[5] This Game 4 move, played to a national audience in a title game, has probably become Julius Erving's most famous move. Finally, the Sixers used their newfound size advantage in the second quarter to take a 52–44 lead. Go Orange. 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. 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 111–101 win. The following seasonthe Warriors woul… Rookie Magic Johnson contributed 16 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds. Playoffs Series. 1979-80 NBA playoffs: Match-ups, rounds results and NBA finals. "Everybody talked about my 42 [points], but it was also his [37-point effort]. His appearance aroused the Forum regulars and, despite the bad ankle, scored 11 points and had two key blocked shots down the stretch. The Sixers went on to even the series with a 105–102 win. Can you name the NBA Champions, Finals MVP and Playoff Stats Leaders for each season since 1980? "Jamaal Wilkes had an unbelievable game", said Johnson in 2011. NBA.com has detailed NBA Finals History information for all the finals, for example, the 2015 Warriors, 2003 Spurs, 2002 Lakers and more from their All-Time Champions page. Players Teams Leaders ... Finals. Results, Statistics, Leaders and more for the 1980 NBA playoffs. The 1980–81 NBA season was the 35th season of the National Basketball Association. The Lakers also received strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes with 37 points and 10 rebounds,[3] and Norm Nixon. 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. 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). 1 Notable occurrences 2 Final standings 2.1 Eastern Conference 2.2 Western Conference 3 Statistics leaders 4 NBA awards The Dallas Mavericks become the league's 23rd … Lakers vs. 76ers, 123-107, Box Score - 1980 Playoffs Stats from the NBA game played between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers on May 16, 1980 with result, scoring by period and players. 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. NBA Finals page on Wikipedia has a great history of the NBA, including "The Boston Celtics Dynasty" and "The Chicago Bulls Dynasty". In the 1979–80 season the 76ers finished 59–23, two games behind the Boston Celtics in the Atlantic Division. NBA Playoffs Since 1980 … Maurice Cheeks matched Erving's total of 23 points, while Bobby Jones added 13 off the bench. 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. Visit ESPN to view 2020-21 NBA stat leaders. Go Orange. 1980 NBA Playoff Results by Date Complete day-by-day schedule with the scores for all the games played in the 1980 NBA Playoffs, including date, points scored, location, series and more information. 1980 NBA Eastern Conference Finals 76ers vs. Celtics League Champion: Los Angeles Lakers. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers … At that point, Kareem had scored 26 points and was carrying the Lakers, but now he was in the locker room. [2] But the Lakers still had to travel to Philadelphia for Game 6. Coach of the Year The 76ers were the first of the four Philadelphia professional sports teams to play for their respective sports' championships in the 1980 season. The Lakers, however, ended those hopes by taking a 15-point lead in the first quarter. 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. Features the ability to filter by season, season type, per mode, stat category, and more. Magic Johnson's performance in Game 6 and the series earned him the 1980 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). by Quizwizzash Plays Quiz not verified by Sporcle . This game was a nip-and-tuck affair that was highlighted by Julius Erving's signature "Baseline Move" in the fourth quarter. Support Sporcle. Best averages and other stats. The Eastern Division champion New York Knicks defeated the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers in a best-of-seven series 4 games to 3 for their first NBA title.. Keldon Johnson sends Dwayne Bacon's layup attempt off the glass and takes it the other way for two. NBA 1980-81 Regular Season and Playoffs Summary. 1980: Magic Johnson: F: ... *Finals MVP stats reflect the entire postseason. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar continued to dominate, with 38 points in Game 2. National Basketball Association 1979-1980; Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award; Collegamenti esterni. He converted the 3-point play to take a 106–103 lead. 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. NBA Finals Runner-Ups Since 1980 Quiz Stats. 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 reigning champion Lakers saw Magic Johnson go down with torn cartilage in his left knee, causing him to miss 45 games. Report this user for behavior that violates our Community Guidelines. Free. 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. Advanced Leaders. Summary and statistics for the 1980 NBA Finals - 76ers vs. Lakers So Game 6 was shown at 11:30pm Eastern (10:30pm Central) in all but five US cities: Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Portland, Las Vegas and Seattle, who carried it live; all but Philadelphia are located in the Pacific Time Zone, thus could show the game live at 6 p.m. local time, then carry CBS's prime time lineup, delayed by a few minutes for the ending of the game. Hustle Leaders. [2] Scoring a game-high 42 points and grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds—and handing out seven assists— Johnson led the Lakers to the NBA crown. Proving the prognosticators right, Philadelphia won in five games, preventing the first Celtics–Lakers final since 1969. This despite an early season coaching change where Paul Westhead assumed head coaching duties following a bicycle[8] accident to Jack McKinney. Find the US States - No Outlines Minefield, Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield, Obscure Knowledge - MLB 500 Home Run Club, Most to Fewest NBA Championships Minefield, NBA All-Stars on Championship Teams (2010s), NBA: Almost Back-to-Back Championship Wins, Les joueurs passés par l'AS Saint-Etienne et le PSG, Les 30 joueurs les plus utilisés par Galtier, Bowlers who have delivered the fastest balls in IPL, Europe's top five leagues: most valuable XIs, Pundit Arena Daily Sports Brainteaser Challenge Day 327, Every player to score 4+ goals in the Premier League, Pundit Arena Daily Sports Quiz Challenge — Day 354. Then, Jones popped in a jumper with seven seconds left, and that was enough for a 107–104 Philly win that tied the series at a game apiece. Daily Lineups. Menu. What made Johnson's performance even more remarkable was that he was an NBA rookie—and, indeed, one who had left college after only two years, and was only 20 years old. The last time the Lakers won the NBA championship was in 1972. 