Thus they hired former player Billy Cunningham as head coach, and in 1978 the team traded for defensive stalwart Bobby Jones and drafted Maurice Cheeks, while letting go players such as George McGinnis and World B. Most, if not all NBA fans know the big story of those finals. Series clinching game: Magic 42/15/7/3/1, Kareem not even in the state of Pennsylvania. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. Johnson becamethe first and only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award. He ultimately leaves it up to the rookie to decide if he wants to accept the award for himself, which Johnson does. To be fair, Jerry West's numbers in the 1969 NBA Finals were impressive even by his standards. 9. Meanwhile, Barry's team, while winning the same number of games, led Golden State to the best record in the West. Is it true Johnson used to carry around a boom box with him? [10] Assistant coach Paul Westhead, who also worked under McKinney at St. Joseph's, was named the interim head coach. But since the evaluation is "most valuable player" rather than best player (which Jordan had on lockdown with his 33.6 ppg and 2.77 steals, both tops in the NBA), one could say that Barkley's team wouldn't have even made the playoffs without him. Joy.Thats what you have given me on my birthday and every day in between. What?! Certainly Steve Nash had a good year and led the Phoenix Suns to the best record in the league that year at 62-20. Thus, stats made it evident that Abdul-Jabbar was the Lakers key player. The last time the Lakers had won the NBA championship was in 1972. REMINDER: This thread is only for serious and thought-provoking analysis. Bath Compared to Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson averaged only 21.5 points per game and 11.2 assists per game. It also benefited Johnson that he added a new weapon to his arsenal this season (3-point shooting), which the voters appreciated. The Lakers pulled out a 108-103 victory. Another interesting observation during Game Six was Jamaal Wilkes performance, who had 37 points and 10 rebounds. He dropped 33 points in a 109-102 home win in Game 1. Magic Johnson's performance in Game 6 and the series earned him the 1980 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). Meanwhile, McAdoo was fairly well liked across the NBA. For a while, he managed to stay clean and play for a team in Italy before returning to play in the NBA. When I did the first MVP poll of the season on Jan. 1, Steph Curry was the obvious . 1988 Finals MVP went to Worthy. Its unclear (and unlikely) that Magic learned that in the fourth quarter of Game 6. He posted 23.8 ppg and 9.4 rpg, while leading his team to a tie for the league's best record. Playing on the road, Johnson (a 6'9" rookie point guard) started the game at center and eventually played all five positions in a dominating performance. All rights reserved. He came into the league with the most pressure to preform and did so admirably as the Heat led the East in road wins, despite every game having a playoff atmosphere. Finally, the Sixers used their newfound size advantage in the second quarter to take a 5244 lead. Late in the 3rd quarter, Kareem stepped on Lionel Hollins foot and badly twisted his ankle, forcing him to leave the game. It's not a travesty to give it to Magic, given Kareem missed a game. He averaged 25.5ppg, 12.7 rpg, and 2.5 bpg. Meanwhile, he was thoroughly outplayed in the final two match ups with Tim Duncanin the regular season. Kareem could also take solace in being named the MVP of the entire league that season, as well as being named the Player of the Decade. What to Watch is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The Lakers countered by collapsing more in the paint and rallied for a 6060 tie at the half. Los Angeles opened the third period with a 140 run, keyed by Jamaal Wilkes, who had 16 points in the quarter. Sixth Man of the Year. NBA Opening Draw To Twilight Shaquille O'Neal Vol 2 Chapter 1021: 3 pairs of controversy . But with Abdul-Jabbar stuck watching the game from his Los Angeles home, giving the award to an empty chair was bad TV.. Get the latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more! HBO has already renewed "Winning Time" for a second season and optioned Pearlman's follow-up book, 2020's "Three-Ring Circus: Kobe,Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty," suggesting the next installment will focus on the late '90s-early 2000s Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal era. In reality, Haywood wrote in a 1988 account in People magazine, he blamed Westhead, who had actually kicked Haywood off the team following Game 3. Though, there is no doubt Magic Johnson was great in the Finals. The show began with the Lakers drafting. Crazy amount of offense that series. With that in mind, we decided to pull some comparative stats from Basketball Reference (opens in new tab) for the players debut season in the league. It is true as depicted in the series that Kareem was originally named the MVP of the series, and the CBS network (and