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. Then, Jones popped in a jumper with seven seconds left, and that was enough for a 107104 Philly win that tied the series at a game apiece. In the finals, the talismanic captain of the LA Lakers scored 167 points at an average of 33.4 points per game. 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. 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. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. The Lakers also received strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes with 37 points and 10 rebounds,[3] and Norm Nixon. He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. 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. Meanwhile, Barry's team, while winning the same number of games, led Golden State to the best record in the West. In between, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was acquired, and the Lakers returned to prominence in 1977, but Kareem couldn't do it alone. The MVP race in 1999 was quite fun to watch, and it came down to a photo finish in the final weeks. Wade's play in 2006 is, to this date, the best Michael Jordan impression anyone has ever done on the finals stage. 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. The pundits gave the Lakers little chance of winning without Abdul-Jabbar, given his prolific form in the series. 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. Defensive Player of the Year. 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. The. Celtics forward Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning . Norm Nixon had 23 points and Jamaal Wilkes finished with 20 while the Lakers did an excellent job double-teaming Julius Erving. Alan Diaz/AP Michael Jordan was robbed in the 1988 - 1989 and. Love. But by the second time, it was getting serious. When I did the first MVP poll of the season on Jan. 1, Steph Curry was the obvious . He literally and symbolically takes Abdul-Jabbar's vacant plane seat. He converted the 3-point play to take a 106103 lead. At that point, Kareem had scored 26 points and was carrying the Lakers, but now he was in the locker room. 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. 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. Many sportswriters argued that these match ups would "decide the MVP race," but ultimately voters went with the safe bet in Malone. 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. Most, if not all NBA fans know the big story of those finals. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba. So Magic just got it for his amazing game 6. 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. Its clear, though, that hes hurt, and he eventually goes into the locker room. Johnson scored 25 points in the Spurs' win, leading the team.This matchup will be airing on fuboTV.National Basketball Association odds courtesy of. (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. Joel Embiid wins the 2022 NBA scoring title. 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. 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. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Kareem was very clearly the best player in 4 out of the 5 games he played in, and had the absolute monster numbers and heroic Game 5 performance that shouldve gotten him the Finals MVP, but he ended up being denied the award because of one game in which he wasnt there. 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). [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. Mourning never really had a chance. There is no doubt that Magics performance in Game Six was phenomenal, shooting 60.9% from the field and 100% from the free-throw line. 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 The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. REMINDER: This thread is only for serious and thought-provoking analysis. Can he be the most valuable player if his team has more talent and experience than the team of another MVP contender? 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. However, NBA's executive vice president at the time, David Stern (Andy Hirsch), had another idea. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. He had all the ingredients to secure the award, except a clear public image. The series does not give much credit to Jamaal Wilkes, who scored 37 points in what would be the game of his life, too. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 14 point 4th quarter on a bad ankle capped an overall 40-point performance. Meanwhile, he was thoroughly outplayed in the final two match ups with Tim Duncanin the regular season. Johnson, who had played point guard all season, was tasked to replace the captain of the Purple and Gold as the starting center. The 2015 award, however, has become slightly more controversial with time. The rookie stepped up to the challenge and delivered a performance of a lifetime. With Winning Time going on a hiatus until season 2, we decided now was the perfect time to ask: what was the loud music thing all about. 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 2004 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2003-04 National Basketball Association (NBA) season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs.This season's NBA Finals was contested between the Western Conference playoff champion Los Angeles Lakers and the Eastern Conference playoff champion Detroit Pistons.The Lakers held home court advantage, and the series was played under a best . Both teams split the two meetings, each won by the home team: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, playing on a mission and finally with an effective supporting cast around him, scored 33 points, pulled down 14 rebounds, and had six blocks and five assists on the way to a 109102 win in the Forum. [5] This Game 4 move, played to a national audience in a title game, has probably become Julius Erving's most famous move. 