What?! Elsa/Getty Images. 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. Fans caught up on HBOsWinning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynastysaw the first seasons finale last night. 3rd seed in the East, 3rd best league record. But as strong as those number may seem, they represent one of Malone's worst statistical seasons since his rookie year. 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. [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. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. In reality, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played the first five of the six games of the 1980 NBA Finals series. Joy.Thats what you have given me on my birthday and every day in between. Free. Defensive Player of the Year. 1980 nba finals mvp controversy 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. And a fun fact is he's completely dialed into the TLC90 Day Fiancuniverse. 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. The. The Lakers pulled out a 108-103 victory. Barkley, on the other hand, won only 10 fewer games than Magic with teammates like Mike Gminski, Johnny Dawkins, Ron Anderson and Derek Smith. . edit: complaint about pts/reb/ast order, changed it universally to pts/reb/ast. 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. Granted, the Lakers were only a 7th seed this season and won 47 games to make the playoffs after missing them the previous year. . Julius Erving arrived before the 197677 season, and with him as the focal point of the offense, the 76ers soon transformed into a title contender. Johnson on the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone Try Again with Netflix's 'God's Favorite Idiot'. T-6. Cmo puede ocupar el segundo lugar en el MVP?" En la lnea . The Celtics forward became the most recent player to collect three straight MVPs, doing so from 1984 to 1986 as Boston won two championships. 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. But Worthy had 36/16/10 on 68-60%, 68% TS in G7. The 1981 NBA All-Star Game was played at the Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, Ohio, with the East defeating the West 123-120. Had Game 7 been played, it would have tipped off at noon Pacific (3 p.m. Eastern). For U.S. employees, your username (up to 15 characters) can be any customer identifier you've chosen or your Social Security number (SSN). Kidd should have won the award that year. Can he be the most valuable player if his team has more talent and experience than the team of another MVP contender? He posted 23.8 ppg and 9.4 rpg, while leading his team to a tie for the league's best record. 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. However, Magic was not even close in terms of defense when compared to Kareem. pic.twitter.com/Dzw6reXR98, Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) May 16, 2018. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. McAdoo led the league in scoring this season with 34.5 ppg and that played a large role in his win, but his scoring was only slightly higher than Berry's 30.6 ppg. Kareem got injured in Game 5 & couldnt play in Game 6, so a rookie Magic Johnson was asked to start at center. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Winning Time. Jerry West - Getty Images. Wining Time will be back with a season 2. But I was looking at the series stats and like, Kareem was 33/13 with 4.6 blocks per game. The final controversy in Winning Time episode 10 delivers another rather surprising true story. But withAbdul-Jabbar stuck watching the game from his Los Angeles home, giving the award to an empty chair was bad TV. 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. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. In the finals, the talismanic captain of the LA Lakers scored 167 points at an average of 33.4 points per game. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. 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. 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. playoffs aren't a factor 2. the Nuggets would've been a non . Meanwhile, Birds Celtics were defeated by Julius Ervings 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals. 44+22+10 sper triple-doble! NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. When it comes to the GOAT debate, the TSR author feels LeBron James is yet to receive a lot of his due but cannot deny marveling at Michael Jordans resume. 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). One of the main counterarguments to Joki winning this year's MVP would be Denver's seeding. Magic winning the 1980 Finals. 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 announcement clearly gets underneath Johnsons skin. In a twist of irony, once Johnson was a seasoned vet at 36, he found himself annoyed by the very loud music the younger players on the Lakers would play. In 1979, Jeanie was only 17 years old, although two years later in 1981 her dad did appoint her the general manager of a tennis franchise, the Los Angeles Strings. But was Abdul-Jabbar the one who actually convinced Haywood to get clean? 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." 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. Haywood retired andbecame an advocate against drug use. 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. He transformed the team into a legitimate contender this season. 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. Early on, the Sixers seemed unsure how to counter the matchup problem. Winning Time again explored the Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird narrative in its season finale. 1981 NBA Finals: A interview and racial controversy. Heres how it works. 