The 1987–88 Utah Jazz season was the team's 14th in the NBA. The Jazz finished third in the Midwest Division with a record of 47–35, and qualified for the playoffs for the fifth straight season. In the first round of the playoffs, they defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in four games, but then lost in seven games to the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the semifinals. Karl Malone was selected for the 1988 NBA All-Star Game.
Draft picks
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Game log
Regular season
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | November 6, 19886:30 PM MST | @ Dallas | L 93–95 | | | | Reunion Arena17,007 | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | November 7 | Sacramento | W 121–100 | | | | Salt Palace | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | November 10 | @ L.A. Clippers | L 88–100 | | | | Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 1–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | November 11, 19877:30 PM MST | Dallas | W 121–92 | | | | Salt Palace12,212 | 2–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 5 | November 13 | Phoenix | W 109–92 | | | | Salt Palace | 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 6 | November 14 | @ Houston | L 93–101 | | | | The Summit | 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 7 | November 17 | Denver | W 120–110 | | | | Salt Palace | 4–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | November 18 | @ Phoenix | L 80–90 | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 4–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | November 20 | Indiana | W 112–81 | | | | Salt Palace | 5–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 | November 21 | @ San Antonio | L 119–120 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 5–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | November 24 | Washington | W 100–83 | | | | Salt Palace | 6–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 12 | November 27 | Houston | W 118–96 | | | | Salt Palace | 7–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | November 30 | Philadelphia | L 100–106 | | | | Salt Palace | 7–6
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | December 2 | Chicago | L 101–105 | | | | Salt Palace | 7–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | December 4 | New York | W 104–92 | | | | Salt Palace | 8–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 | December 5 | @ Sacramento | W 126–117 | | | | ARCO Arena | 9–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | December 8 | @ San Antonio | L 100–105 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 9–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 | December 10 | @ Houston | L 93–98 | | | | The Summit | 9–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | December 12 | Golden State | W 127–93 | | | | Salt Palace | 10–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 | December 14 | Seattle | W 116–95 | | | | Salt Palace | 11–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | December 16 | @ Boston | L 111–121 | | | | Boston Garden | 11–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 18 | @ Indiana | L 97–121 | | | | Market Square Arena | 11–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 | December 19 | @ Atlanta | L 124–130 (OT) | | | | The Omni | 11–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | December 21 | @ New Jersey | L 95–106 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 11–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | December 23 | @ Cleveland | W 91–83 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 12–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | December 26, 19872:00 PM MST | L.A. Lakers | L 109–117 | | | | Salt Palace12,212 | 12–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 27 | December 29 | @ Denver | W 98–97 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 13–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 | December 30 | Golden State | W 104–103 | | | | Salt Palace | 14–14