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. 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. 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). Now, this is not to say that Nash's impact on the Suns was not felt. It may have been the best game of Magics entire career, as he scored 42 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. The player with the best PPG in the finals was Abdul-Jabbar with 33.4 on average. Kareem had the Finals MVP seemingly locked up. He comes back out at the start of the 4th quarter and he continues to carry the Lakers while hobbling on his sprained ankle. Its clear, though, that hes hurt, and he eventually goes into the locker room. 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. 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? The Sixers went on to even the series with a 105102 win. The victory gave the Lakers the crucial 32 series lead heading back to Philadelphia. 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. That's what this media is. Maurice Cheeks matched Erving's total of 23 points, while Bobby Jones added 13 off the bench. 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. 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. Nevertheless, Duncan wound up winning the title while Malone lost in the second round. Joy.Thats what you have given me on my birthday and every day in between. He played 5/6 games and was clutch in them too. Check out the links below.NBA League Pass: The most live games plus NBA TV. Heres how it works. Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. During the 1979-1980 NBA season, Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game. Thank you for signing up to Whattowatch. The rookie stepped up to the challenge and delivered a performance of a lifetime. For those interested in the Jeanie Buss drama, that is almost entirely a series-created fiction. The show began with the Lakers drafting. However, reporters apparently had to change their votes since the NBAs broadcaster did not want to present the award to an absent player. 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). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar continued to dominate, with 38 points in Game 2. We hope you enjoyed what we put together here. 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. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 14 point 4th quarter on a bad ankle capped an overall 40-point performance. 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. 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. Hollyoaks spoilers: Diane Hutchinson makes a SHOCKING confession. Becauseif it had worked, I wouldn't be seeing you. Siakam recorded 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists for the Raptors. Johnson, who had played point guard all season, was tasked to replace the captain of the Purple and Gold as the starting center. Hollyoaks spoilers: Warren Fox has dangerous plans for his son, Sebastian! 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. But he missed the finals due to his ankle injury. Scottie Scheffler becomes the third player to win The Masters at age 25 or younger in the last 40 years. Hence, it is safe to say that the shows depiction of Abdul-Jabbar being the original 1980 NBA Finals MVP has some merit. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. 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 Johnson winning the 1980 NBA Finals MVP over Kareem Abdul Jabbar might have been one of the biggest award robberies in NBA history. 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. Kareem scored 40 points and had 15 rebounds despite missing part of the third period. Its cued up here to Game 5, at the 49:36 mark, after Kareem scores a basket to put the Lakers up 67-65. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Erving, continues weaving truth with dramatic license. 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. This may seem like a slight to Malone,and in truthMalone had a phenomenal season in 1997, but Jordan should have won the award. "1. playoffs aren't a factor 2. the Nuggets would've been a non . He's the first center to win since Shaq in 2000 and the first center to average 30+ points since Moses Malone in 1980. Johnson was without Jabbar, but he still had James Worthy, A.C. Green, Byron Scott and a young Vlade Divac. This isn't a documentary.". 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. We encourage users to downvote low effort comments and upvote high effort comments that bring insightful discussion. Johnson on the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. T: 02743.899.588 - 0985.173.317 Ms Hng - 0908.131.884 Mr Quyn The Lakers point guard averaged 5 turnovers during the series setting a Finals record. REMINDER: This thread is only for serious and thought-provoking analysis. Meanwhile, Barry's team, while winning the same number of games, led Golden State to the best record in the West. The pundits gave the Lakers little chance of winning without Abdul-Jabbar, given his prolific form in the series. 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. He scored 14 of those points in the fourth quarter alone. (1980) 38 years ago today, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was injured, so the Lakers put rookie point guard Magic Johnson at center in game 6 of the NBA Finals. 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 . 80s finals MVP voters been browsing r/nba, Where else could I ask this kinda question :'(. 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? 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 first time, we could chalk it up to an NBA that was simply looking to shed its image in the recent wake of the "Malice in the Palice" and clean up the league by highlighting more agreeable faces to spotlight the game. 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. T-6. 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. Also, whats the truth behind Larry Birds Rookie of the Year award? Terrell Smith has a diverse writing background having penned material for a wide array of clients including the federal government and Bravo television personalities. 