1980 Awards: AWARD: RECIPIENT: STATS: MVP: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LAL: No stats available. 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. 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. Get the ad-free and most optimal, full-featured Sporcle experience. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP, but midway through Game 5, the Lakers center suffered a severely sprained ankle. Rate 5 stars Rate 4 stars Rate 3 stars Rate 2 stars Rate 1 star . The Sixers led by as much as 20 in the fourth period, but the Lakers roared back, trimming the lead to 105–104 late in the game. While Magic dazzled in his rookie season, Kareem would enjoy an MVP campaign in the Lakers' 60–22 regular season. Box Score - Los Angeles Lakers (123) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (107) - May 16, 1980 In the fourth with a little over five minutes left, the Sixers rallied to cut the Laker lead to 103–101. REMOVE ADS. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Basketball great, Magic Johnson, plays center as a rookie, wins championships", "The day Magic Johnson stepped in at center and dropped 42 points on Philly", "Magic, Kareem among Jamaal Wilkes' presenters at Hall of Fame", "Top NBA Finals moments: Erving's amazing baseline reverse layup", "35th Anniversary of Dr. J's Iconic Reverse Layup Versus Lakers in NBA Finals", "How the N.B.A. 2021 / 2020 / 2019 ... for official NBA information visit National Basketball Association's website. ... No stats available. 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. He added 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block and was elected MVP of the series. Wilkes had a career-high 37 points and added 10 rebounds. After a timeout, the Lakers went on one last run, with Magic scoring nine points down the stretch on the way to a final 123–107 margin. Popular Quizzes Today. "It was amazing, just amazing", said Erving, who led Philly with 27 points. NBA Playoffs: 1980-1981 Brackets. The 1981 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1980–81 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. Get the ad-free and most optimal, full-featured Sporcle experience. Test your knowledge on this sports quiz and compare your score to others. Because May 16, 1980, was a Friday, the network did not want to preempt two of its highest-rated shows, The Dukes of Hazzard and Dallas, even though both shows were already in reruns: the 1979–80 TV season had ended early, back in March, in anticipation of a strike that summer by the Screen Actors Guild. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 14 point 4th quarter on a bad ankle capped an overall 40-point performance. Rate 5 stars Rate 4 stars Rate 3 stars Rate 2 stars Rate 1 star . 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. Keep track of how your favorite teams are performing and who will make the playoffs. 1980-81 NBA season stats leaders and best rookies. The Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals, themselves in six games, in the World Series. Find the … 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. It pitted the 62–20 Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics against the 40–42 Western Conference champion Houston Rockets. Rookie of the Year: Larry Bird, BOS: No stats available. 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. Scores. Check out stats on every National Basketball Association Finals MVP winner on ESPN.com. The 1980-81 season was a relatively strange season. Playoffs. Finals MVP: Magic Johnson (21.5 / 11.2 / 8.7) 1980 Playoff Leaders: PTS: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (479) TRB: … The Philadelphia Warriors also won multiple championships, including the inaugural title in 1947 and another in 1956 to bookend the NBA's first decade. In a rare NBA Finals Game 7 -- one of just two between 1994 and 2013 -- Bryant suffered through a 6-of-24 shooting night but still helped the Lakers beat the rival Celtics by … With a split in L.A., the Sixers were hoping to take command of the series with the next two games in Philadelphia. All Time Leaders. 1980-81 NBA Playoffs: Leaders Summary Information about which players led the main stats categories in the 1981 NBA Playoffs, including leaders in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and turnovers. [4] Play-by-play announcer Brent Musburger has noted that Erving made such moves almost routinely in his ABA days—but the ABA had no national TV contract in those days. Most to Fewest NBA Championships Minefield 51; NBA Playoffs Since 1980 19; NBA Champs Big Three 9; NBA Dual MVP Winners 7; NBA All-Stars on Championship Teams (2010s) 6; NBA Finals Minefield (2010s) 3; NBA Finals Slideshow 2; NBA Three-peat Players 1; 1996 NBA Champions - … Julius Erving led a short comeback in the second, but a 9–0 run by the Lakers extended their lead to 14 at the half. 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. Get the ad-free and most optimal, full-featured Sporcle experience. [10] (This is often cited as an example of TV's lack of interest in the NBA in the "pre-Magic and Bird" era.). Top scorers, rebounders and passers. The 1970 NBA World Championship Series was the championship series of the 1970 NBA Playoffs, which concluded the 1969–70 National Basketball Association (NBA) season. NBA Playoffs Since 1980 Quiz Stats. "[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. by rollo285 Plays Quiz Updated Oct 12, 2020 . Norm Nixon would finally seal the game at the foul line by making both of his foul shots. 