1985–86 Portland Trail Blazers season

The 1985–86 Portland Trail Blazers season was the 16th season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Blazers finished 40–42, sixth in the Western Conference, qualifying for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.

1985–86 Portland Trail Blazers season
Head coach	Jack Ramsay
General manager	Stu Inman
Owner(s)	Larry Weinberg
Arena	Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record	40–42 (.488)
Place	Division: 2nd (Pacific) Conference: 6th (Western)
Playoff finish	First round (lost to Nuggets 1–3)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	KOIN
Radio	KEX

Despite their losing record, the Blazers were the only team to defeat the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics at the Boston Garden during the regular season; the Celtics went 40–1 at home, a record that was unmatched until the San Antonio Spurs in the 2015-16 season.

In the 1986 NBA Playoffs, the Blazers were defeated by the Denver Nuggets in their first-round, best-of-five playoff series, three games to one.

Draft picks

Main article: 1985 NBA draft

Note: This is not a complete list; only the first two rounds are covered, as well as notable post-second round picks.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	24	Terry Porter	G	United States	Wisconsin–Stevens Point
2	25	Mike Smrek	C	United States	Clemson
2	39	George Montgomery		United States	Illinois

Roster

1985–86 Portland Trail Blazers roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From C 31 Bowie, Sam  7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1961-03-17 Kentucky F 34 Carr, Kenny 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1955-08-15 NC State G 20 Colter, Steve 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1962-07-24 New Mexico State G 22 Drexler, Clyde 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1962-06-22 Houston F 00 Johnson, Ken 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1962-11-07 Michigan State C 27 Jones, Caldwell 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 217 lb (98 kg) 1950-08-04 Albany State F 25 Kersey, Jerome 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1962-06-26 Longwood F 21 Martin, Brian 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 212 lb (96 kg) 1962-08-18 Kansas G 4 Paxson, Jim 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1957-07-09 Dayton G 30 Porter, Terry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1963-04-08 UW–Stevens Point C 43 Thompson, Mychal 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 226 lb (103 kg) 1955-01-30 Minnesota F 55 Vandeweghe, Kiki 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1958-08-01 UCLA

Head coach Jack Ramsay Assistant coach(es) Rick Adelman Bucky Buckwalter Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Last transaction: May 6, 1986

Regular season

The Trail Blazers played their home games at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Season standings