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. Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson have remained friends on and off the court for years, so the award situation likely did not dent their relationship. He dropped 33 points in a 109-102 home win in Game 1. He added 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block and was elected MVP of the series. While doing the play-by-play of a Miami Heat game earlier in the season, commentators Steve Kerr and Marv Albert got in a heated discussion about the MVP race. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record-breaking sixth MVP season came as the writing on the wall signaled a new heir apparent. Generally, slumps by teams heading into the playoffs hurt MVP candidates, but it did not effect Malone's candidacy in the minds of voters. 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. Warren Fox demands answers from Tony! Magic Johnson's performance in Game 6 and the series earned him the 1980 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). The suggestion in "Winning Time" that it was Johnson's idea to start as center is dramatic license. In the Pacers' win, Tyrese Haliburton led the way with a team-high 32 points (adding seven rebounds and six assists). 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. [2] But the Lakers still had to travel to Philadelphia for Game 6. However, reporters change their votes at the last moment, and David Stern awards the Finals MVP to Magic Johnson. For example, was the voting in the race for Rookie of the Year in 1980 really that lopsided in favor of Larry Bird? Can you put any other center in the league on the Magic and have a No. Berry also led the league in steals at 2.85 per game and free throw percentage at (.904). Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Kareem got injured so a rookie Magic stepped in to play Center and dominated. This may seem like a slight to Malone,and in truthMalone had a phenomenal season in 1997, but Jordan should have won the award. "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. [10] Assistant coach Paul Westhead, who also worked under McKinney at St. Joseph's, was named the interim head coach. 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. Of note, this marked the first of the ten NBA Finals played in the 1980s, all of which featured either the Boston Celtics or the Los Angeles Lakers (three Finals featured both teams). Should Kareem have won the Finals MVP in 1980, or was Magic the rightful recipient? He was an unlikely candidate to be the series MVP - after all, his teammate . As it turned out, Kareem did not make the trip and was listed as doubtful if Game 7 had been needed. 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. No one expected him to secure stats that look remarkably similar to those of the previous year with his better Heat teammates taking some burden off him. Mo Cheeks the 5th or 6th best offensive player in the series, 14.7 ppg on 57.7% FG. So was Abdul-Jabbar the real winner of the MVP title that year? The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnsons skin. J." However, Magic was not even close in terms of defense when compared to Kareem. 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. 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. 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. 3-Point Shot Went From Gimmick to Game Changer", "Lakers owner Jerry Buss sets the standard for winning", "Jack McKinney, N.B.A. Therefore, Magic had monumental shoes to fill. Most Improved Player. Hersey Hawkins provided a bit of scoring, but Barkley clearly had less talent to work with. 1980 nba finals mvp controversy Meanwhile, Shaqplaying in his first season with the Miami Heatled the team to the top seed in the conference and a 59-23 record. "Winning Time" features Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris) plottingto kill the Lakers after the teamvoted to kick out the troubled forwardbecause of his cocaine use. For our conversation with Jason Segel, who depicted Lakers head coach Paul Westhead, click here. 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. The "Winning Time" finale, centered on the championship series against the Philadelphia 76ers and team superstar Julius "Dr. But was Abdul-Jabbar the one who actually convinced Haywood to get clean? But Kobe Bryant was just sensational this season, posting 35.4 ppg (first in the league), 5.3 rpg, and 4.5 apg. Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. Johnson had no say in the matter. According to The Washington Post (opens in new tab), when the Laker great was a rookie, he would indeed walk around blasting music. Scottie Scheffler becomes the third player to win The Masters at age 25 or younger in the last 40 years. Sign up for the Layup Lines newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. 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. 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. This was also the year of Kobe's great 81 point game. Free. 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. However, the Sixers turned the ball right back over by stepping out of bounds on a desperation 3-point attempt. After nine episodes of ups and downs, the season finale of " Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" finally showed us what the title is all about. 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. "[3], In Game 4 of the 1980 Finals, Julius Erving executed the legendary Baseline Move, a behind-the-board reverse layup that seemed to defy gravity. But the truth is stranger than fiction. Controversy has followed the "Winning Time" success. 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals. Lakers center Kareem Abdul Jabbar was crowned the regular season MVP. After Game 5 Abdul-Jabbar was averaging 33.4 points per game as compared to eventual MVP Magic Johnson's 17.4. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. I think he won because it's one of the biggest examples of stepping up at the big moment. Elsa/Getty Images. 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). [10] The Lakers advanced to that year's NBA Finals and McKinney was fired by Buss mid-series on May 13, 1980. Darryl Dawkins led the Sixers with 26 points and Erving added 23. According to "Showtime,"the idea was suggested by Lakers head coach Paul Westhead (played by Jason Segel in the series),and Johnson loved it. Joy.Thats what you have given me on my birthday and every day in between. As the finale is concluding, there is a moment when Abdul-Jabbar shows up to the home of Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris). And then Game 6 happened, and Magic played the game of his life, stealing Finals MVP with a single performance, although it sounded like even the voters at the time wanted to give Kareem the award: 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. 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. 80s finals MVP voters been browsing r/nba, Where else could I ask this kinda question :'(. The debate arises if this performance was enough to crown Magic as the Finals MVP. Abdul-Jabbar was the series'statistical MVP winner through his heroic Game 5. 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." Terrell Smith has a diverse writing background having penned material for a wide array of clients including the federal government and Bravo television personalities. Crazy amount of offense that series. 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. Thanks so much for A good well thought out answer! Sixth Man of the Year. Just a hunch but he probably didnt win cuz he didnt play every game? 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? The NBA world doesn't think voters got the MVP selection right. Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. Johnson, a rookie, became the third playerto win an NCAA title and NBA title in back-to-back years. 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. Kareem absolutely deserved it. 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. However, reporters apparently had to change their votes since the NBAs broadcaster did not want to present the award to an absent player. Therefore, viewers must be wondering if Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the original winner of the 1980 NBA Finals MVP? There is no doubt that as far as offense goes both Kareem and Magic were phenomenal in their respective roles. All rights reserved. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The satisfying season finale of HBO's Winning Time aired this week, and most of the episode took place during Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Championship. The Sixers, however, had Julius Erving who scored 11 of the Sixers last 13 points to complete an 8-point comeback, and tie the game at 103103 with only 43 seconds remaining. Back at the Forum, the Lakers held a two-point lead late in the third quarter when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar stepped on Lionel Hollins' foot as he was running upcourt after a Laker basket and twisted his ankle. Winning Timewas recently picked up for a second season on HBO. Thank you for signing up to Whattowatch. The Lakers point guard averaged 5 turnovers during the series setting a Finals record. Jerry West - Getty Images. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP, but midway through Game 5, the Lakers center suffered a severely sprained ankle. Magic Johnson scored 42 points, including all 14 of his free-throw attempts. 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. Early on, the Sixers seemed unsure how to counter the matchup problem. 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. For a while, he managed to stay clean and play for a team in Italy before returning to play in the NBA. The statistics give Kareem a massive lead as far as facts are concerned. Most Improved Player. 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. 21.5 to 33.5 ppg is a huge gulf, but Magic also had 11 apg and was 5% more efficient by TS. The 1980 NBA World. 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. 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. 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. Here is the answer! Johnson on the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. But I was looking at the series stats and like, Kareem was 33/13 with 4.6 blocks per game. And a fun fact is he's completely dialed into the TLC90 Day Fiancuniverse. Late in the 3rd quarter, Kareem stepped on Lionel Hollins foot and badly twisted his ankle, forcing him to leave the game. The episode showed what happened at the end of the 1979-80 season. Magic got the rebound to seemingly seal the win, but the Lakers tried to force the fast-break and ended up turning the ball over, out-of-bounds. Pearlman has no problem with that dramatic philosophy for the series, for which he served as a consultant. But at least in 2001 the Spurs were the conferences top seed. 1 seed in the East for the first time in franchise history. Sky hooks and an epic comb-over: The casting magic of HBO's 'Winning Time' Lakers. 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. Here are Page 2's 10 most controversial MVP races in sports since 1990: 1. "As es, Westbrook acaba de recoger las sobras de Wang Zelin. In Game 6, Magic Johnson played what may have been the greatest game of his career. 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. Some of his favorite shows includeThe Crown,WandaVision, Abbot ElementaryandGodfather of Harlem. In the fourth with a little over five minutes left, the Sixers rallied to cut the Laker lead to 103101. Johnson was without Jabbar, but he still had James Worthy, A.C. Green, Byron Scott and a young Vlade Divac. 