You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. The LA team had a great regular season with a 60-22 record. Magic had an amazing game, but guess what it's a series award. [5] This Game 4 move, played to a national audience in a title game, has probably become Julius Erving's most famous move. 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. Following his dominance in the Finals, the second-year star forward got the NBA Finals MVP award at just 22 years of age. For our conversation with Jason Segel, who depicted Lakers head coach Paul Westhead, click here. Cuz he didnt play in game 6 on the road in their biggest game of the season due to injury. There is no doubt that as far as offense goes both Kareem and Magic were phenomenal in their respective roles. In Atlanta, the CBS affiliate didn't show Game 6 at all, bumping it to independent station WATL-TV, who at least carried the contest live. Johnson became the first and only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. (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. . However, in the course of the team achieving that goal in the season finale, a few events occurred that prompted our curiosity. This was also the year of Kobe's great 81 point game. First of all, I find it a bit curious the fact that Berry finished behind Cowens in MVP voting, yet Cowens didn't even make the All-NBA First Team that year while Berry did. Teammate of the Year. 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." Eventually playing all five positions, hisgutsy, iconic Game 6 featured42 points, 15 rebounds and sevenassists, and earned the Lakers the championship crown. Greatness. Also Magic was an exciting, charismatic young rookie the league was more than happy to hand a big award to. The chemistry between the three was evident early on, as the Lakers eliminated the Phoenix Suns and defending champions Seattle SuperSonics in a pair of five-game playoff series to advance to the NBA Finals. Should Kareem have won the Finals MVP in 1980, or was Magic the rightful recipient? In the finals, the talismanic captain of the LA Lakers scored 167 points at an average of 33.4 points per game. Now, this is not to say that Nash's impact on the Suns was not felt. 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. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, And how large of a role did Mike D'Antoni's fastpaced offense (which was perfect for winning regular season games, but not so much in the postseason) play in the team's overall success thatyear? He ultimately leaves it up to the rookie to decide if he wants to accept the award for himself, which Johnson does. 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. Please check your email for a confirmation. Solomon Hughes and Quincy Isaiah in Winning Time (Image credit: Warrick Page/HBO) 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. 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 "Winning Time" features Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris) plottingto kill the Lakers after the teamvoted to kick out the troubled forwardbecause of his cocaine use. Sign up for the Layup Lines newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. 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. The 1981 NBA All-Star Game was played at the Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, Ohio, with the East defeating the West 123-120. But was Abdul-Jabbar the one who actually convinced Haywood to get clean? 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. Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson of the 1980 winning team Lakers. Thanks so much for A good well thought out answer! 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. Now he's fully emerging into one of the best players in the world. Missing 17% of a series makes it tough to win MVP, Thatd be winning league MVP playing 68 games. 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. Erving, continues weaving truth with dramatic license. "Everybody talked about my 42 points, but it was also his 37-point effort. He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. The 1980 NBA World. It seems likely the series may pick up in 1984-85, when the Lakers-Celtics rivalry got into full swing. Rookie of the Year. Something about a 42/15/7 game from your rookie PG filling in for your injured MVP center in a series clinching game might have something to do with it. The LA Lakers would face the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA Finals. Mourning never really had a chance. LeBron James was so good for the Cleveland Cavaliers that he scored four of the 11 votes for Finals MVP. J." Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Kareem got injured so a rookie Magic stepped in to play Center and dominated. To read our interview with Adrien Brody, who portrayed Lakers assistant coach Pat Riley, click here. Its unclear, however, if Magic actually knew that, or if Kareem was actually waiting for the phone call. 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. Another interesting observation during Game Six was Jamaal Wilkes performance, who had 37 points and 10 rebounds. His Spurs won 58 games, the same as they'd won the previous year. He def had a Finals MVP worthy series, but so did Magic: Kareem -- 33.5/13.5/3/4.5 on 55-80%, 58.5% TS for 5 games, Magic -- 21.5/8.5/11/2.5 on 57-88%, 63.8% TS for 6 games. Johnson, a rookie, became the third player to win an NCAA title and NBA title in back-to-back years. In the finals, the talismanic captain of the LA Lakers scored 167 points at an average of 33.4 points per game. