1985–86 Chicago Bulls season

The 1985–86 Chicago Bulls season was the 20th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During the offseason, they acquired forward Charles Oakley from the Cleveland Cavaliers, veteran guard George Gervin from the San Antonio Spurs and signed free agent guards Kyle Macy and John Paxson. The season was a near disaster as Michael Jordan was lost for much of the regular season due to a broken foot. Despite the injury to Jordan, the team managed to qualify for the NBA Playoffs.

1985–86 Chicago Bulls season
Head coach	Stan Albeck
General manager	Jerry Krause
Owner(s)	Jerry Reinsdorf
Arena	Chicago Stadium
Results
Record	30–52 (.366)
Place	Division: 4th (Central) Conference: 8th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	First round (lost to Celtics 0–3)
Stats at Basketball Reference
Local media
Television	WFLD Sportsvision (Jim Durham, Johnny “Red” Kerr)
Radio	WMAQ (Jim Durham, Johnny “Red” Kerr)
< 1984–85 1986–87 >

Offseason

NBA draft

The 1985 NBA draft took place on June 18, 1985. It was also the first NBA Draft of the "Lottery" era. The lottery was put into place so teams did not have to intentionally lose games to receive the number one pick.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	11	Keith Lee	Center	United States	Memphis State
2	28	Ken Johnson	Forward	United States	Michigan State
2	34	Aubrey Sherrod	Guard	United States	Wichita State
2	46	Adrian Branch	Forward	United States	Maryland

Roster

1985–86 Chicago Bulls roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From F 20 Gene Banks 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1959-05-15 Duke C 40 Dave Corzine 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1956-04-25 DePaul G 10 Quintin Dailey 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1961-01-22 San Francisco G 8 George Gervin 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1952-04-27 Eastern Michigan F 21 Sidney Green 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1961-01-04 UNLV G 32 Michael Holton 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1961-08-04 UCLA G 23 Michael Jordan 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1963-02-17 North Carolina G 24 Kyle Macy 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1957-04-09 Kentucky F 34 Charles Oakley 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1963-12-18 Virginia Union C 33 Jawann Oldham 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1957-07-04 Seattle G 5 John Paxson 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1960-09-29 Notre Dame C 52 Mike Smrek 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1962-08-31 Canisius F 0 Orlando Woolridge 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1959-12-16 Notre Dame

Head coach Stan Albeck Assistant(s) Murray Arnold Mike Thibault Tex Winter Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Updated: March 27, 1986

Regular season

• Michael Jordan's second season was cut short by a broken foot which caused him to miss 64 games. Despite Jordan's injury and a 30–52 record,^[1] the Bulls made the playoffs.
• C - Dave Corzine
• PF - Charles Oakley
• SF - Orlando Woolridge
• SG - Michael Jordan
• PG - Kyle Macy

Season standings

Central Division v t e	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

#	Eastern Conference v t e
	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

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1985-86 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MIL	NJN	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	—	0–6	5–1	4–2	1–1	1–1	4–2	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	1–1	3–3	4–2	5–1	4–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–4
Boston	6–0	—	5–1	5–1	1–1	1–1	4–1	2–0	2–0	5–1	2–0	2–0	5–0	4–2	5–1	4–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	5–1
Chicago	1–5	1–5	—	3–3	0–2	2–0	2–4	2–0	1–1	3–3	1–1	0–2	1–5	2–3	4–2	1–5	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–4
Cleveland	2–4	1–5	3–3	—	1–1	1–1	1–5	0–2	0–2	3–2	1–1	1–1	1–5	3–3	4–1	0–6	2–0	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–5
Dallas	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	—	3–3	0–2	4–1	1–5	2–0	2–3	1–4	0–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	5–0	2–3	3–3	4–2	3–2	5–1	1–1
Denver	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–3	—	1–1	3–2	3–3	2–0	4–1	3–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–1	3–2	3–3	3–3	2–3	3–3	2–0
Detroit	2–4	1–4	4–2	5–1	2–0	1–1	—	1–1	1–1	5–1	2–0	1–1	2–4	4–2	4–1	2–4	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–2
Golden State	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–4	2–3	1–1	—	0–5	1–1	5–1	2–4	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–4	1–5	2–3	2–3	2–4	2–3	1–1
Houston	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	5–1	3–3	1–1	5–0	—	2–0	3–2	1–4	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–2	3–2	4–2	5–1	3–2	3–3	2–0
Indiana	1–5	1–5	3–3	2–3	0–2	0–2	1–5	1–1	0–2	—	2–0	0–2	2–4	2–3	2–4	0–6	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	5–1
L.A. Clippers	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–2	1–4	0–2	1–5	2–3	0–2	—	2–4	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	2–4	2–4	5–0	1–4	3–3	3–2	0–2
L.A. Lakers	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	4–1	2–3	1–1	4–2	4–1	2–0	4–2	—	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	5–1	6–0	5–0	4–1	4–2	5–0	2–0
Milwaukee	3–3	0–5	5–1	5–1	2–0	0–2	4–2	2–0	2–0	4–2	1–1	0–2	—	4–2	6–0	4–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	4–2
New Jersey	2–4	2–4	3–2	3–3	0–2	1–1	2–4	1–1	1–1	3–2	0–2	1–1	2–4	—	5–1	2–4	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–4
New York	1–5	1–5	2–4	1–4	1–1	1–1	1–4	1–1	0–2	4–2	0–2	1–1	0–6	1–5	—	0–6	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	3–3
Philadelphia	1–4	2–4	5–1	6–0	2–0	1–1	4–2	1–1	1–1	6–0	2–0	0–2	1–4	4–2	6–0	—	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–3
Phoenix	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–5	1–4	2–0	4–2	2–3	1–1	4–2	1–5	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	—	2–4	2–3	3–2	5–1	1–4	1–1
Portland	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–2	2–3	1–1	5–1	2–3	2–0	4–2	0–6	0–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	4–2	—	3–2	1–4	5–1	2–3	0–2
Sacramento	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	3–3	3–3	2–0	3–2	2–4	2–0	0–5	0–5	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	3–2	2–3	—	5–1	5–0	2–4	1–1
San Antonio	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–4	3–3	1–1	3–2	1–5	1–1	4–1	1–4	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–3	4–1	1–5	—	2–3	2–4	2–0
Seattle	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–3	3–2	0–2	4–2	2–3	0–2	3–3	2–4	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–5	1–5	0–5	3–2	—	2–3	1–1
Utah	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–5	3–3	1–1	3–2	3–3	2–0	2–3	0–5	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	4–1	3–2	4–2	4–2	3–2	—	1–1
Washington	4–1	1–5	4–1	5–1	1–1	0–2	2–4	1–1	0–2	1–5	2–0	0–2	2–4	4–2	3–3	3–3	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	—