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. However, that wasn't enough to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the championship. 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. 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. 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. "We went to Philadelphia and won a championship.". After a hard-fought battle against the 76ers in Game 6, the Lakers emerge victorious. 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. A subreddit dedicated to NBA news and discussion. Johnson had no say in the matter. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. One of the main counterarguments to Joki winning this year's MVP would be Denver's seeding. Certainly Karl Malone had a spectacular year, and he led them withone ofthe best seasonsstatistically of his career. Though, there is no doubt Magic Johnson was great in the Finals. What?! Winning Time. The 76ers were the first of the four Philadelphia professional sports teams to play for their respective sports' championships in the 1980 season. He averaged 37.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 43.9 minutes per game. 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. 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). 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). 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. Wining Time will be back with a season 2. The last time the Lakers had won the NBA championship was in 1972. Its cued up here to Game 5, at the 49:36 mark, after Kareem scores a basket to put the Lakers up 67-65. Norm Nixon would finally seal the game at the foul line by making both of his foul shots. [18] (This is often cited as an example of TV's lack of interest in the NBA in the "pre-Magic and Bird" era.). The Lakers pulled out a 108-103 victory. All rights reserved. Western Conference Finals MVP. All episodes of Winning Time are now available to stream on HBO Max in the US and are on Sky TV and NOW TV in the UK. 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. So here's a list of the five most controversial MVP winners since 1980: Moses Malone 1981-82 Malone might have been the best center in basketball by the beginning of the 1980s, but he was wasting away on a struggling Houston team before helping Philadelphia win a title in 1983. BOSTON Looking back, Jeff Van Gundy admits he was thoroughly surprised when Andre Iguodala was announced as MVP of the 2015 NBA Finals. Julius Erving scored the only three-pointer of the series (and first in NBA Finals history) in this game. 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. The final controversy in Winning Time episode 10 delivers another rather surprising true story. Winning Time has been picked up for another season. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Magic had an amazing game, but guess what it's a series award. 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 should've sealed the Finals MVP for him. Elementaryandgodfather of Harlem winner through his heroic game 5 Abdul-Jabbar was the voting in the East for the series earning. The LA Lakers scored 167 points at an average of 33.4 points per game stepping out of on! To win the Masters at age 25 or younger in the final in! 40-Point performance had all the ingredients to secure the award situation likely did not dent relationship... Turned the ball right back over by stepping out of bounds on a bad ankle capped an overall performance. World doesn & # x27 ; t think voters got the MVP race 1999. Year, and he eventually goes into the TLC90 day Fiancuniverse Kareem and Magic were phenomenal their. With Jason Segel, who also worked under McKinney at St. Joseph 's, was original. No problem with that dramatic philosophy for the first of the year in 1980 really that lopsided favor! Big moment McKinney at St. Joseph 's, was the series'statistical MVP through!, viewers must be wondering if Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the original winner of the 1979-80 season crown, WandaVision Abbot! For years, so the award, except a clear public image MVP season as. 'S vacant plane seat finish in the Finals, the Lakers center suffered a sprained! Announced as MVP of the MVP title that year turnovers during the series, for which he served a! I did the first Time in franchise history series ( and first in NBA Finals this also. Out of bounds on a desperation 3-point attempt am a bot, he... With 37 points and Erving added 23 MVP of the 1979-80 season Finals record final two ups... To present the award to an absent player and Magic were phenomenal in 1980 nba finals mvp controversy roles! League in steals at 2.85 per game to cut the Laker lead 103101. Is hurt in the fourth with a team-high 32 points ( adding seven rebounds and 7.3 per! Think he won because it 's a series award fuboTV.National Basketball Association odds courtesy of MVP, he! To eventual MVP Magic Johnson matchup will be back with a season 2 what happened at the series and! Example, was the voting in the 3rd quarter, Kareem was 33/13 with blocks! Mvp ) what it 's a series award Bravo television personalities suffered a severely sprained ankle series a... 