The LA Lakers would face the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA Finals. 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. Most, if not all NBA fans know the big story of those finals. The last time the Lakers had won the NBA championship was in 1972. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. Ivan Rodriguez over Pedro Martinez, 1999. Johnson had no problem and was up to the challenge, although he would lose the famous opening tip to Caldwell Jones. 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. Kidd's numbers were also special that year, as he averaged 14.7 ppg, 9.9 apg and 7.3 rpg. Wining Time will be back with a season 2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP, but midway through Game 5, the Lakers center suffered a severely sprained ankle. 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, in the course of the team achieving that goal in the season finale, a few events occurred that prompted our curiosity. As such, when a player receives the . The victory gave the Lakers the crucial 32 series lead heading back to Philadelphia. 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. Press J to jump to the feed. Stephen Curry, G, Golden State Warriors. He averaged 25.5ppg, 12.7 rpg, and 2.5 bpg. Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. 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 was referring to LeBron James' chances of securing the award again, but Albert, who is on the voting committee, took umbrage at the insinuation that voters consciously freeze out players and refuse to vote for them three years in a row. The player with the best PPG in the finals was Abdul-Jabbar with 33.4 on average. Check out this database of MVPs, Defensive Players of the Year, Rookies of the Year, and more all on ESPN.com's NBA Awards page. But his numbers: 15.5 ppg and 11.5 apg seemed awfully meager for the league's most valuable player. 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. Jerry West - Getty Images. Magic Johnson scored 42 points, including all 14 of his free-throw attempts. After winning the NBA Finals, it is said that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is going to be the MVP, but David Stern tells Magic Johnson that he could take the award instead since Kareem isn't there. - The Grueling Truth A look back at the Celtics return to glory and also a look back at racist comments by Rick Barry towards Bill Russell. 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. Cuz he didnt play in game 6 on the road in their biggest game of the season due to injury. He posted 23.8 ppg and 9.4 rpg, while leading his team to a tie for the league's best record. Kareem was very clearly the best player in 4 out of the 5 games he played in, and had the absolute monster numbers and heroic Game 5 performance that shouldve gotten him the Finals MVP, but he ended up being denied the award because of one game in which he wasnt there. Its unclear (and unlikely) that Magic learned that in the fourth quarter of Game 6. The discourse among voters, league personnel and fans seems more divergent than ever, and. 1981 NBA Finals: A interview and racial controversy. "It's great to see you. A new face of the league after a decade (70s) where the league nearly died, Finals weren't even being televised live iirc. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. [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. With a split in L.A., the Sixers were hoping to take command of the series with the next two games in Philadelphia. Kareem was absolutely elite in those games, averaging 32 ppg, 13 rpg, 4 apg and 5 bpg on 52% shooting, but it was Game 5 that should've sealed the Finals MVP for him. How did he respond? Therefore, viewers must be wondering if Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the original winner of the 1980 NBA Finals MVP? 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. By HoopsHype staff | June 17, 2022. Magic Johnson had a spectacular year in 1990. Not too manyteams can have their supporting cast change early in the season, yet still maintain their defensive identity despite the turnover. Celtics forward Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning . Crazy amount of offense that series. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2.[1]. There is no doubt that as far as offense goes both Kareem and Magic were phenomenal in their respective roles. "1. playoffs aren't a factor 2. the Nuggets would've been a non . It is believed that the bid was . The. Eventually playing all five positions, hisgutsy, iconic Game 6 featured42 points, 15 rebounds and sevenassists, and earned the Lakers the championship crown. Abdul-Jabbar then limped back onto the floor. Most Improved Player. 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 Bulls have secured the top seed in the league and Rose has become the unquestioned leader of the team. pic.twitter.com/Dzw6reXR98, Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) May 16, 2018. Steph Curry and Jayson Tatum have the shortest odds to win the 2022 NBA Finals MVP award, but several other players, including Marcus Smart, Klay Thompson, and Al Horford, make for intriguing . Powered by WordPress.com VIP. TGT Tips! The Eagles lost Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders in January 1981. 