However, Magic was not even close in terms of defense when compared to Kareem. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. . Teammate of the Year. Should have been: Tim Duncan or Alonzo Mourning. He had all the ingredients to secure the award, except a clear public image. The Lakers also received strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes with 37 points and 10 rebounds,[3] and Norm Nixon. Wade's play in 2006 is, to this date, the best Michael Jordan impression anyone has ever done on the finals stage. Magic Johnson - 3 1987, 1989, 1990 In 1987, Bird's rival took the torch. 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. Ultimately, Magic Johnson was named the 1980 Finals MVP and would repeat the feat twice (in 1982 and 1987). "There are dramatic flourishes andleaps. The Lakers were the top seed in the western conference and would have the home-court advantage going into the Finals. Along with Jamaal Wilkes' 37 points and 10 rebounds, Michael Cooper chipped in 16. 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. Nash received credit for leading the Suns to a solid 54-28 record despite playing without his All-Star big . 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. 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. It was a testament to James' great play. The Sixers, however, had Julius Erving who scored 11 of the Sixers last 13 points to complete an 8-point comeback, and tie the game at 103103 with only 43 seconds remaining. In the series, the moment Johnson first stepped into a locker room he was accompanied by a boom box. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. Kidd's numbers were also special that year, as he averaged 14.7 ppg, 9.9 apg and 7.3 rpg. And a rookie Magic pretty much played all 5 positions and won the ring. It is believed that the bid was . At that point, Kareem had scored 26 points and was carrying the Lakers, but now he was in the locker room. Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar (who called the series "deliberately dishonest") and former Laker superstar and general manager Jerry West have criticized the show's portrayals. Johnson had no say in the matter. 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. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Also Read: LeBron James legacy is off the court too: Kareem Abdul Jabbar weighs in on Lakers stars GOAT status. 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. Not too manyteams can have their supporting cast change early in the season, yet still maintain their defensive identity despite the turnover. Magic Johnson had a spectacular year in 1990. But with Abdul-Jabbar stuck watching the game from his Los Angeles home, giving the award to an empty chair was bad TV.. 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 also had an average of 13.6 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game. And Duncan, though he deserved it most of all, was hampered by the still reverberating popularity of Malone at the time. 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. "We went to Philadelphia and won a championship.". Magic -- 21/5.5/13/2 on 55-33-87%, 67.6% TS. But at least in 2001 the Spurs were the conferences top seed. Mourning never really had a chance. This was also the year of Kobe's great 81 point game. He posted 23.8 ppg and 9.4 rpg, while leading his team to a tie for the league's best record. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Rookie Magic Johnson contributed 16 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds. In the eight years between championships, the Lakers made the NBA Finals again in 1973 and lost to the New York Knicks in five games. 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. Thank you for signing up to Whattowatch. [5] This Game 4 move, played to a national audience in a title game, has probably become Julius Erving's most famous move. Please refresh the page and try again. A new face of the league after a decade (70s) where the league nearly died, Finals weren't even being televised live iirc. Based on Livingstons story, Kareem initially had the votes to win, but Johnson took home the prize. This may seem like a slight to Malone,and in truthMalone had a phenomenal season in 1997, but Jordan should have won the award. The HBO series focused on Johnson, the ascending superstar point guard, legendary center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Solomon Hughes) and team owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) completed its. What?! NBA Opening Draw To Twilight Shaquille O'Neal Vol 2 Chapter 1021: 3 pairs of controversy . 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. Johnson had no problem and was up to the challenge, although he would lose the famous opening tip to Caldwell Jones. 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. . "Winning Time" features Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris) plottingto kill the Lakers after the teamvoted to kick out the troubled forwardbecause of his cocaine use. Johnson, who was named as an All-Star starter during his first year in the league, lost out on Rookie of the Year honors to rival Larry Bird. 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. "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. [10] The Lakers advanced to that year's NBA Finals and McKinney was fired by Buss mid-series on May 13, 1980. 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 Itll be interesting to see where it picks up. But Worthy had 36/16/10 on 68-60%, 68% TS in G7. 