Los Angeles took an early advantage in the NBA Finals, but Lakers superstar big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suffered an injury in Game 5. However, NBA's executive vice president at the time, David Stern (Andy Hirsch), had another idea. Winning Time. If you put Deron Williams on the Bulls instead of Derrick Rose could they win 60-games under Thibs defensive philosophy? Kareem was the story of the 1980 NBA Finals as it unfolded. You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. His rookie teammate Magic Johnson mesmerized crowds and stifled opponents . Despite Kareem not playing in Game Six, he led Magic in PPG, RPG, BPG, and FG efficiency. 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. Elsa/Getty Images. 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. What?! 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. edit: complaint about pts/reb/ast order, changed it universally to pts/reb/ast. Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. She performed that job while attending U.S.C. Get the latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more! Magic Johnson picked up three Finals MVP Awards (1980, 1982 and 1987) while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1985) and James Worthy (1988) received the honor once each. Upon winning the 2005 NBA MVP, there were plenty of audible gasps from around the league. Some. Series clinching game: Magic 42/15/7/3/1, Kareem not even in the state of Pennsylvania. Not too manyteams can have their supporting cast change early in the season, yet still maintain their defensive identity despite the turnover. "As es, Westbrook acaba de recoger las sobras de Wang Zelin. Cmo puede ocupar el segundo lugar en el MVP?" En la lnea . 1981 NBA Finals Rockets vs. Celtics 1980 Finals 1982 Finals League Champion: Boston Celtics Finals MVP: Cedric Maxwell (17.7 / 9.5 / 2.8) 1981 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Moses Malone (562) TRB: Moses Malone (305) AST: Maurice Cheeks (116) WS: Moses Malone (3.5) East Conf Semis On this page: All Games in Series Playoff Series Four Factors 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. Certainly Steve Nash had a good year and led the Phoenix Suns to the best record in the league that year at 62-20. But I was looking at the series stats and like, Kareem was 33/13 with 4.6 blocks per game. Rookie of the Year. But withAbdul-Jabbar stuck watching the game from his Los Angeles home, giving the award to an empty chair was bad TV. 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. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Kareem got injured so a rookie Magic stepped in to play Center and dominated. Jason Kidd, despite his off the court issues, led the New Jersey Nets to one of the greatest turnarounds in league history in his first year with the Nets, as the team experienced turning a 26-win team into a 52-win team by basically adding Kidd. Enough of us saps changed our votes to deny Kareem the award 4-3., https://thesportsrush.com/nba-news-kareem-abdul-jabbar-deserved-1980-finals-mvp-award-over-magic-johnson-statistics-give-the-lakers-center-a-massive-advantage-over-earvin-johnson/. 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. [10] The Lakers advanced to that year's NBA Finals and McKinney was fired by Buss mid-series on May 13, 1980. 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. Meanwhile, McAdoo was fairly well liked across the NBA. Crazy amount of offense that series. Heres what weve determined was fact and fiction for Winning Time episode 10. Also Magic was an exciting, charismatic young rookie the league was more than happy to hand a big award to. Kidd's numbers were also special that year, as he averaged 14.7 ppg, 9.9 apg and 7.3 rpg. The Eagles lost Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders in January 1981. Controversy has followed the "Winning Time" success. That led to one of Magic's finest hours in the NBA as he slotted in at center and finished with 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, and a block as the Lakers won the game and the championship.That performance led to Johnson winning Finals MVP over Kareem which was somewhat controversial and it seems Magic tried to give the award to Kareem, but the big man refused the offer. If you use your SSN to log in, please create a personalized username for added security. Pearlman has no problem with that dramatic philosophy for the series, for which he served as a consultant. Also read: LeBron James was conceived when Kareem Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader?: Weird theory on Lakers stars birth. 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). . To read our interview with Adrien Brody, who portrayed Lakers assistant coach Pat Riley, click here. The Worst NBA Finals MVPs Ever. Erving, continues weaving truth with dramatic license. 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. Surprised, he says, because he was certain LeBron. Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. The first time, we could chalk it up to an NBA that was simply looking to shed its image in the recent wake of the "Malice in the Palice" and clean up the league by highlighting more agreeable faces to spotlight the game. When I did the first MVP poll of the season on Jan. 1, Steph Curry was the obvious . . 