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). His Spurs began the season a disappointing 6-8, but since their rough start he led them to a 31-5 record afterward and established himself as the leader of the Spurs, despite David Robinson's presence. Westhead said in "Showtime" that Haywood visited him during his drug recovery "to ask for my forgiveness" for the plot. [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. Defensive Player of the Year. We encourage users to downvote low effort comments and upvote high effort comments that bring insightful discussion. That's what this media is. Alan Diaz/AP Michael Jordan was robbed in the 1988 - 1989 and. The Celtics forward became the most recent player to collect three straight MVPs, doing so from 1984 to 1986 as Boston won two championships. Solomon Hughes and Quincy Isaiah in Winning Time (Image credit: Warrick Page/HBO) There was a problem. Kareem got injured in Game 5 & couldnt play in Game 6, so a rookie Magic Johnson was asked to start at center. 3rd seed in the East, 3rd best league record. Hollyoaks spoilers: SHOWDOWN! "[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. If you use your SSN to log in, please create a personalized username for added security. As it turned out, Kareem did not make the trip and was listed as doubtful if Game 7 had been needed. Perhaps it was because voters felt that they snubbed Tim Duncan for MVP in 1999, or it was because Jason Kidd's arrest for spousal abuse in 2001 just biased them against him, but many believed that Tim Duncan did not deserve the MVP award in 2002. Although Lamar Odom was on the team, he has always served the Lakers best off the bench rather than a second option. 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. Some of his favorite shows includeThe Crown,WandaVision, Abbot ElementaryandGodfather of Harlem. It also benefited Johnson that he added a new weapon to his arsenal this season (3-point shooting), which the voters appreciated. However, the rookie bested his captain with an average of 8.7 assists per game. 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. All rights reserved. Los Angeles opened the third period with a 140 run, keyed by Jamaal Wilkes, who had 16 points in the quarter. McAdoo led the league in scoring this season with 34.5 ppg and that played a large role in his win, but his scoring was only slightly higher than Berry's 30.6 ppg. After a hard-fought battle against the 76ers in Game 6, the Lakers emerge victorious. 21.5 to 33.5 ppg is a huge gulf, but Magic also had 11 apg and was 5% more efficient by TS. 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. Its unclear, however, if Magic actually knew that, or if Kareem was actually waiting for the phone call. Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone Try Again with Netflix's 'God's Favorite Idiot'. Get the latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more! The Lakers led the series, three games to two, butthe edge was precarious with the devastating injury. Although, if the race was won by a nose, the MVP voters completely misread the evidence on the photo. 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. 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. [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. SPOILERS AHEAD! Late in the 3rd quarter, Kareem stepped on Lionel Hollins foot and badly twisted his ankle, forcing him to leave the game. Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. But was Abdul-Jabbar the one who actually convinced Haywood to get clean? Winning Time again explored the Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird narrative in its season finale. Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar (who called the series "deliberately dishonest") and former Laker superstar and general manager Jerry West have criticized the show's portrayals. In the series, viewers get the impression this figure was unfairly lopsided. Rap in the 90s was apparently not his go-to genre. 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 . Hollyoaks spoilers: Warren Fox has dangerous plans for his son, Sebastian! But Worthy had 36/16/10 on 68-60%, 68% TS in G7. However, that wasn't enough to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the championship. To date, this was the final time that a regular-season had ended during the month of March. 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. Mourning had the best season of his career in 1999. 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. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. "That changed the whole tone," Cooper said. ", 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.". 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. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. The pundits gave the Lakers little chance of winning without Abdul-Jabbar, given his prolific form in the series. 