The 1986–87 Seattle SuperSonics season was the 20th season of the Seattle SuperSonics in the National Basketball Association. Bernie Bickerstaff returned for his second season as head coach of the franchise and, despite a modest improvement over their previous season's 31–51 record, managed to clinch a spot in the playoffs, where they defeated the Dallas Mavericks in four games in the First Round, and then the Houston Rockets in six games in the Semi-finals, reaching the Western Conference Finals, only to be swept in four games to the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. The 39-43 Sonics remain the last team to date in the NBA to win a playoff series with a losing regular season record.

It is also their first year without team captain Jack Sikma as he was traded in the offseason.

Offseason Draft

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 2 30 Nate McMillan PG/SG NC State 2 38 Lemone Lampley C DePaul 3 53 Tod Murphy PF/C UC Irvine 4 76 Michael Graham F Georgetown 5 99 Dominic Pressley PG Boston College 6 122 Curtis Kitchen PF South Florida 7 145 Glen McCants F Clemson

Roster

Season standings Division

Conference

Game log

| 1 | October 31 | @ Portland | W 127–110 | Tom Chambers (27) | Memorial Coliseum12,666 | 1–0

| 2 | November 1 | Sacramento | W 114–103 | Xavier McDaniel (27) | Seattle Center Coliseum6,296 | 2–0 |- | 3 | November 4 | L. A. Lakers | L 96–110 | Tom Chambers (21) | Seattle Center Coliseum10,426 | 2–1 |- | 4 | November 6 | Dallas | L 124–147 | Xavier McDaniel (28) | Seattle Center Coliseum8,363 | 2–2 |- | 5 | November 8 | New York | W 105–102 | Dale Ellis (29) | Seattle Center Coliseum9,280 | 3–2 |- | 6 | November 11 | Philadelphia | L 114–121 | Tom Chambers (33) | Seattle Center Coliseum12,600 | 3–3 |- | 7 | November 12 | @ L. A. Lakers | L 97–122 | Xavier McDaniel (17) | The Forum13,694 | 3–4 |- | 8 | November 15 | @ Golden State | W 127–121 | Tom Chambers (38) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena7,655 | 4–4 |- | 9 | November 18 | Sacramento | W 119–105 | Dale Ellis (28) | Seattle Center Coliseum5,411 | 5–4 |- | 10 | November 20 | Milwaukee | L 105–116 | Tom Chambers (35) | Seattle Center Coliseum8,790 | 5–5 |- | 11 | November 22 | Indiana | W 121–111 | Tom Chambers (35) | Seattle Center Coliseum6,399 | 6–5 |- | 12 | November 25 | Los Angeles Clippers | W 113–103 | Dale Ellis (35) | Seattle Center Coliseum4,702 | 7–5 |- | 13 | November 26 | @ Utah | L 91–127 | Tom Chambers (22) | Salt Palace10,512 | 7–6 |- | 14 | November 28 | @ Phoenix | W 117–104 | Dale Ellis (34) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum10,462 | 8–6