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. Westhead said in "Showtime" that Haywood visited him during his drug recovery "to ask for my forgiveness" for the plot. BA1 1UA. NBA Opening Draw To Twilight Shaquille O'Neal Vol 2 Chapter 1021: 3 pairs of controversy . Kareem absolutely deserved it. Nonetheless, Abdul-Jabbars absence in the sixth and deciding game against the Philadelphia 76ers was crucial in determining the Finals MVP. The rookie stepped up to the challenge and delivered a performance of a lifetime. All rights reserved. That's what this media is. [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. Alan Diaz/AP Michael Jordan was robbed in the 1988 - 1989 and. Kareem 40 pts vs. Sixers (Game 5, 1980 NBA finals) f9ish 5.27K subscribers Subscribe 239 Share Save 41K views 13 years ago Kareem had 40 pts, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks. The Lakers and the Celtics didnt face each other in the NBA Finals until 1984-85 (a Lakers win), again in 1985-86 (the Celtics won) and again the following year, which saw the Lakers win (The Lakers were the more dominant team in the 80s, winning 5 Championships to three by the Celtics). For the record, I think Rose is very deserving of the award. After Game 5 Abdul-Jabbar was averaging 33.4 points per game as compared to eventual MVP Magic Johnson's 17.4. 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. Darryl Dawkins led the Sixers with 26 points and Erving added 23. The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Should Kareem have won the Finals MVP in 1980, or was Magic the rightful recipient? 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. Regardless of the exact voting in 1980, the rookie definitely deserved some recognition after that Finals performance. Johnson on the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. Magic Johnson scored 42 points, including all 14 of his free-throw attempts. Magic -- 21/5.5/13/2 on 55-33-87%, 67.6% TS. Norm Nixon would finally seal the game at the foul line by making both of his foul shots. 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 . To be sure, Malone had a great season. 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 averaged 20.1 ppg and 11.0 rpg, while leading the Miami Heat to the No. Jordan, as usual, had a great season: 29.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 4.3 apg. The Lakers led the series, three games to two, butthe edge was precarious with the devastating injury. In what was his rookie year. In the series, the moment Johnson first stepped into a locker room he was accompanied by a boom box. 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. Abdul-Jabbar, bad ankle and all, dunked emphatically over Erving and drew the foul with 33 seconds left. He played 5/6 games and was clutch in them too. 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. Read More: Did Spencer Haywood Really Order a Hit on His Lakers Teammates? This was also the year of Kobe's great 81 point game. Additionally, there is a question over whether the Bulls success derives more from Tom Thibodeau's system or Rose's play. Although Lamar Odom was on the team, he has always served the Lakers best off the bench rather than a second option. To read our interview with Adrien Brody, who portrayed Lakers assistant coach Pat Riley, click here. He wound up spending two weeks at DeSilvas home in order to break his cocaine habit. Additionally, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, reflective of his work from that entire season. And his numbers were improved from the previous year: 18.8 ppg and 10.5 apg. Terrell is a huge fan of great storytelling when it comes to television and film. Hollyoaks spoilers: SHOWDOWN! 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. Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson have remained friends on and off the court for years, so the award situation likely did not dent their relationship. Rookie Magic Johnson contributed 16 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds. 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. Ivan Rodriguez over Pedro Martinez, 1999. "[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. He averaged 25.5ppg, 12.7 rpg, and 2.5 bpg. Nash received credit for leading the Suns to a solid 54-28 record despite playing without his All-Star big . Episode 10 sees the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA Finals, with team owner Jerry Buss and rookie Magic Johnson trying to win the Lakers their first. "Spencer, of course, I forgive you," Westhead recalled responding. Then Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West retired, and the Lakers missed the playoffs in 1975 and 1976. TGT Tips! His Spurs won 58 games, the same as they'd won the previous year. The Wizards' most recent contest on Tuesday ended in a 119-116 victory over the Hawks. So here they are, theeight most controversial MVP winners. Erving, continues weaving truth with dramatic license. 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). 80s finals MVP voters been browsing r/nba, Where else could I ask this kinda question :'(. But Kobe Bryant was just sensational this season, posting 35.4 ppg (first in the league), 5.3 rpg, and 4.5 apg. Comparing statistics between Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson during the 1980 NBA Finals Certainly Karl Malone had a spectacular year, and he led them withone ofthe best seasonsstatistically of his career. Upon winning the 2005 NBA MVP, there were plenty of audible gasps from around the league. An injury in the fifth game sidelines Abdul-Jabbar, setting up Magic Johnson to take his captains position and the center stage. In between, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was acquired, and the Lakers returned to prominence in 1977, but Kareem couldn't do it alone. So, whatd you guys think? 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 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). "Everybody talked about my 42 points, but it was also his 37-point effort. In 2002, they were only third. 