Player stats

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Regular season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Gene Banks	82	33	26.1	.517	.000	.718	4.4	3.1	.99	.12	10.9
Ron Brewer	4	0	4.5	.333	.000	1.000	.0	.0	.00	.00	1.8
Tony Brown	10	0	13.2	.439	.000	.692	1.6	1.4	.50	.10	4.5
Dave Corzine	67	4	25.5	.491	.250	.743	6.5	2.2	.42	.79	9.6
Quintin Dailey	35	0	20.7	.432	.000	.823	1.9	1.9	.63	.14	16.3
George Gervin	82	75	25.2	.472	.211	.879	2.6	1.8	.60	.28	16.2
Sidney Green	80	68	28.8	.465	.000	.782	8.2	1.7	.88	.46	13.4
Rod Higgins	5	0	16.2	.391	.000	.833	1.4	1.0	.80	.60	4.6
Mike Holton	24	0	18.6	.471	.100	.632	1.2	2.0	.96	.00	7.1
Michael Jordan	18	7	25.1	.457	.167	.840	3.6	2.9	2.06	1.17	22.7
Kyle Macy	82	79	29.6	.483	.411	.811	2.2	5.4	.99	.13	8.6
Billy McKinney	9	0	9.2	.435	.000	1.000	.6	1.4	.33	.00	2.4
Charles Oakley	77	30	23.0	.519	.000	.662	8.6	1.7	.88	.39	9.6
Jawann Oldham	52	47	24.5	.517	.000	.582	5.9	.7	.54	2.58	7.4
John Paxson	75	3	20.9	.466	.300	.804	1.3	3.7	.73	.03	5.3
Mike Smrek	38	5	10.7	.377	.000	.552	2.9	.5	.16	.61	2.8
Orlando Woolridge	70	59	32.1	.495	.174	.788	5.0	3.0	.70	.67	20.7

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Gene Banks	3		23.0	.556	.000	.500	3.3	1.7	.33	.00	7.3
Dave Corzine	3		34.3	.552	.000	1.000	9.0	2.0	.33	.67	12.0
George Gervin	2		5.5	.000	.000	.000	.5	.5	.00	.00	.0
Sidney Green	3		17.7	.300	.000	.500	4.0	.0	.33	.33	6.0
Michael Jordan	3		45.0	.505	1.000	.872	6.3	5.7	2.33	1.33	43.7
Kyle Macy	3		29.0	.357	.250	1.000	1.3	3.3	.67	.00	4.0
Charles Oakley	3		29.3	.524	.000	.615	10.0	1.0	2.00	.67	10.0
Jawann Oldham	1		4.0	.000	.000	.000	2.0	.0	.00	.00	.0
John Paxson	3		26.7	.467	.000	.765	.0	1.7	1.00	.00	9.0
Mike Smrek	3		1.7	.000	.000	.000	.0	.0	.00	.33	.0
Orlando Woolridge	3		45.0	.403	.000	.867	4.7	1.3	1.00	.33	21.0

Playoffs

At the time, the Bulls had the fifth worst record of any team to qualify for the playoffs in NBA history.^[2] Michael Jordan recovered in time to participate in the playoffs and performed well upon his return. Against a Boston Celtics team that is often considered one of the greatest in NBA history,^[3] Jordan set the still-unbroken record for points in a playoff game with 63 in game 2.^[4] The Celtics, however, managed to sweep the series.^[5]

1986 playoff game log
First Round: 0–3 (home: 0–1; road: 0–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 17 @ Boston L 104–123 Michael Jordan (49) Charles Oakley (10) Macy, Paxson (4) Boston Garden 14,890 0–1 2 April 20 @ Boston L 131–135 (2OT) Michael Jordan (63) Charles Oakley (14) Michael Jordan (6) Boston Garden 14,890 0–2 3 April 22 Boston L 104–122 John Paxson (23) Dave Corzine (15) Michael Jordan (9) Chicago Stadium 18,968 0–3
1986 schedule

Awards and honors

• Charles Oakley, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team
• Michael Jordan, NBA All-Star Game