| 15 | December 2 | Chicago | L 109–115 (OT) | Xavier McDanielTom Chambers(29) | Seattle Center Coliseum13,438 | 8–7 |- | 16 | December 4 | @ San Antonio | W 109–102 | Tom Chambers (36) | HemisFair Arena5,893 | 9–7 |- | 17 | December 6 | @ Houston | W 136–80 | Tom Chambers (29) | The Summit16,016 | 10–7 |- | 18 | December 10 | @ L. A. Clippers | L 94–101 | Tom Chambers (28) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena5,573 | 10–8 |- | 19 | December 11 | San Antonio | W 113–107 | Xavier McDaniel (33) | Seattle Center Coliseum5,056 | 11–8 |- | 20 | December 13 | Dallas | L 109–126 | Tom ChambersDale Ellis(24) | Seattle Center Coliseum9,789 | 11–9 |- | 21 | December 16 | @ Portland | L 118–126 | Dale Ellis (34) | Memorial Coliseum12,666 | 11–10 |- | 22 | December 18 | Houston | W 114–100 | Dale Ellis (33) | Seattle Center Coliseum7,696 | 12–10 |- | 23 | December 19 | @ Phoenix | W 108–106 | Dale Ellis (28) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum10,433 | 13–10 |- | 24 | December 21 | Golden State | L 112–121 | Tom Chambers (25) | Seattle Center Coliseum5,228 | 13–11 |- | 25 | December 23 | Denver | W 127–116 | Tom Chambers (35) | Seattle Center Coliseum7,459 | 14–11 |- | 26 | December 26 | L. A. Clippers | W 113–107 | Tom Chambers (27) | Seattle Center Coliseum6,353 | 15–11 |- | 27 | December 28 | Portland | L 118–127 | Xavier McDaniel (30) | Seattle Center Coliseum9,365 | 15–12 |- | 28 | December 30 | Boston | L 102–104 | Xavier McDaniel (25) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,600 | 15–13

| 29 | January 2 | @ Dallas | L 107–117 | Dale Ellis (28) | Reunion Arena17,007 | 15–14 |- | 30 | January 3 | @ Houston | L 114–138 | Xavier McDanielDale Ellis(21) | The Summit16,016 | 15–15 |- | 31 | January 6 | Phoenix | W 138–108 | Tom Chambers (29) | Seattle Center Coliseum5,764 | 16–15 |- | 32 | January 8 | @ Golden State | W 115–108 | Dale Ellis (35) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena7,790 | 17–15 |- | 33 | January 11 | Utah Jazz | W 127–111 | Tom Chambers (31) | Seattle Center Coliseum7,594 | 18–15 |- | 34 | January 13 | @ Denver | L 109–117 | Tom Chambers (30) | McNichols Sports Arena8,981 | 18–16 |- | 35 | January 14 | San Antonio | W 130–104 | Dale Ellis (32) | Seattle Center Coliseum5,068 | 19–16 |- | 36 | January 16 | Denver | W 134–100 | Xavier McDaniel (30) | Seattle Center Coliseum8,544 | 20–16 |- | 37 | January 17 | @ Sacramento | L 115–125 | Xavier McDaniel (37) | ARCO Arena (I)10,333 | 20–17 |- | 38 | January 21 | @ Philadelphia | L 123–129 (OT) | Dale Ellis (40) | The Spectrum11,891 | 20–18 |- | 39 | January 23 | @ New Jersey | W 125–120 | Xavier McDaniel (32) | Brendan Byrne Arena9,182 | 21–18 |- | 40 | January 24 | @ Atlanta | L 87–97 | Dale Ellis (27) | Omni Coliseum13,842 | 21–19 |- | 41 | January 26 | @ Utah | W 108–95 | Dale Ellis (34) | Salt Palace12,212 | 22–19 |- | 42 | January 28 | L. A. Lakers | W 125–101 | Tom Chambers (37) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,634 | 23–19 |- | 43 | January 30 | @ Golden State | L 119–127 | Tom Chambers (36) | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena9,276 | 23–20 |- | 44 | January 31 | Phoenix | W 118–112 (OT) | Dale Ellis (24) | Seattle Center Coliseum9,344 | 24–20