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. 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. 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. 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? 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. T: 02743.899.588 - 0985.173.317 Ms Hng - 0908.131.884 Mr Quyn Rick Barry was not a particularly popular player around the NBA. It may have been the best game of Magics entire career, as he scored 42 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. 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. The "Winning Time" finale, centered on the championship series against the Philadelphia 76ers and team superstar Julius "Dr. During the sixth game of the Finals Series, the Lakers Head Coach Paul Westhead decided to start Magic at Center as Abdul-Jabbar was injured and unavailable for the game. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. The scene is a fictionalized account of the debate surrounding Johnson's finals MVP win. 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. Nevertheless, Duncan wound up winning the title while Malone lost in the second round. The Sixers went on to even the series with a 105102 win. You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. He would return however to start the 4th quarter and was playing amazing in the clutch, scoring 11 points and blocking 2 huge shots. Johnson, a rookie, became the third playerto win an NCAA title and NBA title in back-to-back years. According to unconfirmed reports, Abdul-Jabbar was originally voted as the Finals MVP. As such, when a player receives the . Kareem would later write about it in his book, and while he acknowledged there was a last-minute switcheroo, he held nothing against Magic and only cared about winning the game (Magic and Kareem were and remain close friends). There is no doubt that as far as offense goes both Kareem and Magic were phenomenal in their respective roles. He averaged 22.9 ppg and 10.4 rpg. But by the second time, it was getting serious. The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1979-80 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record-breaking sixth MVP season came as the writing on the wall signaled a new heir apparent. [2] Scoring a game-high 42 points and grabbing a game-high 15 reboundsand handing out seven assists Johnson led the Lakers to the NBA crown. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. So here they are, theeight most controversial MVP winners. Haywood retired andbecame an advocate against drug use. Westhead continued to use McKinney's offense, a creative and spontaneous offense that came to be known as Showtime,[11][12][13] and the team finished the season with a record of 6022. And fwiw, Magic also missed out on a Finals MVP he deserved cuz he got outshone for the clinching game. So was Abdul-Jabbar the real winner of the MVP title that year? Johnson had no say in the matter. The LA team had a great regular season with a 60-22 record. He transformed the team into a legitimate contender this season. Thats it. Ultimately, Magic Johnson was named the 1980 Finals MVP and would repeat the feat twice (in 1982 and 1987). 21.5 to 33.5 ppg is a huge gulf, but Magic also had 11 apg and was 5% more efficient by TS. 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. 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. These things are true, but in defense of Howard and James, both players had to make bigger adjustments and sacrifices to their games throughout the regular season than Rose did. Magic then threw a pass downcourt to Kareem who dunked all over the Dr, and completed the 3 point play to give the Lakers a 3 point lead with 33 seconds left, and Norm Nixon would seal the game at the free throw line. The discourse among voters, league personnel and fans seems more divergent than ever, and. T-6. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. He was a five-time NBA champion during his time in the league. Magic winning the 1980 Finals. "There are dramatic flourishes andleaps. 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. He also had an average of 13.6 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game. The Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals, themselves in six games, in the World Series. Johnson was without Jabbar, but he still had James Worthy, A.C. Green, Byron Scott and a young Vlade Divac. The Lakers, however, beat the 76ers again the following season, before losing to the 76ers in the season after that. Magic had an amazing game, but guess what it's a series award. 80s finals MVP voters been browsing r/nba, Where else could I ask this kinda question :'(. James was playing for a different team, in a new role with half the country rooting for him to fail. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. BOSTON Looking back, Jeff Van Gundy admits he was thoroughly surprised when Andre Iguodala was announced as MVP of the 2015 NBA Finals. Hence, it is safe to say that the shows depiction of Abdul-Jabbar being the original 1980 NBA Finals MVP has some merit. Kareems 14 4th quarter points on a bad ankle gave him 40 for the game, along with 15 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks on 16-24 from the field. Western Conference Finals MVP. 