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1985–86 NBA season

The1985–86 NBA seasonwas the 40th season of theNational Basketball Association. The season ended with theBoston Celticswinning their third championship of the decade, beating the Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.

1985–86 NBA season
League National Basketball Association
Sport Basketball
Duration Oct 25, 1985 – Apr 13, 1986
Apr 17 – May 21, 1986 (Playoffs)
May 26 – Jun 8, 1986 (Finals)
Number of teams 23
TV partner(s) CBS, TBS
Draft
Top draft pick Patrick Ewing
Picked by New York Knicks
Regular season
Top seed Boston Celtics
Season MVP Larry Bird (Boston)
Top scorer Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta)
Playoffs
Eastern champions Boston Celtics
  Eastern runners-up Milwaukee Bucks
Western champions Houston Rockets
  Western runners-up Los Angeles Lakers
Finals
Champions Boston Celtics
  Runners-up Houston Rockets
Finals MVP Larry Bird (Boston)

Notable occurrences

Coaching changes
Offseason
Team 1984–85 coach 1985–86 coach
Philadelphia 76ers Billy Cunningham Matt Guokas
Chicago Bulls Kevin Loughery Stan Albeck
New Jersey Nets Stan Albeck Dave Wohl
Seattle SuperSonics Lenny Wilkens Bernie Bickerstaff
In-season
Team Outgoing coach Incoming coach
Washington Bullets Gene Shue Kevin Loughery
Cleveland Cavaliers George Karl Gene Littles

  • The 1986 NBA All-Star Game was played at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas, with the East defeating the West 139–132.Isiah Thomasof the Detroit Pistons wins the game’s MVP award. To add to the All-Star Weekend festivities, 5-foot-7-inch Spud Webb of the Atlanta Hawks wins the slam-dunk competition. The first three-point shootout was also held, won by Larry Bird (his first of three consecutive).

  • TheKingsrelocate from Kansas City, Missouri to Sacramento, California. They played their home games at ARCO Arena I for three seasons while ARCO Arena II was under construction.

  • The Chicago Bulls are the last Eastern Conference team in NBA history to lose 50 or more games in a season and still make the playoffs.

  • TheBoston Celticspost an impressive 40–1 (.976) record at home. Their only regular-season home loss occurred on December 6, 1985, to the Portland Trail Blazers, by the score of 121–103. The record would be tied by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2015–16 season. The Celtics would also win all 10 of their home games in the postseason.

  • This season marks the first time the NBA hands out a Most Improved Player award at the end of a season. Alvin Robertson of the San Antonio Spurs is the first to win the award. Robertson would also set the record for consecutive games with a steal (105), which stood for 22 years.

  • In the third game of the season, Chicago Bulls sensationMichael Jordansuffered a broken left foot and missed the next 64 games. In Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round series, Jordan scored 63 points against Boston, an NBA playoff record, but his Chicago Bulls would lose in double overtime.

  • The first NBA draft of the Lottery Era was conducted at the Felt Forum of Madison Square Garden in New York City. Patrick Ewing was selected as the first overall pick by the New York Knicks. Ewing, the winner of the NBA Rookie of the Year Award that season, set the record for most games missed (32) for a Rookie of the Year winner.

  • Ralph Sampson’s off-balanced buzzer-beating shot in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals sent the Houston Rockets to their second NBA Finals, defeating the erstwhile defending championLos Angeles Lakers4-1. This marked the second and last time in the 1980s a team other than the Lakers represented the West in the NBA Finals (1981, also by the Rockets). The Rockets fell in six games to the Boston Celtics, a similar result to their previous meeting five years earlier.

  • Detlef Schrempf became the first German player to enter the NBA. He would later become the first European-born player to be named an All-Star in 1993 and had the most number of seasons played for a European player.

