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). "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. Greatness. However, the Sixers turned the ball right back over by stepping out of bounds on a desperation 3-point attempt. Julius Erving scored 12 points in the first quarter on his way to 23, beginning the game with a dunk over Abdul-Jabbar. Though, there is no doubt Magic Johnson was great in the Finals. Alan Diaz/AP Michael Jordan was robbed in the 1988 - 1989 and. Jordan, as usual, had a great season: 29.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 4.3 apg. 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. Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson have remained friends on and off the court for years, so the award situation likely did not dent their relationship. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar continued to dominate, with 38 points in Game 2. Rick Barry was not a particularly popular player around the NBA. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Because May 16, 1980, was a Friday, the network did not want to preempt its two highest-rated shows, The Dukes of Hazzard and Dallas, even though both shows were already in reruns: the 197980 TV season had ended early, back in March (Dukes and Dallas both aired their season finale March 21), in anticipation of a strike that summer by the Screen Actors Guild. 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. Terrell is a huge fan of great storytelling when it comes to television and film. Julius Erving scored the only three-pointer of the series (and first in NBA Finals history) in this game. 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. 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. But Jordan simply did a bit more for the Bulls this season and deserved the award and hada slightly more convincing argument for winning the award. Johnson had no say in the matter. Rap in the 90s was apparently not his go-to genre. But by the second time, it was getting serious. What to Watch is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. SPOILERS AHEAD! After a hard-fought battle against the 76ers in Game 6, the Lakers emerge victorious. 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. The 1990 MVP race would prove to be one of the closest in league history as Magic Johnson edged out "Sir Charles" by a mere 22 votes. Over the years, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the 1980 Final MVP award. For marketing purposes in trying to build up the rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, Stern wanted the latter to receive the recognition instead. Kareem scored 40 points and had 15 rebounds despite missing part of the third period. The Bulls have secured the top seed in the league and Rose has become the unquestioned leader of the team. You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. However, the rookie bested his captain with an average of 8.7 assists per game. Early on, the Sixers seemed unsure how to counter the matchup problem. Their conversationcertainlybrings to minda few times in NBA history that the winner of the MVP award drew complaints rather than applause from some not directly connected to the committee. Therefore, viewers must be wondering if Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the original winner of the 1980 NBA Finals MVP? Winning Time has been picked up for another season. [18] (This is often cited as an example of TV's lack of interest in the NBA in the "pre-Magic and Bird" era.). Malone averaged 27.4 ppg and 10 rpg. This is also the game. Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson of the 1980 winning team Lakers. Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone Try Again with Netflix's 'God's Favorite Idiot'. NBA Opening Draw To Twilight Shaquille O'Neal Vol 2 Chapter 1021: 3 pairs of controversy . 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. Meanwhile, he was thoroughly outplayed in the final two match ups with Tim Duncanin the regular season. Johnson on the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. If you are looking to place some bets on football, don't miss out on our overview of the best football betting sites for US bettors. Paul Westhead does also thank Jack McKinney in his remarks, and the players (including Norm Nixon) make sure to single out Kareems contributions. 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 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. Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. Mourning had the best season of his career in 1999. 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. He's the first center to win since Shaq in 2000 and the first center to average 30+ points since Moses Malone in 1980. 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. That's what this media is. Juliet Nightingale has fun with Imran! NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. I left the Forum and drove off in my Rolls that night thinking one thought that Westhead must die," Haywood wrote. 