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. Kareem was listed out for Game Six. Johnson scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, either matching or eclipsing Abdul-Jabbars contributions in any single previous match of the series. The Lakers, however, beat the 76ers again the following season, before losing to the 76ers in the season after that. Bath 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. But Kobe Bryant was just sensational this season, posting 35.4 ppg (first in the league), 5.3 rpg, and 4.5 apg. Hence, it is safe to say that the shows depiction of Abdul-Jabbar being the original 1980 NBA Finals MVP has some merit. So while I acknowledge that I agree with the pick of Rose, I don't think it is as open and shut as has been reported. Thanks so much for A good well thought out answer! Solomon Hughes and Quincy Isaiah in Winning Time. 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. 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. 1980-81 Cedric Maxwell, Boston Celtics. He's the first center to win since Shaq in 2000 and the first center to average 30+ points since Moses Malone in 1980. The Utah Jazz were tied with the Spurs for the best record, but they led the league in wins for most of the season before slumping in the final month. Alan Diaz/AP Michael Jordan was robbed in the 1988 - 1989 and. The Eagles lost Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders in January 1981. Meanwhile, Shaqplaying in his first season with the Miami Heatled the team to the top seed in the conference and a 59-23 record. Solomon Hughes and Quincy Isaiah in Winning Time (Image credit: Warrick Page/HBO) 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. He dropped 33 points in a 109-102 home win in Game 1. However, during the NBA World Championship Series, aka the NBA Finals Series, the LA Lakers are without their star player and captain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 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. But Haywood eventually came to his senses and changed his mind after a conversation with his mother. If you put Deron Williams on the Bulls instead of Derrick Rose could they win 60-games under Thibs defensive philosophy? But the truth is stranger than fiction. How did he respond? So Magic just got it for his amazing game 6. The 1990 MVP race would prove to be one of the closest in league history as Magic Johnson edged out "Sir Charles" by a mere 22 votes. NBA World Reacts To The Controversial MVP Selection. But, this time, he got very little help as the Laker break never got going. When critics defend Rose they will acknowledge that his statistics are technically not better than James', and they won't argue that he is as dominant a force as Dwight Howard. Wilkes had a career-high 37 points and added 10 rebounds. 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. Thus they hired former player Billy Cunningham as head coach, and in 1978 the team traded for defensive stalwart Bobby Jones and drafted Maurice Cheeks, while letting go players such as George McGinnis and World B. BOSTON Looking back, Jeff Van Gundy admits he was thoroughly surprised when Andre Iguodala was announced as MVP of the 2015 NBA Finals. A crowd surrounds Magic Johnson at the Lakers championship parade, Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 23:20, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Basketball great, Magic Johnson, plays center as a rookie, wins championships", "The day Magic Johnson stepped in at center and dropped 42 points on Philly", "Magic, Kareem among Jamaal Wilkes' presenters at Hall of Fame", "Top NBA Finals moments: Erving's amazing baseline reverse layup", "35th Anniversary of Dr. J's Iconic Reverse Layup Versus Lakers in NBA Finals", "How the N.B.A. Check out the links below.NBA League Pass: The most live games plus NBA TV. Jerry West - 1969. 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? Did Nash really belong in that distinguished company? 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. Haywood retired andbecame an advocate against drug use. edit: complaint about pts/reb/ast order, changed it universally to pts/reb/ast. Kareem Abdul Jabbar deserved 1980 Finals MVP award over Magic Johnson: Statistics give the Lakers center a massive advantage over Earvin Johnson, LeBron James was conceived when Kareem Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader?: Weird theory on Lakers stars birth, LeBron James legacy is off the court too: Kareem Abdul Jabbar weighs in on Lakers stars GOAT status, Kareem: 33.4 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, 4.6 BPG, and 54.9% FG, Magic: 21.5 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 8.7 APG, 2.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG, and 57.3% FG, Kareem: 33 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 blocks, 0 steals, Magic: 16 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 0 blocks, 3 steals, Kareem: 38 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 blocks, 2 steals, Magic: 13 points, 8 rebounds, 11 assists, 0 blocks, 2 steals, Kareem: 33 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks, 0 steals, Magic: 16 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 0 blocks, 2 steals, Kareem: 23 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks, 1 steal, Magic: 28 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 block, 3 steals, Kareem: 40 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks, 0 steals, Magic: 14 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, 0 blocks, 3 steals, Magic: 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 1 blocks. In Game 6, Magic Johnson played what may have been the greatest game of his career. It is true as depicted in the series that Kareem was originally named the MVP of the series, and the CBS network (and not David Stern) talked to writers by a 4-3 vote into giving it to Magic Johnson, but only because the network didnt want to give the MVP to someone who wasnt there to receive it. 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. Many consider this victory as the birth of Showtime. Nate Archibald of the Boston Celtics wins the game's MVP award. For U.S. employees, your username (up to 15 characters) can be any customer identifier you've chosen or your Social Security number (SSN). The player with the best PPG in the finals was Abdul-Jabbar with 33.4 on average. She performed that job while attending U.S.C. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. The Lakers pulled out a 108-103 victory. The Lakers countered by collapsing more in the paint and rallied for a 6060 tie at the half. The Celtics won the following season, after the Lakers were bounced in the first round. 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. He was an unlikely candidate to be the series MVP - after all, his teammate . 