You Are Here > Basketball-Reference.com > Playoffs > 1988 NBA

1988 NBA Playoff Summary

Previous Year ▪ Next Year

1988 NBA Playoffs:

Series Results

Click series name to show/hide game results
Finals (4-3): Los Angeles Lakers over Detroit Pistons
 
Eastern Conference Finals (4-2): Detroit Pistons over Boston Celtics
Western Conference Finals (4-3): Los Angeles Lakers over Dallas Mavericks
 
Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-1): Detroit Pistons over Chicago Bulls
Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-3): Boston Celtics over Atlanta Hawks
Western Conference Semifinals (4-3): Los Angeles Lakers over Utah Jazz
Western Conference Semifinals (4-2): Dallas Mavericks over Denver Nuggets
 
Eastern Conference First Round (3-2): Atlanta Hawks over Milwaukee Bucks
Eastern Conference First Round (3-2): Detroit Pistons over Washington Bullets
Eastern Conference First Round (3-2): Chicago Bulls over Cleveland Cavaliers
Eastern Conference First Round (3-1): Boston Celtics over New York Knickerbockers
Western Conference First Round (3-0): Los Angeles Lakers over San Antonio Spurs
Western Conference First Round (3-2): Denver Nuggets over Seattle Supersonics
Western Conference First Round (3-1): Dallas Mavericks over Houston Rockets
Western Conference First Round (3-1): Utah Jazz over Portland Trail Blazers

Team Statistics

Glossary ▪ CSV ▪ PRE
Rk Team G MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS PTS/G
1 Seattle Supersonics 5 1200 230 446 .516 11 39 .282 100 142 .704 69 154 223 138 26 20 77 149 571 114.2
2 Denver Nuggets 11 2640 462 1023 .452 33 120 .275 262 317 .826 166 299 465 252 75 53 124 272 1219 110.8
3 San Antonio Spurs 3 720 137 291 .471 7 20 .350 48 67 .716 45 70 115 83 33 11 54 72 329 109.7
4 Atlanta Hawks 12 2880 511 1016 .503 14 54 .259 267 340 .785 152 313 465 317 91 61 145 314 1303 108.6
5 Milwaukee Bucks 5 1200 199 416 .478 7 26 .269 138 179 .771 80 140 220 123 33 17 76 123 543 108.6
6 Dallas Mavericks 17 4080 730 1473 .496 25 93 .269 349 462 .755 279 482 761 411 126 87 253 353 1834 107.9
7 Los Angeles Lakers 24 5760 980 1962 .499 57 145 .393 517 664 .779 313 660 973 622 173 113 336 508 2534 105.6
8 Houston Rockets 4 960 156 345 .452 9 25 .360 97 118 .822 64 112 176 79 32 17 59 90 418 104.5
9 Portland Trail Blazers 4 960 164 384 .427 10 31 .323 79 105 .752 76 116 192 90 39 17 65 116 417 104.3
10 Boston Celtics 17 4155 645 1355 .476 40 116 .345 429 526 .816 203 484 687 456 102 82 253 382 1759 103.5
11 Utah Jazz 11 2640 422 874 .483 25 60 .417 268 347 .772 116 305 421 281 84 73 179 246 1137 103.4
12 Cleveland Cavaliers 5 1200 200 403 .496 5 24 .208 97 132 .735 60 142 202 119 29 32 78 97 502 100.4
13 Detroit Pistons 23 5620 883 1900 .465 21 81 .259 507 672 .754 321 698 1019 514 170 105 318 594 2294 99.7
14 New York Knickerbockers 4 960 153 348 .440 16 47 .340 75 92 .815 54 109 163 102 33 21 63 115 397 99.3
15 Washington Bullets 5 1225 182 395 .461 1 9 .111 121 164 .738 67 123 190 82 35 26 76 123 486 97.2
16 Chicago Bulls 10 2400 384 851 .451 8 31 .258 172 212 .811 143 287 430 234 71 40 149 238 948 94.8
League Average 10 2413 402 843 .478 18 58 .314 220 284 .777 138 281 419 244 72 48 144 237 1043 104.3

