I hate when people ask questions like this, post the credentials for the guy their arguing for, and don't talk about what the other guy did. To be fair, Jerry West's numbers in the 1969 NBA Finals were impressive even by his standards. ", HBO respondedin a statementthat the series,based primarily on Jeff Pearlman's 2013 book "Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s," had been"fictionalized in part for dramatic purposes.". The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Kareem absolutely deserved it. Certainly Steve Nash had a good year and led the Phoenix Suns to the best record in the league that year at 62-20. 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. Despite Kareem not playing in Game Six, he led Magic in PPG, RPG, BPG, and FG efficiency. Johnson became the first and only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award. For our conversation with Jason Segel, who depicted Lakers head coach Paul Westhead, click here. 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. Over the years, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the 1980 Final MVP award. 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. 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. An injury in the fifth game sidelines Abdul-Jabbar, setting up Magic Johnson to take his captains position and the center stage. This is also the game. Hersey Hawkins provided a bit of scoring, but Barkley clearly had less talent to work with. But he missed the finals due to his ankle injury. Many sportswriters argued that these match ups would "decide the MVP race," but ultimately voters went with the safe bet in Malone. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. The MVP of the 1980 NBA Finals was Magic Johnson, plus that was his rookie season playing alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Spencer Haywood and Jamaal Wilkes. Los Angeles would win the game. Kidd's numbers were also special that year, as he averaged 14.7 ppg, 9.9 apg and 7.3 rpg. Just a hunch but he probably didnt win cuz he didnt play every game? The Lakers, however, went on to win the Western Conference. But his numbers: 15.5 ppg and 11.5 apg seemed awfully meager for the league's most valuable player. It also benefited Johnson that he added a new weapon to his arsenal this season (3-point shooting), which the voters appreciated. He did not begrudge Johnson for the win, writing,"the outcome was never a problem between Magic and me.". The "Winning Time" finale, centered on the championship series against the Philadelphia 76ers and team superstar Julius "Dr. The Lakers went up 70, then 114. So Game 6 was shown at 11:30pm Eastern (10:30pm Central) in all but eight US cities: Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Portland, Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco, Sacramento and Reno, 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. 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. "As es, Westbrook acaba de recoger las sobras de Wang Zelin. 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. Along with Jamaal Wilkes' 37 points and 10 rebounds, Michael Cooper chipped in 16. Kareem was the story of the 1980 NBA Finals as it unfolded. In the series, the moment Johnson first stepped into a locker room he was accompanied by a boom box. 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 . 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. In Game 6, Magic Johnson played what may have been the greatest game of his career. According to several sources, including The Sports Rush (opens in new tab), Livingston allegedly confessed he and others changed their votes from Abdul-Jabbar to Johnson because CBS didnt want to present an award to an empty seat. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Then Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West retired, and the Lakers missed the playoffs in 1975 and 1976. Johnson, a rookie, became the third player to win an NCAA title and NBA title in back-to-back years. Additionally, there is a question over whether the Bulls success derives more from Tom Thibodeau's system or Rose's play. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. Kareem, who was the leading candidate for the Finals MVP until Game Five of the Finals, suffered a severe ankle sprain during Game Five had to leave the game in the middle but would return in the 4th quarter leading the Lakers to victory with only one win away from the championship. The Wizards' most recent contest on Tuesday ended in a 119-116 victory over the Hawks. The rookie stepped up to the challenge and delivered a performance of a lifetime. The 1980 NBA Finals TV Mini Series 1980 YOUR RATING Rate Sport The 1980 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1979/1980 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. Pat Riley (Adrien Brody) intercepts the message, but he doesnt tell Johnson what it says until the guard is in need of extra motivation to beat the 76ers. 4 seed considering the struggles of everyone on the team? BA1 1UA. He hobbles thereafter, but they dont immediately call a time-out to remove him. [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. Stars Bill Russell Brent Musburger Rick Barry See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist The Bulls have secured the top seed in the league and Rose has become the unquestioned leader of the team. Plus, who was the spark for Spencer Haywood getting clean? He added 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block and was elected MVP of the series. In the fourth with a little over five minutes left, the Sixers rallied to cut the Laker lead to 103101. Additionally, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, reflective of his work from that entire season. Its cued up here to Game 5, at the 49:36 mark, after Kareem scores a basket to put the Lakers up 67-65. 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. 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? In "Winning Time,"Johnson saunters onto the Philly-bound team plane with a boom boxplaying Frankie Beverly's "That's The Golden Time Of Day." 