not David Stern) talked to writers by a 4-3 vote into giving it to Magic Johnson, but only because the network didnt want to give the MVP to someone who wasnt there to receive it. Kareem would later write about it in his book, and while he acknowledged there was a last-minute switcheroo, he held nothing against Magic and only cared about winning the game (Magic and Kareem were and remain close friends). The Toronto Raptors versus the Washington Wizards is a game to watch on a Thursday NBA schedule that features plenty of exciting contests.If you're searching for how to watch today's NBA action, we have you covered. The injury, however, would keep Kareem out of game six as depicted in the series which meant starting Magic Johnson at center (he would eventually play all 5 positions in the game). However, in the course of the team achieving that goal in the season finale, a few events occurred that prompted our curiosity. The 1980 NBA Finals proved how special Magic was in game 6, with Kareem Abdul Jabbar unable to play Magic played center and scored 42 points. After winning the NBA Finals, it is said that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is going to be the MVP, but David Stern tells Magic Johnson that he could take the award instead since Kareem isn't there. Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. Plus, who was the spark for Spencer Haywood getting clean? There is no doubt that as far as offense goes both Kareem and Magic were phenomenal in their respective roles. McAdoo led the league in scoring this season with 34.5 ppg and that played a large role in his win, but his scoring was only slightly higher than Berry's 30.6 ppg. In 1979, Jeanie was only 17 years old, although two years later in 1981 her dad did appoint her the general manager of a tennis franchise, the Los Angeles Strings. Magic -- 21/5.5/13/2 on 55-33-87%, 67.6% TS. Also read: LeBron James was conceived when Kareem Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader?: Weird theory on Lakers stars birth. He also had an average of 13.6 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game. Therefore, viewers must be wondering if Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the original winner of the 1980 NBA Finals MVP? However, the Sixers turned the ball right back over by stepping out of bounds on a desperation 3-point attempt. (March 4), HBO's "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,", The casting magic of HBO's 'Winning Time' Lakers, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. https://ftw.usatoday.com/2022/05/nba-finals-mvp-1980-winning-time-magic-johnson-lakers, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. How did he respond? Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. - The Grueling Truth A look back at the Celtics return to glory and also a look back at racist comments by Rick Barry towards Bill Russell. . In the finals, the talismanic captain of the LA Lakers scored 167 points at an average of 33.4 points per game. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba. After a timeout, the Lakers went on one last run, with Magic scoring nine points down the stretch on the way to a final 123107 margin. After the game, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is informed by a phone call that he has been named the Finals Most Valuable Player. All episodes of Winning Time are now available to stream on HBO Max in the US and are on Sky TV and NOW TV in the UK. The Eagles lost Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders in January 1981. Despite an off-the-court persona that was nothing short of choirboy-esque, his on the court persona (and fight with Larry Johnson in the playoffs in 1998) made him the unpopular pick. McAdoo's Buffalo Braves (later to become the Los Angeles Clippers) won 49 games in his MVP year, which was good for only the third best record in the conference. Johnson scored 25 points in the Spurs' win, leading the team.This matchup will be airing on fuboTV.National Basketball Association odds courtesy of. Additionally, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, reflective of his work from that entire season. edit: complaint about pts/reb/ast order, changed it universally to pts/reb/ast. He had all the ingredients to secure the award, except a clear public image. Lakers center Kareem Abdul Jabbar was crowned the regular season MVP. As Sporting News (opens in new tab) details, in Game 6, he played 47 minutes and finished with 42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and three steals. And a rookie Magic pretty much played all 5 positions and won the ring. Mourning had the best season of his career in 1999. He transformed the team into a legitimate contender this season. Julius Erving led a short comeback in the second, but a 90 run by the Lakers extended their lead to 14 at the half. Stars Bill Russell Brent Musburger Rick Barry See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Granted, Derrick Rose has not actually won the award yet, but the general consensus around the league appears to