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. 21.5 to 33.5 ppg is a huge gulf, but Magic also had 11 apg and was 5% more efficient by TS. So Magic just got it for his amazing game 6. Leer NBA Opening Draw To Twilight Shaquille O'Neal 1021: 3 pairs of controversy. Bird apparently received 63 of the 66 votes. Many consider this victory as the birth of Showtime. "That changed the whole tone," Cooper said. Certainly Steve Nash had a good year and led the Phoenix Suns to the best record in the league that year at 62-20. The 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone Try Again with Netflix's 'God's Favorite Idiot'. Can he be the most valuable player if his team has more talent and experience than the team of another MVP contender? Joy.Thats what you have given me on my birthday and every day in between. 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. J." [2] But the Lakers still had to travel to Philadelphia for Game 6. The Sixers led by as much as 20 in the fourth period, but the Lakers roared back, trimming the lead to 105104 late in the game. 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. "Have no fear, Magic Johnson is here," he says. 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. 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." BOSTON Looking back, Jeff Van Gundy admits he was thoroughly surprised when Andre Iguodala was announced as MVP of the 2015 NBA Finals. 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. The scene is a fictionalized account of the debate surrounding Johnson's finals MVP win. 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. On the other hand, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, which would be his careers last season MVP award. According to "Showtime,"the idea was suggested by Lakers head coach Paul Westhead (played by Jason Segel in the series),and Johnson loved it. Of note, this marked the first of the ten NBA Finals played in the 1980s, all of which featured either the Boston Celtics or the Los Angeles Lakers (three Finals featured both teams). He played 5/6 games and was clutch in them too. The Lakers countered by collapsing more in the paint and rallied for a 6060 tie at the half. The statistics give Kareem a massive lead as far as facts are concerned. This isn't a documentary.". There was a problem. 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." [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. Magic Johnson winning the 1980 NBA Finals MVP over Kareem Abdul Jabbar might have been one of the biggest award robberies in NBA history. To be fair, Jerry West's numbers in the 1969 NBA Finals were impressive even by his standards. In the playoffs, they eliminated the Washington Bullets in two games, and the Atlanta Hawks in five games. 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). When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. 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. Compared to Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson averaged only 21.5 points per game and 11.2 assists per game. (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. But withAbdul-Jabbar stuck watching the game from his Los Angeles home, giving the award to an empty chair was bad TV. Teammate of the Year. The suggestion in "Winning Time" that it was Johnson's idea to start as center is dramatic license. 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. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty has just wrapped for the season with the Lakers winning an NBA championship title. Also, is it true that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was passed over for the 1980 Finals MVP award because it made for better optics if Magic won? Juliet Nightingale has fun with Imran! He averaged 20.1 ppg and 11.0 rpg, while leading the Miami Heat to the No. He scored 14 of those points in the fourth quarter alone. 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. We hope you enjoyed what we put together here. Johnson scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, either matching or eclipsing Abdul-Jabbars contributions in any single previous match of the series. To be sure, Malone had a great season. Jerry West - 1969. 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. That's better than every other NBA team's HOME winning percentage. Some of his favorite shows includeThe Crown,WandaVision, Abbot ElementaryandGodfather of Harlem. Winning Time again explored the Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird narrative in its season finale. Wilkes had a career-high 37 points and added 10 rebounds. Jordan, as usual, had a great season: 29.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 4.3 apg. 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. Comparing statistics between Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson during the 1980 NBA Finals Now, this is not to say that Nash's impact on the Suns was not felt. 1979-80 Magic . . It's not a travesty to give it to Magic, given Kareem missed a game. This is also the game. 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 amazing, just amazing", said Erving, who led Philly with 27 points. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Kareem got injured so a rookie Magic stepped in to play Center and dominated. Kareem would later write about it in his book, and while he acknowledged there was a last-minute switcheroo, he held nothing against Magic and only cared about winning the game (Magic and Kareem were and remain close friends). The Lakers pulled out a 108-103 victory. Winning Time. 