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

#	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

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	—

Game log

Regular season

1985–86 game log Total: 40–42 (home: 27–14; road: 13–28)
October: 2–1 (home: 2–0; road: 0–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 October 25, 1985 Phoenix W 128–123 (OT) Memorial Coliseum 1–0 2 October 27, 1985 Golden State W 116–99 Memorial Coliseum 2–0 3 October 29, 1985 @ L.A. Clippers L 113–119 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 2–1
November: 10–6 (home: 7–3; road: 3–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 4 November 2, 1985 Utah W 128–108 Memorial Coliseum 3–1 5 November 3, 1985 New York W 110–96 Memorial Coliseum 4–1 6 November 5, 1985 @ Houston L 113–127 The Summit 4–2 7 November 6, 1985 @ Dallas W 111–109 Reunion Arena 5–2 8 November 8, 1985 Seattle W 92–88 Memorial Coliseum 6–2 9 November 10, 1985 Cleveland W 110–107 Memorial Coliseum 7–2 10 November 12, 1985 Sacramento W 126–115 Memorial Coliseum 8–2 11 November 14, 1985 @ L.A. Lakers L 102–114 The Forum 8–3 12 November 15, 1985 @ Utah L 118–133 Salt Palace Acord Arena 8–4 13 November 17, 1985 Milwaukee L 104–117 Memorial Coliseum 8–5 14 November 19, 1985 New Jersey L 102–108 Memorial Coliseum 8–6 15 November 21, 1985 @ L.A. Clippers W 112–108 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 9–6 16 November 23, 1985 L.A. Lakers L 113–130 Memorial Coliseum 9–7 17 November 24, 1985 Houston W 125–118 Memorial Coliseum 10–7 18 November 27, 1985 @ Phoenix W 110–93 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 11–7 19 November 29, 1985 Chicago W 122–107 Memorial Coliseum 12–7
December: 8–8 (home: 4–1; road: 4–7) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 20 December 1, 1985 San Antonio L 106–117 Memorial Coliseum 12–8 21 December 3, 1985 @ Washington L 111–115 Capital Centre 12–9 22 December 4, 1985 4:30 p.m. PST @ Atlanta L 98–109 Colter (20) Jones (9) Porter (4) The Omni 4,113 12–10 23 December 6, 1985 @ Boston W 121–103 Boston Garden 13–10 24 December 7, 1985 @ New Jersey L 106–118 Brendan Byrne Arena 13–11 25 December 10, 1985 Golden State W 94–92 Memorial Coliseum 14–11 26 December 11, 1985 @ Utah L 111–119 Salt Palace Acord Arena 14–12 27 December 13, 1985 @ Golden State W 127–124 (OT) Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 15–12 28 December 17, 1985 @ San Antonio L 118–126 HemisFair Arena 14–14 29 December 19, 1985 @ Denver L 118–123 McNichols Sports Arena 15–14 30 December 21, 1985 @ Seattle W 114–97 Seattle Center Coliseum 16–14 31 December 22, 1985 Denver W 121–114 Memorial Coliseum 17–14 32 December 25, 1985 L.A. Clippers W 121–107 Memorial Coliseum 18–14 33 December 27, 1985 @ Dallas W 142–133 (OT) Reunion Arena 19–14 34 December 28, 1985 @ Houston L 108–118 The Summit 19–15 35 December 30, 1985 San Antonio W 125–110 Memorial Coliseum 20–15
January: 8–7 (home: 4–4; road: 4–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 36 January 1, 1986 Philadelphia L 119–121 (OT) Memorial Coliseum 20–16 37 January 3, 1986 Phoenix W 133–104 Memorial Coliseum 21–16 38 January 5, 1986 Golden State W 136–120 Memorial Coliseum 22–16 39 January 8, 1986 @ L.A. Lakers L 121–125 The Forum 22–17 40 January 10, 1986 @ Milwaukee L 89–95 MECCA Arena 22–18 41 January 11, 1986 @ New York W 109–106 Madison Square Garden 23–18 42 January 14, 1986 @ Cleveland W 120–108 Richfield Coliseum 24–18 43 January 15, 1986 @ Indiana W 109–104 Market Square Arena 25–18 44 January 18, 1986 Phoenix W 112–87 Memorial Coliseum 26–18 45 January 19, 1986 San Antonio L 105–116 Memorial Coliseum 26–19 46 January 23, 1986 Seattle W 117–107 (2OT) Memorial Coliseum 27–19 47 January 25, 1986 @ Sacramento W 129–125 ARCO Arena 28–19 48 January 26, 1986 Sacramento L 116–121 Memorial Coliseum 28–20 49 January 28, 1986 @ Phoenix L 130–136 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 28–21 50 January 30, 1986 L.A. Lakers L 94–118 Memorial Coliseum 28–22
February: 1–12 (home: 1–5; road: 0–7) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 51 February 1, 1986 L.A. Clippers W 156–121 Memorial Coliseum 29–22 52 February 4, 1986 @ Denver L 118–119 McNichols Sports Arena 29–23 53 February 6, 1986 Dallas L 111–115 Memorial Coliseum 29–24 All-Star Break 54 February 11, 1986 Washington L 116–124 Memorial Coliseum 29–25 55 February 13, 1986 @ L.A. Clippers L 113–118 Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 29–26 56 February 14, 1986 Boston L 119–120 (OT) Memorial Coliseum 29–27 57 February 16, 1986 5:00 p.m. PST Atlanta L 101–110 Vandeweghe (21) Kersey, Thompson (10) Drexler, Paxson (6) Memorial Coliseum 12,666 29–28 58 February 19, 1986 @ Philadelphia L 133–153 The Spectrum 29–29 59 February 21, 1986 @ Chicago L 96–108 Chicago Stadium 29–30 60 February 22, 1986 @ Detroit L 106–113 Pontiac Silverdome 29–31 61 February 24, 1986 Denver L 113–119 Memorial Coliseum 29–32 62 February 26, 1986 @ Phoenix L 112–113 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 29–33 63 February 27, 1986 @ Seattle L 94–107 Seattle Center Coliseum 29–34
March: 7–5 (home: 7–0; road: 0–5) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 64 March 1, 1986 Houston W 117–112 Memorial Coliseum 30–34 65 March 4, 1986 Indiana W 102–99 Memorial Coliseum 31–34 66 March 7, 1986 Dallas W 125–114 Memorial Coliseum 32–34 67 March 8, 1986 Utah W 104–90 Memorial Coliseum 33–34 68 March 13, 1986 @ Houston L 118–126 The Summit 33–35 69 March 14, 1986 @ Dallas L 118–129 Reunion Arena 33–36 70 March 16, 1986 Detroit W 119–109 Memorial Coliseum 34–36 71 March 18, 1986 @ L.A. Lakers L 122–128 The Forum 34–37 72 March 21, 1986 Seattle W 115–108 Memorial Coliseum 35–37 73 March 23, 1986 Sacramento W 112–102 Memorial Coliseum 36–37 74 March 25, 1986 @ Sacramento L 99–116 ARCO Arena 36–38 75 March 29, 1986 @ Golden State L 129–130 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 36–39
April: 4–3 (home: 2–1; road: 2–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 76 April 1, 1986 Denver W 127–110 Memorial Coliseum 37–39 77 April 2, 1986 @ Seattle W 121–109 Seattle Center Coliseum 38–39 78 April 5, 1986 @ Utah L 103–114 Salt Palace Acord Arena 38–40 79 April 8, 1986 L.A. Lakers L 114–120 Memorial Coliseum 38–41 80 April 10, 1986 L.A. Clippers W 115–100 Memorial Coliseum 39–41 81 April 11, 1986 @ Golden State W 131–130 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 40–41 82 April 13, 1986 @ San Antonio L 118–123 HemisFair Arena 40–42
1985–86 schedule

Playoffs

1986 playoff game log
First round: 1–3 (home: 0–2; road: 1–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 18, 1986 @ Denver L 126–133 Kiki VanDeWeghe (28) Kenny Carr (9) Steve Colter (6) McNichols Sports Arena 13,209 0–1 2 April 20, 1986 @ Denver W 108–106 Kiki VanDeWeghe (36) Kenny Carr (11) Clyde Drexler (8) McNichols Sports Arena 11,724 1–1 3 April 22, 1986 Denver L 104–115 Kiki VanDeWeghe (24) Kenny Carr (15) Clyde Drexler (7) Memorial Coliseum 12,666 1–2 4 April 24, 1986 Denver L 112–116 Kiki VanDeWeghe (18) Kenny Carr (18) Steve Colter (8) Memorial Coliseum 12,666 1–3
1986 schedule

Player statistics

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

Season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG

Awards and honors

• Clyde Drexler, NBA All-Star
• Clyde Drexler, NBA Player of the Week (December 30–January 5)

Transactions

Main article: List of 1985–86 NBA season transactions