The 1986âÂÂ87 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 31âÂÂ51 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.
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|- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 1 || October 31 || vs Portland Trail Blazers || 110-127 || Tom Chambers (27) || Memorial Coliseum<br>12,666 || 1âÂÂ0 |-
|- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 2 || November 1 || Sacramento Kings || 103-114 || Xavier McDaniel (27) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>6,296 || 2âÂÂ0 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 3 || November 4 || Los Angeles Lakers || 110-96 || Tom Chambers (21) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>10,426 || 2âÂÂ1 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 4 || November 6 || Dallas Mavericks || 147-124 || Xavier McDaniel (28) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>8,363 || 2âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 5 || November 8 || New York Knicks || 102-105 || Dale Ellis (29) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>9,280 || 3âÂÂ2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 6 || November 11 || Philadelphia 76ers || 121-114 || Tom Chambers (33) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,600 || 3âÂÂ3 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 7 || November 12 || vs Los Angeles Lakers || 122-97 || Xavier McDaniel (17) || The Forum<br>13,694 || 3âÂÂ4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 8 || November 15 || vs Golden State Warriors || 121-127 || Tom Chambers (38) || Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>7,655 || 4âÂÂ4 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 9 || November 18 || Sacramento Kings || 105-119 || Dale Ellis (28) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>5,411 || 5âÂÂ4 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 10 || November 20 || Milwaukee Bucks || 116-105 || Tom Chambers (35) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>8,790 || 5âÂÂ5 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 11 || November 22 || Indiana Pacers || 111-121 || Tom Chambers (35) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>6,399 || 6âÂÂ5 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 12 || November 25 || Los Angeles Clippers || 103-113 || Dale Ellis (35) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>4,702 || 7âÂÂ5 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 13 || November 26 || vs Utah Jazz || 127-91 || Tom Chambers (22) || Salt Palace<br>10,512 || 7âÂÂ6 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 14 || November 28 || vs Phoenix Suns || 104-117 || Dale Ellis (34) || Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,462 || 8âÂÂ6
|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 15 || December 2 || Chicago Bulls || 115-109 (OT) || Xavier McDaniel<br>Tom Chambers<br>(29) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>13,438 || 8âÂÂ7 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 16 || December 4 || vs San Antonio Spurs || 102-109 || Tom Chambers (36) || HemisFair Arena<br>5,893 || 9âÂÂ7 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 17 || December 6 || vs Houston Rockets || 80-136 || Tom Chambers (29) || The Summit<br>16,016 || 10âÂÂ7 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 18 || December 10 || vs Los Angeles Clippers || 101-94 || Tom Chambers (28) || Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena<br>5,573 || 10âÂÂ8 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 19 || December 11 || San Antonio Spurs || 107-113 || Xavier McDaniel (33) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>5,056 || 11âÂÂ8 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 20 || December 13 || Dallas Mavericks || 126-109 || Tom Chambers<br>Dale Ellis<br>(24) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>9,789 || 11âÂÂ9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 21 || December 16 || vs Portland Trail Blazers || 126-118 || Dale Ellis (34) || Memorial Coliseum<br>12,666 || 11âÂÂ10 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 22 || December 18 || Houston Rockets || 100-114 || Dale Ellis (33) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>7,696 || 12âÂÂ10 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 23 || December 19 || vs Phoenix Suns || 106-108 || Dale Ellis (28) || Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>10,433 || 13âÂÂ10 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 24 || December 21 || Golden State Warriors || 121-112 || Tom Chambers (25) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>5,228 || 13âÂÂ11 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 25 || December 23 || Denver Nuggets || 116-127 || Tom Chambers (35) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>7,459 || 14âÂÂ11 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 26 || December 26 || Los Angeles Clippers || 107-113 || Tom Chambers (27) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>6,353 || 15âÂÂ11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 27 || December 28 || Portland Trail Blazers || 127-118 || Xavier McDaniel (30) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>9,365 || 15âÂÂ12 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 28 || December 30 || Boston Celtics || 104-102 || Xavier McDaniel (25) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,600 || 15âÂÂ13
|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 29 || January 2 || vs Dallas Mavericks || 117-107 || Dale Ellis (28) || Reunion Arena<br>17,007 || 15âÂÂ14 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 30 || January 3 || vs Houston Rockets || 138-114 || Xavier McDaniel<br>Dale Ellis<br>(21) || The Summit<br>16,016 || 15âÂÂ15 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 31 || January 6 || Phoenix Suns || 108-138 || Tom Chambers (29) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>5,764 || 16âÂÂ15 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 32 || January 8 || vs Golden State Warriors || 108-115 || Dale Ellis (35) || Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>7,790 || 17âÂÂ15 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 33 || January 11 || Utah Jazz || 111-127 || Tom Chambers (31) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>7,594 || 18âÂÂ15 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 34 || January 13 || vs Denver Nuggets || 117-109 || Tom Chambers (30) || McNichols Sports Arena<br>8,981 || 18âÂÂ16 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 35 || January 14 || San Antonio Spurs || 104-130 || Dale Ellis (32) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>5,068 || 19âÂÂ16 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 36 || January 16 || Denver Nuggets || 100-134 || Xavier McDaniel (30) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>8,544 || 20âÂÂ16 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 37 || January 17 || vs Sacramento Kings || 125-115 || Xavier McDaniel (37) || ARCO Arena (I)<br>10,333 || 20âÂÂ17 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 38 || January 21 || vs Philadelphia 76ers || 129-123 (OT) || Dale Ellis (40) || The Spectrum<br>11,891 || 20âÂÂ18 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 39 || January 23 || vs New Jersey Nets || 120-125 || Xavier McDaniel (32) || Brendan Byrne Arena<br>9,182 || 21âÂÂ18 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 40 || January 24 || vs Atlanta Hawks || 97-87 || Dale Ellis (27) || Omni Coliseum<br>13,842 || 21âÂÂ19 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 41 || January 26 || vs Utah Jazz || 95-108 || Dale Ellis (34) || Salt Palace<br>12,212 || 22âÂÂ19 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 42 || January 28 || Los Angeles Lakers || 101-125 || Tom Chambers (37) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,634 || 23âÂÂ19 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 43 || January 30 || vs Golden State Warriors || 127-119 || Tom Chambers (36) || Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena<br>9,276 || 23âÂÂ20 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 44 || January 31 || Phoenix Suns || 112-118 (OT) || Dale Ellis (24) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>9,344 || 24âÂÂ20
|- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 45 || February 2 || New Jersey Nets || 100-108 || Xavier McDaniel (35) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>6,132 || 25âÂÂ20 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 46 || February 4 || vs Dallas Mavericks || 124-94 || Tom Chambers (19) || Reunion Arena<br>17,007 || 25âÂÂ21 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 47 || February 5 || vs San Antonio Spurs || 117-111 || Xavier McDaniel (26) || HemisFair Arena<br>7,548 || 25âÂÂ22 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 48 || February 10 || Atlanta Hawks || 125-113 || Tom Chambers (35) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,004 || 25âÂÂ23 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 49 || February 12 || vs Milwaukee Bucks || 106-104 || Tom Chambers (32) || MECCA Arena<br>11,052 || 25âÂÂ24 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 50 || February 13 || vs Chicago Bulls || 106-98 || Xavier McDaniel (27) || Chicago Stadium<br>16,251 || 25âÂÂ25 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 51 || February 16 || vs Cleveland Cavaliers || 105-94 || Dale Ellis (17) || Coliseum at Richfield<br>12,163 || 25âÂÂ26 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 52 || February 18 || vs Indiana Pacers || 105-88 || Dale Ellis (24) || Market Square Arena<br>9,077 || 25âÂÂ27 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 53 || February 19 || vs Detroit Pistons || 117-105 || Dale Ellis (31) || Pontiac Silverdome<br>14,482 || 25âÂÂ28 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 54 || February 21 || Washington Bullets || 93-110 || Tom Chambers (31) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>11,637 || 26âÂÂ28 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 55 || February 23 || Los Angeles Clippers || 112-124 || Dale Ellis (29) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>5,528 || 27âÂÂ28 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 56 || February 24 || vs Utah Jazz || 133-103 || Dale Ellis (26) || Salt Palace<br>12,212 || 27âÂÂ29 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 57 || February 26 || Denver Nuggets || 100-106 || Xavier McDaniel (30) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>7,691 || 28âÂÂ29 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 58 || February 28 || vs Phoenix Suns || 105-112 || Dale Ellis (40) || Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum<br>13,338 || 29âÂÂ29
|- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 59 || March 2 || Cleveland Cavaliers || 107-123 || Tom Chambers (36) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>6,488 || 30âÂÂ29 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 60 || March 4 || vs Los Angeles Lakers || 138-124 || Dale Ellis (32) || The Forum<br>17,505 || 30âÂÂ30 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 61 || March 5 || Portland Trail Blazers || 122-127 || Dale Ellis (38) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>10,205 || 31âÂÂ30 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 62 || March 7 || Houston Rockets || 115-118 || Tom Chambers (29) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,474 || 32âÂÂ30 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 63 || March 10 || vs Houston Rockets || 127-136 (2OT) || Tom Chambers (42) || The Summit<br>16,279 || 33âÂÂ30 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 64 || March 11 || vs Dallas Mavericks || 130-117 || Tom Chambers<br>Dale Ellis<br>Xavier McDaniel<br>(21) || Reunion Arena<br>17,007 || 33âÂÂ31 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 65 || March 13 || vs Los Angeles Clippers || 108-104 || Tom Chambers (31) || Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena<br>6,522 || 33âÂÂ32 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 66 || March 15 || vs Sacramento Kings || 107-106 || Dale Ellis (40) || ARCO Arena (I)<br>10,333 || 33âÂÂ33 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 67 || March 16 || San Antonio Spurs || 111-122 || Dale Ellis (33) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>5,934 || 34âÂÂ33 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 68 || March 19 || vs Washington Bullets || 110-106 || Xavier McDaniel (20) || Capital Centre<br>5,987 || 34âÂÂ34 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 69 || March 20 || vs Boston Celtics || 112-108 || Dale Ellis (31) || Boston Garden<br>14,890 || 34âÂÂ35 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 70 || March 23 || vs New York Knicks || 121-126 (OT) || Xavier McDaniel (40) || Madison Square Garden (IV)<br>9,038 || 35âÂÂ35 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 71 || March 26 || vs Denver Nuggets || 123-113 || Xavier McDaniel (33) || McNichols Sports Arena<br>10,183 || 35âÂÂ36 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 72 || March 27 || Golden State Warriors || 106-105 || Xavier McDaniel (31) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>9,091 || 35âÂÂ37 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 73 || March 29 || Detroit Pistons || 108-107 || Xavier McDaniel (27) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>8,717 || 35âÂÂ38 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 74 || March 31 || Sacramento Kings || 129-132 || Tom Chambers (36) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>6,095 || 36âÂÂ38
