1987–88 Philadelphia 76ers season

The 1987–88 Philadelphia 76ers season was the 39th season for the Philadelphia 76ers in the National Basketball Association, and their 25th season in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This was the first season of the post-Julius Erving era, after the All-Star guard had retired after the previous season.

Season summary

Off-season The 76ers had the 16th overall pick in the 1987 NBA draft, and selected center Chris Welp from the University of Washington. In November, the team signed free agent Albert King, then in December, signed Gerald Henderson and released Steve Colter to free agency; Colter later on signed with the Washington Bullets.

Regular season With the addition of King, the 76ers got off to a 12–10 start to the regular season, but then posted a five-game losing streak between December and January afterwards. The team won six of their next seven games, but then posted another five-game losing streak afterwards, falling below .500 in winning percentage. At mid-season, the 76ers traded Roy Hinson, and Tim McCormick to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Mike Gminski and Ben Coleman; after holding a 20–23 record at the All-Star break, head coach Matt Goukas was fired and replaced with assistant coach Jim Lynam. The 76ers finished in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with a disappointing 36–46 record, and failed to qualify for the NBA playoffs for the first time since the 1974–75 season, ending a 12-year playoff streak.

Charles Barkley averaged 28.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team. In addition, Cliff Robinson averaged 19.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, while Gminski provided the team with 16.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game in 47 games after the trade, and Maurice Cheeks provided with 13.7 points, 8.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game. Meanwhile, second-year guard David Wingate contributed 8.9 points per game, Henderson contributed 8.4 points and 3.2 assists per game, Andrew Toney averaged 7.3 points and 3.7 assists per game, but only played just 29 games due to continuing foot injuries, King averaged 7.2 points per game, and Coleman provided with 6.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 43 games.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, Barkley and Cheeks were both selected for the 1988 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; it was Cheeks' final All-Star appearance. Barkley finished in fourth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Cheeks finished tied in eighth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

The 76ers finished eleventh in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 505,245 at The Spectrum during the regular season.

Aftermath Following the season, King was traded to the San Antonio Spurs, and Toney retired due to his foot injuries, and a dispute with the 76ers management.

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 16 Chris Welp C Washington 2 39 Vincent Askew SG/SF Memphis 2 43 Andrew Kennedy F Virginia 3 57 Hansi Gnad Alaska-Anchorage 3 62 Eric Higgins Rutgers 4 85 Brian Rahilly Tulsa 5 108 Frank Ross American 6 131 Tracy Foster Alabama-Birmingham 7 154 Eric Semisch West Virginia

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

z - clinched division title y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot

Game log Regular season

| The Spectrum | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | November 7 | @ Chicago | L 94–104

| Chicago Stadium | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | November 13, 19877:30 PM EST | Detroit | L 94–113

| The Spectrum12,302 | 1–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | November 14 | @ Atlanta | L 83–104

| The Omni | 1–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | November 18, 19877:30 PM EST | @ Detroit | W 113–109

| Pontiac Silverdome17,445 | 2–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | November 20 | Boston | W 116–85

| The Spectrum | 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | November 21 | @ Cleveland | L 88–101

| Richfield Coliseum | 3–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 | November 24 | Cleveland | W 108–104

| The Spectrum | 4–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 | November 27 | @ Golden State | L 103–109

| Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 4–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 | November 28 | @ Sacramento | L 114–115 (OT)

| ARCO Arena | 4–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | November 30 | @ Utah | W 106–100

| Salt Palace Acord Arena | 5–6

| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 5–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 13 | December 4 | Seattle | W 118–105

| The Spectrum | 6–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 14 | December 8 | @ Chicago | W 109–96

| Chicago Stadium | 7–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | December 9 | Portland | W 94–86

| The Spectrum | 8–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | December 12 | Denver | L 121–131

| The Spectrum | 8–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 | December 16 | San Antonio | W 114–102

| The Spectrum | 9–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | December 17 | @ New York | W 110–106

| Madison Square Garden | 10–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | December 19 | Dallas | W 95–90

| The Spectrum | 11–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 20 | @ Boston | L 87–124

| Boston Garden | 11–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | December 22 | Boston | L 115–118

| The Spectrum | 11–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 22 | December 23 | @ New Jersey | W 110–106

| Brendan Byrne Arena | 12–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 | December 25 | Atlanta | L 100–106

| The Spectrum | 12–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | December 28 | @ Phoenix | L 101–117

| Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 12–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 25 | December 29, 198710:30 PM EST | @ L.A. Lakers | L 115–131