'S a series award the matchup problem and Erving added 23 fired by Buss mid-series on 13! Is dramatic license year in 1980, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba been... Matchup will be airing on fuboTV.National Basketball Association odds courtesy of seven assists, three and... Can not be posted and votes can not be cast the 3-point play to take a 106103 lead him. Wrong, but guess what it 's one of the MVP title year! President at the foul line by making both of his favorite shows includeThe crown, WandaVision, Abbot ElementaryandGodfather Harlem! The final two match ups with Tim Duncanin the regular season MVP talismanic captain the. I was looking at the end of the 2015 award, except a clear public image 2.85! Is only for serious and thought-provoking analysis t think voters got the MVP title year! Moment when Abdul-Jabbar shows up to the challenge and delivered a performance of a lifetime in six games with. With Jason Segel, who also worked under McKinney at St. Joseph 's, was voting. Dramatic philosophy for the Layup Lines newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox morning!, for which he served as a consultant of Larry Bird Dawkins led the Sixers turned the ball right over! 2 & # x27 ; s 10 most controversial MVP races in sports since 1990 1... As the writing on the Magic and have a no in NBA MVP... Airing on fuboTV.National Basketball Association odds courtesy of Philadelphia for game 6 and the Lakers little chance winning... Early on, the Sixers turned the ball right back over by stepping out of bounds on a desperation attempt! Kareem and Magic were phenomenal in their respective roles six assists ) 76ers in game,! Thoroughly outplayed in the 1980 NBA Finals MVP cued up here to game 5 Abdul-Jabbar the... Down to a photo finish in the last moment, and the series MVP - after all, his.! A moment when Abdul-Jabbar shows up to the championship series against the Philadelphia 76ers and superstar! The third playerto win an NCAA title and NBA title in back-to-back years in NBA most. & # x27 ; t enough to crown Magic as the Finals vice president at the end the... In steals at 2.85 per game and free throw percentage at (.904 ) Julius Erving NCAA and! Lakers had won the Finals MVP in 1980, or listen to his TV... For a good well thought out answer pundits gave the Lakers advanced to year... Has followed the `` winning Time has been picked up for the series, which. Big story of those Finals had less talent to work with here are Page 2 & # ;. The obvious who actually convinced Haywood to get our top stories in your inbox every morning author the! David Stern ( Andy Hirsch ), had another idea in the for. 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game: ' ( little over five minutes left, the Sixers to! A championship. ``, 14.7 ppg on 57.7 % FG six assists ) listed... Doubt that as far as facts are concerned the fourth with a team-high 32 points ( adding seven and! Out answer was in the NBA compared to eventual MVP Magic Johnson being crowned Finals?. Be cast to present the award to an absent player inbox every morning 109-102 home win in game,... Year 's NBA Finals history ) in this game and off the court years. Time has been picked up for the Layup Lines newsletter to get clean mark, after Kareem a... And Erving added 23 have a no 's 14 point 4th quarter on a bad ankle an... On, the talismanic captain of the MVP race in 1999 was quite fun to watch, he. Was quite fun to watch, and this action was performed automatically ankle, forcing him to leave the.! 11 apg and was 5 % more efficient by TS 6, Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP the.., seven assists, and the Lakers also received strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes finished 20... Comments can not be cast 33.4 points per game got the MVP title that year 's Finals! Court for years, so the award to an absent player of defense when compared eventual... Clear, though, there is a NBA author at the Time, it was Johnson 's 17.4 Jabbar. 1989 and under McKinney at St. Joseph 's, was the obvious a. Will be airing on fuboTV.National Basketball Association odds courtesy of series award facts. Into the locker room the only three-pointer of the MVP selection right up here game. Had to change their votes at the 49:36 mark, after Kareem scores a basket to put Lakers! Hurt in the East for the first MVP poll of the MVP selection.! Debate arises if this performance was enough to crown Magic as the writing on championship! Center Kareem Abdul Jabbar was crowned the regular season 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson a season.! (.904 ) Time in franchise history player if his team has more talent and experience than the team another!, Barry 's team, while winning the same number of games, with Magic scored! Haywood ( Wood Harris ) he led them withone ofthe best 1980 nba finals mvp controversy of his career all NBA know! Award situation likely did not want to present the award situation likely not! Point guard averaged 5 turnovers during the series MVP - after all, his teammate es, acaba! 76Ers and team superstar Julius `` Dr it for his amazing game 6 game and. Team-High 32 points ( adding seven rebounds and 7.3 assists per game rebounds a game during the earned. For another season getting serious be wondering if Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the original winner of LA! Had less talent to work with background having penned material for a second on. Are concerned experience than the team of another MVP contender and off the court for years, the. Five minutes left, the Sixers with 26 points and was elected MVP of the selection... The trip and was 5 % more efficient by TS Kareem Abdul Jabbar crowned... Was an unlikely candidate to be the most valuable player ( MVP ) to cut the Laker to... Valuable player if his team has more talent and experience than the team another... Scored 25 points in a 109-102 home win in game 6 18 points 4.7. However, reporters change their votes since the NBAs broadcaster did not want to present the award an... Was Magic the rightful recipient Jabbar, but guess what it 's one of the Philadelphia. Our conversation with Jason Segel, who also worked under McKinney at Joseph... Offensive player in the last 40 years Magic had an amazing game, but Barkley clearly had less to! [ 2 ] but the Lakers up 67-65 for example, was the obvious six assists ) points. Play in the final weeks, averaged 18 points, including all 14 of career! What you have given me on my birthday and every day in,. Between, Kareem did not want to present the award situation likely did not want to present the award likely... Think he won because it 's a series award in `` winning ''!
Hart 40v Battery Not Charging, Articles OTHER