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." Eastern Conference Finals MVP. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. REMINDER: This thread is only for serious and thought-provoking analysis. Yeah, but in the 5/6 he did he seem to have been the better player? That equates to a valuable player in my book. And a rookie Magic pretty much played all 5 positions and won the ring. Additionally, there is a question over whether the Bulls success derives more from Tom Thibodeau's system or Rose's play. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP, but midway through Game 5, the Lakers center suffered a severely sprained ankle. TGT Tips! 30 years from now some young r/nba punk will be posting this same thread asking why Iggy won the 15' Finals MVP, The difference is that Iggy had no reason winning finals MVP, He wouldve if he played 6/6 games. Los Angeles would win the game. For example, was the voting in the race for Rookie of the Year in 1980 really that lopsided in favor of Larry Bird? Basketball isnt just a sport for this 26-year-old, who hails from Mumbai. When hes not writing as Terrell, hes writing under his pseudonym Tavion Scott, creating scripts for his audio drama podcasts. Lakers center Kareem Abdul Jabbar was crowned the regular season MVP. The statistics give Kareem a massive lead as far as facts are concerned. There was a problem. 4 seed considering the struggles of everyone on the team? NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. 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. Should have been: Tim Duncan or Alonzo Mourning. 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. We hope you enjoyed what we put together here. Some of his favorite shows includeThe Crown,WandaVision, Abbot ElementaryandGodfather of Harlem. Proving the prognosticators right, Philadelphia won in five games, preventing the first CelticsLakers final since 1969. 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. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The 1981 NBA All-Star Game was played at the Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, Ohio, with the East defeating the West 123-120. When I did the first MVP poll of the season on Jan. 1, Steph Curry was the obvious . In a twist of irony, once Johnson was a seasoned vet at 36, he found himself annoyed by the very loud music the younger players on the Lakers would play. 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. However, Magic was not even close in terms of defense when compared to Kareem. Comparing statistics between Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson during the 1980 NBA Finals Itll be interesting to see where it picks up. 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. Haywood retired andbecame an advocate against drug use. All rights reserved. Hollyoaks spoilers: Warren Fox has dangerous plans for his son, Sebastian! Bird apparently received 63 of the 66 votes. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Its unclear (and unlikely) that Magic learned that in the fourth quarter of Game 6. The 1980 NBA World. Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Can you put any other center in the league on the Magic and have a No. Was this actually the final count? This may seem like a slight to Malone,and in truthMalone had a phenomenal season in 1997, but Jordan should have won the award. Magic Johnson then asserted himself by scoring six points and added an assist as Los Angeles moved up by eight at the end of the third. 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). He did not begrudge Johnson for the win, writing,"the outcome was never a problem between Magic and me.". Jerry West - Getty Images. Now, this is not to say that Nash's impact on the Suns was not felt. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. A new face of the league after a decade (70s) where the league nearly died, Finals weren't even being televised live iirc. As the finale is concluding, there is a moment when Abdul-Jabbar shows up to the home of Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris). Steve Nash is the only repeat MVP winner that has never appeared in an NBA Finals game. Julius Erving arrived before the 197677 season, and with him as the focal point of the offense, the 76ers soon transformed into a title contender. Johnson had no say in the matter. 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. 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. Even in this most recent episode, while not in a locker room, Johnson glides onto the teams flight listening to M.A.Z.E.s "Golden Time of the Day." What made Johnson's performance even more remarkable was that he was an NBA rookieand, indeed, one who had left college after only two years, and was only 20 years old. Many consider this victory as the birth of Showtime. Stephen Curry, G, Golden State Warriors. Nash received credit for leading the Suns to a solid 54-28 record despite playing without his All-Star big . 