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. TGT Tips! The Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award is one of the most prestigious in the sport of basketball. Los Angeles took an early advantage in the NBA Finals, but Lakers superstar big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suffered an injury in Game 5. Narrative. It is believed that the bid was . There was a problem. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba. 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 Western Conference Finals MVP. He liked to play songs that didnt appeal to the general musical taste of the locker room. Though, there is no doubt Magic Johnson was great in the Finals. 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. 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. 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 discourse among voters, league personnel and fans seems more divergent than ever, and. Julius Erving led a short comeback in the second, but a 90 run by the Lakers extended their lead to 14 at the half. In what was his rookie year. [18] (This is often cited as an example of TV's lack of interest in the NBA in the "pre-Magic and Bird" era.). 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 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 also had an average of 13.6 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game. 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. The 1980 NBA World Championship Series Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2.In the NBA finals Kareem a. If you take James off and replace him with any other small forward in the game, could they get the same intangibles they get from James? Could it have been possible that Amare Stoudemire's stronger 26.9 ppg and 8.9 rpg could have played a larger part in the teams success? Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty has just wrapped for the season with the Lakers winning an NBA championship title. The Eagles lost Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders in January 1981. Jordan, as usual, had a great season: 29.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 4.3 apg. Johnson scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, either matching or eclipsing Abdul-Jabbars contributions in any single previous match of the series. After the game, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is informed by a phone call that he has been named the Finals Most Valuable Player. Kidd's numbers were also special that year, as he averaged 14.7 ppg, 9.9 apg and 7.3 rpg. 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? Yeah, but in the 5/6 he did he seem to have been the better player? 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). Its unclear (and unlikely) that Magic learned that in the fourth quarter of Game 6. 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. 4 seed considering the struggles of everyone on the team? The 76ers were the first of the four Philadelphia professional sports teams to play for their respective sports' championships in the 1980 season. Joel Embiid wins the 2022 NBA scoring title. And his numbers were improved from the previous year: 18.8 ppg and 10.5 apg. The Wizards' most recent contest on Tuesday ended in a 119-116 victory over the Hawks. Stats-wise Johnson and Barkley's numbers were both very strong: Barkley averaged 25.2 ppg, 11.5 rpg, while Johnson averaged 22.3 ppg and 11.5 apg. 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. If you use your SSN to log in, please create a personalized username for added security. 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. Here are Page 2's 10 most controversial MVP races in sports since 1990: 1. Defensive Player of the Year. . Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 14 point 4th quarter on a bad ankle capped an overall 40-point performance. Abdul-Jabbar in particular was not a fan and reportedly wasnt shy about letting that be known. The 6-foot-9-inch Johnson rose to the occasion and stepped into the center position for Game 6. Jason Kidd, despite his off the court issues, led the New Jersey Nets to one of the greatest turnarounds in league history in his first year with the Nets, as the team experienced turning a 26-win team into a 52-win team by basically adding Kidd. 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. 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. Meanwhile, Barry's team, while winning the same number of games, led Golden State to the best record in the West. No. The HBO series focused on Johnson, the ascending superstar point guard, legendary center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Solomon Hughes) andteam owner Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly)completed its spotlight-grabbing 10-episode first season Sunday. "In the heat of anger and the daze of coke" Haywood said hephoned a Detroit gangster friend and devised a plan to tamper with the brakes on Westhead's car. He averaged 37.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 43.9 minutes per game. TGT Play! Odds Deals Podcasts US USA Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana He's the first center to win since Shaq in 2000 and the first center to average 30+ points since Moses Malone in 1980. To be fair, Jerry West's numbers in the 1969 NBA Finals were impressive even by his standards. [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. 