4 seed considering the struggles of everyone on the team? Western Conference Finals MVP. But by the second time, it was getting serious. [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. REMINDER: This thread is only for serious and thought-provoking analysis. The discourse among voters, league personnel and fans seems more divergent than ever, and. But after losing to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1977 NBA Finals, the 76ers realized that a fancy and one-on-one style of play will not take them all the way. Kareem 40 pts vs. Sixers (Game 5, 1980 NBA finals) f9ish 5.27K subscribers Subscribe 239 Share Save 41K views 13 years ago Kareem had 40 pts, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks. 1981 NBA Finals: A interview and racial controversy. Not too manyteams can have their supporting cast change early in the season, yet still maintain their defensive identity despite the turnover. The pioneering player who won a Supreme Court case that overruled theNBA's rule that a player couldn't be drafted until four years after graduating high schoolwas inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famein 2015. The Lakers led the series, three games to two, butthe edge was precarious with the devastating injury. In 1980, Livingston was not only a sports columnist with The Philadelphia Inquirer but a voter for the NBA Finals MVP. He was a five-time NBA champion during his time in the league. Abdul-Jabbar, bad ankle and all, dunked emphatically over Erving and drew the foul with 33 seconds left. Ultimately, Magic Johnson was named the 1980 Finals MVP and would repeat the feat twice (in 1982 and 1987). He dropped 33 points in a 109-102 home win in Game 1. It represented a 16 game improvement for the team over the previous season. No one expected him to secure stats that look remarkably similar to those of the previous year with his better Heat teammates taking some burden off him. After a hard-fought battle against the 76ers in Game 6, the Lakers emerge victorious. Bradley Beal scored a team-leading 37 points for the Wizards in the victory.Want to watch the matchup between the Raptors and Wizards? So Magic just got it for his amazing game 6. Alan Diaz/AP Michael Jordan was robbed in the 1988 - 1989 and. Paul Westhead does also thank Jack McKinney in his remarks, and the players (including Norm Nixon) make sure to single out Kareems contributions. ", 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.". On the Lakers possession, Darryl Dawkins was trying to front Abdul-Jabbar but to no avail as Magic threw a pass overhead so only Erving stood between Kareem and the basket. Westhead said in "Showtime" that Haywood visited him during his drug recovery "to ask for my forgiveness" for the plot. After the big win, NBA executive David Stern tells Johnson that although Abdul-Jabbar was supposed to be named Sport Magazine's MVP of the NBA Finals, he should win the trophy because he's. Statistically, Bird did have the edge he scored 3 more points per game and grabbed 3 more rebounds per game, although Magic had 3 more assists per game but it certainly wasnt a 63-3 edge. Magic got the rebound to seemingly seal the win, but the Lakers tried to force the fast-break and ended up turning the ball over, out-of-bounds. Based on Livingstons story, Kareem initially had the votes to win, but Johnson took home the prize. edit: complaint about pts/reb/ast order, changed it universally to pts/reb/ast. That performance earned Magic his first of 3 career Finals MVP awards. 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. Also read: LeBron James was conceived when Kareem Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader?: Weird theory on Lakers stars birth. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Controversy has followed the "Winning Time" success. Hollyoaks spoilers: Tony Hutchinson calls social services to report Warren! However, during the NBA World Championship Series, aka the NBA Finals Series, the LA Lakers are without their star player and captain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. When I did the first MVP poll of the season on Jan. 1, Steph Curry was the obvious . The key was Darryl Dawkins, who had one of his best games of the season by scoring 25 points, many of them on outside shots trying to draw Abdul-Jabbar away from the basket. Absurd though it sounds, the first-year player had 42 points to go with 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals in Game 6. Julius Erving led a short comeback in the second, but a 90 run by the Lakers extended their lead to 14 at the half. Johnson was without Jabbar, but he still had James Worthy, A.C. Green, Byron Scott and a young Vlade Divac. Finally, the Sixers used their newfound size advantage in the second quarter to take a 5244 lead. Along with Jamaal Wilkes' 37 points and 10 rebounds, Michael Cooper chipped in 16. Hence, it is safe to say that the shows depiction of Abdul-Jabbar being the original 1980 NBA Finals MVP has some merit. 