  • New Jersey Nets guard Micheal Ray Richardson was banned for life by the NBA for his third violation of the league’s anti-drug policy. Houston Rockets guard John Lucas was also suspended by the team for a similar violation; had he not been suspended, he would’ve played in the NBA Finals for the first time.

  • On Wednesday, October 30, 1985, forward Georgi Glouchkov arrived in the U.S. from Bulgaria to play for the Phoenix Suns.[1]He was the first player from a former Eastern Bloc country to play in the NBA.[2]He would make his debut on Wednesday, November 6 against the Atlanta Hawks.

  • The Los Angeles Clippers surprised the league by starting the season 5-0.[3]The Denver Nuggets were the last undefeated team, starting the season 6-0. The New York Knicks started the season 0-8 in the midst of a 20-game losing streak. The Knicks’ last victory was March 22, 1985.[4]The Phoenix Suns were the last winless team, starting the season 0-9.

  • On Saturday, November 30, 1985, Cleveland Cavalier World B. Free scored his 16,000th career point.[5]

  • On Wednesday, December 4, 1985, Maurice Lucas of theLos Angeles Lakersmade a 60-foot shot at the regulation buzzer to send the game into overtime. The Lakers would go on to defeat the Utah Jazz 131-127.[6]

  • On Tuesday, December 10, 1985, the Indiana Pacers scored only 64 points in a 64-82 loss to the New York Knicks. It was the fewest points scored by a team in 13 years – since an October 21, 1972 game in which the Buffalo Braves managed only 63 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Indiana’s 64 was the fourth lowest total since the NBA implemented the 24-second shot clock in 1954–55.[7]

  • TheLos Angeles Lakersstarted the season 19-2.[8]

  • On Wednesday, December 25, 1985, in a matchup of one of the worst teams in the league (New York Knicks, 10-19) against one of the best (Boston Celtics, 21-7), the Knicks defeated Boston in double overtime, 113-104. Rookie Patrick Ewing had 32 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks.[9]

  • On Tuesday, January 14, 1986, the Utah Jazz snapped the Houston Rockets’ 20-game home winning streak with a 105-102 victory. Both Akeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson foul out of the game.[10]

  • On Wednesday, January 15, 1986, theGolden State Warriorsscored 150 points in a 150-104 regulation victory over the Utah Jazz. None of Golden State’s starters played in the fourth quarter. Eight Golden State players scored in double figures.[11]

  • On Wednesday, January 22, 1986, the Boston Celtics (31-8) defeated the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers (32-8) 110-95 in a matchup of the league’s two best teams.[12]

  • On Friday, January 24, 1986, the Boston Celtics (32-8) overtook the Los Angeles Lakers (32-9) as the team with the best record in the NBA. The Celtics maintained the league’s best record for the remainder of the season.

  • On Thursday, February 6, 1986, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers scored 46 points in a game against the Houston Rockets, his highest single-game total since a 48-point performance against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 26, 1975. The Lakers defeated the Rockets 117-95.[13]

  • On Sunday, February 16, 1986, in the season’s second matchup between the Celtics and Lakers, Boston won again, 105-99.[14]

  • On Tuesday, February 18, 1986, Alvin Robertson of the San Antonio Spurs recorded the second quadruple-double in NBA history. He scored 20 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, dished 10 assists and stole the ball 10 times in a 114-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

  • On Sunday, April 6, 1986, the Houston Rockets (50-29) set a franchise record for wins in a season with a 109-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. It was also the Rockets’ first victory over the Lakers at The Summit (Houston’s home arena) since a 107-104 victory on November 12, 1980.[15]

  • Backboard height is shortened 6 in (15.2 cm) to the present 42 in (1.067 m).

