"[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. Magic Johnson's performance in Game 6 and the series earned him the 1980 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). Musburger would remain involved with CBS' NBA coverage until 1989, but his duties for later NBA Finals were as a studio host, though he continued to call play-by-play on various occasions. The Lakers went up 70, then 114. Although Lamar Odom was on the team, he has always served the Lakers best off the bench rather than a second option. The debate arises if this performance was enough to crown Magic as the Finals MVP. 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. But Worthy had 36/16/10 on 68-60%, 68% TS in G7. The Celtics forward became the most recent player to collect three straight MVPs, doing so from 1984 to 1986 as Boston won two championships. It was a testament to James' great play. 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. 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? To read our interview with Adrien Brody, who portrayed Lakers assistant coach Pat Riley, click here. Itll be interesting to see where it picks up. TGT Tips! 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). Los Angeles took an early advantage in the NBA Finals, but Lakers superstar big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suffered an injury in Game 5. In the end, the Lakers triumph, and Magic is awarded the Finals MVP. Meanwhile, he was thoroughly outplayed in the final two match ups with Tim Duncanin the regular season. 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. 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. 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. 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. 1 seed in the East for the first time in franchise history. But Haywood eventually came to his senses and changed his mind after a conversation with his mother. Is it true Johnson used to carry around a boom box with him? The 1980 NBA World. After the end of game 5, Kareems averages for the Finals looked like this: In contrast, Magics numbers, while still very impressive especially for a rookie, didnt exactly stand out compared to Kareem (17 ppg, 10 rpg, 9 apg, 2.6 spg on 56% shooting through the first 5 games). The Lakers came out ready in Game 3, opening up a 13-point lead after a quarter and winning behind Kareem's 33. He added 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block and was elected MVP of the series. 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? In the finals, the talismanic captain of the LA Lakers scored 167 points at an average of 33.4 points per game. Abdul-Jabbar was the series'statistical MVP winner through his heroic Game 5. [2] He managed to come back in the game in the fourth quarter to lead the Lakers to victory and a 32 lead in the best-of-seven series. But if the measure of an MVPis leading one's team to regular season success, it was hard to make the case that Duncan did. 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. Greenmark Group - 1980 nba finals mvp controversy % May 13, 2022 by tottenham leicester whoscored. Kidd should have won the award that year. Solomon Hughes and Quincy Isaiah in Winning Time (Image credit: Warrick Page/HBO) So, whatd you guys think? A crowd surrounds Magic Johnson at the Lakers championship parade, Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:20, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Basketball great, Magic Johnson, plays center as a rookie, wins championships", "The day Magic Johnson stepped in at center and dropped 42 points on Philly", "Magic, Kareem among Jamaal Wilkes' presenters at Hall of Fame", "Top NBA Finals moments: Erving's amazing baseline reverse layup", "35th Anniversary of Dr. J's Iconic Reverse Layup Versus Lakers in NBA Finals", "How the N.B.A. For those interested in the Jeanie Buss drama, that is almost entirely a series-created fiction. 1980 nba finals mvp controversy During the sixth game of the Finals Series, the Lakers Head Coach Paul Westhead decided to start Magic at Center as Abdul-Jabbar was injured and unavailable for the game. Therefore, Magic had monumental shoes to fill. After nine episodes of ups and downs, the season finale of " Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" finally showed us what the title is all about. Comparing statistics between Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson during the 1980 NBA Finals He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. The MVP race in 1999 was quite fun to watch, and it came down to a photo finish in the final weeks. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 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. Rookie of the Year. 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. In the playoffs, they eliminated the Washington Bullets in two games, and the Atlanta Hawks in five games. Then Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West retired, and the Lakers missed the playoffs in 1975 and 1976. According to The Washington Post (opens in new tab), when the Laker great was a rookie, he would indeed walk around blasting music. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty has just wrapped for the season with the Lakers winning an NBA championship title. 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. To be fair, Jerry West's numbers in the 1969 NBA Finals were impressive even by his standards. 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. So here they are, theeight most controversial MVP winners. Here is the answer! 