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. The "Winning Time" finale, centered on the championship series against the Philadelphia 76ers and team superstar Julius "Dr. Also Read: LeBron James legacy is off the court too: Kareem Abdul Jabbar weighs in on Lakers stars GOAT status. 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. Johnson scored 25 points in the Spurs' win, leading the team.This matchup will be airing on fuboTV.National Basketball Association odds courtesy of. Wilkes had a career-high 37 points and added 10 rebounds. According to his book, since he didn't fly out to Philly, the voters and network didn't want to give the award to an empty seat. He ultimately leaves it up to the rookie to decide if he wants to accept the award for himself, which Johnson does. Episode 10 sees the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA Finals, with team owner Jerry Buss and rookie Magic Johnson trying to win the Lakers their first. Johnson on the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. Then Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West retired, and the Lakers missed the playoffs in 1975 and 1976. In the 197980 season the 76ers finished 5923, two games behind the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division. In what was his rookie year. Becauseif it had worked, I wouldn't be seeing you. 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 Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award is one of the most prestigious in the sport of basketball. His appearance aroused the Forum regulars and, despite the bad ankle, scored 11 points and had two key blocked shots down the stretch. 10 times NBA players were robbed of the MVP award Nasha Smith Jun 14, 2019, 10:46 AM LeBron James should have been MVP in 2011. 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. Kareem had the Finals MVP seemingly locked up. 1 seed in the East for the first time in franchise history. He played 5/6 games and was clutch in them too. His rookie teammate Magic Johnson mesmerized crowds and stifled opponents . However, that wasn't enough to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the championship. The Lakers went up 70, then 114. Even tho Magic still had 19/5/14 on 67-88%, 76% TS of his own in G7. Granted, the Lakers were only a 7th seed this season and won 47 games to make the playoffs after missing them the previous year. Magic even jumped center in the game's opening tip tomake a statement, as seen in the episode. According to The Washington Post (opens in new tab), when the Laker great was a rookie, he would indeed walk around blasting music. 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. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. 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. He made a habit of entering the room blasting music and on most occasions annoying his teammates. During the 1979-1980 NBA season, Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game. You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. 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/. Meanwhile, Shaqplaying in his first season with the Miami Heatled the team to the top seed in the conference and a 59-23 record. 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. He had all the ingredients to secure the award, except a clear public image. Magic Johnson picked up three Finals MVP Awards (1980, 1982 and 1987) while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1985) and James Worthy (1988) received the honor once each. 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. [2] Scoring a game-high 42 points and grabbing a game-high 15 reboundsand handing out seven assists Johnson led the Lakers to the NBA crown. Unlikely. Series clinching game: Magic 42/15/7/3/1, Kareem not even in the state of Pennsylvania. According to several sources, including The Sports Rush (opens in new tab), Livingston allegedly confessed he and others changed their votes from Abdul-Jabbar to Johnson because CBS didnt want to present an award to an empty seat. Los Angeles took an early advantage in the NBA Finals, but Lakers superstar big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suffered an injury in Game 5. Sign up for the Layup Lines newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. He also had an average of 13.6 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game. Hollyoaks spoilers: REUNITED! For the record, I think Rose is very deserving of the award. Check out the links below.NBA League Pass: The most live games plus NBA TV. Here is the answer! Sports columnist Bill Livingston also went on to corroborate the same, as per Abdul-Jabbars book Kareem.. According to "Showtime,"the idea was suggested by Lakers head coach Paul Westhead (played by Jason Segel in the series),and Johnson loved it. Hollyoaks spoilers: Diane Hutchinson makes a SHOCKING confession. The NBA's MVP award has been chosen annually by a panel of media members since the 1980-81 season. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. The last time the Lakers had won the NBA championship was in 1972. To be fair, Jerry West's numbers in the 1969 NBA Finals were impressive even by his standards. 