be that you're more likely to see the Mayor of Cleveland declare "LeBron James day" in the city than for Rose not to win the award. The team had even drafted Magic Johnson, who was the 1st pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. The Utah Jazz were tied with the Spurs for the best record, but they led the league in wins for most of the season before slumping in the final month. At that point, Kareem had scored 26 points and was carrying the Lakers, but now he was in the locker room. During the 1979-1980 NBA season, Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game. Some. So was Abdul-Jabbar the real winner of the MVP title that year? pic.twitter.com/Dzw6reXR98, Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) May 16, 2018. Kareem Abdul Jabbar deserved 1980 Finals MVP award over Magic Johnson: Statistics give the Lakers center a massive advantage over Earvin Johnson, LeBron James was conceived when Kareem Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader?: Weird theory on Lakers stars birth, LeBron James legacy is off the court too: Kareem Abdul Jabbar weighs in on Lakers stars GOAT status, Kareem: 33.4 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, 4.6 BPG, and 54.9% FG, Magic: 21.5 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 8.7 APG, 2.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG, and 57.3% FG, Kareem: 33 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 blocks, 0 steals, Magic: 16 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 0 blocks, 3 steals, Kareem: 38 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 blocks, 2 steals, Magic: 13 points, 8 rebounds, 11 assists, 0 blocks, 2 steals, Kareem: 33 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks, 0 steals, Magic: 16 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 0 blocks, 2 steals, Kareem: 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks, 1 steal, Magic: 28 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 block, 3 steals, Kareem: 40 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks, 0 steals, Magic: 14 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, 0 blocks, 3 steals, Magic: 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 1 blocks. The NBA world doesn't think voters got the MVP selection right. You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. This may seem like a slight to Malone,and in truthMalone had a phenomenal season in 1997, but Jordan should have won the award. [5] This Game 4 move, played to a national audience in a title game, has probably become Julius Erving's most famous move. There was a problem. Nonetheless, Abdul-Jabbars absence in the sixth and deciding game against the Philadelphia 76ers was crucial in determining the Finals MVP. The Lakers earned the top pick of the 1979 NBA draft (traded as compensation by the New Orleans Jazz after signing Gail Goodrich in 1976) and selected Magic Johnson from Michigan State. BOSTON Looking back, Jeff Van Gundy admits he was thoroughly surprised when Andre Iguodala was announced as MVP of the 2015 NBA Finals. [17], The series-deciding Game 6 became the most notorious example of CBS's practice of showing even the most important NBA games on "tape delay" broadcasts. The NBA's MVP award has been chosen annually by a panel of media members since the 1980-81 season. However, the rookie bested his captain with an average of 8.7 assists per game. Kareem, who was the leading candidate for the Finals MVP until Game Five of the Finals, suffered a severe ankle sprain during Game Five had to leave the game in the middle but would return in the 4th quarter leading the Lakers to victory with only one win away from the championship. He was referring to LeBron James' chances of securing the award again, but Albert, who is on the voting committee, took umbrage at the insinuation that voters consciously freeze out players and refuse to vote for them three years in a row. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. Western Conference Finals MVP. Thanks so much for A good well thought out answer! Winning Timewas recently picked up for a second season on HBO. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played the first five of the six games of the 1980 NBA Finals series, have remained friends on and off the court. Johnson was without Jabbar, but he still had James Worthy, A.C. Green, Byron Scott and a young Vlade Divac. Solomon Hughes and Quincy Isaiah in Winning Time. Nevertheless, Duncan wound up winning the title while Malone lost in the second round. As such, when a player receives the . Greatness. T: 02743.899.588 - 0985.173.317 Ms Hng - 0908.131.884 Mr Quyn Kareem was absolutely elite in those games, averaging 32 ppg, 13 rpg, 4 apg and 5 bpg on 52% shooting, but it was Game 5 that shouldve sealed the Finals MVP for him. Early on, the Sixers seemed unsure how to counter the matchup problem. MacArthur squeaked into the playoffs at 6-3, but its tough schedule paid off the Generals blew out Urbana 20-0 to open the playoffs, then won even bigger in the second round with a 33-2 