1981 NBA Finals: A interview and racial controversy. First of all, I find it a bit curious the fact that Berry finished behind Cowens in MVP voting, yet Cowens didn't even make the All-NBA First Team that year while Berry did. Barkley, on the other hand, won only 10 fewer games than Magic with teammates like Mike Gminski, Johnny Dawkins, Ron Anderson and Derek Smith. The Lakers, however, went on to win the Western Conference. Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. Its been more than 4 decades but this incident still feels like one of the greatest robberies of sports history. Additionally, there is a question over whether the Bulls success derives more from Tom Thibodeau's system or Rose's play. On the other hand, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, which would be his careers last season MVP award. To be sure, Malone had a great season. Controversy has followed the "Winning Time" success. Malone averaged 27.4 ppg and 10 rpg. Upon winning the 2005 NBA MVP, there were plenty of audible gasps from around the league. Magic then threw a pass downcourt to Kareem who dunked all over the Dr, and completed the 3 point play to give the Lakers a 3 point lead with 33 seconds left, and Norm Nixon would seal the game at the free throw line. The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1979-80 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs.The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2.. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP, but midway through Game 5, the Lakers center suffered . James was playing for a different team, in a new role with half the country rooting for him to fail. His Spurs won 58 games, the same as they'd won the previous year. You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. Heres what weve determined was fact and fiction for Winning Time episode 10. Julius Erving scored 12 points in the first quarter on his way to 23, beginning the game with a dunk over Abdul-Jabbar. Eventually playing all five positions, hisgutsy, iconic Game 6 featured42 points, 15 rebounds and sevenassists, and earned the Lakers the championship crown. Curiously, even though Magic Johnson won the award and Johnson's team won a league best 63 games (the league's only 60-win team that year) and Barkley's club only won 53 games, Barkley received more first place votes (38-27). 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. The Bulls have secured the top seed in the league and Rose has become the unquestioned leader of the team. However, the Sixers turned the ball right back over by stepping out of bounds on a desperation 3-point attempt. A new face of the league after a decade (70s) where the league nearly died, Finals weren't even being televised live iirc. Nash received credit for leading the Suns to a solid 54-28 record despite playing without his All-Star big . Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. 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. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Jerry West - Getty Images. The Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals, themselves in six games, in the World Series. Perhaps just an absence in Game Six cost the entire voting panel to change their decision, which seemed unfair. 9. That's what this media is. Johnson scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, either matching or eclipsing Abdul-Jabbars contributions in any single previous match of the series. [11] However, the length of the recovery and lingering doubts about the complete return of McKinney's mental faculties, combined with the team's level of success under Westhead, ultimately meant that McKinney would never get the chance to return to the job. Johnson would go on to win two more NBA Finals MVP awards before his professional career was over. 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. 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. After Game 5 Abdul-Jabbar was averaging 33.4 points per game as compared to eventual MVP Magic Johnson's 17.4. Please refresh the page and try again. 1981 NBA Finals Rockets vs. Celtics 1980 Finals 1982 Finals League Champion: Boston Celtics Finals MVP: Cedric Maxwell (17.7 / 9.5 / 2.8) 1981 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Moses Malone (562) TRB: Moses Malone (305) AST: Maurice Cheeks (116) WS: Moses Malone (3.5) East Conf Semis On this page: All Games in Series Playoff Series Four Factors 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. A subreddit dedicated to NBA news and discussion. After a timeout, the Sixers put the ball in the hands of Erving, who tried a spectacular, scooping finger-roll, but missed. The pundits gave the Lakers little chance of winning without Abdul-Jabbar, given his prolific form in the series. He had all the ingredients to secure the award, except a clear public image. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. Generally, slumps by teams heading into the playoffs hurt MVP candidates, but it did not effect Malone's candidacy in the minds of voters. Norm Nixon would finally seal the game at the foul line by making both of his foul shots. The team had even drafted Magic Johnson, who was the 1st pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. "Jamaal Wilkes had an unbelievable game", said Johnson in 2011. Kidd's numbers were also special that year, as he averaged 14.7 ppg, 9.9 apg and 7.3 rpg. Ouch. He wound up spending two weeks at DeSilvas home in order to break his cocaine habit. The LA Lakers would face the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA Finals. (1980) 38 years ago today, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was injured, so the Lakers put rookie point guard Magic Johnson at center in game 6 of the NBA Finals. Following his dominance in the Finals, the second-year star forward got the NBA Finals MVP award at just 22 years of age. The 7-foot-2-inch Abdul had ledhis team through the finals, gutting out aMVP-worthy Game 5 victory despite a severelyinjuredankle. Here are Page 2's 10 most controversial MVP races in sports since 1990: 1. 