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." The 2015 award, however, has become slightly more controversial with time. Kareem was the story of the 1980 NBA Finals as it unfolded. If you put Deron Williams on the Bulls instead of Derrick Rose could they win 60-games under Thibs defensive philosophy? Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). 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. 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. Read More: Did Spencer Haywood Really Order a Hit on His Lakers Teammates? The scene is a fictionalized account of the debate surrounding Johnson's finals MVP win. But was Abdul-Jabbar the one who actually convinced Haywood to get clean? Johnson, who had played point guard all season, was tasked to replace the captain of the Purple and Gold as the starting center. For U.S. employees, your username (up to 15 characters) can be any customer identifier you've chosen or your Social Security number (SSN). And then Game 6 happened, and Magic played the game of his life, stealing Finals MVP with a single performance, although it sounded like even the voters at the time wanted to give Kareem the award: 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. "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). 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. Mo Cheeks the 5th or 6th best offensive player in the series, 14.7 ppg on 57.7% FG. Pearlman has no problem with that dramatic philosophy for the series, for which he served as a consultant. Sixth Man of the Year. 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. 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. He liked to play songs that didnt appeal to the general musical taste of the locker room. 3-Point Shot Went From Gimmick to Game Changer", "Lakers owner Jerry Buss sets the standard for winning", "Jack McKinney, N.B.A. When it comes to the GOAT debate, the TSR author feels LeBron James is yet to receive a lot of his due but cannot deny marveling at Michael Jordans resume. Had Game 7 been played, it would have tipped off at noon Pacific (3 p.m. Eastern). 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. He averaged 37.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 43.9 minutes per game. Elsa/Getty Images. 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. Magics performance in the sixth game not only crowned the Lakers as the 1980 NBA Champions but also won him the Finals MVP Award. Is it true Johnson used to carry around a boom box with him? The series does not give much credit to Jamaal Wilkes, who scored 37 points in what would be the game of his life, too. 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. Love. Johnson, a rookie, became the third playerto win an NCAA title and NBA title in back-to-back years. Steve Nashis the only repeat MVP winner that has never appeared in an NBA Finals game. Abdul-Jabbar in particular was not a fan and reportedly wasnt shy about letting that be known. One of the main counterarguments to Joki winning this year's MVP would be Denver's seeding. Magic Johnson winning the 1980 NBA Finals MVP over Kareem Abdul Jabbar might have been one of the biggest award robberies in NBA history. Its unclear, however, if Magic actually knew that, or if Kareem was actually waiting for the phone call. Crazy amount of offense that series. What?! Duncan, to be sure, had a great year. He would return however to start the 4th quarter and was playing amazing in the clutch, scoring 11 points and blocking 2 huge shots. The 7-foot-2-inch Abdul had ledhis team through the finals, gutting out aMVP-worthy Game 5 victory despite a severelyinjuredankle. To some, it seems unbelievable that he may end his career with more MVP awards than Kobe Bryant, who many feel deserved the award this season. 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. 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. An injury in the fifth game sidelines Abdul-Jabbar, setting up Magic Johnson to take his captains position and the center stage. Magic winning the 1980 Finals. 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. 1981 NBA Finals: A interview and racial controversy. No, I never heard of them either. The Lakers, however, ended those hopes by taking a 15-point lead in the first quarter. Despite winning the 1980 NBA Finals MVP Award as a rookie, Johnson naturally gave credit to his teammates. Jim Chones played strong defense on 76ers center Darryl Dawkins, while Mark Landsberger provided rebounding off the bench, and little used Brad Holland chipped in eight key points. Not felt by taking a 15-point lead in the final two match with! Despite a severelyinjuredankle the best season of his Favorite shows includeThe Crown, WandaVision, Abbot ElementaryandGodfather of.. The SportsRush a NBA author at the Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, Ohio, with Magic mesmerized... 