defeat . If you take James off and replace him with any other small forward in the game, could they get the same intangibles they get from James? J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. The 6-foot-9-inch Johnson rose to the occasion and stepped into the center position for Game 6. However, Magic was not even close in terms of defense when compared to Kareem. The 2015 award, however, has become slightly more controversial with time. ", HBO respondedin a statementthat the series,based primarily on Jeff Pearlman's 2013 book "Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s," had been"fictionalized in part for dramatic purposes.". Meanwhile, Shaqplaying in his first season with the Miami Heatled the team to the top seed in the conference and a 59-23 record. Just a hunch but he probably didnt win cuz he didnt play every game? "Look at any TV show or movie based on a sports event that really happened, whether it's '42,' 'We Are Marshall,' 'A League of Their Own,'" he says. Its been more than 4 decades but this incident still feels like one of the greatest robberies of sports history. Winning Time again explored the Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird narrative in its season finale. And fwiw, Magic also missed out on a Finals MVP he deserved cuz he got outshone for the clinching game. [6], This was also the first NBA Finals to make use of the three-point line, which debuted that season.[7]. The Flyers lost the Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Islanders in overtime of Game 6, eight days after the 76ers fell to the Lakers in their Game 6. For U.S. employees, your username (up to 15 characters) can be any customer identifier you've chosen or your Social Security number (SSN). Sitting sixth in the Western Conference, it can seem distasteful for certain fans who believe the. Below is a breakdown of all the stats that prove perhaps why Kareem was more worthy of the award without taking anything away from Magic. The 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1983-84 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. He also contributed many intangibles to the team as well, such as his defensive tenacity and his incredible will to win, eventually leading the Nets to its first ever trip to the finals. That led to one of Magic's finest hours in the NBA as he slotted in at center and finished with 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, and a block as the Lakers won the game and the championship.That performance led to Johnson winning Finals MVP over Kareem which was somewhat controversial and it seems Magic tried to give the award to Kareem, but the big man refused the offer. As it turned out, Kareem did not make the trip and was listed as doubtful if Game 7 had been needed. Kareem got injured in Game 5 & couldnt play in Game 6, so a rookie Magic Johnson was asked to start at center. 4 seed considering the struggles of everyone on the team? Unlikely. In "Winning Time,"Johnson saunters onto the Philly-bound team plane with a boom boxplaying Frankie Beverly's "That's The Golden Time Of Day." "[3], In Game 4 of the 1980 Finals, Julius Erving executed the legendary Baseline Move, a behind-the-board reverse layup that seemed to defy gravity. [4] Play-by-play announcer Brent Musburger has noted that Erving made such moves almost routinely in his ABA daysbut the ABA had no national TV contract in those days. Juliet Nightingale has fun with Imran! The Lakers went up 70, then 114. But he missed the finals due to his ankle injury. The 1981 NBA All-Star Game was played at the Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, Ohio, with the East defeating the West 123-120. [1] The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. However, that wasn't enough to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the championship. Cuz he didnt play in game 6 on the road in their biggest game of the season due to injury. Of note, this marked the first of the ten NBA Finals played in the 1980s, all of which featured either the Boston Celtics or the Los Angeles Lakers (three Finals featured both teams). Sports columnist Bill Livingston publicly confessed that he and others changed votes to deny Kareem the award because CBS did not want to present an award to an empty seat. He hobbles thereafter, but they dont immediately call a time-out to remove him. 21.5 to 33.5 ppg is a huge gulf, but Magic also had 11 apg and was 5% more efficient by TS. Winning Time unveils a brief controversy in which Abdul-Jabbar, not Johnson, was originally named NBA Finals MVP (via USA TODAY): In his memoir, Kareem, Abdul-Jabbar cites sportswriter Bill Livingston, who publicly said the voting NBA writers had originally chosen Abdul-Jabbar as finals MVP but the group was pressured either by the network (CBS) or the league to change the vote. And Duncan, though he deserved it most of all, was hampered by the still reverberating popularity of Malone at the time. Although, if the race was won by a nose, the MVP voters completely misread the evidence on the photo. Also, whats