, Herb 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 242 lb (110 kg) 1958–02–16 Ohio State

Head coach Jack Ramsay Assistant coach(es) Mel Daniels Dick Harter Dave Twardzik Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Last transaction: March 4, 1988

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Detroit Pistons	54	28	.659	–	34–7	20–21	20–10
x-Chicago Bulls	50	32	.610	4	30–11	20–21	16–13
x-Atlanta Hawks	50	32	.610	4	30-11	20-21	16–13
x-Milwaukee Bucks	42	40	.512	12	30–11	12–29	13–17
x-Cleveland Cavaliers	42	40	.512	12	31–10	11–30	11–19
Indiana Pacers	38	44	.463	16	25–16	13–28	13–17

#	Eastern Conference
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	c-Boston Celtics	57	25	.695	–
2	y-Detroit Pistons	54	28	.659	3
3	x-Chicago Bulls	50	32	.610	7
4	x-Atlanta Hawks	50	32	.610	7
5	x-Milwaukee Bucks	42	40	.512	15
6	x-Cleveland Cavaliers	42	40	.512	15
7	x-Washington Bullets	38	44	.463	19
8	x-New York Knicks	38	44	.463	19
9	Indiana Pacers	38	44	.463	19
10	Philadelphia 76ers	36	46	.439	21
11	New Jersey Nets	19	63	.232	38

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: 38–44 (Home: 25–16; Road: 13–28)
November: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 3 November 10, 1987 7:30 PM EST Detroit W 121–118 Market Square Arena 11,885 2–1
December: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 26 December 30, 1987 7:30 PM EST Detroit L 95–105 Market Square Arena 12,945 13–13
January: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 30 January 9, 1988 7:30 PM EST L.A. Lakers L 98–101 Market Square Arena 16,912 15–15 40 January 27, 1988 7:30 PM EST @ Detroit L 86–103 Pontiac Silverdome 19,801 20–20
February: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 45 February 9, 1988 10:30 PM EST @ L.A. Lakers W 110–108 The Forum 17,505 23–22
March: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 59 March 8, 1988 7:30 PM EST Detroit W 117–104 Market Square Arena 13,220 30–29 66 March 22, 1988 7:30 PM EST @ Detroit L 104–123 Pontiac Silverdome 18,645 32–34
April: 0–0 (home: 0–0; road: 0–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 81 April 22, 1988 7:30 PM EST @ Detroit W 103–98 Pontiac Silverdome 27,881 38–43
1987–88 schedule

Player statistics

Ragular season

Player	POS	GP	GS	MP	REB	AST	STL	BLK	PTS	MPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Reggie Miller	SG	82	1	1,840	190	132	53	19	822	22.4	2.3	1.6	.6	.2	10.0
John Long	SG	81	81	2,022	229	173	84	11	1,034	25.0	2.8	2.1	1.0	.1	12.8
Vern Fleming	PG	80	80	2,733	364	568	115	11	1,111	34.2	4.6	7.1	1.4	.1	13.9
Steve Stipanovich	C	80	80	2,692	662	183	90	69	1,079	33.7	8.3	2.3	1.1	.9	13.5
Chuck Person	SF	79	71	2,807	536	309	73	8	1,341	35.5	6.8	3.9	.9	.1	17.0
Wayman Tisdale	PF	79	57	2,378	491	103	54	34	1,268	30.1	6.2	1.3	.7	.4	16.1
Herb Williams	C	75	37	1,966	469	98	37	146	748	26.2	6.3	1.3	.5	1.9	10.0
Ron Anderson	SF	74	1	1,097	216	78	41	6	542	14.8	2.9	1.1	.6	.1	7.3
Stuart Gray	C	74	0	807	250	44	11	32	224	10.9	3.4	.6	.1	.4	3.0
Clinton Wheeler	PG	59	0	513	40	103	36	2	149	8.7	.7	1.7	.6	.0	2.5
Scott Skiles	PG	51	2	760	66	180	22	3	223	14.9	1.3	3.5	.4	.1	4.4
Greg Dreiling	C	20	0	74	17	5	2	4	34	3.7	.9	.3	.1	.2	1.7
Brian Rowsom	PF	4	0	16	5	1	1	0	6	4.0	1.3	.3	.3	.0	1.5

See also

• 1987-88 NBA season