| 13 | November 27 | @ Indiana | W 124–112 (OT) | | | | Market Square Arena | 12–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 14 | November 28 | Detroit | W 116–103 | | | | The Spectrum | 13–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | December 1 | @ Atlanta | W 107–98 | | | | The Omni | 14–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | December 2 | San Antonio | L 101–106 | | | | The Spectrum | 14–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 17 | December 4 | @ Boston | L 103–111 | | | | Boston Garden | 14–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | December 5 | @ New Jersey | W 109–102 | | | | Brendan Byrne Arena | 15–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | December 9 | Denver | W 137–109 | | | | The Spectrum | 16–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 13 | @ Milwaukee | L 108–127 | | | | The MECCA | 18–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 24 | December 19 | Boston | W 123–118 (OT) | | | | The Spectrum | 19–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | December 27 | @ Phoenix | L 96–99 | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 20–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 27 | December 29 | @ Golden State | W 142–135 | | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 21–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 28 | December 30 | @ Seattle | W 102–99 | | | | Kingdome | 22–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 | January 1 | @ Portland | W 120–105 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 23–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 | January 5 | @ Detroit | L 101–124 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 24–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 | January 6 | Washington | W 126–112 | | | | The Spectrum | 25–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 33 | January 8 | @ Boston | L 90–96 | | | | Boston Garden | 25–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 | January 9 | New Jersey | L 113–120 | | | | The Spectrum | 25–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 35 | January 12 | @ Washington | W 95–92 | | | | Capital Centre | 26–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"