Opponent Statistics

Glossary ▪ CSV ▪ PRE
Rk Team G MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS PTS/G
1 Detroit Pistons 23 5620 812 1830 .444 35 117 .299 530 695 .763 271 640 911 502 143 97 338 542 2189 95.2
2 Chicago Bulls 10 2400 391 837 .467 8 37 .216 199 264 .754 137 303 440 228 69 51 144 205 989 98.9
3 Washington Bullets 5 1225 194 416 .466 4 15 .267 114 151 .755 84 139 223 109 42 28 75 131 506 101.2
4 Cleveland Cavaliers 5 1200 210 453 .464 0 10 .000 90 104 .865 84 139 223 125 40 21 63 122 510 102.0
5 Utah Jazz 11 2640 444 977 .454 32 81 .395 206 267 .772 186 311 497 242 90 56 164 271 1126 102.4
6 Boston Celtics 17 4155 681 1440 .473 31 108 .287 350 450 .778 209 473 682 427 123 76 229 460 1743 102.5
7 Los Angeles Lakers 24 5760 979 2055 .476 44 138 .319 471 618 .762 356 622 978 595 195 119 330 547 2473 103.0
8 Houston Rockets 4 960 168 337 .499 6 23 .261 86 112 .768 56 115 171 99 36 24 62 92 428 107.0
9 Atlanta Hawks 12 2880 476 949 .502 21 70 .300 313 393 .796 157 336 493 316 61 44 187 276 1286 107.2
10 Dallas Mavericks 17 4080 726 1503 .483 49 137 .358 335 411 .815 253 451 704 442 128 78 210 381 1836 108.0
11 Portland Trail Blazers 4 960 152 301 .505 12 21 .571 118 154 .766 33 125 158 102 24 29 80 97 434 108.5
12 Milwaukee Bucks 5 1200 211 407 .518 4 15 .267 123 163 .755 62 137 199 125 41 30 69 136 549 109.8
13 New York Knickerbockers 4 960 160 316 .506 10 25 .400 112 136 .824 53 110 163 118 38 24 60 80 442 110.5
14 Denver Nuggets 11 2640 490 958 .511 15 61 .246 250 342 .731 159 359 518 280 62 53 178 272 1245 113.2
15 Seattle Supersonics 5 1200 200 442 .452 14 55 .255 160 189 .847 69 132 201 97 35 25 56 116 574 114.8
16 San Antonio Spurs 3 720 144 261 .552 4 8 .500 69 90 .767 39 102 141 96 25 20 60 64 361 120.3
League Average 10 2413 402 843 .478 18 58 .314 220 284 .777 138 281 419 244 72 48 144 237 1043 104.3