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." You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. 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. 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. The satisfying season finale of HBOs Winning Time aired this week, and most of the episode took place during Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Championship. Los Angeles opened the third period with a 140 run, keyed by Jamaal Wilkes, who had 16 points in the quarter. 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. 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. [10] Assistant coach Paul Westhead, who also worked under McKinney at St. Joseph's, was named the interim head coach. Abdul-Jabbar in particular was not a fan and reportedly wasnt shy about letting that be known. That's not that bad a supporting cast. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. 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. [1] 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. Magic Johnson then asserted himself by scoring six points and added an assist as Los Angeles moved up by eight at the end of the third. Rookie Magic Johnson contributed 16 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds. Should have been: Tim Duncan or Alonzo Mourning. 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. Barkley, on the other hand, won only 10 fewer games than Magic with teammates like Mike Gminski, Johnny Dawkins, Ron Anderson and Derek Smith. Stars Bill Russell Brent Musburger Rick Barry See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist For our conversation with Jason Segel, who depicted Lakers head coach Paul Westhead, click here. Tim Duncan led his Spurs to the best record in the West (by virtue of a tie-breaker with the Utah Jazz) and Duncan performed brilliantly, posting 21.7 ppg and 11.4 rpg. The Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award is one of the most prestigious in the sport of basketball. The NBA's MVP award has been chosen annually by a panel of media members since the 1980-81 season. "As es, Westbrook acaba de recoger las sobras de Wang Zelin. "Winning Time" features Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris) plottingto kill the Lakers after the teamvoted to kick out the troubled forwardbecause of his cocaine use. 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. The Eagles lost Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders in January 1981. The Lakers, however, went on to win the Western Conference. Teammate of the Year. ", 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, some last-minute behind-the-scenes tinkering leads to the award changing hands from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Magic Johnson. Coach Trailed by a 'What if?' "It's great to see you. The 6-foot-9-inch Johnson rose to the occasion and stepped into the center position for Game 6. Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone Try Again with Netflix's 'God's Favorite Idiot'. According to The Washington Post (opens in new tab), when the Laker great was a rookie, he would indeed walk around blasting music. 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. 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. 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. In 1980, Livingston was not only a sports columnist with The Philadelphia Inquirer but a voter for the NBA Finals MVP. 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. Johnson becamethe first and only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award. Happiness. He averaged 22.9 ppg and 10.4 rpg. 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. He had all the ingredients to secure the award, except a clear public image. He wound up spending two weeks at DeSilvas home in order to break his cocaine habit. 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. Because May 16, 1980, was a Friday, the network did not want to preempt its two highest-rated shows, The Dukes of Hazzard and Dallas, even though both shows were already in reruns: the 197980 TV season had ended early, back in March (Dukes and Dallas both aired their season finale March 21), in anticipation of a strike that summer by the Screen Actors Guild. . Kerr, whose former teammate Michael Jordan was denied an MVP 3-peat twice in 1993 and 1997 is the most obvious example of when a player should have won the award but didn't due to reasons not readily accepted by the general public. Jerry West - Getty Images. Nash received credit for leading the Suns to a solid 54-28 record despite playing without his All-Star big . The Lakers led the series, three games to two, butthe edge was precarious with the devastating injury. 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. It is believed that the bid was . In Game 6, Magic Johnson played what may have been the greatest game of his career. A subreddit dedicated to NBA news and discussion. [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. Ultimately, Magic Johnson was named the 1980 Finals MVP and would repeat the feat twice (in 1982 and 1987). The LA Lakers would face the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA Finals. 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. A year-by-year list of the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award winners: YEAR PLAYER TEAM. 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. Here is the answer! The scene is a fictionalized account of the debate surrounding Johnson's finals MVP win. Johnson became the first and only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award. Their conversationcertainlybrings to minda few times in NBA history that the winner of the MVP award drew complaints rather than applause from some not directly connected to the committee. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty season finale sees the LA Lakers competing for the highest honor in basketball, the NBA Championship. 4 seed considering the struggles of everyone on the team? In between, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was acquired, and the Lakers returned to prominence in 1977, but Kareem couldn't do it alone. 