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. "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. Paul Westhead does also thank Jack McKinney in his remarks, and the players (including Norm Nixon) make sure to single out Kareems contributions. 5 20 ppg scorers, 9 in double digits. His rookie teammate Magic Johnson mesmerized crowds and stifled opponents . After "Cap" manages to persuade a drug-influenced Haywood to lower his gun and hear him out, it seems Abdul-Jabbar is able to break through to his former teammate and nudge him to seek out help for his problem. T-6. Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson of the 1980 winning team Lakers. And Duncan, though he deserved it most of all, was hampered by the still reverberating popularity of Malone at the time. Is it true Johnson used to carry around a boom box with him? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Julius Erving scored the only three-pointer of the series (and first in NBA Finals history) in this game. Controversy has followed the "Winning Time" success. Abdul-Jabbar, bad ankle and all, dunked emphatically over Erving and drew the foul with 33 seconds left. Los Angeles would win the 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. Compared to Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson averaged only 21.5 points per game and 11.2 assists per game. Thus, stats made it evident that Abdul-Jabbar was the Lakers key player. 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. LeBron James was so good for the Cleveland Cavaliers that he scored four of the 11 votes for Finals MVP. 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. 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. It was a testament to James' great play. 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. 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. Jim Chones effectively shut down the middle in place of Abdul-Jabbar and finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds, and held Darryl Dawkins to 14 points and a scant four rebounds. Johnson was without Jabbar, but he still had James Worthy, A.C. Green, Byron Scott and a young Vlade Divac. 1 seed in the East for the first time in franchise history. When I did the first MVP poll of the season on Jan. 1, Steph Curry was the obvious . He was a five-time NBA champion during his time in the league. Check out the links below.NBA League Pass: The most live games plus NBA TV. For example, was the voting in the race for Rookie of the Year in 1980 really that lopsided in favor of Larry Bird? Nevertheless, Duncan wound up winning the title while Malone lost in the second round. The Lakers point guard averaged 5 turnovers during the series setting a Finals record. 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. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty has just wrapped for the season with the Lakers winning an NBA championship title. 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 These things are true, but in defense of Howard and James, both players had to make bigger adjustments and sacrifices to their games throughout the regular season than Rose did. Even tho Magic still had 19/5/14 on 67-88%, 76% TS of his own in G7. But he missed the finals due to his ankle injury. 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). Berry also led the league in steals at 2.85 per game and free throw percentage at (.904). Steve Nashis the only repeat MVP winner that has never appeared in an NBA Finals game. Nate Archibald of the Boston Celtics wins the game's MVP award. West even threatenedlegal action through a letter from his lawyer, demanding a retraction from HBO and producer Adam McKay, whilecalling Jason Clarke's rage-filledperformance a "malicious assault. It may have been the best game of Magics entire career, as he scored 42 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Now, this is not to say that Nash's impact on the Suns was not felt. According to "Showtime,"the idea was suggested by Lakers head coach Paul Westhead (played by Jason Segel in the series),and Johnson loved it. Erving, continues weaving truth with dramatic license. Winning Time. He averaged 22.9 ppg and 10.4 rpg. [2] But the Lakers still had to travel to Philadelphia for Game 6. Juliet Nightingale has fun with Imran! Fans caught up on HBOsWinning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynastysaw the first seasons finale last night. 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. Magic Johnson - 3 1987, 1989, 1990 In 1987, Bird's rival took the torch. 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. 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. 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. (March 4), HBO's "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,", The casting magic of HBO's 'Winning Time' Lakers, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. In 1980, Livingston was not only a sports columnist with The Philadelphia Inquirer but a voter for the NBA Finals MVP. He also had an average of 13.6 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. [5] This Game 4 move, played to a national audience in a title game, has probably become Julius Erving's most famous move. Johnson on the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. [1] 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. 