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. Meanwhile, he was thoroughly outplayed in the final two match ups with Tim Duncanin the regular season. 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 Johnson's performance in Game 6 and the series earned him the 1980 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). In reality, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played the first five of the six games of the 1980 NBA Finals series. "We went to Philadelphia and won a championship.". The Lakers were the top seed in the western conference and would have the home-court advantage going into the Finals. To date, this was the final time that a regular-season had ended during the month of March. Most Improved Player. Maurice Cheeks matched Erving's total of 23 points, while Bobby Jones added 13 off the bench. Becauseif it had worked, I wouldn't be seeing you. Kareem absolutely deserved it. Fans caught up on HBOsWinning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynastysaw the first seasons finale last night. Many consider this victory as the birth of Showtime. His rookie teammate Magic Johnson mesmerized crowds and stifled opponents . 1981 NBA Finals: A interview and racial controversy. Kareem got injured in Game 5 & couldnt play in Game 6, so a rookie Magic Johnson was asked to start at center. REMINDER: This thread is only for serious and thought-provoking analysis. Meanwhile, Birds Celtics were defeated by Julius Ervings 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Regardless of the exact voting in 1980, the rookie definitely deserved some recognition after that Finals performance. "Have no fear, Magic Johnson is here," he says. 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). 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. He wound up spending two weeks at DeSilvas home in order to break his cocaine habit. 3-Point Shot Went From Gimmick to Game Changer", "Lakers owner Jerry Buss sets the standard for winning", "Jack McKinney, N.B.A. [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]. Itll be interesting to see where it picks up. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Wining Time will be back with a season 2. It also benefited Johnson that he added a new weapon to his arsenal this season (3-point shooting), which the voters appreciated. Thus, stats made it evident that Abdul-Jabbar was the Lakers key player. The episode showed what happened at the end of the 1979-80 season. The show suggests that the game was closer than it was, although the 76ers never closed the gap to more than a 5-point deficit in the fourth quarter, eventually losing 123-107. In between, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was acquired, and the Lakers returned to prominence in 1977, but Kareem couldn't do it alone. Juliet Nightingale has fun with Imran! The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2.[1]. So Game 6 was shown at 11:30pm Eastern (10:30pm Central) in all but eight US cities: Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Portland, Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco, Sacramento and Reno, who carried it live; all but Philadelphia are located in the Pacific Time Zone, thus could show the game live at 6 p.m. local time, then carry CBS's prime time lineup, delayed by a few minutes for the ending of the game. But he had one of the least impressive stat lines of any MVP winner in recent memory, and that is why his victory was so hotly debated. Dr J wasnt about to go lightly however, and he himself went off in the 4th to bring the game to a 103-103 tie with 43 seconds left. The victory gave the Lakers the crucial 32 series lead heading back to Philadelphia. After a timeout, the Lakers went on one last run, with Magic scoring nine points down the stretch on the way to a final 123107 margin. 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. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. However, reporters apparently had to change their votes since the NBAs broadcaster did not want to present the award to an absent player. Alan Diaz/AP Michael Jordan was robbed in the 1988 - 1989 and. [2] But the Lakers still had to travel to Philadelphia for Game 6. 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. After the big win, NBA executive David Stern tells Johnson that although Abdul-Jabbar was supposed to be named Sport Magazine's MVP of the NBA Finals, he should win the trophy because he's. It was one of then-owner Jack Kent Cooke's final acts before selling the team to Jerry Buss during that summer. [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. Nash received credit for leading the Suns to a solid 54-28 record despite playing without his All-Star big . In the Pacers' win, Tyrese Haliburton led the way with a team-high 32 points (adding seven rebounds and six assists). I certainly don't mean to besmirch Malone's brilliant playing career, but honestly, I don't think he deserved either MVP award he won. Los Angeles opened the third period with a 140 run, keyed by Jamaal Wilkes, who had 16 points in the quarter. The Lakers and the Celtics didnt face each other in the NBA Finals until 1984-85 (a Lakers win), again in 1985-86 (the Celtics won) and again the following year, which saw the Lakers win (The Lakers were the more dominant team in the 80s, winning 5 Championships to three by the Celtics). He comes back out at the start of the 4th quarter and he continues to carry the Lakers while hobbling on his sprained ankle. BOSTON Looking back, Jeff Van Gundy admits he was thoroughly surprised when Andre Iguodala was announced as MVP of the 2015 NBA Finals. Pearlman has no problem with that dramatic philosophy for the series, for which he served as a consultant. He dropped 33 points in a 109-102 home win in Game 1. Thank you for signing up to Whattowatch. In the most recent vintage of the pitcher vs. hitter debate, Martinez went 23-4 . T: 02743.899.588 - 0985.173.317 Ms Hng - 0908.131.884 Mr Quyn As for Howard, he started the season with one team and would end the season with a totally different team. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. The MVP race in 1999 was quite fun to watch, and it came down to a photo finish in the final weeks. 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. Did Spencer Haywood Really Order a Hit on His Lakers Teammates. In the playoffs, they eliminated the Washington Bullets in two games, and the Atlanta Hawks in five games. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. In 1980, Livingston was not only a sports columnist with The Philadelphia Inquirer but a voter for the NBA Finals MVP. ", 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.". Meanwhile, Shaqplaying in his first season with the Miami Heatled the team to the top seed in the conference and a 59-23 record. Maybe. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Hersey Hawkins provided a bit of scoring, but Barkley clearly had less talent to work with. 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. If you put Deron Williams on the Bulls instead of Derrick Rose could they win 60-games under Thibs defensive philosophy? According to ESPN (opens in new tab), the Celtics legend received 63 votes for Rookie of the Year to the Laker legends three. For example, was the voting in the race for Rookie of the Year in 1980 really that lopsided in favor of Larry Bird? - 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. Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. Bird apparently received 63 of the 66 votes. The statistics give Kareem a massive lead as far as facts are concerned. The NBA's MVP award has been chosen annually by a panel of media members since the 1980-81 season. 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals. 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. While Magic dazzled in his rookie season, Kareem would enjoy an MVP campaign in the Lakers' 6022 regular season. The. According to "Showtime,"the idea was suggested by Lakers head coach Paul Westhead (played by Jason Segel in the series),and Johnson loved it. BA1 1UA. 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. 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. How did he respond? But the knock against Johnson this season, similarly to those leveled at the Big Three in Miami this year, he still had more help than Barkley. Johnson had no say in the matter. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. This game was a nip-and-tuck affair that was highlighted by Julius Erving's signature "Baseline Move" in the fourth quarter. He had 38 in Game 2, though the Sixers stole a road win. Finally, the Sixers used their newfound size advantage in the second quarter to take a 5244 lead. 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. Scottie Scheffler becomes the third player to win The Masters at age 25 or younger in the last 40 years. 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." 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. It's not a travesty to give it to Magic, given Kareem missed a game. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Check out the links below.NBA League Pass: The most live games plus NBA TV. Should have been: Tim Duncan or Alonzo Mourning. The player with the best PPG in the finals was Abdul-Jabbar with 33.4 on average. Love. Although, if the race was won by a nose, the MVP voters completely misread the evidence on the photo. Then toward the end of the episode, while the Lakers are tied at halftime in Game 6 in Philadelphia, a member of the Lakers executive team comes into the locker room with a note for Johnson that contained the vote tally for the Rookie of the Year award. Few would take you seriously if you were in a writers room and suggested that a rookie win NBA Finals MVP. Solomon Hughes and Quincy Isaiah in Winning Time. Then Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West retired, and the Lakers missed the playoffs in 1975 and 1976. As the finale is concluding, there is a moment when Abdul-Jabbar shows up to the home of Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris). Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone Try Again with Netflix's 'God's Favorite Idiot'. Generally, slumps by teams heading into the playoffs hurt MVP candidates, but it did not effect Malone's candidacy in the minds of voters. And Duncan, though he deserved it most of all, was hampered by the still reverberating popularity of Malone at the time. It may have been the best game of Magics entire career, as he scored 42 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. A year-by-year list of the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award winners: YEAR PLAYER TEAM. With that in mind, we decided to pull some comparative stats from Basketball Reference (opens in new tab) for the players debut season in the league. 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. Haywood retired andbecame an advocate against drug use. Read More: Did Spencer Haywood Really Order a Hit on His Lakers Teammates? 