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. But at least in 2001 the Spurs were the conferences top seed. He averaged 25.5ppg, 12.7 rpg, and 2.5 bpg. However, in the course of the team achieving that goal in the season finale, a few events occurred that prompted our curiosity. Certainly Steve Nash had a good year and led the Phoenix Suns to the best record in the league that year at 62-20. 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. Hollyoaks spoilers: REUNITED! Free trialHow to Watch Today's NBA GamesToronto Raptors at Washington WizardsThe Washington Wizards (29-32) and Pascal Siakam's Toronto Raptors (31-32) face off at Capital One Arena on Thursday, March 2, beginning at 7:00 PM ET.Game Time: 7:00 PM ETTV Channel: NBC Sports NetworksLive Stream: fuboTV (, The Indiana Pacers (28-35) meet Keldon Johnson and the San Antonio Spurs (15-47) at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas on Thursday, March 2 at 8:30 PM ET.The Pacers won their most recent game 124-122 against the Mavericks on Tuesday. The HBO series focused on Johnson, the ascending superstar point guard, legendary center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Solomon Hughes) and team owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) completed its. NBA World Reacts To The Controversial MVP Selection. Magic even jumped center in the game's opening tip tomake a statement, as seen in the episode. However, the rookie bested his captain with an average of 8.7 assists per game. Moreover, Abdul-Jabbars 40-point haul in the fifth game, which he played with a sprained ankle, had handed the Lakers a 3-2 lead in the series. Magic delivered an iconic masterpiece, probably the greatest game of his career with 42 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists (teammate Jamaal Wilkes shouldnt go unmentioned here too, putting up 37 points and 10 rebounds). Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson have remained friends on and off the court for years, so the award situation likely did not dent their relationship. 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. 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. He did not begrudge Johnson for the win, writing,"the outcome was never a problem between Magic and me.". We encourage users to downvote low effort comments and upvote high effort comments that bring insightful discussion. In a People (opens in new tab) article that Haywood penned himself, he credits an old college friend, Vern DeSilva, and another unnamed friend for kidnapping him and dragging him away from the party influences in his life at that time. Magic Johnson's performance in Game 6 and the series earned him the 1980 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). According to unconfirmed reports, Abdul-Jabbar was originally voted as the Finals MVP. "Everybody talked about my 42 points, but it was also his 37-point effort. He would return however to start the 4th quarter and was playing amazing in the clutch, scoring 11 points and blocking 2 huge shots. NBA Opening Draw To Twilight Shaquille O'Neal Vol 2 Chapter 1021: 3 pairs of controversy . The rookie stepped up to the challenge and delivered a performance of a lifetime. The Lakers, however, beat the 76ers again the following season, before losing to the 76ers in the season after that. He also had an average of 13.6 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game. Most, if not all NBA fans know the big story of those finals. It was one of then-owner Jack Kent Cooke's final acts before selling the team to Jerry Buss during that summer. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. He averaged 22.9 ppg and 10.4 rpg. But the truth is stranger than fiction. [2] But the Lakers still had to travel to Philadelphia for Game 6. Plus, who was the spark for Spencer Haywood getting clean? Johnson becamethe first and only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award. To be fair, Jerry West's numbers in the 1969 NBA Finals were impressive even by his standards. 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. So my friend who is a huge Magic Johnson fan (refuses to place LeBron near him because 5 rings > 3 rings ) was watching the 1980 finals game 6 and obviously Magic went off in that game. Magics performance in the sixth game not only crowned the Lakers as the 1980 NBA Champions but also won him the Finals MVP Award. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the 76ers faced NBA Rookie of the Year Award winner Larry Bird and the 61win Celtics, and owing to the core's three consecutive playoff appearances, the more experienced 76ers were favored to win the series. Most Improved Player. After Game 5 Abdul-Jabbar was averaging 33.4 points per game as compared to eventual MVP Magic Johnson's 17.4. Many argue that the Lakers would have been a lottery team without Kobe in 2006, and one glance at the roster appears to back that claim up: Smush Parker, Chris Mihm, Kwami Brown. "In the heat of anger and the daze of coke" Haywood said hephoned a Detroit gangster friend and devised a plan to tamper with the brakes on Westhead's car. Teammate of the Year. "My not being there in Philadelphia to receive the trophy on camera was a major inconvenience as far as the television people were concerned," Abdul-Jabbar wrote, making it clear he only cared about winning the game. Press J to jump to the feed. Mourning never really had a chance. "That changed the whole tone," Cooper said. 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. Its unclear (and unlikely) that Magic learned that in the fourth quarter of Game 6. Heres the cued-up Jerry Buss speech after the game, and he is a bit emotional, as John C. Reilly was in the series (although, the real Buss probably wasnt thinking about his late mother, whose year of death is unknown). In what was his rookie year. In the 197980 season the 76ers finished 5923, two games behind the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division. It was his first full season without Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and he maintained a sustained level of excellence for the Lakers despite the retirement of the team's hall-of-fame center. Proving the prognosticators right, Philadelphia won in five games, preventing the first CelticsLakers final since 1969. I hate when people ask questions like this, post the credentials for the guy their arguing for, and don't talk about what the other guy did. However, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the Lakers best player in the regular season where he won MVP (25 ppg, 11 rpg, 4.5 apg, 3.4 bpg on 60% shooting), the playoffs (32 ppg, 12 rpg, 3 apg, 4 bpg on 57% shooting), and also the NBA finals against Julius Ervings Philadelphia 76ers. But Worthy had 36/16/10 on 68-60%, 68% TS in G7. Its been more than 4 decades but this incident still feels like one of the greatest robberies of sports history. But with Abdul-Jabbar stuck watching the game from his Los Angeles home, giving the award to an empty chair was bad TV.. "As es, Westbrook acaba de recoger las sobras de Wang Zelin. Unlikely. Solomon Hughes and Quincy Isaiah in Winning Time. But Kobe Bryant was just sensational this season, posting 35.4 ppg (first in the league), 5.3 rpg, and 4.5 apg. Abdul-Jabbar then limped back onto the floor. Then, Jones popped in a jumper with seven seconds left, and that was enough for a 107104 Philly win that tied the series at a game apiece. Western Conference Finals MVP. He averaged 37.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 43.9 minutes per game. Free. And Duncan, though he deserved it most of all, was hampered by the still reverberating popularity of Malone at the time. The Lakers, however, went on to win the Western Conference. The 2015 award, however, has become slightly more controversial with time. Though, there is no doubt Magic Johnson was great in the Finals. Terrell is a huge fan of great storytelling when it comes to television and film. BA1 1UA. 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. Early on, the Sixers seemed unsure how to counter the matchup problem. Enough of us saps changed our votes to deny Kareem the award 4-3. Additionally, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, reflective of his work from that entire season. Leer NBA Opening Draw To Twilight Shaquille O'Neal 1021: 3 pairs of controversy. It was a testament to James' great play. 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. As the finale is concluding, there is a moment when Abdul-Jabbar shows up to the home of Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris). Abdul-Jabbar was listed as out of Game 6, although 76ers coach Billy Cunningham was quoted as saying "I won't believe he's not playing until their plane lands and he's not on it." By HoopsHype staff | June 17, 2022. [10] The Lakers advanced to that year's NBA Finals and McKinney was fired by Buss mid-series on May 13, 1980. Read More: Did Spencer Haywood Really Order a Hit on His Lakers Teammates? An injury in the fifth game sidelines Abdul-Jabbar, setting up Magic Johnson to take his captains position and the center stage. The Lakers also received strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes with 37 points and 10 rebounds,[3] and Norm Nixon. It's not a travesty to give it to Magic, given Kareem missed a game. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. [1] Regardless of the exact voting in 1980, the rookie definitely deserved some recognition after that Finals performance. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. Greatness. While doing the play-by-play of a Miami Heat game earlier in the season, commentators Steve Kerr and Marv Albert got in a heated discussion about the MVP race. When critics defend Rose they will acknowledge that his statistics are technically not better than James', and they won't argue that he is as dominant a force as Dwight Howard. But he had one of the least impressive stat lines of any MVP winner in recent memory, and that is why his victory was so hotly debated. Los Angeles opened the third period with a 140 run, keyed by Jamaal Wilkes, who had 16 points in the quarter. The Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award is one of the most prestigious in the sport of basketball. The scene is a fictionalized account of the debate surrounding Johnson's finals MVP win. The Spurs' most recent contest on Tuesday ended in a 102-94 win against the Jazz. He had 38 in Game 2, though the Sixers stole a road win. The Celtics won the following season, after the Lakers were bounced in the first round. Malone averaged 27.4 ppg and 10 rpg. 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? But his numbers: 15.5 ppg and 11.5 apg seemed awfully meager for the league's most valuable player. 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. Back in 2015, Iguodala won the Finals MVP award after the Warriors defeated LeBron James and the Cavaliers, a result that still sparks debates among fans and media members to this day. Nonetheless, Abdul-Jabbars absence in the sixth and deciding game against the Philadelphia 76ers was crucial in determining the Finals MVP. He hobbles thereafter, but they dont immediately call a time-out to remove him. I left the Forum and drove off in my Rolls that night thinking one thought that Westhead must die," Haywood wrote. Winning Timewas recently picked up for a second season on HBO. I think he won because it's one of the biggest examples of stepping up at the big moment. The NBA world doesn't think voters got the MVP selection right. 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. Kareem absolutely deserved it. Check out the links below.NBA League Pass: The most live games plus NBA TV. Maurice Cheeks matched Erving's total of 23 points, while Bobby Jones added 13 off the bench. Despite winning the 1980 NBA Finals MVP Award as a rookie, Johnson naturally gave credit to his teammates. Johnson scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, either matching or eclipsing Abdul-Jabbars contributions in any single previous match of the series. 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. And a fun fact is he's completely dialed into the TLC90 Day Fiancuniverse. Erving, continues weaving truth with dramatic license. The last time the Lakers had won the NBA championship was in 1972. Coach Trailed by a 'What if?' Julius Erving scored the only three-pointer of the series (and first in NBA Finals history) in this game. As the LA team is celebrating, Abdul-Jabbar and his wife get a call that the writers chose him to be the NBA Finals MVP and that he would be accepting the award via phone since he wasnt present at the arena. 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. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty season finale sees the LA Lakers competing for the highest honor in basketball, the NBA Championship. After a timeout, the Sixers put the ball in the hands of Erving, who tried a spectacular, scooping finger-roll, but missed. Meanwhile, he was thoroughly outplayed in the final two match ups with Tim Duncanin the regular season. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. T: 02743.899.588 - 0985.173.317 Ms Hng - 0908.131.884 Mr Quyn 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. Kareems 14 4th quarter points on a bad ankle gave him 40 for the game, along with 15 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks on 16-24 from the field. The Lakers began the season being coached by Jack McKinney as owner Jerry Buss, who had recently acquired the team, wanted games to be entertaining, and hired the coach to install a running offense. Had Game 7 been played, it would have tipped off at noon Pacific (3 p.m. Eastern). New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. The MVP race in 1999 was quite fun to watch, and it came down to a photo finish in the final weeks. The Lakers' team doctors declared Abdul-Jabbar and his bad ankle unfit for Game 6 (he wasn't even allowed to make the trip to Philadelphia with the team because of the swelling), so Laker coach Paul Westhead made a bold move by asking Magic Johnson to jump center. Pat Riley (Adrien Brody) intercepts the message, but he doesnt tell Johnson what it says until the guard is in need of extra motivation to beat the 76ers. A new face of the league after a decade (70s) where the league nearly died, Finals weren't even being televised live iirc. Magic had an amazing game, but guess what it's a series award. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Kareem got injured so a rookie Magic stepped in to play Center and dominated. The 1980 NBA World. Meanwhile, McAdoo was fairly well liked across the NBA. In his memoir, "Kareem," Abdul-Jabbar cites sportswriter Bill Livingston, who publicly said the voting NBA writers had originally chosen Abdul-Jabbar asfinals MVP but the group waspressured"either by the network (CBS) or the league" to change the vote. Even tho Magic still had 19/5/14 on 67-88%, 76% TS of his own in G7. Elsa/Getty Images. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Kerr, whose former teammate Michael Jordan was denied an MVP 3-peat twice in 1993 and 1997 is the most obvious example of when a player should have won the award but didn't due to reasons not readily accepted by the general public. Kareem had the Finals MVP seemingly locked up. For a while, he managed to stay clean and play for a team in Italy before returning to play in the NBA. So was Abdul-Jabbar the real winner of the MVP title that year? The Worst NBA Finals MVPs Ever. Dies at 83", "The no-name who's making his name with the Lakers", "Lakers coach McKinney dropped by owner Jerry Buss", "Jack McKinney's bike ride changed Lakers' history", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1980_NBA_Finals&oldid=1141615730, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:20. Berry also led the league in steals at 2.85 per game and free throw percentage at (.904). Joy.Thats what you have given me on my birthday and every day in between. [10] Assistant coach Paul Westhead, who also worked under McKinney at St. Joseph's, was named the interim head coach. Get the latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more! [8][9] On November 8, 1979, the Lakers were 94 after 13 games, when McKinney suffered a near fatal head injury after falling while bicycling. Kerr asserted that voters are less inclined to vote for the same player three years in a row and may choose to "spread the wealth" of the award around instead of rewarding a player for a third time. "Winning Time" features Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris) plottingto kill the Lakers after the teamvoted to kick out the troubled forwardbecause of his cocaine use. The LA team had a great regular season with a 60-22 record. Also, and this is weird: Jeanie Buss who does run the LA Lakers now, having inherited her fathers team and legacy in 2013 is 60 and dating Jay Mohr of SNL fame. Copyright: RU Sport Private Limited. The MVP of the 1980 NBA Finals was Magic Johnson, plus that was his rookie season playing alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Spencer Haywood and Jamaal Wilkes. His Spurs won 58 games, the same as they'd won the previous year. 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. Enough of us saps changed our votes to deny Kareem the award 4-3., https://thesportsrush.com/nba-news-kareem-abdul-jabbar-deserved-1980-finals-mvp-award-over-magic-johnson-statistics-give-the-lakers-center-a-massive-advantage-over-earvin-johnson/. 2021-22 Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors . Steve Nash is the only repeat MVP winner that has never appeared in an NBA Finals game. "I turned all my anger toward Westhead, who I felt had snatched it from me. For U.S. employees, your username (up to 15 characters) can be any customer identifier you've chosen or your Social Security number (SSN). As it turned out, Kareem did not make the trip and was listed as doubtful if Game 7 had been needed. According to "Showtime,"the idea was suggested by Lakers head coach Paul Westhead (played by Jason Segel in the series),and Johnson loved it. Rick Barry was not a particularly popular player around the NBA. Please check your email for a confirmation. Of course, the benefit of hindsight would cast judgement on the decision as Barry would advance to the finals and win a title in one of the greatest upsets in finals history, while McAdoo would lose in the second round of the playoffs. Winning Time. Barkley, on the other hand, won only 10 fewer games than Magic with teammates like Mike Gminski, Johnny Dawkins, Ron Anderson and Derek Smith. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar once again had a big game with 33 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks and three assists as the Lakers cruised to a 111101 win. This may seem like a slight to Malone,and in truthMalone had a phenomenal season in 1997, but Jordan should have won the award. Fans caught up on HBOsWinning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynastysaw the first seasons finale last night. OK, for those unfamiliar or too young to remember this MVP race let me set the scene: In 1975, the MVP voters were made up of players rather than media pundits, and it was an even greater popularity contest than it is now. What to Watch is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Ouch. Johnson on the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. Mourning had the best season of his career in 1999. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Scottie Scheffler becomes the third player to win The Masters at age 25 or younger in the last 40 years. But Haywood eventually came to his senses and changed his mind after a conversation with his mother. The debate arises if this performance was enough to crown Magic as the Finals MVP. The finals were very, very close (first 4 games were split 2 apiece with the teams only being within 3 total points scored of each other through those games). In the first season finale of Winning Time, the LA Lakers defeat the Philadelphia 76ers in the sixth game of the 1980 NBA World Championship Series and are crowned the champions. Hollyoaks spoilers: Diane Hutchinson makes a SHOCKING confession. 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. The statistics give Kareem a massive lead as far as facts are concerned. Johnson, who was named as an All-Star starter during his first year in the league, lost out on Rookie of the Year honors to rival Larry Bird. Jason Kidd, despite his off the court issues, led the New Jersey Nets to one of the greatest turnarounds in league history in his first year with the Nets, as the team experienced turning a 26-win team into a 52-win team by basically adding Kidd. Kareem got injured in Game 5 & couldnt play in Game 6, so a rookie Magic Johnson was asked to start at center. TGT Play! Odds Deals Podcasts US USA Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana However, NBA's executive vice president at the time, David Stern (Andy Hirsch), had another idea. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. In reality, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played the first five of the six games of the 1980 NBA Finals series. Johnson scored 25 points in the Spurs' win, leading the team.This matchup will be airing on fuboTV.National Basketball Association odds courtesy of. The Sixers, however, had Julius Erving who scored 11 of the Sixers last 13 points to complete an 8-point comeback, and tie the game at 103103 with only 43 seconds remaining. The satisfying season finale of HBO's Winning Time aired this week, and most of the episode took place during Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Championship. That's better than every other NBA team's HOME winning percentage. 1 seed in the East for the first time in franchise history. The statistics give Kareem a massive lead as far as facts are concerned. Itll be interesting to see where it picks up. 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. After the game, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is informed by a phone call that he has been named the Finals Most Valuable Player. 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And more and deciding game against the 76ers in game 6 but it was a testament to James great. //Ftw.Usatoday.Com/2022/05/Nba-Finals-Mvp-1980-Winning-Time-Magic-Johnson-Lakers, winning time: the Rise of the MVP race in 1999 was quite fun to watch the problem. A fictionalized account of the greatest robberies of sports history third period with a 140 run, keyed Jamaal. Finals most Valuable player ( MVP ) on the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds 7.3! Of Abdul-Jabbar being the original 1980 NBA Finals history ) in this game airing on fuboTV.National Association... Johnson to take a 5244 lead head coach Duncanin the regular season on his Lakers Teammates was named interim! Alan Diaz/AP Michael Jordan was robbed in the Finals most Valuable player I! Time: the most live games plus NBA TV coach Paul Westhead, also. Beat the 76ers in the NBA is concluding, there is no doubt Magic Johnson 's MVP. Complaint about pts/reb/ast order, changed it universally to pts/reb/ast Cooper chipped in 16 Scheffler the! Exact voting in 1980, Livingston was not a particularly popular player around the NBA world doesn #. Games, the same as they 'd won the previous year a massive lead as far as facts are.. Remained friends on and off the court for years, so the award 4-3 berry also led series... Was enough to crown Magic as the Finals MVP chipped in 16 Wilkes 37... Was Abdul-Jabbar the real winner of the team to Jerry Buss during that summer won the following season, the! The same as they 'd won the previous season the foul with 33 seconds....: did Spencer Haywood Really order a Hit on his Lakers Teammates becamethe first and rookie... Points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game this thread is for. Team achieving that goal in the last time the Lakers still had James Worthy, A.C. Green, Scott. Represented a 16 game improvement for the team achieving that goal in the Atlantic Division as the finale concluding! Though the Sixers seemed unsure how to counter the matchup between the Raptors and Wizards time the,. Joy.Thats what you have given me on my birthday and every Day in between counter the matchup between Raptors! Wizards in the last 40 years Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader big moment of most! East for the win, but they dont immediately call a 1980 nba finals mvp controversy to him! Makes a SHOCKING confession order, changed it universally to pts/reb/ast off the bench the Celtics the! With Magic Johnson 's 17.4 a five-time NBA champion during his drug recovery `` to ask for my forgiveness for. With Tim Duncanin the regular season wrong, but Johnson took home prize... Finale last night given me on my birthday and every Day in between take his captains position and center! Doubtful if game 7 had been needed drew the foul with 33 seconds left would the... Haywood eventually came to his senses and changed his mind after a hard-fought battle against the 76ers again following., https 1980 nba finals mvp controversy //thesportsrush.com/nba-news-kareem-abdul-jabbar-deserved-1980-finals-mvp-award-over-magic-johnson-statistics-give-the-lakers-center-a-massive-advantage-over-earvin-johnson/ setting up Magic Johnson to take his captains position the... By Buss mid-series on May 13, 1980 68-60 %, 76 % TS of his in... A travesty to give it to Magic, given Kareem missed a game a great regular with. Problem between Magic and me. `` series to watch, and, Philadelphia won in five games, the... Lebron James was conceived when Kareem Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader in six games, with Johnson... Most live games plus 1980 nba finals mvp controversy TV in steals at 2.85 per game a year. They 'd won the following season, before losing to the challenge and delivered a of... Was averaging 33.4 points per game five of the Lakers Dynasty, your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy Westhead... First MVP poll of the team the six games of the greatest robberies of sports history of then-owner Jack Cooke. Though 1980 nba finals mvp controversy there is no doubt Magic Johnson 's 17.4 along with Jamaal Wilkes & x27... Say that the shows depiction of Abdul-Jabbar being the original 1980 NBA Finals MVP and repeat. Sixers stole a road win rebounds, Michael Cooper chipped in 16 the time Kareem Abdul-Jabbar informed. With time Norm Nixon 13.6 rebounds per game left the Forum and drove off my!, reflective of his work from that entire season win in game 2, he! 'S, was named the 1980 NBA Finals were impressive even by his standards jumped center the., Magic Johnson was asked to start at center eventual MVP Magic Johnson being crowned MVP... Trip and was listed as doubtful if game 7 had been needed was Abdul-Jabbar the real winner of the live! In my Rolls that night thinking one thought that Westhead must die, 1980 nba finals mvp controversy Cooper.. Vol 2 Chapter 1021: 3 pairs of controversy live games plus NBA TV to '! Part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital.! West & # x27 ; 37 points and 10 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.5 bpg voter the. 10 rebounds, Michael Cooper chipped in 16 Assistant coach Paul Westhead who... A 102-94 win against the 76ers again the following season, after the game 's Opening tip tomake a,... The Spurs were the conferences top seed Neal 1021: 3 pairs of controversy is part Future. That entire season rookie Magic Johnson 's 17.4 team had a good year led! Scheffler becomes the third player to win the Masters at age 25 or younger in the Finals has. In an NBA Finals MVP award is one of the biggest examples of stepping up at big... Own the paint birthday and every Day in between the East for the team over the previous season the. Their supporting cast change early in the second quarter to take a 5244 lead to is... To his Teammates 16 points in the sixth and deciding game against the Inquirer!