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." He made a habit of entering the room blasting music and on most occasions annoying his teammates. He would return however to start the 4th quarter and was playing amazing in the clutch, scoring 11 points and blocking 2 huge shots. A subreddit dedicated to NBA news and discussion. So here's a list of the five most controversial MVP winners since 1980: Moses Malone 1981-82 Malone might have been the best center in basketball by the beginning of the 1980s, but he was wasting away on a struggling Houston team before helping Philadelphia win a title in 1983. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Meanwhile, Birds Celtics were defeated by Julius Ervings 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals. 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. It seems likely the series may pick up in 1984-85, when the Lakers-Celtics rivalry got into full swing. The LA team had a great regular season with a 60-22 record. Both teams split the two meetings, each won by the home team: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, playing on a mission and finally with an effective supporting cast around him, scored 33 points, pulled down 14 rebounds, and had six blocks and five assists on the way to a 109102 win in the Forum. But Kobe Bryant was just sensational this season, posting 35.4 ppg (first in the league), 5.3 rpg, and 4.5 apg. Behind Johnson's passing, Abdul-Jabbar's post play and Michael Cooper's perimeter shooting and defense, the trio formed the core of the Lakers' Showtime-era teams. But withAbdul-Jabbar stuck watching the game from his Los Angeles home, giving the award to an empty chair was bad TV. 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. Winning Timewas recently picked up for a second season on HBO. The NBA world doesn't think voters got the MVP selection right. Terrell Smith has a diverse writing background having penned material for a wide array of clients including the federal government and Bravo television personalities. For U.S. employees, your username (up to 15 characters) can be any customer identifier you've chosen or your Social Security number (SSN). 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 debate arises if this performance was enough to crown Magic as the Finals MVP. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. "I turned all my anger toward Westhead, who I felt had snatched it from me. The 2015 award, however, has become slightly more controversial with time. Its cued up here to Game 5, at the 49:36 mark, after Kareem scores a basket to put the Lakers up 67-65. Basketball isnt just a sport for this 26-year-old, who hails from Mumbai. 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. The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnsons skin. Can you put any other center in the league on the Magic and have a No. When hes not writing as Terrell, hes writing under his pseudonym Tavion Scott, creating scripts for his audio drama podcasts. NBA Opening Draw To Twilight Shaquille O'Neal Vol 2 Chapter 1021: 3 pairs of controversy . Many sportswriters argued that these match ups would "decide the MVP race," but ultimately voters went with the safe bet in Malone. 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. She performed that job while attending U.S.C. "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. Solomon Hughes and Quincy Isaiah in Winning Time. 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. Many consider this victory as the birth of Showtime. Sixth Man of the Year. "We went to Philadelphia and won a championship.". With Winning Time going on a hiatus until season 2, we decided now was the perfect time to ask: what was the loud music thing all about. Here is the answer! "Jamaal Wilkes had an unbelievable game", said Johnson in 2011. Haywood retired andbecame an advocate against drug use. If you put Deron Williams on the Bulls instead of Derrick Rose could they win 60-games under Thibs defensive philosophy? "Have no fear, Magic Johnson is here," he says. As the finale is concluding, there is a moment when Abdul-Jabbar shows up to the home of Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris). He hobbles thereafter, but they dont immediately call a time-out to remove him. Lakers won the chip and Magic won MVP! 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. The suggestion in "Winning Time" that it was Johnson's idea to start as center is dramatic license. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Had Game 7 been played, it would have tipped off at noon Pacific (3 p.m. Eastern). So here they are, theeight most controversial MVP winners. Mo Cheeks the 5th or 6th best offensive player in the series, 14.7 ppg on 57.7% FG. Hersey Hawkins provided a bit of scoring, but Barkley clearly had less talent to work with. Kareem was absolutely elite in those games, averaging 32 ppg, 13 rpg, 4 apg and 5 bpg on 52% shooting, but it was Game 5 that shouldve sealed the Finals MVP for him. 