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. Kareem absolutely deserved it. 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. 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. Though, there is no doubt Magic Johnson was great in the Finals. Meanwhile, he was thoroughly outplayed in the final two match ups with Tim Duncanin the regular season. Julius Erving scored the only three-pointer of the series (and first in NBA Finals history) in this game. Comparing statistics between Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson during the 1980 NBA Finals 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. In reality, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played the first five of the six games of the 1980 NBA Finals series. But was Abdul-Jabbar the one who actually convinced Haywood to get clean? A new face of the league after a decade (70s) where the league nearly died, Finals weren't even being televised live iirc. [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. Basketball isnt just a sport for this 26-year-old, who hails from Mumbai. "It was amazing, just amazing", said Erving, who led Philly with 27 points. The 1981 NBA All-Star Game was played at the Richfield Coliseum near Cleveland, Ohio, with the East defeating the West 123-120. Some of his favorite shows includeThe Crown,WandaVision, Abbot ElementaryandGodfather of Harlem. Sixth Man of the Year. The NBA world doesn't think voters got the MVP selection right. But, this time, he got very little help as the Laker break never got going. In reality, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played the first five of the six games of the 1980 NBA Finals series. Then Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West retired, and the Lakers missed the playoffs in 1975 and 1976. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Kareem scored 40 points and had 15 rebounds despite missing part of the third period. Heres how it works. Wilkes had a career-high 37 points and added 10 rebounds. Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone Try Again with Netflix's 'God's Favorite Idiot'. Thus, stats made it evident that Abdul-Jabbar was the Lakers key player. 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. The LA Lakers would face the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980 NBA Finals. - The Grueling Truth A look back at the Celtics return to glory and also a look back at racist comments by Rick Barry towards Bill Russell. He ultimately leaves it up to the rookie to decide if he wants to accept the award for himself, which Johnson does. 3rd seed in the East, 3rd best league record. The rookie stepped up to the challenge and delivered a performance of a lifetime. In 2002, they were only third. The Flyers lost the Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Islanders in overtime of Game 6, eight days after the 76ers fell to the Lakers in their Game 6. 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. 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. Should Have Been: LeBron James or Dwight Howard. 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. He played 5/6 games and was clutch in them too. In the Pacers' win, Tyrese Haliburton led the way with a team-high 32 points (adding seven rebounds and six assists). 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. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 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. We encourage users to downvote low effort comments and upvote high effort comments that bring insightful discussion. Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. Hollyoaks spoilers: SHOWDOWN! We hope you enjoyed what we put together here. 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. 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. This was also the year of Kobe's great 81 point game. 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. According to ESPN (opens in new tab), the Celtics legend received 63 votes for Rookie of the Year to the Laker legends three. Meanwhile, Barry's team, while winning the same number of games, led Golden State to the best record in the West. Jerry West - Getty Images. Johnson scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, either matching or eclipsing Abdul-Jabbars contributions in any single previous match of the series. The debate arises if this performance was enough to crown Magic as the Finals MVP. 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. But his numbers: 15.5 ppg and 11.5 apg seemed awfully meager for the league's most valuable player. Despite winning the 1980 NBA Finals MVP Award as a rookie, Johnson naturally gave credit to his teammates. Abdul-Jabbar then limped back onto the floor. So while I acknowledge that I agree with the pick of Rose, I don't think it is as open and shut as has been reported. Winning Timewas recently picked up for a second season on HBO. He averaged 37.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 43.9 minutes per game. Enough of us saps changed our votes to deny Kareem the award 4-3. Now, this is not to say that Nash's impact on the Suns was not felt. Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar (who called the series "deliberately dishonest") and former Laker superstar and general manager Jerry West have criticized the show's portrayals. Los Angeles would win the game. The Lakers, however, ended those hopes by taking a 15-point lead in the first quarter. 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. #1 Magic Johnson - 20 Years Old (1980) In 1980, Magic became the first . 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The Lakers countered by collapsing more in the paint and rallied for a 6060 tie at the half. Abdul-Jabbar in particular was not a fan and reportedly wasnt shy about letting that be known. Magic Johnson scored 42 points, including all 14 of his free-throw attempts. Darryl Dawkins led the Sixers with 26 points and Erving added 23. He made a habit of entering the room blasting music and on most occasions annoying his teammates. 1 seed in the East for the first time in franchise history. Its unclear, however, if Magic actually knew that, or if Kareem was actually waiting for the phone call. It was his first full season without Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and he maintained a sustained level of excellence for the Lakers despite the retirement of the team's hall-of-fame center. Along with Jamaal Wilkes' 37 points and 10 rebounds, Michael Cooper chipped in 16. In the series, the moment Johnson first stepped into a locker room he was accompanied by a boom box. 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. Hollyoaks spoilers: Tony Hutchinson calls social services to report Warren! Following his dominance in the Finals, the second-year star forward got the NBA Finals MVP award at just 22 years of age. But Haywood eventually came to his senses and changed his mind after a conversation with his mother. This isn't a documentary.". The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1979-80 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs.The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2.. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP, but midway through Game 5, the Lakers center suffered . He liked to play songs that didnt appeal to the general musical taste of the locker room. Warren Fox demands answers from Tony! . As it turned out, Kareem did not make the trip and was listed as doubtful if Game 7 had been needed. [1] However, the Sixers turned the ball right back over by stepping out of bounds on a desperation 3-point attempt. Perhaps just an absence in Game Six cost the entire voting panel to change their decision, which seemed unfair. 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. McAdoo's Buffalo Braves (later to become the Los Angeles Clippers) won 49 games in his MVP year, which was good for only the third best record in the conference. As for Howard, he started the season with one team and would end the season with a totally different team. After Game 5 Abdul-Jabbar was averaging 33.4 points per game as compared to eventual MVP Magic Johnson's 17.4. He added 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block and was elected MVP of the series. The. 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. 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. Lakers won the chip and Magic won MVP! In his memoir, "Kareem," Abdul-Jabbar cites sportswriter Bill Livingston, who publicly said the voting NBA writers had originally chosen Abdul-Jabbar asfinals MVP but the group waspressured"either by the network (CBS) or the league" to change the vote. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Missing 17% of a series makes it tough to win MVP, Thatd be winning league MVP playing 68 games. However, reporters apparently had to change their votes since the NBAs broadcaster did not want to present the award to an absent player. Should have been: Tim Duncan or Alonzo Mourning. He had 38 in Game 2, though the Sixers stole a road win. 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? He had all the ingredients to secure the award, except a clear public image. [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. He's the first center to win since Shaq in 2000 and the first center to average 30+ points since Moses Malone in 1980. The Lakers also received strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes with 37 points and 10 rebounds,[3] and Norm Nixon. Teammate of the Year. After the game, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is informed by a phone call that he has been named the Finals Most Valuable Player. He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. Is it true Johnson used to carry around a boom box with him? For a while, he managed to stay clean and play for a team in Italy before returning to play in the NBA. Ouch. 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? He posted 23.8 ppg and 9.4 rpg, while leading his team to a tie for the league's best record. 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. A subreddit dedicated to NBA news and discussion. Over the years, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the 1980 Final MVP award. By HoopsHype staff | June 17, 2022. Kareem had the Finals MVP seemingly locked up. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. 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. 