Miscellaneous Statistics

Glossary ▪ CSV ▪ PRE
Offense Four Factors Defense Four Factors
Rk Team G W L W-L% W Pyth L Pyth ORtg DRtg Pace eFG% TOV% ORB% FT/FGA eFG% TOV% DRB% FT/FGA
1 Los Angeles Lakers 24 15 9 .625 14.0 10.0 114.1 111.4 92.5 .514 .130 .335 .264 .487 .124 .650 .229
2 Detroit Pistons 23 14 9 .609 15.1 7.9 107.6 102.7 91.1 .470 .127 .334 .267 .453 .137 .720 .290
3 Dallas Mavericks 17 10 7 .588 8.4 8.6 114.7 114.8 94.1 .504 .131 .382 .237 .499 .111 .656 .223
4 Boston Celtics 17 9 8 .529 9.0 8.0 110.1 109.1 92.3 .491 .138 .300 .317 .484 .123 .698 .243
5 Utah Jazz 11 6 5 .545 5.9 5.1 108.7 107.6 95.1 .497 .148 .272 .307 .471 .130 .621 .211
6 Atlanta Hawks 12 6 6 .500 6.6 5.4 115.7 114.2 93.9 .510 .111 .311 .263 .513 .143 .666 .330
7 Denver Nuggets 11 5 6 .455 4.7 6.3 111.7 114.1 99.2 .468 .096 .316 .256 .519 .138 .653 .261
8 Chicago Bulls 10 4 6 .400 3.6 6.4 102.1 106.5 92.8 .456 .136 .321 .202 .472 .131 .677 .238
9 Seattle Supersonics 5 2 3 .400 2.4 2.6 114.9 115.5 99.4 .528 .132 .343 .224 .468 .096 .691 .362
10 Washington Bullets 5 2 3 .400 1.8 3.2 105.9 110.3 89.9 .462 .140 .325 .306 .471 .135 .594 .274
11 Milwaukee Bucks 5 2 3 .400 2.3 2.7 113.7 115.0 95.5 .487 .133 .369 .332 .523 .126 .693 .302
12 Cleveland Cavaliers 5 2 3 .400 2.2 2.8 108.0 109.8 92.9 .502 .145 .302 .241 .464 .112 .628 .199
13 New York Knickerbockers 4 1 3 .250 0.7 3.3 105.2 117.1 94.4 .463 .140 .329 .216 .522 .138 .673 .354
14 Houston Rockets 4 1 3 .250 1.7 2.3 109.7 112.3 95.3 .465 .129 .358 .281 .507 .138 .667 .255
15 Portland Trail Blazers 4 1 3 .250 1.5 2.5 103.1 107.3 101.2 .440 .131 .378 .206 .525 .178 .779 .392
16 San Antonio Spurs 3 0 3 .000 0.6 2.4 103.9 114.0 105.6 .483 .144 .306 .165 .559 .166 .642 .264
League Average 10.0 5.0 5.0 .500 5.0 5.0 110.4 110.4 94.0 .488 .130 .329 .262 .488 .130 .671 .262

Playoff Leaders

Glossary ▪ Rate statistic requirements

Minutes Played

1. Magic Johnson*-LAL 965
2. Isiah Thomas*-DET 911
3. Byron Scott-LAL 897
4. James Worthy*-LAL 896
5. Joe Dumars*-DET 804
  Adrian Dantley*-DET 804

Field Goals

1. James Worthy*-LAL 204
2. Isiah Thomas*-DET 183
3. Byron Scott-LAL 178
4. Magic Johnson*-LAL 169
5. Kevin McHale*-BOS 158

Field Goal Attempts

1. Isiah Thomas*-DET 419
2. James Worthy*-LAL 390
3. Byron Scott-LAL 357
4. Larry Bird*-BOS 338
5. Magic Johnson*-LAL 329

Field Goal Pct

1. James Donaldson-DAL .654
2. Derrick McKey-SEA .632
3. Danny Schayes-DEN .625
4. Kurt Rambis-LAL .618
5. Kevin McHale*-BOS .603

3-Pt Field Goals

1. Michael Cooper-LAL 25
2. Byron Scott-LAL 24
3. Bob Hansen-UTA 19
  Danny Ainge-BOS 19
5. Michael Adams-DEN 17

3-Pt Field Goal Attempts

1. Michael Cooper-LAL 62
2. Danny Ainge-BOS 57
3. Byron Scott-LAL 55
4. Michael Adams-DEN 54
5. Isiah Thomas*-DET 44
  Mike Evans-DEN 44

3-Pt Field Goal Pct

1. Bob Hansen-UTA .528
2. Magic Johnson*-LAL .500
3. Trent Tucker-NYK .462
4. Byron Scott-LAL .436
5. Richard Anderson-POR .429

Free Throws

1. Adrian Dantley*-DET 140
2. Magic Johnson*-LAL 132
3. Isiah Thomas*-DET 125
4. Kevin McHale*-BOS 115
5. Larry Bird*-BOS 101

Free Throw Attempts

1. Adrian Dantley*-DET 178
2. Magic Johnson*-LAL 155
3. Isiah Thomas*-DET 151
4. Kevin McHale*-BOS 137
5. James Worthy*-LAL 128