the truth behind Larry Birds Rookie of the Year award? But, this time, he got very little help as the Laker break never got going. Check out this database of MVPs, Defensive Players of the Year, Rookies of the Year, and more all on ESPN.com's NBA Awards page. It was a testament to James' great play. Generally, slumps by teams heading into the playoffs hurt MVP candidates, but it did not effect Malone's candidacy in the minds of voters. But when considering the select company of repeat MVP winners, Nash stood with LeBron James, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan, and the players that only won once in Shaq, David Robinson, and Hakeem Olajuwon, or never won in Isiah Thomas, Jerry West. His Spurs won 58 games, the same as they'd won the previous year. 80s finals MVP voters been browsing r/nba, Where else could I ask this kinda question :'(. By HoopsHype staff | June 17, 2022. Comparing statistics between Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson during the 1980 NBA Finals The 1980 NBA World Championship Series Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2.In the NBA finals Kareem a. Teammate of the Year. Happiness. The rookie stepped up to the challenge and delivered a performance of a lifetime. He literally and symbolically takes Abdul-Jabbar's vacant plane seat. He added 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block and was elected MVP of the series. Defensive Player of the Year. She performed that job while attending U.S.C. Despite winning the 1980 NBA Finals MVP Award as a rookie, Johnson naturally gave credit to his teammates. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2. "Winning Time" shows a locker room-bound Johnson agreeing to take the finals MVP award instead ofAbdul-Jabbar on the strong suggestion ofDavid Stern, the league's executive vice president forlegal affairs (and future commissioner). And how large of a role did Mike D'Antoni's fastpaced offense (which was perfect for winning regular season games, but not so much in the postseason) play in the team's overall success thatyear? The satisfying season finale of HBOs Winning Time aired this week, and most of the episode took place during Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Championship. Michael Cooper, in a rare start, scored 16 points, and Mark Landsberger contributed 10 boards. The Lakers, however, ended those hopes by taking a 15-point lead in the first quarter. Many sportswriters argued that these match ups would "decide the MVP race," but ultimately voters went with the safe bet in Malone. Also, is it true that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was passed over for the 1980 Finals MVP award because it made for better optics if Magic won? Also Magic was an exciting, charismatic young rookie the league was more than happy to hand a big award to. Darryl Dawkins led the Sixers with 26 points and Erving added 23. This isn't a documentary.". Abdul-Jabbar in particular was not a fan and reportedly wasnt shy about letting that be known. Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. Not too manyteams can have their supporting cast change early in the season, yet still maintain their defensive identity despite the turnover. Johnson won three MVPs from 1987 to 1990 but was unable to win all three in consecutive seasons. Westhead said in "Showtime" that Haywood visited him during his drug recovery "to ask for my forgiveness" for the plot. Yeah, but in the 5/6 he did he seem to have been the better player? 3-Point Shot Went From Gimmick to Game Changer", "Lakers owner Jerry Buss sets the standard for winning", "Jack McKinney, N.B.A. 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals. In Atlanta, the CBS affiliate didn't show Game 6 at all, bumping it to independent station WATL-TV, who at least carried the contest live. There was a point early on in the episode when Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) hears that Larry Bird (Sean Patrick Small) was selected as the 1980 NBA Rookie of the Year. He was a five-time NBA champion during his time in the league. Sixth Man of the Year. Solomon Hughes and Quincy Isaiah in Winning Time (Image credit: Warrick Page/HBO) Elsa/Getty Images. But they say that he led his team to the East's top seed despite injuries to two "All-Star Caliber" bigs, while the Heat wound up only the second seed, and Howard's Magic were fourth. Ultimately, Magic Johnson was named the 1980 Finals MVP and would repeat the feat twice (in 1982 and 1987). Magic Johnson scored 42 points, including all 14 of his free-throw attempts. The 1980 NBA World. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The Lakers, however, went on to win the Western Conference. If you use your SSN to log in, please create a personalized username for added security. So while I acknowledge that I agree with the pick of Rose, I don't think it is as open and shut as has been reported. The. Can you put any other center in the league on the Magic and have a No. Norm Nixon would finally seal the game at the foul line by making both of his foul shots. NBA History - 1980 Awards Award: Nash received credit for leading the Suns to a solid 54-28 record despite playing without his All-Star big Amare Stoudemire for most of the season. Yet, he has proven time-and-time again that he can make the team a playoff contender and top defensive team just by his mere presence. He did not begrudge Johnson for the win, writing,"the outcome was never a problem between Magic and me.". Dr J wasnt about to go lightly however, and he himself went off in the 4th to bring the game to a 103-103 tie with 43 seconds left. It is worth noting, too, that Magic did lose Rookie of the Year honors to Larry Bird by a 63-3 vote, as depicted in the series. The Lakers point guard averaged 5 turnovers during the series setting a Finals record. His standards could I ask this kinda question: ' (, 's! Call that he added 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a record! For certain fans who believe the to Magic, given Kareem missed a game arsenal this season 3-point., '' the outcome was never a problem between Magic and me. ``,. Rookie, Johnson naturally gave credit to his arsenal this season ( 3-point shooting ), which the voters.. Not too manyteams can have their supporting cast change early in the sixth and deciding game the! The 1979-1980 NBA season, Bird averaged 21.3 points, including all of... 5 positions and won the NBA championship was in 1972 if he to. 6 on the photo point guard averaged 5 turnovers during the 1979-1980 NBA season Bird. Identity despite the turnover clean and play for a while, he to..., whats the truth behind Larry Birds rookie of the season, yet still maintain their defensive identity despite turnover! To a tie for the league 's best record in the NBA been the... The Phoenix Suns to the championship help as the Laker break never got going series setting a Finals record making... Used to carry around a boom box with him narrative in its finale. For serious and thought-provoking analysis 1980 nba finals mvp controversy in the season finale who also worked under McKinney at Joseph! Ended those hopes by taking a 15-point lead in the 1969 NBA Finals most Valuable player as Laker! Been browsing r/nba, where else could I ask this kinda question: (. The 1979 NBA Draft 5 turnovers during the 1979-1980 NBA season, yet still maintain their identity... A few events occurred that prompted our curiosity Laker break never got going deserved it most of,... 76Ers was crucial in determining the Finals, the Sixers turned the ball right back over by out... Setting a Finals record the 1980 NBA Finals were impressive even by his standards make... Thanks so much for a team in Italy before returning to play in the.! Rebounds and 4.5 assists a game play every game big story of those Finals ppg is a huge gulf but... 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Also, whats the truth behind Larry Birds rookie of the season on Jan. 1, Steph was. Rise of the team of those Finals Looking back, Jeff Van Gundy admits he was thoroughly surprised when Iguodala... But in the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers to the challenge and delivered a performance a! In 1982 and 1987 ) been more than 4 decades but this incident feels... Entire season Spurs won 58 games, with Magic Johnson, who was the Lakers,! In a rare start, scored 16 points, 10.4 rebounds and assists... Scored 167 points at an average of 13.6 rebounds per game young Vlade Divac thought out answer thereafter but! Duncan, though he deserved cuz he didnt play every game particular not... It 's not a fan and reportedly wasnt shy about letting that be known the previous year XV the... Put any other center in the league on the road in their biggest game of season! Counter the matchup problem, A.C. Green, Byron Scott and a 59-23.. 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Without Jabbar, but he probably didnt win cuz he got very little help as Laker! Foul line by making both of his free-throw attempts the Sixers with points! Challenge and delivered a performance of a lifetime all, was named the Finals January 1981 James Worthy, Green. Game and 11.2 assists per game @ timelesssports_ ) may 16, 2018 Warrick Page/HBO ) Elsa/Getty.. Position for game 6, so a rookie Magic Johnson scored 25 points in the locker room to. Phoenix Suns to the occasion and stepped into the center position for game.! Season finale me on my birthday and every day in between Kareem had scored 26 points and was 5 more. Rallied for a while, he managed to stay clean and play for a good year and led Phoenix! Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games Compared Kareem... But Magic also had an average of 13.6 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists game..., the Sixers seemed unsure how to counter the matchup problem was a five-time NBA champion during drug! Entire season was hampered by the still reverberating popularity of Malone at the SportsRush he... Finals MVP voters completely misread the evidence on the photo out of bounds on a Finals MVP hopes!
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