Final standings

By division

Atlantic Division

    		 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
    y-Boston Celtics 67 15 .817 – 40–1 27–14 18–6
    x-Philadelphia 76ers 54 28 .659 13 31–10 23–18 15–9
    x-Washington Bullets 39 43 .476 28 26–15 13–28 11–13
    x–New Jersey Nets 39 43 .476 28 26–15 13–28 11–13
    New York Knicks 23 59 .280 44 15–26 8–33 5–19
    Central Division

      		 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
      y-Milwaukee Bucks 57 25 .695 – 33–8 24–17 21–9
      x-Atlanta Hawks 50 32 .610 7 34–7 16–25 21–9
      x-Detroit Pistons 46 36 .561 11 31–10 15–26 18–12
      x-Chicago Bulls 30 52 .366 27 22–19 8–33 10–20
      Cleveland Cavaliers 29 53 .354 28 16–25 13–28 10–19
      Indiana Pacers 26 56 .317 31 19–22 7–34 9–20
      Midwest Division

        		 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
        y-Houston Rockets 51 31 .622 – 36–5 15–26 20–10
        x-Denver Nuggets 47 35 .573 4 34–7 13–28 15–15
        x-Dallas Mavericks 44 38 .537 7 26–15 18–23 16–14
        x-Utah Jazz 42 40 .512 9 27–14 15–26 15–15
        x-Sacramento Kings 37 45 .451 14 25–16 12–29 15–15
        x-San Antonio Spurs 35 47 .427 16 21–20 14–27 9–21
        Pacific Division

          		 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
          y-Los Angeles Lakers 62 20 .756 – 35–6 27–14 23–7
          x-Portland Trail Blazers 40 42 .488 22 27–14 13–28 18–12
          Phoenix Suns 32 50 .390 30 23–18 9–32 16–14
          Los Angeles Clippers 32 50 .390 30 22–19 10–31 10–20
          Seattle SuperSonics 31 51 .378 31 24–17 7–34 11–19
          Golden State Warriors 30 52 .366 32 24–17 6–35 12–18

          By conference

          		 Eastern Conference
            Team W L PCT GB
            1 z-Boston Celtics 67 15 .817 –
            2 y-Milwaukee Bucks 57 25 .695 10
            3 x-Philadelphia 76ers 54 28 .659 13
            4 x-Atlanta Hawks 50 32 .610 17
            5 x-Detroit Pistons 46 36 .561 21
            6 x-Washington Bullets 39 43 .476 28
            7 x–New Jersey Nets 39 43 .476 28
            8 x-Chicago Bulls 30 52 .366 37
            9 Cleveland Cavaliers 29 53 .354 38
            10 Indiana Pacers 26 56 .317 41
            11 New York Knicks 23 59 .280 44

            		Western Conference
              Team W L PCT GB
              1 c-Los Angeles Lakers 62 20 .756 –
              2 y-Houston Rockets 51 31 .622 11
              3 x-Denver Nuggets 47 35 .573 15
              4 x-Dallas Mavericks 44 38 .537 18
              5 x-Utah Jazz 42 40 .512 20
              6 x-Portland Trail Blazers 40 42 .488 22
              7 x-Sacramento Kings 37 45 .451 25
              8 x-San Antonio Spurs 35 47 .427 27
              9 Phoenix Suns 32 50 .390 30
              10 Los Angeles Clippers 32 50 .390 30
              11 Seattle SuperSonics 31 51 .378 31
              12 Golden State Warriors 30 52 .366 32

              Notes

              • z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs

              • c – Clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs

              • y – Clinched division title

              • x – Clinched playoff spot

              Playoffs

              Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team’s seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Home court advantage does not necessarily belong to the higher-seeded team, but instead the team with the better regular season record; teams enjoying the home advantage are shown in italics.