| 45 | February 2 | New Jersey | W 108–100 | Xavier McDaniel (35) | Seattle Center Coliseum6,132 | 25–20 |- | 46 | February 4 | @ Dallas | L 94–124 | Tom Chambers (19) | Reunion Arena17,007 | 25–21 |- | 47 | February 5 | @ San Antonio | L 111–117 | Xavier McDaniel (26) | HemisFair Arena7,548 | 25–22 |- | 48 | February 10 | Atlanta | L 113–125 | Tom Chambers (35) | Seattle Center Coliseum12,004 || 25–23 |- | 49 | February 12 | @ Milwaukee | L 104–106 | Tom Chambers (32) | MECCA Arena11,052 | 25–24 |- | 50 | February 13 | @ Chicago | L 98–106 | Xavier McDaniel (27) | Chicago Stadium16,251 | 25–25 |- | 51 | February 16 | @ Cleveland | L 94–105 | Dale Ellis (17) | Coliseum at Richfield12,163 | 25–26 |- | 52 | February 18 | @ Indiana | L 88–105 | Dale Ellis (24) | Market Square Arena9,077 | 25–27 |- | 53 | February 19 | @ Detroit | L 105–117 | Dale Ellis (31) | Pontiac Silverdome14,482 | 25–28 |- | 54 | February 21 | Washington | W 110–93 | Tom Chambers (31) | Seattle Center Coliseum11,637 | 26–28 |- | 55 | February 23 | L. A. Clippers | W 124–112 | Dale Ellis (29) | Seattle Center Coliseum5,528 | 27–28 |- | 56 | February 24 | @ Utah | L 103–133 | Dale Ellis (26) | Salt Palace12,212 | 27–29 |- | 57 | February 26 | Denver | W 106–100 | Xavier McDaniel (30) | Seattle Center Coliseum7,691 | 28–29 |- | 58 | February 28 | @ Phoenix | W 112–105 | Dale Ellis (40) | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum13,338 | 29–29

| 59 | March 2 | Cleveland | W 123–107 | Tom Chambers (36) | Seattle Center Coliseum6,488 | 30–29 |- | 60 | March 4 | @ L. A. Lakers | L 124–138 | Dale Ellis (32) | The Forum17,505 | 30–30 |- | 61 | March 5 | Portland | W 127–122 | Dale Ellis (38) | Seattle Center Coliseum10,205 | 31–30 |- | 62 | March 7 | Houston | W 118–115 | Tom Chambers (29) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,474 | 32–30 |- | 63 | March 10 | @ Houston | W 136–127 (2OT) | Tom Chambers (42) | The Summit16,279 | 33–30 |- | 64 | March 11 | @ Dallas | L 117–130 | Tom ChambersDale EllisXavier McDaniel(21) | Reunion Arena17,007 | 33–31 |- | 65 | March 13 | @ L. A. Clippers | L 104–108 | Tom Chambers (31) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena6,522 | 33–32 |- | 66 | March 15 | @ Sacramento | L 106–107 | Dale Ellis (40) | ARCO Arena (I)10,333 | 33–33 |- | 67 | March 16 | San Antonio | W 122–111 | Dale Ellis (33) | Seattle Center Coliseum5,934 | 34–33 |- | 68 | March 19 | @ Washington | L 106–110 | Xavier McDaniel (20) | Capital Centre5,987 | 34–34 |- | 69 | March 20 | @ Boston | L 108–112 | Dale Ellis (31) | Boston Garden14,890 | 34–35 |- | 70 | March 23 | @ New York | W 126–121 (OT) | Xavier McDaniel (40) | Madison Square Garden (IV)9,038 | 35–35 |- | 71 | March 26 | @ Denver | L 113–123 | Xavier McDaniel (33) | McNichols Sports Arena10,183 | 35–36 |- | 72 | March 27 | Golden State | L 105–106 | Xavier McDaniel (31) | Seattle Center Coliseum9,091 | 35–37 |- | 73 | March 29 | Detroit | L 107–108 | Xavier McDaniel (27) | Seattle Center Coliseum8,717 | 35–38 |- | 74 | March 31 | Sacramento | W 132–129 | Tom Chambers (36) | Seattle Center Coliseum6,095 | 36–38