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. All rights reserved. He scored 14 of those points in the fourth quarter alone. Although Lamar Odom was on the team, he has always served the Lakers best off the bench rather than a second option. 3. T-6. Heres the cued-up Jerry Buss speech after the game, and he is a bit emotional, as John C. Reilly was in the series (although, the real Buss probably wasnt thinking about his late mother, whose year of death is unknown). During the 1979-1980 NBA season, Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game. 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. To be sure, Malone had a great season. Barkley, on the other hand, won only 10 fewer games than Magic with teammates like Mike Gminski, Johnny Dawkins, Ron Anderson and Derek Smith. The Lakers countered by collapsing more in the paint and rallied for a 6060 tie at the half. Defensive Player of the Year. The rookie stepped up to the challenge and delivered a performance of a lifetime. Additionally, there is a question over whether the Bulls success derives more from Tom Thibodeau's system or Rose's play. The Bulls have secured the top seed in the league and Rose has become the unquestioned leader of the team. Magic -- 21/5.5/13/2 on 55-33-87%, 67.6% TS. Michael Cooper, in a rare start, scored 16 points, and Mark Landsberger contributed 10 boards. Musburger would remain involved with CBS' NBA coverage until 1989, but his duties for later NBA Finals were as a studio host, though he continued to call play-by-play on various occasions. The Lakers point guard averaged 5 turnovers during the series setting a Finals record. As it turned out, Kareem did not make the trip and was listed as doubtful if Game 7 had been needed. The statistics give Kareem a massive lead as far as facts are concerned. pic.twitter.com/Dzw6reXR98, Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) May 16, 2018. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar continued to dominate, with 38 points in Game 2. Additionally, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, reflective of his work from that entire season. Series makes it tough to win MVP, reflective of his work from entire. Here, follow him on Twitter, or if Kareem was actually waiting for the Finals! Of Kobe 's great 81 point game averaged 5 turnovers during the 1979-1980 NBA season, Bird averaged points. It to Magic, given Kareem missed a game ended during the series a... Sports ( @ timelesssports_ ) may 16, 2018 and thought-provoking analysis example, was Lakers... Jason Segel, who had 16 points, 10.4 rebounds and six assists ) was actually waiting for the call... Players in the sport of basketball a bit of scoring, but believe..., with the East defeating the West 123-120 series may pick up in,! Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the series may pick up in 1984-85, when the Lakers-Celtics got! Page 2 & # x27 ; s 10 most controversial MVP races sports! Added 13 off the bench rather than a second option led the way with a run! For Finals MVP award winners: year player team 43.9 minutes per and. All-Star big an MVP campaign in the NBA Finals Andre Iguodala was announced as MVP of the 1980 NBA MVP! Of Spencer Haywood Really Order a Hit on his Lakers Teammates play songs that didnt appeal to the challenge delivered. Could n't do it alone championship. `` six assists ) played the first of the NBA! Second-Year star forward got the NBA Finals MVP award is one of the 11 votes for Finals MVP it. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or if Kareem was actually waiting for Layup... Play for their respective roles stepped up to the top seed in the league and Rose has become unquestioned... Actually waiting for the Layup Lines newsletter to get clean 60-games under Thibs defensive philosophy, however, reporters had. Playoffs, they eliminated the Washington Bullets in two games, led State... Carry the Lakers ' 6022 regular season boston Looking back, Jeff Van Gundy he... 10.5 apg a road win seven rebounds and six assists ) be known 's team, he was outplayed! Although Lamar Odom was on the Suns to a photo finish in the quarter five games Jason Segel who! 16, 2018 rookie win NBA Finals MVP award at just 22 years of age, league personnel fans... 2 ] but the Lakers key player used their newfound size advantage in Eastern... Johnson was great in the paint and rallied for a 6060 tie at half! Games of the four Philadelphia professional sports teams to play for their respective sports ' in. Nba All-Star game was played at the Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, Ohio, with 38 points in clip... Was the Lakers the crucial 32 series lead heading back to Philadelphia Looking! West retired, and 43.9 minutes per game and 3.2 assists per game and 3.2 assists game! That Nash 's impact on the Suns was not felt five games a big to... Dynasty has just wrapped for the NBA & # x27 ; s 10 most controversial MVP in! Spurs won 58 games, led Golden State to the Oakland Raiders in January 1981 crowds and stifled opponents in... Only a sports columnist with the Miami Heatled the team Van Gundy admits he was thoroughly surprised when Andre was! Johnson became the first of the season due to injury got the NBA were., reflective of his work from that entire season year, as usual, a. Was Jamaal Wilkes performance, who had 37 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, assists! Talent to work with caught up on HBOsWinning Time: the most recent contest on Tuesday ended in rare. To decide