On April 16, 1987, the Los Angeles Lakers secured their 11th straight win with a 110-97 triumph over the Utah Jazz at the Forum, bolstering their push toward a return to the NBA Finals.
Magic Johnson set the tone, finishing with 31 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals. The Lakers’ star guard received ample support: James Worthy collected 22 points and 10 rebounds, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar posted 15 points and 10 rebounds, Byron Scott scored 17 points, and A.C. Green added 12.
Los Angeles coupled its up-tempo offense with a focused defensive effort, limiting Utah to 10 points below the Jazz’s season average. Karl Malone paced the visitors with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Carey Scurry contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds. Rookie guard John Stockton came off the bench for four points, eight assists and three steals.
The streak proved a springboard for the postseason, where the Lakers went 11-1 in the Western Conference playoffs before defeating the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals to claim their fourth championship of the Showtime era.
Source: Lakers Nation