|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 75 || April 2 || Los Angeles Lakers || 117-114 || Xavier McDaniel (35) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,739 || 36âÂÂ39 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 76 || April 4 || Portland Trail Blazers || 126-123 || Tom Chambers (34) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>12,227 || 36âÂÂ40 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 77 || April 7 || Phoenix Suns || 127-125 (OT) || Dale Ellis (35) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>6,585 || 36âÂÂ41 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 78 || April 10 || vs Portland Trail Blazers || 121-115 || Tom Chambers (27) || Memorial Coliseum<br>12,666 || 36âÂÂ42 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 79 || April 14 || Utah Jazz || 102-103 || Tom Chambers (30) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>7,178 || 37âÂÂ42 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 80 || April 16 || vs Los Angeles Clippers || 87-118 || Dale Ellis (41) || Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena<br>6,517 || 38âÂÂ42 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" || 81 || April 18 || Golden State Warriors || 132-127 || Tom Chambers (31) || Seattle Center Coliseum<br>9,428 || 38âÂÂ43 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" || 82 || April 19 || vs Los Angeles Lakers || 104-110 || Xavier McDaniel (39) || The Forum<br>17,505 || 39âÂÂ43
|- style="background:#fcc | 1 | April 23 | @ Dallas | L 129âÂÂ151 | Tom Chambers (35) | Xavier McDaniel (13) | Xavier McDaniel (7) | Reunion Arena<br>17,007 | 0âÂÂ1 |- style="background:#cfc | 2 | April 25 | @ Dallas | W 112âÂÂ110 | Dale Ellis (32) | Xavier McDaniel (9) | Nate McMillan (8) | Reunion Arena<br>17,007 | 1âÂÂ1 |- style="background:#cfc | 3 | April 28 | Dallas | W 117âÂÂ107 | Dale Ellis (43) | Dale Ellis (14) | Nate McMillan (9) | Hec Edmundson Pavilion<br>8,150 | 2âÂÂ1 |- style="background:#cfc | 4 | April 30 | Dallas | W 124âÂÂ98 | Tom Chambers (31) | Chambers, Ellis (9) | Nate McMillan (9) | Hec Edmundson Pavilion<br>8,150 | 3âÂÂ1 |-
|- style="background:#cfc | 1 | May 2 | @ Houston | W 111âÂÂ106 (OT) | Dale Ellis (34) | Tom Chambers (9) | Nate McMillan (8) | The Summit<br>16,279 | 1âÂÂ0 |- style="background:#cfc | 2 | May 5 | @ Houston | W 99âÂÂ97 | Dale Ellis (30) | Dale Ellis (9) | Eddie Johnson (8) | The Summit<br>16,279 | 2âÂÂ0 |- style="background:#fcc | 3 | May 7 | Houston | L 84âÂÂ102 | Tom Chambers (24) | Dale Ellis (10) | McMillan, Young (4) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,587 | 2âÂÂ1 |- style="background:#cfc | 4 | May 9 | Houston | W 117âÂÂ102 | Tom Chambers (38) | Alton Lister (17) | Nate McMillan (10) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,559 | 3âÂÂ1 |- style="background:#fcc | 5 | May 12 | @ Houston | L 107âÂÂ112 | Dale Ellis (27) | Tom Chambers (9) | Eddie Johnson (6) | The Summit<br>16,279 | 3âÂÂ2 |- style="background:#cfc | 6 | May 14 | Houston | W 128âÂÂ125 (2OT) | Tom Chambers (37) | Xavier McDaniel (12) | Nate McMillan (16) |Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,751 | 4âÂÂ2 |-
|- style="background:#fcc | 1 | May 16 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 82âÂÂ87 | Tom Chambers (28) | McDaniel, Lister (10) | Nate McMillan (8) | The Forum<br>17,505 | 0âÂÂ1 |- style="background:#fcc | 2 | May 19 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 104âÂÂ112 | Dale Ellis (22) | Xavier McDaniel (8) | Nate McMillan (7) | The Forum<br>17,505 | 0âÂÂ2 |- style="background:#fcc | 3 | May 23 | L.A. Lakers | L 121âÂÂ122 | Xavier McDaniel (42) | Xavier McDaniel (10) | Nate McMillan (15) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,657 | 0âÂÂ3 |- style="background:#fcc | 4 | May 25 | L.A. Lakers | L 102âÂÂ133 | Tom Chambers (20) | Alton Lister (20) | Kevin Williams (5) | Seattle Center Coliseum<br>14,477 | 0âÂÂ4