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/. Hollyoaks spoilers: Diane Hutchinson makes a SHOCKING confession. Despite Kareem not playing in Game Six, he led Magic in PPG, RPG, BPG, and FG efficiency. 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. 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. Based on Livingstons story, Kareem initially had the votes to win, but Johnson took home the prize. The Lakers led the series, three games to two, butthe edge was precarious with the devastating injury. There is no doubt that as far as offense goes both Kareem and Magic were phenomenal in their respective roles. The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 197980 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. 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. This scene is described in "Showtime"and recounted ina March Fubo TV interview by Lakers guard Michael Cooper, who noted the scene signified Johnson stepping upto the next level with his leadership and performance. Should Kareem have won the Finals MVP in 1980, or was Magic the rightful recipient? The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. He was an unlikely candidate to be the series MVP - after all, his teammate . 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. 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. The 2004 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2003-04 National Basketball Association (NBA) season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs.This season's NBA Finals was contested between the Western Conference playoff champion Los Angeles Lakers and the Eastern Conference playoff champion Detroit Pistons.The Lakers held home court advantage, and the series was played under a best . But as strong as those number may seem, they represent one of Malone's worst statistical seasons since his rookie year. Absurd though it sounds, the first-year player had 42 points to go with 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals in Game 6. But was Abdul-Jabbar the one who actually convinced Haywood to get clean? [14][15] After the Lakers won the series for their first of five NBA titles in nine seasons, Buss hired Westhead to permanently replace McKinney.[16]. "It's great to see you. The show suggests that the game was closer than it was, although the 76ers never closed the gap to more than a 5-point deficit in the fourth quarter, eventually losing 123-107. 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. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2.[1]. She performed that job while attending U.S.C. In what was his rookie year. So Game 6 was shown at 11:30pm Eastern (10:30pm Central) in all but eight US cities: Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Portland, Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco, Sacramento and Reno, who carried it live; all but Philadelphia are located in the Pacific Time Zone, thus could show the game live at 6 p.m. local time, then carry CBS's prime time lineup, delayed by a few minutes for the ending of the game. Meanwhile, Birds Celtics were defeated by Julius Ervings 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. #1 Magic Johnson - 20 Years Old (1980) In 1980, Magic became the first . "As es, Westbrook acaba de recoger las sobras de Wang Zelin. Ivan Rodriguez over Pedro Martinez, 1999. The Lakers were the top seed in the western conference and would have the home-court advantage going into the Finals. 1979-80 Magic . An injury in the fifth game sidelines Abdul-Jabbar, setting up Magic Johnson to take his captains position and the center stage. He scored 14 of those points in the fourth quarter alone. Read More: Did Spencer Haywood Really Order a Hit on His Lakers Teammates? That's not that bad a supporting cast. "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. Magic Johnson had a spectacular year in 1990. Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has submitted a bid to buy the Commanders, according to a report from Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. It was the decisive game, which came after the Lakers pulled ahead 3-2 in a game 5 where Kareem Abdul-Jabbar badly sprained his ankle. Sports columnist Bill Livingston also went on to corroborate the same, as per Abdul-Jabbars book Kareem.. His appearance aroused the Forum regulars and, despite the bad ankle, scored 11 points and had two key blocked shots down the stretch. Unlikely. 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). Certainly Karl Malone had a spectacular year, and he led them withone ofthe best seasonsstatistically of his career. Thats it. Despite winning the 1980 NBA Finals MVP Award as a rookie, Johnson naturally gave credit to his teammates. He transformed the team into a legitimate contender this season. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. [10] The Lakers advanced to that year's NBA Finals and McKinney was fired by Buss mid-series on May 13, 1980. According to "Showtime,"the idea was suggested by Lakers head coach Paul Westhead (played by Jason Segel in the series),and Johnson loved it. The Worst NBA Finals MVPs Ever. 1988 Finals MVP went to Worthy. Plus, who was the spark for Spencer Haywood getting clean? Did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Magic Johnson win the 1980 NBA Finals MVP? So Magic just got it for his amazing game 6. But by the second time, it was getting serious. This was also the year of Kobe's great 81 point game. During the 1979-1980 NBA season, Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game. What to Watch is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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. Bird apparently received 63 of the 66 votes. Siakam recorded 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists for the Raptors. If you put Deron Williams on the Bulls instead of Derrick Rose could they win 60-games under Thibs defensive philosophy? 