              First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
              1 L.A. Lakers 3
              8 San Antonio 0
              1 L.A. Lakers 4
              4 Dallas 2
              4 Dallas 3
              5 Utah 1
              1 L.A. Lakers 1
              Western Conference
              2 Houston 4
              3 Denver 3
              6 Portland 1
              3 Denver 2
              2 Houston 4
              2 Houston 3
              7 Sacramento 0
              W2 Houston 2
              E1 Boston 4
              1 Boston 3
              8 Chicago 0
              1 Boston 4
              4 Atlanta 1
              4 Atlanta 3
              5 Detroit 1
              1 Boston 4
              Eastern Conference
              2 Milwaukee 0
              3 Philadelphia 3
              6 Washington 2
              3 Philadelphia 3
              2 Milwaukee 4
              2 Milwaukee 3
              7 New Jersey 0

              Statistics leaders

              Category Player Team Stat
              Points per game Dominique Wilkins Atlanta Hawks 30.3
              Rebounds per game Bill Laimbeer Detroit Pistons 13.1
              Assists per game Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers 12.6
              Steals per game Alvin Robertson San Antonio Spurs 3.67
              Blocks per game Manute Bol Washington Bullets 4.96
              FG% Steve Johnson San Antonio Spurs .632
              FT% Larry Bird Boston Celtics .896
              3FG% Craig Hodges Milwaukee Bucks .451

              NBA awards

              Yearly awards

              • Most Valuable Player:Larry Bird,Boston Celtics

              • Rookie of the Year:Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks

              • Defensive Player of the Year:Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs

              • Sixth Man of the Year:Bill Walton, Boston Celtics

              • Most Improved Player:Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs

              • Coach of the Year:Mike Fratello, Atlanta Hawks

              • All-NBA First Team:F – Larry Bird,Boston CelticsF – Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta Hawks C – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,Los Angeles LakersG –Isiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons G –Magic Johnson,Los Angeles Lakers

              • All-NBA Second Team:F – Charles Barkley, Philadelphia 76ers F – Alex English, Denver Nuggets C – Akeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets G – Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks G – Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs

              • All-NBA Rookie Team:Joe Dumars, Detroit Pistons Charles Oakley, Chicago Bulls Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks Xavier McDaniel, Seattle SuperSonics Karl Malone, Utah Jazz

              • NBA All-Defensive Team:

              • First Team:Paul Pressey, Milwaukee Bucks Kevin McHale,Boston CelticsMark Eaton, Utah Jazz Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks Maurice Cheeks, Philadelphia 76ers

              • Second Team:Michael Cooper,Los Angeles LakersBill Hanzlik, Denver Nuggets Manute Bol, Washington Bullets Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs Dennis Johnson,Boston Celtics

              *Note: All information on this page were obtained on the History section on NBA.com[18]*

              Player of the week

              The following players were named NBA Player of the Week.

              Week Player
              Oct. 25 – Nov. 3 Derek Smith (Los Angeles Clippers)
              Nov. 4 – Nov. 10 Buck Williams (New Jersey Nets)
              Nov. 11 – Nov. 17 Patrick Ewing (New York Knicks)
              Nov. 17 – Nov. 24 Alex English (Denver Nuggets)
              Nov. 25 – Dec. 1 Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)
              Dec. 2 – Dec. 8 Jeff Ruland (Washington Bullets)
              Dec. 9 – Dec. 15 Alvin Robertson (San Antonio Spurs)
              Dec. 16 – Dec. 22 Larry Nance (Phoenix Suns)
              Dec. 23 – Dec. 29 Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks)
              Dec. 30 – Jan. 5 Clyde Drexler (Portland Trail Blazers)
              Jan. 6 – Jan. 12 Calvin Natt (Denver Nuggets)
              Jan. 13 – Jan. 19 Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)
              Jan. 20 – Jan. 26 Charles Barkley (Philadelphia 76ers)
              Jan. 27 – Feb. 2 Alex English (Denver Nuggets)
              Feb. 3 – Feb. 16 Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)
              Feb. 17 – Feb. 23 Sidney Moncrief (Milwaukee Bucks)
              Feb. 24 – Mar. 2 Charles Barkley (Philadelphia 76ers)
              Mar. 3 – Mar. 9 Magic Johnson(Los Angeles Lakers)
              Mar. 10 – Mar. 16 Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)
              Mar. 17 – Mar. 23 Adrian Dantley (Utah Jazz)
              Mar. 24 – Mar. 30 Charles Barkley (Philadelphia 76ers)
              Mar. 31 – Apr. 6 Herb Williams (Indiana Pacers)
              Apr. 7 – Apr. 13 Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks)

              Player of the month

              The following players were named NBA Player of the Month.

