In the playoffs, they eliminated the Washington Bullets in two games, and the Atlanta Hawks in five games. Nonetheless, Abdul-Jabbars absence in the sixth and deciding game against the Philadelphia 76ers was crucial in determining the Finals MVP. Crazy amount of offense that series. He literally and symbolically takes Abdul-Jabbar's vacant plane seat. 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). Generally, slumps by teams heading into the playoffs hurt MVP candidates, but it did not effect Malone's candidacy in the minds of voters. As Sporting News (opens in new tab) details, in Game 6, he played 47 minutes and finished with 42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Sixth Man of the Year. He did not begrudge Johnson for the win, writing,"the outcome was never a problem between Magic and me.". 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. Rookie of the Year. As such, when a player receives the . J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. 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. 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 scored 42 points, including all 14 of his free-throw attempts. Rookie of the Year. Kareem was listed out for Game Six. Becauseif it had worked, I wouldn't be seeing you. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar once again had a big game with 33 points, 14 rebounds, four blocks and three assists as the Lakers cruised to a 111101 win. ", Reilly just enjoyed the ride in 'Winning Time', Stars of new TV show "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty," John C. Reilly and Quincy Isaiah, discuss figuring out how to portray real-life people. 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. Ivan Rodriguez over Pedro Martinez, 1999. NBA History - 1980 Awards Award: Duncan, to be sure, had a great year. Rap in the 90s was apparently not his go-to genre. 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. 80s finals MVP voters been browsing r/nba, Where else could I ask this kinda question :'(. 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. 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. The injury, however, would keep Kareem out of game six as depicted in the series which meant starting Magic Johnson at center (he would eventually play all 5 positions in the game). 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. He wound up spending two weeks at DeSilvas home in order to break his cocaine habit. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. 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. #1 Magic Johnson - 20 Years Old (1980) In 1980, Magic became the first . Stars Bill Russell Brent Musburger Rick Barry See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. He liked to play songs that didnt appeal to the general musical taste of the locker room. Also, whats the truth behind Larry Birds Rookie of the Year award? 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. It also benefited Johnson that he added a new weapon to his arsenal this season (3-point shooting), which the voters appreciated. His appearance aroused the Forum regulars and, despite the bad ankle, scored 11 points and had two key blocked shots down the stretch. Granted, the Lakers were only a 7th seed this season and won 47 games to make the playoffs after missing them the previous year. The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Can you put any other center in the league on the Magic and have a No. "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. The Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals, themselves in six games, in the World Series. 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. It seems likely the series may pick up in 1984-85, when the Lakers-Celtics rivalry got into full swing. 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. Nash received credit for leading the Suns to a solid 54-28 record despite playing without his All-Star big Amare Stoudemire for most of the season. He averaged 25.5ppg, 12.7 rpg, and 2.5 bpg. 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? And a fun fact is he's completely dialed into the TLC90 Day Fiancuniverse. 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. 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. SPOILERS AHEAD! Therefore, Magic had monumental shoes to fill. The Worst NBA Finals MVPs Ever. But Worthy had 36/16/10 on 68-60%, 68% TS in G7. 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. Comparing statistics between Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson during the 1980 NBA Finals Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP, but midway through Game 5, the Lakers center suffered a severely sprained ankle. 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. 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? Should have been: Tim Duncan or Alonzo Mourning. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. After Game 5 Abdul-Jabbar was averaging 33.4 points per game as compared to eventual MVP Magic Johnson's 17.4. Rookie Magic Johnson contributed 16 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds. And fwiw, Magic also missed out on a Finals MVP he deserved cuz he got outshone for the clinching game. Sixth Man of the Year. 3-Point Shot Went From Gimmick to Game Changer", "Lakers owner Jerry Buss sets the standard for winning", "Jack McKinney, N.B.A. 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. According to "Showtime,"the idea was suggested by Lakers head coach Paul Westhead (played by Jason Segel in the series),and Johnson loved it. Nevertheless, Duncan wound up winning the title while Malone lost in the second round. 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. Wilkes had a career-high 37 points and added 10 rebounds. 1979-80 Magic . Barkley, on the other hand, won only 10 fewer games than Magic with teammates like Mike Gminski, Johnny Dawkins, Ron Anderson and Derek Smith. "Jamaal Wilkes had an unbelievable game", said Johnson in 2011. Malone averaged 27.4 ppg and 10 rpg. 21.5 to 33.5 ppg is a huge gulf, but Magic also had 11 apg and was 5% more efficient by TS. Johnson would go on to win two more NBA Finals MVP awards before his professional career was over. The Washington Wizards (29-32) and Pascal Siakam's Toronto Raptors (31-32) face off at Capital One Arena on Thursday, March 2, beginning at 7:00 PM ET.The Raptors enter this matchup following a 104-98 victory over the Bulls on Tuesday. Coach Trailed by a 'What if?' Hollyoaks spoilers: SHOWDOWN! It was a testament to James' great play. Pearlman has no problem with that dramatic philosophy for the series, for which he served as a consultant. He averaged 20.1 ppg and 11.0 rpg, while leading the Miami Heat to the No. Magic delivered an iconic masterpiece, probably the greatest game of his career with 42 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists (teammate Jamaal Wilkes shouldnt go unmentioned here too, putting up 37 points and 10 rebounds). For our conversation with Jason Segel, who depicted Lakers head coach Paul Westhead, click here. Some of his favorite shows includeThe Crown,WandaVision, Abbot ElementaryandGodfather of Harlem. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. The MVP race in 1999 was quite fun to watch, and it came down to a photo finish in the final weeks. Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar (who called the series "deliberately dishonest") and former Laker superstar and general manager Jerry West have criticized the show's portrayals. 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. Love. edit: complaint about pts/reb/ast order, changed it universally to pts/reb/ast. In the fourth with a little over five minutes left, the Sixers rallied to cut the Laker lead to 103101. "My not being there in Philadelphia to receive the trophy on camera was a major inconvenience as far as the television people were concerned," Abdul-Jabbar wrote, making it clear he only cared about winning the game. But by the second time, it was getting serious. That's not that bad a supporting cast. And Duncan, though he deserved it most of all, was hampered by the still reverberating popularity of Malone at the time. Also Magic was an exciting, charismatic young rookie the league was more than happy to hand a big award to. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. 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. Check out this database of MVPs, Defensive Players of the Year, Rookies of the Year, and more all on ESPN.com's NBA Awards page. On the other hand, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, which would be his careers last season MVP award. Johnson had no say in the matter. An injury in the fifth game sidelines Abdul-Jabbar, setting up Magic Johnson to take his captains position and the center stage. 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. 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. Kareem absolutely deserved it. The 1981 NBA All-Star Game was played at the Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, Ohio, with the East defeating the West 123-120. In between, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was acquired, and the Lakers returned to prominence in 1977, but Kareem couldn't do it alone. 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. For those interested in the Jeanie Buss drama, that is almost entirely a series-created fiction. 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. 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. He also had an average of 13.6 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game. With a split in L.A., the Sixers were hoping to take command of the series with the next two games in Philadelphia. Johnson became the first and only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award. All rights reserved. In reality, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played the first five of the six games of the 1980 NBA Finals series. He ultimately leaves it up to the rookie to decide if he wants to accept the award for himself, which Johnson does. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 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. The clinching game ppg and 11.0 rpg, and the center stage Phillies. Could n't do it alone in 1980 nba finals mvp controversy games in Philadelphia order to break his habit... Rookie Magic Johnson - 20 Years Old ( 1980 ) in 1980, Magic also missed out on Finals... 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