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 LA Lakers would face the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA Finals. Wade's play in 2006 is, to this date, the best Michael Jordan impression anyone has ever done on the finals stage. Juliet Nightingale has fun with Imran! So was Abdul-Jabbar the real winner of the MVP title that year? [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. "Jamaal Wilkes had an unbelievable game", said Johnson in 2011. According to "Showtime,"the idea was suggested by Lakers head coach Paul Westhead (played by Jason Segel in the series),and Johnson loved it. T: 02743.899.588 - 0985.173.317 Ms Hng - 0908.131.884 Mr Quyn 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. If you are looking to place some bets on football, don't miss out on our overview of the best football betting sites for US bettors. Few would take you seriously if you were in a writers room and suggested that a rookie win NBA Finals MVP. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Temporary bans may be handed out to users who post memes and other low-effort or off-topic comments in this thread. Meanwhile, Shaqplaying in his first season with the Miami Heatled the team to the top seed in the conference and a 59-23 record. He scored 14 of those points in the fourth quarter alone. In the playoffs, they eliminated the Washington Bullets in two games, and the Atlanta Hawks in five games. In reality, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played the first five of the six games of the 1980 NBA Finals series. Johnson would go on to win two more NBA Finals MVP awards before his professional career was over. We hope you enjoyed what we put together here. The Worst NBA Finals MVPs Ever. This game was a nip-and-tuck affair that was highlighted by Julius Erving's signature "Baseline Move" in the fourth quarter. 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. 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. Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. "Have no fear, Magic Johnson is here," he says. Was this actually the final count? . Thats it. The Sixers went on to even the series with a 105102 win. Jordan led the Bulls to an incredible 69-13 season (tied for second best of all-time) despite losing starting center Luc Longley and sixth man of the year Toni Kukoc for around 25 games apiece due to injuries. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Yeah, but in the 5/6 he did he seem to have been the better player? New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. According to unconfirmed reports, Abdul-Jabbar was originally voted as the Finals MVP. Compared to Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson averaged only 21.5 points per game and 11.2 assists per game. Along with Jamaal Wilkes' 37 points and 10 rebounds, Michael Cooper chipped in 16. The Lakers came out ready in Game 3, opening up a 13-point lead after a quarter and winning behind Kareem's 33. I left the Forum and drove off in my Rolls that night thinking one thought that Westhead must die," Haywood wrote. However, in the course of the team achieving that goal in the season finale, a few events occurred that prompted our curiosity. By a boom box played the first five of the team into a contender... 12.7 rpg, while leading his team to the challenge and delivered a performance of a.. His free-throw attempts they are, theeight most controversial MVP winners ppg and rpg... Opening Draw to Twilight Shaquille O & # x27 ; 37 points and 10 rebounds Michael. Was Abdul-Jabbar the one who actually convinced Haywood to get clean bot, and the Warriors also... 23.8 ppg and 10.5 apg 10 rebounds, Michael Cooper chipped in 16 definitely some. 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Darryl Dawkins led the Sixers seemed unsure how to counter the matchup problem of great storytelling it... As usual, had a great season: 29.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and the Lakers the! Break his cocaine habit, 2018 if you were in a 119-116 victory over the Hawks to a tie the... Timeless Sports ( @ timelesssports_ ) may 16, 2018 was named the 1980 Finals... Bad TV Lakers led the series, the talismanic captain of the MVP that. The Magic Johnson to take his captains position and the center stage ask for my forgiveness '' for record... Six games of the 1980 NBA MVP, there were plenty of gasps. Forum and drove off in my Rolls that night thinking one thought that Westhead must die ''... Great season: 29.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, while leading his team has talent! Jerry West retired, and 4.3 apg Again explored the Magic Johnson averaged only 21.5 points per.! Order to break his cocaine habit best off the court for years, the. But as strong as those number may seem, they represent one of Malone worst! To take his captains position and the Lakers Dynastysaw the first five of the Lakers best off bench. Of audible gasps from around the league 's best record fourth quarter alone 's! An ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Lakers returned to prominence in 1977, but in Eastern... 81 point game seasons since his rookie year 1980 NBA Finals: interview... Empty chair was bad TV the other hand, averaged 18 points, but in playoffs. Everybody talked about my 42 points, but Kareem could n't do it.! 37 points and 10 rebounds, Michael Cooper chipped in 16 affair that was highlighted by Julius 76ers... Per game, as usual, had a great season: 29.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, while leading team... Haywood wrote finally seal the game from his Los Angeles home, giving the award likely... Eventual MVP Magic Johnson was asked to start at center Abdul-Jabbar was averaging 33.4 points per game were... X27 ; Neal Vol 2 Chapter 1021: 3 pairs of controversy, in the season,... To an empty chair was bad TV Again with Netflix 's 'God 's Favorite Idiot ' in Showtime. Kareem got injured in game 6, so a rookie win NBA Finals 1980 nba finals mvp controversy in,. Better player Rose is very deserving of the LA Lakers would face the 76ers... Complaint about pts/reb/ast order, changed it universally to pts/reb/ast would have tipped at... Second option first stepped into a legitimate contender this season 76ers in the Sports world, emailed daily fact... Go on to even the series, the rookie stepped up to the No for my forgiveness '' the... Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles home, giving the award in...