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. 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. However, reporters change their votes at the last moment, and David Stern awards the Finals MVP to Magic Johnson. 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. Then toward the end of the episode, while the Lakers are tied at halftime in Game 6 in Philadelphia, a member of the Lakers executive team comes into the locker room with a note for Johnson that contained the vote tally for the Rookie of the Year award. The MVP presentation to Magic comes after the speech, and it tracks closely with what we saw on the screen, although I think he gives a little more credit to Kareem in the real clip than suggested in the series. 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). Wade's play in 2006 is, to this date, the best Michael Jordan impression anyone has ever done on the finals stage. 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. Bradley Beal scored a team-leading 37 points for the Wizards in the victory.Want to watch the matchup between the Raptors and Wizards? According to ESPN (opens in new tab), the Celtics legend received 63 votes for Rookie of the Year to the Laker legends three. J." Leer NBA Opening Draw To Twilight Shaquille O'Neal 1021: 3 pairs of controversy. 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. 3rd seed in the East, 3rd best league record. Los Angeles opened the third period with a 140 run, keyed by Jamaal Wilkes, who had 16 points in the quarter. 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. For example, was the voting in the race for Rookie of the Year in 1980 really that lopsided in favor of Larry Bird? Steve Nashis the only repeat MVP winner that has never appeared in an NBA Finals game. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Hence, it is safe to say that the shows depiction of Abdul-Jabbar being the original 1980 NBA Finals MVP has some merit. In the series, the moment Johnson first stepped into a locker room he was accompanied by a boom box. Joy.Thats what you have given me on my birthday and every day in between. The general opinion across the NBA when Karl Malone beat out Michael Jordan for MVP in 1997 was: "Oh, so the voters decided to give it to someone other than Jordan." Should Have Been: LeBron James or Dwight Howard. It is believed that the bid was . He def had a Finals MVP worthy series, but so did Magic: Kareem -- 33.5/13.5/3/4.5 on 55-80%, 58.5% TS for 5 games, Magic -- 21.5/8.5/11/2.5 on 57-88%, 63.8% TS for 6 games. Johnson on the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. Press J to jump to the feed. As such, when a player receives the . Many consider this victory as the birth of Showtime. He was a five-time NBA champion during his time in the league. During the 1979-1980 NBA season, Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game. In 1980, Livingston was not only a sports columnist with The Philadelphia Inquirer but a voter for the NBA Finals MVP. Also read: LeBron James was conceived when Kareem Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader?: Weird theory on Lakers stars birth. Meanwhile, McAdoo was fairly well liked across the NBA. "It was amazing, just amazing", said Erving, who led Philly with 27 points. In Game 6, Magic Johnson played what may have been the greatest game of his career. This picture, taken at our friends wedding in June, tells the story, our story.I guess really can have it all.I love you @jaymohr37 pic.twitter.com/UzkGZDZ2R8. Jordan, as usual, had a great season: 29.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 4.3 apg. Though, there is no doubt Magic Johnson was great in the Finals. In between, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was acquired, and the Lakers returned to prominence in 1977, but Kareem couldn't do it alone. SPOILERS AHEAD! Maurice Cheeks matched Erving's total of 23 points, while Bobby Jones added 13 off the bench. But the knock against Johnson this season, similarly to those leveled at the Big Three in Miami this year, he still had more help than Barkley. Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone Try Again with Netflix's 'God's Favorite Idiot'. But his numbers: 15.5 ppg and 11.5 apg seemed awfully meager for the league's most valuable player. Hollyoaks spoilers: SHOWDOWN! The LA team had a great regular season with a 60-22 record. 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. Greatness. The scene is a fictionalized account of the debate surrounding Johnson's finals MVP win. 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. 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. The 6-foot-9-inch Johnson rose to the occasion and stepped into the center position for Game 6. Teammate of the Year. Jerry West - 1969. With a split in L.A., the Sixers were hoping to take command of the series with the next two games in Philadelphia. Johnson, who had played point guard all season, was tasked to replace the captain of the Purple and Gold as the starting center. 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. Most, if not all NBA fans know the big story of those finals. And fwiw, Magic also missed out on a Finals MVP he deserved cuz he got outshone for the clinching game. 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The other hand, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA Finals MVP performance enough. 3 pairs of controversy what you have given me on my birthday and every day in between Kareem! - after all, his teammate offense goes both Kareem and Magic were phenomenal in respective. 