10 … It was one of then-owner Jack Kent Cooke's final acts before selling the team to Jerry Buss during that summer. As it turned out, Kareem did not make the trip and was listed as doubtful if Game 7 had been needed. 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. Julius Erving scored 12 points in the first quarter on his way to 23, beginning the game with a dunk over Abdul-Jabbar. 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 103–103 with only 43 seconds remaining. Johnson had no problem and was up to the challenge, although he would lose the famous opening tip to Caldwell Jones. Abdul-Jabbar was listed as out of Game 6, although 76ers coach Billy Cunningham was quoted as saying "I won't believe he's not playing until their plane lands and he's not on it." The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2. Teams, players profiles, awards, stats, records and championships. 3-Point Shot Went From Gimmick to Game Changer", https://parade.com/269513/parade/the-los-angeles-lakers-80s-dynasty-excerpt-from-jeff-pearlmans-showtime/, The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1980_NBA_Finals&oldid=1011282301, Sports competitions in Inglewood, California, May 1980 sports events in the United States, Articles needing additional references from July 2017, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 10 March 2021, at 01:14. After Game 5 Abdul-Jabbar was averaging 33.4 points per game as compared to eventual MVP Magic Johnson's 17.4. Stats. The official leaders for the latest NBA season. Popular Quizzes Today. Norm Nixon had 23 points and Jamaal Wilkes finished with 20 while the Lakers did an excellent job double-teaming Julius Erving. In between, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was acquired, and the Lakers returned to prominence in 1977, but Kareem couldn't do it alone. This series has the distinction of featuring for the second time in NBA history, and last to date, a team with a losing record in the Finals… However, the Sixers turned the ball right back over by stepping out of bounds on a desperation 3-point attempt. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the 76ers faced NBA Rookie of the Year Award winner Larry Bird and the 61–win Celtics, and owing to the core's three consecutive playoff appearances, the more experienced 76ers were favored to win the series. The season ended with the Boston Celtics winning the NBA Championship, beating the Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. After a timeout, the Sixers put the ball in the hands of Erving, who tried a spectacular, scooping finger-roll, but missed. But, this time, he got very little help as the Laker break never got going. Home of the Official NBA Advanced Statistics and Analytics. 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. Early on, the Sixers seemed unsure how to counter the matchup problem. Darryl Dawkins led the Sixers with 26 points and Erving added 23. [9], 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. In the playoffs, they eliminated the Washington Bullets in two games, and the Atlanta Hawks in five games. The 1980 NBA playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1979–80 season.The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.The Lakers earned their seventh NBA title, their second since moving from Minneapolis. 3rd seed in the East, 3rd best league 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. Information about the 1980-1981 NBA season, including champion, MVP awards, statistical leaders and other basic data. Michael Cooper, in a rare start, scored 16 points, and Mark Landsberger contributed 10 boards. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2.[1]. Magic Johnson scored 42 points, including all 14 of his free-throw attempts. In Game 6, Magic Johnson played what may have been the greatest game of his career. [6], This was also the first NBA Finals to make use of the three-point line, which debuted that season.[7]. The Eagles lost Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders in January 1981. Then Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West retired, and the Lakers missed the playoffs in 1975 and 1976. Home. 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 109–102 win in the Forum. NBA: NBA Championships; Year By Year. Had Game 7 been played, it would have tipped off at noon Pacific (3 p.m. Eastern). Get the latest NBA basketball news, scores, stats, standings, fantasy games, and more from ESPN. Abdul-Jabbar then limped back onto the floor. Abdul-Jabbar, bad ankle and all, dunked emphatically over Erving and drew the foul with 33 seconds left. 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 Lakers countered by collapsing more in the paint and rallied for a 60–60 tie at the half. The victory gave the Lakers the crucial 3–2 series lead heading back to Philadelphia. The standings and stats of the current NBA season. Support Sporcle. Julius Erving arrived before the 1976–77 season, and with him as the focal point of the offense, the 76ers soon transformed into a title contender. 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 beginning era of modern professional basketball was dominated by the Minneapolis Lakers, who won half of the first ten titles. Los Angeles opened the third period with a 14–0 run, keyed by Jamaal Wilkes, who had 16 points in the quarter. 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. The Lakers went up 7–0, then 11–4. After being founded in 1946, the Basketball Association of America completed its inaugural season in April 1947 with the Philadelphia Warriors defeating the Chicago Stags in five games. But after losing to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1977 NBA Finals, the 76ers realized that a fancy and one-on-one style of play will not take them all the way. REMOVE ADS. 1981 NBA. Julius Erving scored the only three-pointer of the series (and first in NBA Finals history) in this game. [2] He managed to come back in the game in the fourth quarter to lead the Lakers to victory and a 3–2 lead in the best-of-seven series.