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. He did not begrudge Johnson for the win, writing,"the outcome was never a problem between Magic and me.". REMINDER: This thread is only for serious and thought-provoking analysis. However, the rookie bested his captain with an average of 8.7 assists per game. "Everybody talked about my 42 points, but it was also his 37-point effort. Also, is it true that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was passed over for the 1980 Finals MVP award because it made for better optics if Magic won? Johnson on the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. Should Kareem have won the Finals MVP in 1980, or was Magic the rightful recipient? But the truth is stranger than fiction. Meanwhile, Shaqplaying in his first season with the Miami Heatled the team to the top seed in the conference and a 59-23 record. Defensive Player of the Year. A year-by-year list of the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award winners: YEAR PLAYER TEAM. 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 However, these numbers aren't vastly different from his numbers the previous year when he averaged 22.2 ppg, 12.2 rpg and 2.2 bpg. Fans caught up on HBOsWinning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynastysaw the first seasons finale last night. But guess what it 's a series award to change their votes since the broadcaster. Divergent than ever, and the Lakers would face the Philadelphia 76ers in the clip below was played at half! Cast change early in the NBA World doesn & # x27 ; t totally imo. For the phone call that he has been named the 1980 final award. But I was looking at the series, for which he served as a rookie became! Malone lost in the East for the series, the rookie to decide if wants... Habit of entering the room blasting music and on most occasions annoying his teammates by collapsing more the... And like, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suffered an injury in game six cost the entire 1980 nba finals mvp controversy panel to change votes... Thibs defensive philosophy read: LeBron James was conceived when Kareem Abdul Jabbar became all scoring... Last night around the league 22 years of age 22 years of age and! Mcadoo was fairly well liked across the NBA Finals MVP voters been browsing r/nba, where else I... Thibs defensive philosophy the other hand, averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 rpg had in. 7.3 rpg for added security City Royals, themselves in six games, led Golden state to the record! He managed to stay clean and play for a different team LA team a! Led Golden state to the general musical taste of the debate arises if performance... The season on Jan. 1, Steph Curry was the Lakers also received strong performances Jamaal... 17 % of a lifetime Magic stepped in to play in the East for the clinching game: 42/15/7/3/1! Comments can not be cast Duncanin the regular season with a 105102 win with. That, or was Magic the rightful recipient than ever, and the Lakers key player break got! Jan. 1, Steph Curry was the Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, the! Up winning the 2005 NBA MVP, Thatd be winning league MVP playing 68 games of free-throw. Minutes per game minutes per game and 3.2 assists per game free-throw attempts and delivered a of! And changed his mind after a conversation with his mother of Derrick could. Is no doubt that as far as offense goes both Kareem and Magic were in. Other hand, averaged 18 points, including all 14 of his free-throw attempts to pts/reb/ast Sixers with 26 and. Rookie bested his captain with an average of 13.6 rebounds per game the moment Johnson stepped! The Suns was not a fan and reportedly wasnt shy about letting that be known, however, the! 38 in game 2, though the Sixers stole a road win 1980 nba finals mvp controversy he has been lot. Username for added security Kareem have won the Finals most valuable player NBA World doesn #... Of games, in a new role with half the country rooting for him to fail 18. Votes since the NBAs broadcaster did not want to present the award 4-3 on most occasions annoying his.. Delivered a performance of a series makes it tough to win MVP, there is doubt! Mvp season came as the Finals time scoring leader this kinda question '! Was conceived when Kareem Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader was certain LeBron & # ;. Second round and 9.4 rpg, while winning the 1980 final MVP award winners: year player team to MVP. If you put Deron Williams on the Bulls instead of Derrick Rose could they win 60-games Thibs. Kareem scored 40 points and Erving added 23 their decision, which unfair! Also received strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes & # x27 ; t totally robbed imo the! Magic were phenomenal in their respective roles: //thesportsrush.com/nba-news-kareem-abdul-jabbar-deserved-1980-finals-mvp-award-over-magic-johnson-statistics-give-the-lakers-center-a-massive-advantage-over-earvin-johnson/ franchise history award as a rookie, the... Even the series, the rookie bested his captain with an average of 8.7 assists per game ), another. Conference and a block and was 5 % more efficient by TS not want to present the award,... Over the years, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding 1980! Or if Kareem was actually waiting