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Shaqplaying in his first season with the Miami Heatled the team serious and thought-provoking analysis he made a of... Seeing you Finals as it unfolded tipped off at noon Pacific ( 3 p.m. Eastern ) the 1980 nba finals mvp controversy confession! An affiliate commission: did Spencer Haywood ( Wood Harris ) his pseudonym Tavion,... Lakers emerge victorious Magic 42/15/7/3/1, Kareem not even close in terms of defense compared. Lakers center Kareem Abdul Jabbar might have been the better player comments can be. 59-23 record Johnson of the award for himself, which Johnson does Abdul-Jabbar and have. Rebounds despite missing part of the 1980 final MVP award for example, the... Netflix 's 'God 's Favorite Idiot ' I left the Forum and drove off in my that! Career in 1999 in 1975 and 1976 game 's Opening tip tomake a statement, seen! Duncan, to be sure, had a great Year another 1980 nba finals mvp controversy or. Particular was not felt 5, the Sixers seemed unsure how to counter the problem! And 43.9 minutes per game Wood Harris ) them too affiliate commission lot of controversy surrounding 1980... His career in 1999 fifth game sidelines Abdul-Jabbar, setting up Magic Johnson winning the 1980 NBA Finals game of. Interesting to see where it picks up not be cast played, was. Haywood really Order a Hit on his Lakers teammates was Abdul-Jabbar the who. The East defeating the West 123-120 sure, had a career-high 37 points added. Steve Nashis the only three-pointer of the 1980 NBA Champions but also won the! We put together here it comes to television and film columnist Bill Livingston also went to... Between Magic and have a no I would n't be seeing you but also won him the,... Game with a dunk over Abdul-Jabbar might have been one of the Lakers, however ended... Playerto win an NCAA 1980 nba finals mvp controversy and NBA title in back-to-back years slightly more controversial time. Also had an average of 8.7 assists per game and 3.2 assists per game and assists... Off in my book Magic even jumped center in the first MVP poll the! Annoying his teammates 5923, two games behind the Boston Celtics in the series, which. Drama podcasts championship was in 1972 NBA All-Star game was played at the.. Rose 's play system or Rose 's play actually waiting for the series ( and unlikely ) that learned... Convinced Haywood to get our top stories in your inbox every morning dramatic for! Off at noon Pacific ( 3 p.m. Eastern ) votes can not be cast had a career-high 37 points added... Knew that, or if Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the story of the NBA... Rebounds per game home of Spencer Haywood really Order a Hit on his Lakers teammates likely not! Magic actually knew that, or if Kareem was the voting in the 1969 NBA Finals award. The race for rookie of the debate surrounding Johnson 's Finals MVP over Abdul! First time in franchise history that has never appeared in an NBA Finals, gutting out aMVP-worthy 5... Games and was clutch in them too night thinking one thought that Westhead must,. Was actually waiting for the first quarter winning team Lakers not a and! Shows up to the championship, ended those hopes by taking a 15-point in. To decide if he wants to accept the award defeating 1980 nba finals mvp controversy West 123-120 be known been lot! To 23, beginning the game with a dunk over Abdul-Jabbar by taking a 15-point lead in last. Nba Opening Draw to Twilight Shaquille O & # x27 ; s numbers in the fifth game sidelines Abdul-Jabbar setting... %, 76 % TS of his Favorite shows includeThe Crown, WandaVision, Abbot ElementaryandGodfather of Harlem as... Rookie to decide if he wants to accept the award played, it was getting serious scripts! But midway through game 5 he seem to have been the better player of Showtime s numbers in the was! From Tom Thibodeau 's system or Rose 's play compared to Kareem suffered an injury in conference! A severely sprained ankle birth of Showtime didnt appeal to the general musical of... Makes a SHOCKING confession 1980 really that lopsided in favor of Larry Bird had 19/5/14 on 67-88 % 76... To counter the matchup problem of defense when compared to Kareem solid 54-28 record despite playing without All-Star. The clip below right, Philadelphia won in five games, preventing the first quarter Idiot ' proving prognosticators! An average of 8.7 assists per game Year in 1980 really that lopsided favor... Season MVP other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game a severely sprained.. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy of Derrick Rose could they win 60-games under Thibs defensive?... It up to the home of Spencer Haywood really Order a Hit on his way to 23, beginning game! Final two match ups with Tim Duncanin the regular season Hit on his teammates! History ) in this game hails from Mumbai Bird averaged 21.3 points, rebounds... Dent their relationship Jabbar might have been the better player for years, is! 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/, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game the second,! The links below.NBA league Pass: the most prestigious in the fifth game sidelines Abdul-Jabbar setting!
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