Free Throw Pct

1. Danny Young-SEA 1.000
2. Sidney Moncrief-MIL .963
3. Mark Price-CLE .960
4. Mike Evans-DEN .933
5. Brad Davis-DAL .923

Offensive Rebounds

1. Roy Tarpley-DAL 88
2. John Salley-DET 64
3. Mychal Thompson-LAL 63
4. A.C. Green-LAL 57
5. Kevin McHale*-BOS 55

Defensive Rebounds

1. Bill Laimbeer-DET 178
2. Roy Tarpley-DAL 131
3. Larry Bird*-BOS 121
4. A.C. Green-LAL 118
5. Robert Parish*-BOS 117

Total Rebounds

1. Bill Laimbeer-DET 221
2. Roy Tarpley-DAL 219
3. A.C. Green-LAL 175
4. Mychal Thompson-LAL 170
5. Robert Parish*-BOS 168

Assists

1. Magic Johnson*-LAL 303
2. Isiah Thomas*-DET 201
3. John Stockton*-UTA 163
4. Dennis Johnson-BOS 139
5. Derek Harper-DAL 121

Steals

1. Isiah Thomas*-DET 66
2. John Stockton*-UTA 37
3. Larry Bird*-BOS 36
4. Byron Scott-LAL 34
  Magic Johnson*-LAL 34

Blocks

1. John Salley-DET 37
  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-LAL 37
3. Mark Eaton-UTA 34
4. Kevin McHale*-BOS 30
5. Roy Tarpley-DAL 26

Turnovers

1. Isiah Thomas*-DET 85
2. Magic Johnson*-LAL 83
3. James Worthy*-LAL 55
4. Adrian Dantley*-DET 51
5. Larry Bird*-BOS 49

Personal Fouls

1. John Salley-DET 88
2. Dennis Rodman-DET 87
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar*-LAL 81
4. Bill Laimbeer-DET 77
5. Isiah Thomas*-DET 71

Points

1. James Worthy*-LAL 506
2. Isiah Thomas*-DET 504
3. Magic Johnson*-LAL 477
4. Byron Scott-LAL 470
5. Adrian Dantley*-DET 446

Minutes Per Game

1. Karl Malone-UTA 44.9
2. Larry Bird*-BOS 44.9
3. John Stockton*-UTA 43.5
4. Mark Jackson-NYK 42.8
5. Michael Jordan*-CHI 42.7

Points Per Game

1. Hakeem Olajuwon*-HOU 37.5
2. Michael Jordan*-CHI 36.3
3. Dominique Wilkins*-ATL 31.2
4. Karl Malone-UTA 29.7
5. Terry Cummings-MIL 25.8
  Tom Chambers-SEA 25.8

Rebounds Per Game

1. Hakeem Olajuwon*-HOU 16.8
2. Roy Tarpley-DAL 12.9
3. Charles Oakley-CHI 12.8
4. Patrick Ewing*-NYK 12.8
5. Jack Sikma-MIL 12.4

Assists Per Game

1. John Stockton*-UTA 14.8
2. Magic Johnson*-LAL 12.6
3. Mark Jackson-NYK 9.8
4. Doc Rivers-ATL 9.6
5. Alvin Robertson-SAS 9.3

Steals Per Game

1. Alvin Robertson-SAS 4.0
2. John Stockton*-UTA 3.4
3. Clyde Drexler*-POR 3.0
4. Isiah Thomas*-DET 2.9
5. Ron Harper-CLE 2.8

Blocks Per Game

1. Patrick Ewing*-NYK 3.2
2. Mark Eaton-UTA 3.1
3. Hakeem Olajuwon*-HOU 2.8
4. Larry Nance-CLE 2.2
5. Thurl Bailey-UTA 2.1