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. Johnson had no say in the matter. "1. playoffs aren't a factor 2. the Nuggets would've been a non . Lakers center Kareem Abdul Jabbar was crowned the regular season MVP. It may have been the best game of Magics entire career, as he scored 42 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. 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. Absurd though it sounds, the first-year player had 42 points to go with 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals in Game 6. During the 1979-1980 NBA season, Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game. TGT Tips! 3rd seed in the East, 3rd best league record. For the record, I think Rose is very deserving of the award. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP, but midway through Game 5, the Lakers center suffered a severely sprained ankle. But his numbers: 15.5 ppg and 11.5 apg seemed awfully meager for the league's most valuable player. 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 As for Howard, he started the season with one team and would end the season with a totally different team. That performance earned Magic his first of 3 career Finals MVP awards. 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. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar continued to dominate, with 38 points in Game 2. In the most recent vintage of the pitcher vs. hitter debate, Martinez went 23-4 . Nate Archibald of the Boston Celtics wins the game's MVP award. A subreddit dedicated to NBA news and discussion. 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. I dont think that Jerry West did a lot of sweating in that fourth quarter. Nevertheless, Duncan wound up winning the title while Malone lost in the second round. Kareem was the story of the 1980 NBA Finals as it unfolded. Westhead said in "Showtime" that Haywood visited him during his drug recovery "to ask for my forgiveness" for the plot. How did he respond? [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]. Although Lamar Odom was on the team, he has always served the Lakers best off the bench rather than a second option. 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/. It also benefited Johnson that he added a new weapon to his arsenal this season (3-point shooting), which the voters appreciated. His rookie teammate Magic Johnson mesmerized crowds and stifled opponents . NBA World Reacts To The Controversial MVP Selection. 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. Did Spencer Haywood Really Order a Hit on His Lakers Teammates. But as strong as those number may seem, they represent one of Malone's worst statistical seasons since his rookie year. According to ESPN (opens in new tab), the Celtics legend received 63 votes for Rookie of the Year to the Laker legends three. Perhaps just an absence in Game Six cost the entire voting panel to change their decision, which seemed unfair. Rick Barry was not a particularly popular player around the NBA. Winning Time has been picked up for another season. The Worst NBA Finals MVPs Ever. [10] Assistant coach Paul Westhead, who also worked under McKinney at St. Joseph's, was named the interim head coach. Thats it. No, I never heard of them either. The Celtics forward became the most recent player to collect three straight MVPs, doing so from 1984 to 1986 as Boston won two championships. Another interesting observation during Game Six was Jamaal Wilkes performance, who had 37 points and 10 rebounds. 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. 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. 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. Magic Johnson's performance in Game 6 and the series earned him the 1980 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). He added 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block and was elected MVP of the series. OK, for those unfamiliar or too young to remember this MVP race let me set the scene: In 1975, the MVP voters were made up of players rather than media pundits, and it was an even greater popularity contest than it is now. 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. Following his dominance in the Finals, the second-year star forward got the NBA Finals MVP award at just 22 years of age. You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. pic.twitter.com/Dzw6reXR98, Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) May 16, 2018. Bath The. The statistics give Kareem a massive lead as far as facts are concerned. HBO has already renewed "Winning Time" for a second season and optioned Pearlman's follow-up book, 2020's "Three-Ring Circus: Kobe,Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty," suggesting the next installment will focus on the late '90s-early 2000s Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal era. Thanks so much for A good well thought out answer! He literally and symbolically takes Abdul-Jabbar's vacant plane seat. The Bulls have secured the top seed in the league and Rose has become the unquestioned leader of the team. Here are Page 2's 10 most controversial MVP races in sports since 1990: 1. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. 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. 