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? Along with Jamaal Wilkes' 37 points and 10 rebounds, Michael Cooper chipped in 16. 1981 NBA Finals: A interview and racial controversy. Magic Johnson's performance in Game 6 and the series earned him the 1980 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson have remained friends on and off the court for years, so the award situation likely did not dent their relationship. Cmo puede ocupar el segundo lugar en el MVP?" En la lnea . Magic Johnson - 3 1987, 1989, 1990 In 1987, Bird's rival took the torch. Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. Jerry West - 1969. Certainly Steve Nash had a good year and led the Phoenix Suns to the best record in the league that year at 62-20. There was a problem. 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. 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. https://ftw.usatoday.com/2022/05/nba-finals-mvp-1980-winning-time-magic-johnson-lakers, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. 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. Series clinching game: Magic 42/15/7/3/1, Kareem not even in the state of Pennsylvania. Bradley Beal scored a team-leading 37 points for the Wizards in the victory.Want to watch the matchup between the Raptors and Wizards? 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? 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. Perhaps just an absence in Game Six cost the entire voting panel to change their decision, which seemed unfair. The Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals, themselves in six games, in the World Series. Also, and this is weird: Jeanie Buss who does run the LA Lakers now, having inherited her fathers team and legacy in 2013 is 60 and dating Jay Mohr of SNL fame. The 2015 award, however, has become slightly more controversial with time. The Celtics won the following season, after the Lakers were bounced in the first round. Johnson scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, either matching or eclipsing Abdul-Jabbars contributions in any single previous match of the series. Julius Erving led a short comeback in the second, but a 90 run by the Lakers extended their lead to 14 at the half. Warren Fox demands answers from Tony! Get the latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more! Johnson won three MVPs from 1987 to 1990 but was unable to win all three in consecutive seasons. 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. The Lakers also received strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes with 37 points and 10 rebounds,[3] and Norm Nixon. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2. I left the Forum and drove off in my Rolls that night thinking one thought that Westhead must die," Haywood wrote. According to unconfirmed reports, Abdul-Jabbar was originally voted as the Finals MVP. Itll be interesting to see where it picks up. After a timeout, the Sixers put the ball in the hands of Erving, who tried a spectacular, scooping finger-roll, but missed. 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. 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. 21.5 to 33.5 ppg is a huge gulf, but Magic also had 11 apg and was 5% more efficient by TS. 9. He transformed the team into a legitimate contender this season. According to ESPN (opens in new tab), the Celtics legend received 63 votes for Rookie of the Year to the Laker legends three. 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. As it turned out, Kareem did not make the trip and was listed as doubtful if Game 7 had been needed. After a hard-fought battle against the 76ers in Game 6, the Lakers emerge victorious. Over the years, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the 1980 Final MVP award. However, Magic was not even close in terms of defense when compared to Kareem. Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. During the 1979-1980 NBA season, Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game. Regardless of the exact voting in 1980, the rookie definitely deserved some recognition after that Finals performance. Though, there is no doubt Magic Johnson was great in the Finals. As the finale is concluding, there is a moment when Abdul-Jabbar shows up to the home of Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris). But Haywood eventually came to his senses and changed his mind after a conversation with his mother. Haywood retired andbecame an advocate against drug use. But Kobe Bryant was just sensational this season, posting 35.4 ppg (first in the league), 5.3 rpg, and 4.5 apg. Playing on the road, Johnson (a 6'9" rookie point guard) started the game at center and eventually played all five positions in a dominating performance. 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. 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. On the other hand, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, which would be his careers last season MVP award. In 2002, they were only third. He posted 23.8 ppg and 9.4 rpg, while leading his team to a tie for the league's best record. [8][9] On November 8, 1979, the Lakers were 94 after 13 games, when McKinney suffered a near fatal head injury after falling while bicycling. Hollyoaks spoilers: SHOWDOWN! In the Pacers' win, Tyrese Haliburton led the way with a team-high 32 points (adding seven rebounds and six assists). He added 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block and was elected MVP of the series. When I did the first MVP poll of the season on Jan. 1, Steph Curry was the obvious . 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. Abdul-Jabbar continued to dominate, with 38 points in the Jeanie Buss,. Cost the entire voting panel to change their decision, which would be his careers season... Has dangerous plans for his son, Sebastian assists a Game position for Game 6 and the with. While Bobby Jones added 13 off the court for years, there has been a lot of controversy the... Of 23 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds author at the mark. About letting that be known to carry the Lakers emerge victorious rookie stepped up to the Raiders... 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