The 1987–88 NBA season was Indiana's 12th season in the NBA and 21st season as a franchise.[1] 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.
See main article: 1987 NBA draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | SG | UCLA | |||
| 2 | 34 | PF | UNC Wilmington |
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
| 1987-88 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | 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 | — | |
|- style="background:#cfc;"| 3| November 10, 1987
7:30 PM EST| Detroit| W 121–118|||| Market Square Arena
11,885| 2–1|-style="background:#fcc;"| 26| December 30, 1987
7:30 PM EST| Detroit| L 95–105|||| Market Square Arena
12,945| 13–13|-style="background:#fcc;"| 30| January 9, 1988
7:30 PM EST| L.A. Lakers| L 98–101|||| Market Square Arena
16,912| 15–15|-style="background:#fcc;"| 40| January 27, 1988
7:30 PM EST| @ Detroit| L 86–103|||| Pontiac Silverdome
19,801| 20–20|- style="background:#cfc;"| 45| February 9, 1988
10:30 PM EST| @ L.A. Lakers| W 110–108|||| The Forum
17,505| 23–22|- style="background:#cfc;"| 59| March 8, 1988
7:30 PM EST| Detroit| W 117–104|||| Market Square Arena
13,220| 30–29|-style="background:#fcc;"| 66| March 22, 1988
7:30 PM EST| @ Detroit| L 104–123|||| Pontiac Silverdome
18,645| 32–34|- style="background:#cfc;"| 81| April 22, 1988
7:30 PM EST| @ Detroit| W 103–98|||| Pontiac Silverdome
27,881| 38–43
| Player | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SG | 82 | 1 | 1,840 | 190 | 132 | 53 | 19 | 822 | 22.4 | 2.3 | 1.6 | .6 | .2 | 10.0 | ||
| SG | 81 | 81 | 2,022 | 229 | 173 | 84 | 11 | 1,034 | 25.0 | 2.8 | 2.1 | 1.0 | .1 | 12.8 | ||
| PG | 80 | 80 | 2,733 | 364 | 568 | 115 | 11 | 1,111 | 34.2 | 4.6 | 7.1 | 1.4 | .1 | 13.9 | ||
| C | 80 | 80 | 2,692 | 662 | 183 | 90 | 69 | 1,079 | 33.7 | 8.3 | 2.3 | 1.1 | .9 | 13.5 | ||
| SF | 79 | 71 | 2,807 | 536 | 309 | 73 | 8 | 1,341 | 35.5 | 6.8 | 3.9 | .9 | .1 | 17.0 | ||
| PF | 79 | 57 | 2,378 | 491 | 103 | 54 | 34 | 1,268 | 30.1 | 6.2 | 1.3 | .7 | .4 | 16.1 | ||
| C | 75 | 37 | 1,966 | 469 | 98 | 37 | 146 | 748 | 26.2 | 6.3 | 1.3 | .5 | 1.9 | 10.0 | ||
| SF | 74 | 1 | 1,097 | 216 | 78 | 41 | 6 | 542 | 14.8 | 2.9 | 1.1 | .6 | .1 | 7.3 | ||
| C | 74 | 0 | 807 | 250 | 44 | 11 | 32 | 224 | 10.9 | 3.4 | .6 | .1 | .4 | 3.0 | ||
| PG | 59 | 0 | 513 | 40 | 103 | 36 | 2 | 149 | 8.7 | .7 | 1.7 | .6 | .0 | 2.5 | ||
| PG | 51 | 2 | 760 | 66 | 180 | 22 | 3 | 223 | 14.9 | 1.3 | 3.5 | .4 | .1 | 4.4 | ||
| C | 20 | 0 | 74 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 34 | 3.7 | .9 | .3 | .1 | .2 | 1.7 | ||
| PF | 4 | 0 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4.0 | 1.3 | .3 | .3 | .0 | 1.5 |