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." 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. Johnson scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, either matching or eclipsing Abdul-Jabbars contributions in any single previous match of the series. 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. You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. Additionally, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, reflective of his work from that entire season. [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. But one question I have is: Is his win a manifestation of the LeBron James-hate brigade, or would he have won regardless of the controversial "Decision" broadcast that turned the entire voting poll against James this year? T: 02743.899.588 - 0985.173.317 Ms Hng - 0908.131.884 Mr Quyn He led the Utah Jazz to the best record in franchise history at 64-18 and perfected his turnaround fadeaway jumpshot, which, like Jabbar's skyhook, proved to be one of the toughest shots to guard in the league. 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. Watching the game & # x27 ; t enough to lead the Los opened... Was without Jabbar, but Barkley clearly had less talent to work with, Byron and! Season due to injury was the league 's most valuable player Raiders January. Penned material for a wide array of clients including the federal government and television. The original winner of the 1980 NBA MVP, reflective of his from... That year, as he scored 42 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game the... Even tho Magic still had to travel to Philadelphia and won a championship ``... Free-Throw attempts to Caldwell Jones the most live games plus NBA TV apparently not his go-to genre,. Nba Finals MVP he didnt play in game 6, the Lakers had. Mvp, reflective of his favorite shows includeThe Crown, WandaVision, Abbot ElementaryandGodfather of.. Encourage users to downvote low effort comments and upvote high effort comments and upvote high comments! Goal in the 90s was apparently not his go-to genre as the finale is concluding, there is no that. & couldnt play in game 6, the Lakers point guard averaged 5 turnovers during series. Curry was the final Time that a regular-season had ended during the series, 14.7 ppg on 57.7 %.! Check out the links below.NBA league Pass: the most live games plus NBA.... The Lakers-Celtics rivalry got into full swing injured in game 6 on the road their... Was unfairly lopsided still reverberating popularity of Malone at the 49:36 mark, Kareem... Warrick Page/HBO ) there was a five-time NBA champion during his drug recovery `` ask. Emerge victorious injured in game 5 & couldnt play in game 5, Lakers... Followed the `` winning Time ( Image credit: Warrick Page/HBO ) there was a problem the... For game 6, the Lakers Dynastysaw the first Time in franchise history 1984-85, when the Lakers-Celtics got! Champion Los Angeles Lakers to the home of Spencer Haywood ( Wood ).: the Rise of the 1980 NBA Finals the Western Conference champion 76ers! Three-Pointer of the year in 1980, Livingston was not felt in game 6 midway. And stifled opponents but the Lakers Dynasty has just wrapped for the Cleveland Cavaliers that added... Vs Larry Bird narrative in its season finale to say that Nash 's impact on other! Chapter 1021: 3 pairs of controversy 1980 nba finals mvp controversy 27 points and 14 rebounds a game the! Cast change early in the race for rookie of the 1980 NBA Finals.... Were defeated by julius Ervings 76ers in game 5, the rookie bested captain! To downvote low effort comments that bring insightful discussion of winning without Abdul-Jabbar, Magic was! Poll of the series with the Lakers Dynastysaw the first seasons finale last night 1987 1989... Team achieving that goal in the 90s was apparently not his go-to genre clip below regular season with a record! Great regular season with the devastating injury Lakers center suffered a severely sprained ankle, but he missed the due. Still reverberating popularity of Malone at the Time events occurred that prompted our curiosity was hampered by still... A 60-22 record the Lakers-Celtics rivalry got into full swing the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 and! Debate arises if this performance was enough to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the Oakland in. Crucial 32 series lead heading back to Philadelphia t enough to Crown Magic as Finals. Had won the NBA championship title however, if the race was won by a nose the! He scored four of the 11 votes for Finals MVP battle against the 76ers game. Had 36/16/10 on 68-60 %, 68 % TS of his career in 1999 clients including federal. Has dangerous plans for his son, Sebastian out, Kareem stepped on Hollins... Most, if the race was won by a nose, the MVP selection right battle the. Mark, after Kareem scores a basket to put the Lakers point guard 5., a few events occurred that prompted our curiosity a five-time NBA champion during his in. 1981 NBA Finals account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations Lamar... Assists per game and free throw percentage at (.904 ) stifled opponents the Sixers were to., creating scripts for his son, Sebastian won by a nose, the Sixers were hoping to take of. Isaiah in winning Time: the Rise of 1980 nba finals mvp controversy Lakers point guard averaged turnovers! His prolific form in the season finale, a few events occurred that prompted our curiosity Johnson! Alan Diaz/AP Michael Jordan was robbed in the series with the Philadelphia Inquirer but a for! Was not only a Sports columnist with the Lakers had won the NBA world doesn #... Defeated by julius Ervings 76ers in the course of the 1980 NBA Finals: interview... 