"Everybody talked about my 42 points, but it was also his 37-point effort. 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. In "Winning Time,"Johnson saunters onto the Philly-bound team plane with a boom boxplaying Frankie Beverly's "That's The Golden Time Of Day." For those interested in the Jeanie Buss drama, that is almost entirely a series-created fiction. 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. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. The last time the Lakers had won the NBA championship was in 1972. 1980 nba finals mvp controversy The MVP race in 1999 was quite fun to watch, and it came down to a photo finish in the final weeks. Granted, Derrick Rose has not actually won the award yet, but the general consensus around the league appears to be that you're more likely to see the Mayor of Cleveland declare "LeBron James day" in the city than for Rose not to win the award. Despite Kareem not playing in Game Six, he led Magic in PPG, RPG, BPG, and FG efficiency. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. 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. 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. But since the evaluation is "most valuable player" rather than best player (which Jordan had on lockdown with his 33.6 ppg and 2.77 steals, both tops in the NBA), one could say that Barkley's team wouldn't have even made the playoffs without him. Did Nash really belong in that distinguished company? Did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Magic Johnson win the 1980 NBA Finals MVP? She performed that job while attending U.S.C. [10] The Lakers advanced to that year's NBA Finals and McKinney was fired by Buss mid-series on May 13, 1980. In the 197980 season the 76ers finished 5923, two games behind the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty has just wrapped for the season with the Lakers winning an NBA championship title. But Kobe Bryant was just sensational this season, posting 35.4 ppg (first in the league), 5.3 rpg, and 4.5 apg. Magic Johnson winning the 1980 NBA Finals MVP over Kareem Abdul Jabbar might have been one of the biggest award robberies in NBA history. The Lakers went up 70, then 114. Cmo puede ocupar el segundo lugar en el MVP?" En la lnea . 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. Many consider this victory as the birth of Showtime. Greenmark Group - 1980 nba finals mvp controversy % May 13, 2022 by tottenham leicester whoscored. After winning the NBA Finals, it is said that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is going to be the MVP, but David Stern tells Magic Johnson that he could take the award instead since Kareem isn't there. Its clear, though, that hes hurt, and he eventually goes into the locker room. 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. BA1 1UA. [17], The series-deciding Game 6 became the most notorious example of CBS's practice of showing even the most important NBA games on "tape delay" broadcasts. Rick Barry was not a particularly popular player around the NBA. So was Abdul-Jabbar the real winner of the MVP title that year? Magic even jumped center in the game's opening tip tomake a statement, as seen in the episode. In the fourth with a little over five minutes left, the Sixers rallied to cut the Laker lead to 103101. Johnson became the first and only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award. "It was amazing, just amazing", said Erving, who led Philly with 27 points. Los Angeles took an early advantage in the NBA Finals, but Lakers superstar big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suffered an injury in Game 5. Should have been: Tim Duncan or Alonzo Mourning. Granted, the Lakers were only a 7th seed this season and won 47 games to make the playoffs after missing them the previous year. Mo Cheeks the 5th or 6th best offensive player in the series, 14.7 ppg on 57.7% FG. Steve Nash is the only repeat MVP winner that has never appeared in an NBA Finals game. What?! I hate when people ask questions like this, post the credentials for the guy their arguing for, and don't talk about what the other guy did. It may have been the best game of Magics entire career, as he scored 42 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. The 1980 NBA Finals TV Mini Series 1980 YOUR RATING Rate Sport The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1979/1980 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The scene is a fictionalized account of the debate surrounding Johnson's finals MVP win. In 2002, they were only third. He hobbles thereafter, but they dont immediately call a time-out to remove him. Magic Johnson scored 42 points, including all 14 of his free-throw attempts. The team had even drafted Magic Johnson, who was the 1st pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. Then Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West retired, and the Lakers missed the playoffs in 1975 and 1976. 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. However, reporters apparently had to change their votes since the NBAs broadcaster did not want to present the award to an absent player. Certainly Karl Malone had a spectacular year, and he led them withone ofthe best seasonsstatistically of his career. Steph Curry and Jayson Tatum have the shortest odds to win the 2022 NBA Finals MVP award, but several other players, including Marcus Smart, Klay Thompson, and Al Horford, make for intriguing . So Magic just got it for his amazing game 6. Elsa/Getty Images. Please check your email for a confirmation. Free trialHow to Watch Today's NBA GamesToronto Raptors at Washington WizardsThe 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.Game Time: 7:00 PM ETTV Channel: NBC Sports NetworksLive Stream: fuboTV (, The Indiana Pacers (28-35) meet Keldon Johnson and the San Antonio Spurs (15-47) at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas on Thursday, March 2 at 8:30 PM ET.The Pacers won their most recent game 124-122 against the Mavericks on Tuesday. He converted the 3-point play to take a 106103 lead. "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. Love. Hollyoaks spoilers: REUNITED! Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. He made a habit of entering the room blasting music and on most occasions annoying his teammates. And fwiw, Magic also missed out on a Finals MVP he deserved cuz he got outshone for the clinching game. Sitting sixth in the Western Conference, it can seem distasteful for certain fans who believe the. Duncan, to be sure, had a great year. [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. Ultimately, Magic Johnson was named the 1980 Finals MVP and would repeat the feat twice (in 1982 and 1987). Julius Erving scored the only three-pointer of the series (and first in NBA Finals history) in this game. Hence, it is safe to say that the shows depiction of Abdul-Jabbar being the original 1980 NBA Finals MVP has some merit. Over the years, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the 1980 Final MVP award. The statistics give Kareem a massive lead as far as facts are concerned. 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. NBA Opening Draw To Twilight Shaquille O'Neal Vol 2 Chapter 1021: 3 pairs of controversy . He added 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block and was elected MVP of the series. Many sportswriters argued that these match ups would "decide the MVP race," but ultimately voters went with the safe bet in Malone. Despite winning the 1980 NBA Finals MVP Award as a rookie, Johnson naturally gave credit to his teammates. 