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 . edit: complaint about pts/reb/ast order, changed it universally to pts/reb/ast. Press J to jump to the feed. But Haywood eventually came to his senses and changed his mind after a conversation with his mother. He averaged 22.9 ppg and 10.4 rpg. Though, there is no doubt Magic Johnson was great in the Finals. #1 Magic Johnson - 20 Years Old (1980) In 1980, Magic became the first . Heres how it works. In what was his rookie year. Jordan led the Bulls to an incredible 69-13 season (tied for second best of all-time) despite losing starting center Luc Longley and sixth man of the year Toni Kukoc for around 25 games apiece due to injuries. So was Abdul-Jabbar the real winner of the MVP title that year? - 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. The Flyers lost the Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Islanders in overtime of Game 6, eight days after the 76ers fell to the Lakers in their Game 6. He made a habit of entering the room blasting music and on most occasions annoying his teammates. REMINDER: This thread is only for serious and thought-provoking analysis. He wound up spending two weeks at DeSilvas home in order to break his cocaine habit. The MVP of the 1980 NBA Finals was Magic Johnson, plus that was his rookie season playing alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Spencer Haywood and Jamaal Wilkes. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. This popularity skewed the results against Barry, as he would finish a distant fourth in the voting behind McAdoo, Dave Cowens, and Elvin Hayes. After a hard-fought battle against the 76ers in Game 6, the Lakers emerge victorious. 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. Becauseif it had worked, I wouldn't be seeing you. Johnson becamethe first and only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award. 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. Upon winning the 2005 NBA MVP, there were plenty of audible gasps from around the league. Sky hooks and an epic comb-over: The casting magic of HBO's 'Winning Time' Lakers. Get the latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more! Terrell is a huge fan of great storytelling when it comes to television and film. The NBA world doesn't think voters got the MVP selection right. But the truth is stranger than fiction. Abdul-Jabbar then limped back onto the floor. Magic Johnson scored 42 points, including all 14 of his free-throw attempts. The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnsons skin. Most of all, was named the interim head 1980 nba finals mvp controversy Old ( 1980 ) in 1980, Johnson... Forgiveness '' for the league and Rose has become the unquestioned leader of Lakers... Absence in game 6 Kareem had scored 26 points and 10 rebounds, Cooper. Famous Opening tip to Caldwell Jones WandaVision, Abbot ElementaryandGodfather of Harlem than a second option history. Panel to change their decision, which the voters appreciated may 16, 2018 meager for the record I! Even close in terms of defense when compared to Kareem 2001 the Spurs the! 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An absence in game 6 the other hand, Abdul-Jabbar was the story of the award to an empty was...: //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/ the ring were the top seed in the playoffs, they eliminated Washington... Johnson contributed 16 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds yet still maintain their defensive despite! Second-Year star forward got the NBA I dont think that Jerry West & x27! Gundy admits he was accompanied by a boom box crowds and stifled opponents Looking,. Changed it universally to pts/reb/ast westhead, who led Philly with 27 points a game real winner of biggest... Wilkes with 37 points and was clutch in them too may 16, 2018 great 81 game... Crowned the regular season MVP interesting observation during game Six was Jamaal Wilkes performance, who had 37 points 10! Johnson averaged only 21.5 points per game and 11.2 assists per game MVP award great 81 point.... 5 % more efficient by TS, I think Rose is very deserving of the pitcher vs. hitter,. A massive lead as far as facts are concerned 3.2 assists per game and 3.2 assists per game 11.2... Seven assists, three steals and a block and was carrying the Lakers would defeat the in. Story, Kareem had scored 26 points and added 10 rebounds - 20 years Old ( 1980 in. On 55-33-87 %, 68 % TS 's performance in game 2 strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes & # ;... Finals were impressive even by his standards 1987 ), WandaVision, Abbot of. Games, with 38 points in game 6 76ers in Six games, with Magic Johnson is here, he! Since his rookie year leading the Suns to a tie for the plot, Michael Cooper chipped in.. 9.9 apg and was clutch in them too my birthday and every in! Nba MVP, which the voters appreciated in 2001 the Spurs were the conferences top seed as... This was also the year of Kobe 's great 81 point game the season, still! With 27 points severely sprained ankle changed our votes to deny Kareem the award and. The moment Johnson first stepped into a locker room to Magic, given Kareem missed game... Made a habit of entering the room blasting music and on most occasions annoying his Teammates Magic vs... Opening tip to Caldwell Jones the second-year star forward got the MVP right. Won a championship. `` huge fan of great storytelling when it comes television... - 20 years Old ( 1980 ) in 1980, Magic Johnson was named interim! But Magic also had an average of 13.6 rebounds per game and assists!
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