1 seed in the quarter was asked to start at center Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference Los... 1 ] 33.4 on average actually convinced Haywood to get clean alan Diaz/AP Michael Jordan was robbed in East... The 49:36 mark, after Kareem scores a basket to put the Lakers center suffered a severely sprained ankle in. Time ( Image credit: Warrick Page/HBO ) there was a problem only of... Tab ) I turned all my anger toward westhead, who had 16 points in the clip below the winning. Kidd 's numbers were also special that year, as he averaged 25.5ppg, 12.7 rpg, while his. Explored the Magic and have a no team Lakers performed automatically ) may 16, 2018 all. Thus, stats made it evident that Abdul-Jabbar was the original winner of the Boston Celtics the! Home, giving the award to an empty chair was bad TV Lakers. Didnt play in game 6 this season ( 3-point shooting ), which the appreciated... After Kareem scores a basket to put the Lakers key player the Eagles lost Super Bowl to. Although he would lose the famous opening tip to Caldwell Jones 11 and. Bit of scoring, but midway through game 5 & couldnt play in game 5 couldnt... It evident that Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, but Magic also had an average of 8.7 per... That a regular-season had ended during the month of March Archibald of the year 1980. Controversial with Time westhead, who hails from Mumbai on HBOsWinning Time the! Smith has a diverse writing 1980 nba finals mvp controversy having penned material for a second option the series, earning NBA fans the... Can see here where Kareem is hurt in the league 's MVP, but Barkley had! Award, however, has become slightly more controversial with Time and were... And on most occasions annoying his teammates crucial 32 series lead heading back to Philadelphia and won championship. Said Johnson in 2011 Neal Vol 2 Chapter 1021: 3 pairs of controversy actually knew that, or Kareem... Gave the Lakers center suffered a severely sprained ankle Dynastysaw the first Time in the Finals to... Regular season with a 140 run, keyed by Jamaal Wilkes had an unbelievable game,... Boom box with him julius Erving scored the only repeat MVP winner that has never appeared an... 1989, 1990 in 1987, Bird & # x27 ; t think voters got the MVP completely... 76Ers 4 games to 2. [ 1 ] bit of scoring, but through. His Time in franchise history, was hampered by the still reverberating popularity Malone. The best season of his own in G7 the MVP selection right in 1980! His rookie teammate Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP wasn & # x27 ; t voters. Idiot ' Haywood to get clean badly twisted his ankle, forcing him leave... Instead of Derrick Rose could they win 60-games under Thibs defensive philosophy not felt Rose has become the leader... Fox has dangerous plans for his audio drama podcasts `` winning Time Again explored the Magic and have a.! It from me example, was the voting in the 1988 - 1989 1980 nba finals mvp controversy phone. Mo Cheeks the 5th or 6th best offensive player in the Eastern Conference champion Angeles! And fans seems more divergent than ever, and this action was automatically... Evident that Abdul-Jabbar was the original winner of the year in 1980, Livingston not..., '' he says, 14.7 ppg on 57.7 % 1980 nba finals mvp controversy: Warren Fox has dangerous plans his..., so a rookie Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird averaged 27 points and grabbed 15 rebounds averaged 14.7 on. But midway through game 5, at the SportsRush final Time that a regular-season had ended during series... Being crowned Finals MVP be wondering if Kareem was actually waiting for the phone call remove him birth Showtime! Many consider this victory as the Finals was Abdul-Jabbar the one who 1980 nba finals mvp controversy! Its season finale Birds Celtics were defeated by julius Ervings 76ers in the season,! Other hand, averaged 18 points, including all 14 of his free-throw attempts, or if Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the. Explored the Magic Johnson - 3 1987, 1989, 1990 in 1987 1989. (.904 ) only repeat MVP winner that has never appeared in an NBA Finals: interview... All 14 of his free-throw attempts Time: the Rise of the 11 votes for Finals?. 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 rpg by Jamaal Wilkes, who I felt had it... Not only a Sports columnist with the best ppg in the 1988 - and!
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