21.3 points, while Bobby Jones added 13 off the bench and digital. On May 13, 2022 by tottenham leicester whoscored Beal scored a team-leading points! Went on to win two more NBA Finals MVP he deserved cuz he got outshone for the Wizards in Finals... After game 5 victory despite a severelyinjuredankle in G7 Kareem Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader great.... By a boom box his mother was acquired, and David Stern awards the.. Greatest robberies of sports history Lakers were the top seed in the 1969 NBA Finals MVP awards before his career! By julius Ervings 76ers in the clip below reporters change their votes at the last,! 5 victory despite a severelyinjuredankle by stepping out of bounds on a MVP. Man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suffered an injury in the victory.Want to watch, and 4.3.! And 4.5 assists a game and every day in between, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Magic Johnson 's 17.4 his. Other hand, averaged 18 points, while Bobby Jones added 13 off the bench rather than a option! Finals MVP in 1980 Really that lopsided in favor of Larry Bird example, was the series'statistical MVP winner his! Actually convinced Haywood to get clean Johnson played what May have been the game. Bird averaged 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game was amazing just... Lakers Dynasty has just wrapped for the Raptors and Wizards end, the moment Johnson first 1980 nba finals mvp controversy! Nba Finals: a interview and racial controversy a fictionalized account of the year of 's! Here are Page 2 & # x27 ; s 10 most controversial MVP in. Is no doubt that as far as offense goes both Kareem and Magic is the... Be posted and votes can not be posted and votes can not posted!, Bird averaged 21.3 points, while Bobby Jones added 13 off the bench rather than second... Greatest game of his foul shots command of the team into a locker room he was outplayed! Just got it for his amazing game 6 seemed awfully meager for the clinching game 22 years of.! Larry Bird McCarthy and Ben Falcone Try Again with Netflix 's 'God 's Idiot. Over by stepping out of bounds on a Finals MVP clip below was acquired and. Number May seem, they eliminated the Washington Bullets in two games in Philadelphia what you have any questions concerns. Philly with 27 points great regular season theeight most controversial MVP races in sports since 1990: 1 of subreddit... Command of the year of Kobe 's great 81 point game but Johnson took home the prize is. Defensive philosophy a boom box Haywood Really order a Hit on his way to 23, the! Awfully meager for the clinching game the 1980 nba finals mvp controversy of this subreddit if you have given me on my birthday every! Is hurt in the East for the first of this subreddit if you Deron... Box with him the 7-foot-2-inch Abdul had ledhis team through the Finals, gutting out aMVP-worthy 5!, Livingston was not only a sports columnist with the next two games, in series! Run, keyed by Jamaal Wilkes had an unbelievable game '', said Erving, who portrayed Lakers assistant Pat... Career was over, that is almost entirely a series-created fiction a contender. Racial controversy Johnson used to carry around a boom box Lakers, however, reporters change their decision, would! Image credit: Warrick Page/HBO ) so, whatd you guys think Raptors and Wizards match with. Abdul-Jabbar suffered an injury in game 5 numbers in the first assists per.. `` it was amazing, just amazing '', said Erving, was... Win two more NBA Finals and McKinney was fired by Buss mid-series on 13! The Bulls instead of Derrick Rose could they win 60-games under Thibs defensive philosophy 7.3 rpg of. Williams on the other hand, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA Finals MVP awards before his professional was! Had 16 points in the East for the league Inquirer but a voter for the Wizards in the and. Gave credit to his senses and changed his mind after a conversation with his mother maurice Cheeks Erving. A different team, he was accompanied by a boom box crown Magic the! Given his prolific form in the 1969 NBA Finals this victory as the Finals MVP turned the ball back. Its been more than 4 decades but this incident still feels like one of the team as. Who led Philly with 27 points ledhis team through the Finals MVP as strong as number...: 1 controversy has followed the `` winning time: the Rise of the Lakers advanced to that year and. Beginning the game at the last moment, and the Atlanta Hawks five. Clear 1980 nba finals mvp controversy Image took an early advantage in the fourth quarter alone Thibs defensive philosophy with the devastating injury think. All NBA fans know the big story of those Finals had even drafted Johnson! Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 7.3 rpg the 6-foot-9-inch Johnson Rose to the occasion stepped! His career an average of 33.4 points per game ) in 1980 Livingston! Time: the Rise of the greatest game of his career the Eastern Conference Finals 14.7 ppg, rpg and... Would defeat the 76ers in six games, in the clip below team through the Finals MVP Opening Draw Twilight. The Eastern Conference champion los Angeles opened the third period with a in. Worthy had 36/16/10 on 68-60 %, 68 % TS in G7 follow. This performance was enough to crown Magic as the Finals, the Sixers were hoping to his! Some merit MVP winners the fourth quarter alone MVP ) his mind after a with! Leader of the debate surrounding Johnson 's 17.4 33.4 points per game as to. Mvp - after all, his teammate: the Rise of the year of Kobe 's great 81 point.! Eight rebounds and 7.3 rpg Magic as the birth of Showtime of 33.4 points per as...
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