Player Efficiency Rating

1. Hakeem Olajuwon*-HOU 39.0
2. Michael Jordan*-CHI 28.4
3. Roy Tarpley-DAL 23.1
4. Dominique Wilkins*-ATL 22.9
5. Magic Johnson*-LAL 22.9

True Shooting Pct

1. Danny Schayes-DEN .723
2. Mark Price-CLE .673
3. Kevin McHale*-BOS .670
4. Brad Davis-DAL .669
5. Derrick McKey-SEA .660

Effective Field Goal Pct

1. Derrick McKey-SEA .658
2. James Donaldson-DAL .654
3. Danny Schayes-DEN .625
4. Kurt Rambis-LAL .618
5. Brad Davis-DAL .607

Offensive Rebound Pct

1. Roy Tarpley-DAL 17.5
2. Wayne Cooper-DEN 16.8
3. Jack Sikma-MIL 14.0
4. Hakeem Olajuwon*-HOU 13.2
5. Moses Malone*-WSB 13.2

Defensive Rebound Pct

1. Hakeem Olajuwon*-HOU 33.2
2. Patrick Ewing*-NYK 27.1
3. Charles Oakley-CHI 27.0
4. Bill Laimbeer-DET 26.5
5. Roy Tarpley-DAL 25.8

Total Rebound Pct

1. Hakeem Olajuwon*-HOU 22.9
2. Roy Tarpley-DAL 21.7
3. Patrick Ewing*-NYK 19.6
4. Charles Oakley-CHI 18.9
5. Jack Sikma-MIL 18.7

Assist Pct

1. John Stockton*-UTA 51.9
2. Magic Johnson*-LAL 46.5
3. Doc Rivers-ATL 39.4
4. Isiah Thomas*-DET 37.7
5. Spud Webb-ATL 36.8

Steal Pct

1. Alvin Robertson-SAS 4.6
2. Ron Harper-CLE 4.2
3. John Stockton*-UTA 3.9
4. Isiah Thomas*-DET 3.8
5. Clyde Drexler*-POR 3.3

Block Pct

1. Patrick Ewing*-NYK 5.6
2. Antoine Carr-ATL 5.3
3. Mark Eaton-UTA 4.3
4. Hakeem Olajuwon*-HOU 4.2
5. John Salley-DET 3.9

Turnover Pct

1. Fat Lever-DEN 3.4
2. Blair Rasmussen-DEN 4.2
3. Alex English*-DEN 5.5
4. Hakeem Olajuwon*-HOU 7.1
5. James Edwards-DET 7.2

Usage Pct

1. Dominique Wilkins*-ATL 35.8
2. Michael Jordan*-CHI 35.2
3. Hakeem Olajuwon*-HOU 32.7
4. Karl Malone-UTA 30.4
5. Tom Chambers-SEA 29.1

Offensive Rating

1. Mark Price-CLE 137.8
2. Hakeem Olajuwon*-HOU 134.1
3. Tree Rollins-ATL 133.5
4. Danny Schayes-DEN 132.8
5. Kevin McHale*-BOS 129.2

Defensive Rating

1. Bill Laimbeer-DET 99.5
2. Isiah Thomas*-DET 100.0
3. Dennis Rodman-DET 100.0
4. John Salley-DET 100.4
5. Hakeem Olajuwon*-HOU 101.7

Offensive Win Shares

1. Magic Johnson*-LAL 3.2
2. Kevin McHale*-BOS 2.5
3. James Worthy*-LAL 1.9
4. Adrian Dantley*-DET 1.7
5. Byron Scott-LAL 1.6

Defensive Win Shares

1. Isiah Thomas*-DET 2.1
2. Bill Laimbeer-DET 1.8
3. John Salley-DET 1.4
4. Adrian Dantley*-DET 1.3
5. Larry Bird*-BOS 1.2

Win Shares

1. Magic Johnson*-LAL 4.0
2. Kevin McHale*-BOS 3.3
3. Isiah Thomas*-DET 3.0
4. Adrian Dantley*-DET 3.0
5. James Worthy*-LAL 2.8