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. Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has submitted a bid to buy the Commanders, according to a report from Mark Maske and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post. He dropped 33 points in a 109-102 home win in Game 1. Thus, stats made it evident that Abdul-Jabbar was the Lakers key player. But after losing to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1977 NBA Finals, the 76ers realized that a fancy and one-on-one style of play will not take them all the way. Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. Sign up for the Layup Lines newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. To read our interview with Adrien Brody, who portrayed Lakers assistant coach Pat Riley, click here. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Kareem got injured so a rookie Magic stepped in to play Center and dominated. Bradley Beal scored a team-leading 37 points for the Wizards in the victory.Want to watch the matchup between the Raptors and Wizards? 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. Also Read: LeBron James legacy is off the court too: Kareem Abdul Jabbar weighs in on Lakers stars GOAT status. The Lakers, however, ended those hopes by taking a 15-point lead in the first quarter. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. [5] This Game 4 move, played to a national audience in a title game, has probably become Julius Erving's most famous move. 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. Malone averaged 27.4 ppg and 10 rpg. An injury in the fifth game sidelines Abdul-Jabbar, setting up Magic Johnson to take his captains position and the center stage. After the game, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is informed by a phone call that he has been named the Finals Most Valuable Player. 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. This was also the year of Kobe's great 81 point game. 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. Johnson, a rookie, became the third playerto win an NCAA title and NBA title in back-to-back years. 1988 Finals MVP went to Worthy. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2.[1]. He also had an average of 13.6 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game. Johnson on the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. We encourage users to downvote low effort comments and upvote high effort comments that bring insightful discussion. Hollyoaks spoilers: SHOWDOWN! The Lakers earned the top pick of the 1979 NBA draft (traded as compensation by the New Orleans Jazz after signing Gail Goodrich in 1976) and selected Magic Johnson from Michigan State. Below is a breakdown of all the stats that prove perhaps why Kareem was more worthy of the award without taking anything away from Magic. "Winning Time" shows a locker room-bound Johnson agreeing to take the finals MVP award instead ofAbdul-Jabbar on the strong suggestion ofDavid Stern, the league's executive vice president forlegal affairs (and future commissioner). The NBA world doesn't think voters got the MVP selection right. 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 Sixers went on to even the series with a 105102 win. The show began with the Lakers drafting. 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. 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. However, in the course of the team achieving that goal in the season finale, a few events occurred that prompted our curiosity. Upon winning the 2005 NBA MVP, there were plenty of audible gasps from around the league. Though, there is no doubt Magic Johnson was great in the Finals. 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. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played the first five of the six games of the 1980 NBA Finals series, have remained friends on and off the court. Moreover, Abdul-Jabbars 40-point haul in the fifth game, which he played with a sprained ankle, had handed the Lakers a 3-2 lead in the series. Therefore, viewers must be wondering if Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the original winner of the 1980 NBA Finals MVP? According to unconfirmed reports, Abdul-Jabbar was originally voted as the Finals MVP. He comes back out at the start of the 4th quarter and he continues to carry the Lakers while hobbling on his sprained ankle. It is believed that the bid was . Terrell Smith has a diverse writing background having penned material for a wide array of clients including the federal government and Bravo television personalities. Mourning had the best season of his career in 1999. T-6. Abdul-Jabbar in particular was not a fan and reportedly wasnt shy about letting that be known. If you use your SSN to log in, please create a personalized username for added security. 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. Los Angeles opened the third period with a 140 run, keyed by Jamaal Wilkes, who had 16 points in the quarter. 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. Copyright: RU Sport Private Limited. He came into the league with the most pressure to preform and did so admirably as the Heat led the East in road wins, despite every game having a playoff atmosphere. "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. Magic Johnson had a spectacular year in 1990. Is it true Johnson used to carry around a boom box with him? Leer NBA Opening Draw To Twilight Shaquille O'Neal 1021: 3 pairs of controversy. 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. The NBA's MVP award has been chosen annually by a panel of media members since the 1980-81 season. 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. Juliet Nightingale has fun with Imran! 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. 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. But with Abdul-Jabbar stuck watching the game from his Los Angeles home, giving the award to an empty chair was bad TV.. So, whatd you guys think? Mourning never really had a chance. Curiously, even though Magic Johnson won the award and Johnson's team won a league best 63 games (the league's only 60-win team that year) and Barkley's club only won 53 games, Barkley received more first place votes (38-27). Plus, who was the spark for Spencer Haywood getting clean? Maybe. Paul Westhead does also thank Jack McKinney in his remarks, and the players (including Norm Nixon) make sure to single out Kareems contributions. 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 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. It was a testament to James' great play. 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. Stephen Curry, G, Golden State Warriors. 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. Alan Diaz/AP Michael Jordan was robbed in the 1988 - 1989 and. He averaged 22.9 ppg and 10.4 rpg. Another interesting observation during Game Six was Jamaal Wilkes performance, who had 37 points and 10 rebounds. The Lakers pulled out a 108-103 victory. Happiness. 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Read: LeBron James legacy is off the court too: Kareem Jabbar. He eventually goes into the locker room game, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was voted! A lot of controversy O & # x27 ; Neal 1021: 3 pairs of controversy an...