| 75 | April 2 | L. A. Lakers | L 114–117 | Xavier McDaniel (35) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,739 | 36–39 |- | 76 | April 4 | Portland | L 123–126 | Tom Chambers (34) | Seattle Center Coliseum12,227 | 36–40 |- | 77 | April 7 | Phoenix | L 125–127 (OT) | Dale Ellis (35) | Seattle Center Coliseum6,585 | 36–41 |- | 78 | April 10 | @ Portland | L 115–121 | Tom Chambers (27) | Memorial Coliseum12,666 | 36–42 |- | 79 | April 14 | Utah | W 103–102 | Tom Chambers (30) | Seattle Center Coliseum7,178 | 37–42 |- | 80 | April 16 | @ L. A. Clippers | W 118–87 | Dale Ellis (41) | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena6,517 | 38–42 |- | 81 | April 18 | Golden State | L 127–132 | Tom Chambers (31) | Seattle Center Coliseum9,428 | 38–43 |- | 82 | April 19 | @ L. A. Lakers | W 110–104 | Xavier McDaniel (39) | The Forum17,505 | 39–43

Green background indicates win. Red background indicates loss.

Playoffs

|- style="background:#fcc | 1 | April 23 | @ Dallas | L 129–151 | Tom Chambers (35) | Xavier McDaniel (13) | Xavier McDaniel (7) | Reunion Arena17,007 | 0–1 |- style="background:#cfc | 2 | April 25 | @ Dallas | W 112–110 | Dale Ellis (32) | Xavier McDaniel (9) | Nate McMillan (8) | Reunion Arena17,007 | 1–1 |- style="background:#cfc | 3 | April 28 | Dallas | W 117–107 | Dale Ellis (43) | Dale Ellis (14) | Nate McMillan (9) | Hec Edmundson Pavilion8,150 | 2–1 |- style="background:#cfc | 4 | April 30 | Dallas | W 124–98 | Tom Chambers (31) | Chambers, Ellis (9) | Nate McMillan (9) | Hec Edmundson Pavilion8,150 | 3–1

|- style="background:#cfc | 1 | May 2 | @ Houston | W 111–106 (OT) | Dale Ellis (34) | Tom Chambers (9) | Nate McMillan (8) | The Summit16,279 | 1–0 |- style="background:#cfc | 2 | May 5 | @ Houston | W 99–97 | Dale Ellis (30) | Dale Ellis (9) | Eddie Johnson (8) | The Summit16,279 | 2–0 |- style="background:#fcc | 3 | May 7 | Houston | L 84–102 | Tom Chambers (24) | Dale Ellis (10) | McMillan, Young (4) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,587 | 2–1 |- style="background:#cfc | 4 | May 9 | Houston | W 117–102 | Tom Chambers (38) | Alton Lister (17) | Nate McMillan (10) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,559 | 3–1 |- style="background:#fcc | 5 | May 12 | @ Houston | L 107–112 | Dale Ellis (27) | Tom Chambers (9) | Eddie Johnson (6) | The Summit16,279 | 3–2 |- style="background:#cfc | 6 | May 14 | Houston | W 128–125 (2OT) | Tom Chambers (37) | Xavier McDaniel (12) | Nate McMillan (16) |Seattle Center Coliseum14,751 | 4–2

|- style="background:#fcc | 1 | May 16 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 82–87 | Tom Chambers (28) | McDaniel, Lister (10) | Nate McMillan (8) | The Forum17,505 | 0–1 |- style="background:#fcc | 2 | May 19 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 104–112 | Dale Ellis (22) | Xavier McDaniel (8) | Nate McMillan (7) | The Forum17,505 | 0–2 |- style="background:#fcc | 3 | May 23 | L.A. Lakers | L 121–122 | Xavier McDaniel (42) | Xavier McDaniel (10) | Nate McMillan (15) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,657 | 0–3 |- style="background:#fcc | 4 | May 25 | L.A. Lakers | L 102–133 | Tom Chambers (20) | Alton Lister (20) | Kevin Williams (5) | Seattle Center Coliseum14,477 | 0–4

Player statistics

Season