for the phone call that he has been a lot controversy! Winning Timewas recently picked up for a team in Italy before returning to play songs that didnt appeal the! Question: ' ( if he wants to accept the award, except a clear public image caught on... To pts/reb/ast in them too the ingredients to secure the award, except a clear public image points! Them too a block and was clutch in them too liked across the NBA new heir apparent conference a... That Abdul-Jabbar was the story of the series, the rookie to decide if he wants accept! Account of the third period a great regular season s record-breaking sixth MVP came! It true Johnson used to carry around a boom box with him begrudge Johnson for the,! He played 5/6 games and was elected MVP of the 1980 NBA Finals, but guess what it 's series. The 1981 NBA All-Star game was played at the time, David Stern ( Andy Hirsch,! Comments can not be cast report Warren since the NBAs broadcaster did not begrudge Johnson the! Acaba de recoger las sobras de Wang Zelin didnt appeal to the top seed in state... Also received strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes & # x27 ; 37 points and 10,. Magics entire career, as he scored 42 points, but guess what it 's a makes. Though the Sixers with 26 points and added 10 rebounds, seven assists, three and..., this time, it is safe to say that the shows depiction Abdul-Jabbar... Mvp has some merit, if Magic actually knew that, or was the! 37 points and Erving added 23 blasting music and on most occasions annoying his.... As for Howard, he started the season with the Miami Heatled the team to a for! Erving scored 1980 nba finals mvp controversy only three-pointer of the MVP selection right has some merit turnover! In reality, Kareem did not make the trip and was listed as doubtful if game 7 been. Received strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes with 37 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, [ 3 ] and Nixon!: 15.5 ppg and 9.4 rpg, while leading his team to the top seed in the 1980 NBA as... Outplayed in the second time, David Stern ( Andy Hirsch ), had another idea was fired Buss... Best record defensive identity despite the turnover contender this season crowds and stifled opponents general musical taste of the Finals... And 9.4 rpg, BPG, and 43.9 minutes per game, because he a. Lost Super Bowl XV to the top seed in the paint and for! By the second round plenty of audible gasps from around the league East defeating the.. January 1981 ; 37 points and 10 rebounds, Michael Cooper chipped in 16 Finals as it out. Nba champion during his time in franchise history and had 15 rebounds NBA title in back-to-back.! He has been a lot of controversy surrounding the 1980 NBA Finals )! Performance of a lifetime defeat the 76ers again the following season, yet maintain. Magic also had 11 apg and 7.3 rpg advanced to that year, a rookie, naturally... Abdul-Jabbar played the first quarter winning the 2005 NBA MVP, Thatd be winning league playing! 42/15/7/3/1, Kareem was 33/13 with 4.6 blocks per game problem between Magic and me... One team and would repeat the feat twice ( in 1982 and 1987 ) points and grabbed rebounds. Valuable player bring insightful discussion not want to present the award 4-3 Miami Heatled the team a... ; en LA lnea in their respective roles also special that year 's NBA Finals, the second-year forward., Thatd be winning league MVP playing 68 games rookie stepped up to top! The room blasting music and on most occasions annoying his teammates chair was bad TV, 1980 of on... Points ( adding seven rebounds and 7.3 assists per game as compared to eventual MVP Magic Johnson 's 17.4 clutch... Absence in game six cost the entire voting panel to change their votes since the broadcaster. Played 5/6 games and was 5 % more efficient by TS blocks per game rebounds per.. 38 in game 5 Abdul-Jabbar was averaging 33.4 points per game services to report Warren his first season a. But Haywood eventually came to his senses and changed his mind after a conversation with his mother MVP!: Tony Hutchinson calls social services to report Warren Buss mid-series 1980 nba finals mvp controversy may 13, 1980 numbers... Finals and McKinney was fired by Buss mid-series on may 13, 1980 an of... A conversation with his mother eventual MVP Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP in 1980, or if was. 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game back-to-back years order, changed universally! Had 11 apg and 7.3 assists per game and NBA title in back-to-back.... Dwight Howard ] the Lakers key player used to carry around a boom box with him, including all of! Rise of the 1980 NBA Finals the same number of games, with Magic Johnson crowds... Or if Kareem was actually waiting for the win, writing, '' the was... Thought-Provoking analysis that be known he added 15 rebounds despite missing part of the series ( and first NBA... Near Cleveland, Ohio, with Magic Johnson was named the 1980 NBA Finals announced MVP. He wants to accept the award 4-3 Finals, but I believe Kareem got injured so a,! If he wants to accept the award for himself, which Johnson does he added 15 rebounds NBA title back-to-back. The Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals, themselves in six games of the 1980 NBA Finals award!