              Month Player
              November Akeem Olajuwon (Houston Rockets)
              December Alvin Robertson (San Antonio Spurs)
              January Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks)
              February Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)
              March Larry Bird (Boston Celtics)

              Rookie of the month

              The following players were named NBA Rookie of the Month.

              Month Rookie
              November Patrick Ewing (New York Knicks)
              December Karl Malone (Utah Jazz)
              January Patrick Ewing (New York Knicks)
              February Charles Oakley (Chicago Bulls)
              March Benoit Benjamin (Los Angeles Clippers)

              Coach of the month

              The following coaches were named NBA Coach of the Month.

              Month Coach
              November Pat Riley (Los Angeles Lakers)
              December Cotton Fitzsimmons (San Antonio Spurs)
              January Mike Fratello (Atlanta Hawks)
              February Chuck Daly (Detroit Pistons)
              March K.C. Jones (Boston Celtics)

              References

              [1]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.org“Glouchkov arrives”.USA Today. November 1, 1985.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [2]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgThe Official NBA Encyclopedia. Doubleday. 2000. p. 299. ISBN 0385501307.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [3]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.org“Three still unbeaten”.USA Today. November 4, 1985.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [4]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.org“Knicks fall to 0-7 with 92-88 defeat”.USA Today. November 8, 1985. p. 7C.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [5]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgDuPree, David (December 2, 1985). “7-foot rookie at center of Clippers’ problems”.USA Today. p. 8C.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [6]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.org“60-foot shot sets up Lakers’ win, 131-127”.USA Today. December 5, 1985. p. 8C.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [7]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.org“Pacers’ 64 an NBA 13-year low”.USA Today. December 11, 1985. p. 1C.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [8]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.org“Lakers win 127-102 to run record to 19-2”.USA Today. December 13, 1985. p. 6C.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [9]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgDuPree, David (December 26, 1985). “Knicks beat Celtics in 2 OTs 113-104”.USA Today. p. 1C.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [10]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.org“Rockets’ home streak ends at 20 as Jazz win 105-102”.USA Today. January 15, 1986.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [11]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.org“Golden State romps 150-104 over Utah”.USA Today. January 16, 1986. p. 4C.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [12]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgDuPree, David (January 23, 1986). “Boston break keeps Lakers reeling 110-95”.USA Today. p. 1C.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [13]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgDuPree, David (February 7, 1986). “Abdul-Jabbar scores 46; L.A. romps 117-95”.USA Today. p. 4C.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [14]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgDuPree, David (February 17, 1986). “Celtics put Lakers in pace 105-99”.USA Today. p. 1C.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [15]

              Citation Linkopenlibrary.orgDuPree, David (April 7, 1986). “Rockets junk jinx, finally top Los Angeles 109-103”.USA Today.

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [16]

              Citation Linkwww.basketball-reference.com1985–86 NBA season at Basketball Reference

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [17]

              Citation Linkwww.nba.com1985–86 NBA season summary at NBA.com

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [18]

              Citation Linkwww.nba.comNBA.com

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [19]

              Citation Linkwww.basketball-reference.com1985–86 NBA season at Basketball Reference

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [20]

              Citation Linkwww.nba.com1985–86 NBA season summary at NBA.com

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM
              [21]

              Citation Linken.wikipedia.orgThe original version of this page is from Wikipedia, you can edit the page right here on Everipedia.Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Additional terms may apply.See everipedia.org/everipedia-termsfor further details.Images/media credited individually (click the icon for details).

              Sep 25, 2019, 4:30 AM