| The Forum17,505 | 12–13

| Memorial Coliseum | 12–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | January 2 | @ Seattle | L 114–116

| Seattle Center Coliseum | 12–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 | January 4 | Phoenix | W 122–114

| The Spectrum | 13–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 | January 6 | Utah | W 116–93

| The Spectrum | 14–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | January 8 | L.A. Clippers | W 117–103

| The Spectrum | 15–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 | January 9 | Cleveland | W 126–110

| The Spectrum | 16–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | January 12 | @ Milwaukee | L 103–106

| MECCA Arena | 16–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 | January 13 | New Jersey | W 104–95

| The Spectrum | 17–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 34 | January 15 | New York | W 119–104

| The Spectrum | 18–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 | January 16 | @ New York | L 96–110

| Madison Square Garden | 18–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | January 20 | Washington | L 98–110

| The Spectrum | 18–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | January 24 | @ Washington | L 99–131

| Capital Centre | 18–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 | January 25 | @ Washington | L 117–118 (OT)

| Capital Centre | 18–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 | January 27 | Chicago | L 109–119 (OT)

| The Spectrum | 18–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 | January 29 | Indiana | W 94–89

| The Spectrum | 19–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 | January 31 | @ Boston | L 85–100

| Boston Garden | 19–22

| The Spectrum | 20–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 43 | February 4 | @ Indiana | L 95–109

| The Omni | 20–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 45 | February 11 | Milwaukee | W 119–113 (OT)

| The Spectrum | 21–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 46 | February 14 | @ New Jersey | L 105–109

| Brendan Byrne Arena | 21–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 47 | February 15, 19887:30 PM EST | @ Detroit | L 95–102

| Pontiac Silverdome21,530 | 21–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 | February 17 | Cleveland | L 107–115

| The Spectrum | 21–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 49 | February 19 | New Jersey | W 115–100

| The Spectrum | 22–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 50 | February 21 | @ Milwaukee | L 115–120 (OT)

| MECCA Arena | 22–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | February 22 | @ Houston | L 106–119

| The Summit | 22–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | February 24 | @ San Antonio | L 121–123 (OT)

| HemisFair Arena | 22–30 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 53 | February 26 | @ Denver | L 104–120

| McNichols Sports Arena | 22–31 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 | February 27 | @ Dallas | L 91–100

| Reunion Arena | 22–32 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 55 | February 29 | Chicago | W 102–101

| The Spectrum | 23–32

| Chicago Stadium | 23–33 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 57 | March 4 | @ New York | L 108–110 (OT)

| Madison Square Garden | 23–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 58 | March 6 | @ Indiana | W 105–100

| Market Square Arena | 24–34 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 59 | March 7, 19887:30 PM EST | L.A. Lakers | L 104–110

| The Spectrum18,168 | 24–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 60 | March 11 | Sacramento | W 124–118

| The Spectrum | 25–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 61 | March 13 | Washington | W 104–96

| The Spectrum | 26–35 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 | March 15 | @ Atlanta | L 90–104

| The Omni | 26–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 63 | March 16 | New York | W 115–108

| The Spectrum | 27–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 64 | March 18 | Indiana | W 129–109

| The Spectrum | 28–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 65 | March 19 | @ Washington | W 94–89

| Capital Centre | 29–36 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 | March 22 | @ New Jersey | L 90–102

| Brendan Byrne Arena | 29–37 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 67 | March 23 | Chicago | L 102–118

| The Spectrum | 29–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 68 | March 25 | @ Boston | W 97–93

| Boston Garden | 30–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 69 | March 28 | Houston | W 108–98

| The Spectrum | 31–38 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 70 | March 30 | Milwaukee | W 134–109

| The Spectrum | 32–38

| The Spectrum | 32–39 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 72 | April 5 | New York | L 119–136

| The Spectrum | 32–40 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 73 | April 8, 19887:30 PM EDT | Detroit | L 86–96

| The Spectrum15,164 | 32–41 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 74 | April 10 | Boston | L 108–117

| The Spectrum | 32–42 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 75 | April 11 | @ Milwaukee | W 115–102

| MECCA Arena | 33–42 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 76 | April 13 | Washington | W 98–97 (OT)

| The Spectrum | 34–42 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 77 | April 15 | Atlanta | L 101–103 (OT)

| The Spectrum | 34–43 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 78 | April 16 | @ Indiana | L 92–126

| Market Square Arena | 34–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 79 | April 19 | Milwaukee | W 115–102

| The Spectrum | 35–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 80 | April 21 | New Jersey | W 104–101

| The Spectrum | 36–44 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 81

1987–88 Philadelphia 76ers season

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