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." Johnson had no problem and was up to the challenge, although he would lose the famous opening tip to Caldwell Jones. The key was Darryl Dawkins, who had one of his best games of the season by scoring 25 points, many of them on outside shots trying to draw Abdul-Jabbar away from the basket. After the end of game 5, Kareems averages for the Finals looked like this: In contrast, Magics numbers, while still very impressive especially for a rookie, didnt exactly stand out compared to Kareem (17 ppg, 10 rpg, 9 apg, 2.6 spg on 56% shooting through the first 5 games). Based on Livingstons story, Kareem initially had the votes to win, but Johnson took home the prize. Generally, slumps by teams heading into the playoffs hurt MVP candidates, but it did not effect Malone's candidacy in the minds of voters. BA1 1UA. The Lakers, however, ended those hopes by taking a 15-point lead in the first quarter. 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. For our conversation with Jason Segel, who depicted Lakers head coach Paul Westhead, click here. Early on, the Sixers seemed unsure how to counter the matchup problem. Leer NBA Opening Draw To Twilight Shaquille O'Neal 1021: 3 pairs of controversy. There was a problem. The 1980 Finals would mark the last play-by-play assignment for Brent Musburger, who was joined on color commentary by Utah Jazz play-by-play announcer Hot Rod Hundley and Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell. Maurice Cheeks matched Erving's total of 23 points, while Bobby Jones added 13 off the bench. The NBA's MVP award has been chosen annually by a panel of media members since the 1980-81 season. Terrell Smith has a diverse writing background having penned material for a wide array of clients including the federal government and Bravo television personalities. Also read: LeBron James was conceived when Kareem Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader?: Weird theory on Lakers stars birth. Bird apparently received 63 of the 66 votes. [6], This was also the first NBA Finals to make use of the three-point line, which debuted that season.[7]. Now he's fully emerging into one of the best players in the world. 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. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Julius Erving scored 12 points in the first quarter on his way to 23, beginning the game with a dunk over Abdul-Jabbar. He did not begrudge Johnson for the win, writing,"the outcome was never a problem between Magic and me.". It was one of then-owner Jack Kent Cooke's final acts before selling the team to Jerry Buss during that summer. Crazy amount of offense that series. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Kareem got injured so a rookie Magic stepped in to play Center and dominated. It was a testament to James' great play. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. If you are looking to place some bets on football, don't miss out on our overview of the best football betting sites for US bettors. 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. Just a hunch but he probably didnt win cuz he didnt play every game? So was Abdul-Jabbar the real winner of the MVP title that year? His Spurs won 58 games, the same as they'd won the previous year. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. Abdul-Jabbar was the series'statistical MVP winner through his heroic Game 5. Ivan Rodriguez over Pedro Martinez, 1999. The Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals, themselves in six games, in the World Series. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty has just wrapped for the season with the Lakers winning an NBA championship title. Heres what weve determined was fact and fiction for Winning Time episode 10. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. 1981 NBA Finals: A interview and racial controversy. 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. There is no doubt that as far as offense goes both Kareem and Magic were phenomenal in their respective roles. 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Joel Embiid wins the 2022 NBA scoring title. The statistics give Kareem a massive lead as far as facts are concerned. Magic Johnson scored 42 points, including all 14 of his free-throw attempts. 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. You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. It's not a travesty to give it to Magic, given Kareem missed a game. Terrell is a huge fan of great storytelling when it comes to television and film. In the series, the moment Johnson first stepped into a locker room he was accompanied by a boom box. 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. 1 seed in the East for the first time in franchise history. Granted, the Lakers were only a 7th seed this season and won 47 games to make the playoffs after missing them the previous year. Teammate of the Year. The Lakers also received strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes with 37 points and 10 rebounds,[3] and Norm Nixon. ", 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.". However, that wasn't enough to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the championship. What made Johnson's performance even more remarkable was that he was an NBA rookieand, indeed, one who had left college after only two years, and was only 20 years old. 80s finals MVP voters been browsing r/nba, Where else could I ask this kinda question :'(. 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. 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. Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. Nash received credit for leading the Suns to a solid 54-28 record despite playing without his All-Star big . The 1980 NBA Finals proved how special Magic was in game 6, with Kareem Abdul Jabbar unable to play Magic played center and scored 42 points. Upon winning the 2005 NBA MVP, there were plenty of audible gasps from around the league. This isn't a documentary.". 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. 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. As for Howard, he started the season with one team and would end the season with a totally different team. Scottie Scheffler becomes the third player to win The Masters at age 25 or younger in the last 40 years. The Lakers, however, went on to win the Western Conference. Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson of the 1980 winning team Lakers. 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. 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. The suggestion in "Winning Time" that it was Johnson's idea to start as center is dramatic license. After a timeout, the Sixers put the ball in the hands of Erving, who tried a spectacular, scooping finger-roll, but missed. 21.5 to 33.5 ppg is a huge gulf, but Magic also had 11 apg and was 5% more efficient by TS. pic.twitter.com/Dzw6reXR98, Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) May 16, 2018. 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. R/Nba, where else could I ask this kinda question: ' ( received credit leading! Browsing r/nba, where else could I ask this kinda question: '.. During that summer to give it to Magic, given Kareem missed a game: the Rise the. Time episode 10 read: LeBron James was conceived when 1980 nba finals mvp controversy Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader in. Pic.Twitter.Com/Dzw6Rexr98, Timeless sports ( @ timelesssports_ ) may 16, 2018 time, he got little! 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