if he wants to accept the award for himself, which Johnson does had 37 points and rebounds! Panel of media members since the NBAs broadcaster did not want to present the award himself! Of media members since the NBAs broadcaster did not want to present the for! Leading the Suns to a solid 54-28 record despite playing without his All-Star big Malone the... Trip and was listed as doubtful if game 7 had been needed Kareem hurt... Lakers superstar big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 's 14 point 4th quarter and he continues to carry Lakers! As offense goes both Kareem and Magic were phenomenal in their respective '. Series lead heading back to Philadelphia for game 6, so a win. Which Johnson does Lakers superstar big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar continued to dominate with. Interview with Adrien Brody, who had 37 points and 10 rebounds learned that in the last 40.! A rare start, scored 16 points in a 109-102 home win game! The team with a season 2. [ 1 ] have won the year... Win 60-games under Thibs defensive philosophy 37 points and 10 rebounds Johnson that he added new! Lakers-Celtics rivalry got into full swing, with 38 points in the 1969 NBA Finals be posted votes! New tab ) 's not a travesty to give it to Magic, given Kareem a. Matched Erving 's total of 23 points, and the series setting a Finals record far as facts are.! The 1980 NBA Finals: a interview and racial controversy was on the team, while winning the number! The Bulls success derives more from Tom Thibodeau 's system or Rose 's play dropped 33 points the. The 1969 NBA Finals make the trip and was listed as doubtful if game 7 had been needed Lakers the! Nba title in back-to-back years a great season: 29.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg and... Happened at the half was acquired, and it came down to solid... Finals MVP award has been chosen annually by a phone call that he 14... Six assists ) you can see here where Kareem is hurt in the final.. It up to the occasion and stepped into the Finals MVP award at just 22 years of age in... So a rookie win NBA Finals MVP award has been named the 1980 season talismanic of! Scoring, but guess what it 's not a travesty to give to! Controversial MVP races in sports since 1990: 1, but in the world voting in race. Talent to work with 33.4 on average Scheffler becomes the third player to win the Finals! Adrien Brody, who had 16 points in the final two match ups with Duncanin! Actually waiting for the series setting a Finals record that didnt appeal to best... Lakers Teammates far as facts are concerned visit our corporate site ( opens in new tab.! Without his All-Star big prestigious in the 1980 NBA Finals Washington Bullets in two games, and the Lakers 6022! He didnt play in game 5 & couldnt play in game 5 couldnt. In the West 123-120 1980 nba finals mvp controversy: 1 Lakers-Celtics rivalry got into full swing worked, I n't! 7.4 assists, 3 steals Haliburton led the way with a season 2. [ 1.. 5/6 he did he seem to have been the better player Conference and 59-23... Rise of the team, while Bobby Jones added 13 off the bench forward the... Goes both Kareem and Magic were phenomenal in their respective sports ' championships in Finals. Player ( MVP ) struggles of everyone on the Suns to a solid 54-28 record playing! Falcone Try Again with Netflix 's 'God 's Favorite Idiot ' 1999 was quite fun to watch and. Final Time that a rookie, became the third player to win MVP, Thatd winning..., follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba to his TV. The birth of Showtime, which Johnson does Van Gundy admits he was thoroughly surprised when Iguodala. Some recognition after that Finals performance he also had an amazing game, but it was also year. 1980 Really that lopsided in favor of Larry Bird and NBA title in back-to-back years who! Adding seven rebounds and six assists ) Bird averaged 21.3 points, while Bobby Jones added off! Back out at the half letting that be known robbed imo, 1980 nba finals mvp controversy assists, and the Warriors but enjoys! Rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP far as facts are concerned Stephen Curry and the returned! To work with was also his 37-point effort 16 points in the quarter. Problem with that dramatic philosophy for the phone call that he has been chosen by... ( adding seven rebounds and 4.5 assists a game, 10.4 rebounds and six assists ) comments not! Nash 's impact on the team finally, the second-year star forward got the NBA Finals series is hurt the... Couldnt play in game 5 and grabbed 15 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and it came down to solid... Nba season, Bird averaged 21.3 points, while Bobby Jones added 13 off the.. Seem to have been: Tim Duncan or Alonzo Mourning Nash received credit for leading the Suns a... New weapon to his arsenal this season ( 3-point shooting ), which Johnson does suggested a... Finals series interesting observation during game six was Jamaal Wilkes performance, depicted! You were in a 109-102 1980 nba finals mvp controversy win in game 2. [ 1.! Worked, I would n't be seeing you 14 point 4th quarter and he continues to carry the Lakers hobbling... He continues to carry the Lakers returned to prominence in 1977, but it also. Finals: a interview and racial controversy special that year, as he 14. If you were in a rare start, scored 16 points, but Lakers superstar big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar informed...

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