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. Norm Nixon would finally seal the game at the foul line by making both of his foul shots. Abdul-Jabbar was the series'statistical MVP winner through his heroic Game 5. [6], This was also the first NBA Finals to make use of the three-point line, which debuted that season.[7]. What?! That equates to a valuable player in my book. He also had an average of 13.6 rebounds per game and 3.2 assists per game. For the record, I think Rose is very deserving of the award. Hollyoaks spoilers: REUNITED! 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. Los Angeles took an early advantage in the NBA Finals, but Lakers superstar big man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suffered an injury in Game 5. Winning Timewas recently picked up for a second season on HBO. 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? 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 But I was looking at the series stats and like, Kareem was 33/13 with 4.6 blocks per game. 3. Mourning never really had a chance. While Magic dazzled in his rookie season, Kareem would enjoy an MVP campaign in the Lakers' 6022 regular season. So Magic just got it for his amazing game 6. 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? A new face of the league after a decade (70s) where the league nearly died, Finals weren't even being televised live iirc. The Celtics won the following season, after the Lakers were bounced in the first round. Johnson had no say in the matter. Winning Time has been picked up for another season. BOSTON Looking back, Jeff Van Gundy admits he was thoroughly surprised when Andre Iguodala was announced as MVP of the 2015 NBA Finals. In what was his rookie year. Darryl Dawkins led the Sixers with 26 points and Erving added 23. This picture, taken at our friends wedding in June, tells the story, our story.I guess really can have it all.I love you @jaymohr37 pic.twitter.com/UzkGZDZ2R8. You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. In reality, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played the first five of the six games of the 1980 NBA Finals series. Rick Barry was not a particularly popular player around the NBA. 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. However, the Sixers turned the ball right back over by stepping out of bounds on a desperation 3-point attempt. Meanwhile, Birds Celtics were defeated by Julius Ervings 76ers in the Eastern Conference Finals. 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. 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. Steph Curry and Jayson Tatum have the shortest odds to win the 2022 NBA Finals MVP award, but several other players, including Marcus Smart, Klay Thompson, and Al Horford, make for intriguing . Itll be interesting to see where it picks up. Duncan, to be sure, had a great year. Kareem wasn't totally robbed imo. According to his book, since he didn't fly out to Philly, the voters and network didn't want to give the award to an empty seat. The series does not give much credit to Jamaal Wilkes, who scored 37 points in what would be the game of his life, too. Maybe. Few would take you seriously if you were in a writers room and suggested that a rookie win NBA Finals MVP. I dont think that Jerry West did a lot of sweating in that fourth quarter. That's not that bad a supporting cast. 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. 3-Point Shot Went From Gimmick to Game Changer", "Lakers owner Jerry Buss sets the standard for winning", "Jack McKinney, N.B.A. Hollyoaks spoilers: Diane Hutchinson makes a SHOCKING confession. 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? NBA History - 1980 Awards Award: The 76ers were the first of the four Philadelphia professional sports teams to play for their respective sports' championships in the 1980 season. Solomon Hughes and Quincy Isaiah in Winning Time (Image credit: Warrick Page/HBO) 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. 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. 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. He wound up spending two weeks at DeSilvas home in order to break his cocaine habit. Winning Time unveils a brief controversy in which Abdul-Jabbar, not Johnson, was originally named NBA Finals MVP (via USA TODAY): In his memoir, Kareem, Abdul-Jabbar cites sportswriter Bill Livingston, who publicly said the voting NBA writers had originally chosen Abdul-Jabbar as finals MVP but the group was pressured either by the network (CBS) or the league to change the vote. 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. In the most recent vintage of the pitcher vs. hitter debate, Martinez went 23-4 . The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnsons skin. Meanwhile, Barry's team, while winning the same number of games, led Golden State to the best record in the West. The Lakers point guard averaged 5 turnovers during the series setting a Finals record. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty season finale sees the LA Lakers competing for the highest honor in basketball, the NBA Championship. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2. No. 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. Heres how it works. [1] First of all, I find it a bit curious the fact that Berry finished behind Cowens in MVP voting, yet Cowens didn't even make the All-NBA First Team that year while Berry did. This game was a nip-and-tuck affair that was highlighted by Julius Erving's signature "Baseline Move" in the fourth quarter. 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. This popularity skewed the results against Barry, as he would finish a distant fourth in the voting behind McAdoo, Dave Cowens, and Elvin Hayes. In the series, viewers get the impression this figure was unfairly lopsided. Terrell Smith has a diverse writing background having penned material for a wide array of clients including the federal government and Bravo television personalities. The MVP race in 1999 was quite fun to watch, and it came down to a photo finish in the final weeks. . Mo Cheeks the 5th or 6th best offensive player in the series, 14.7 ppg on 57.7% FG. But they say that he led his team to the East's top seed despite injuries to two "All-Star Caliber" bigs, while the Heat wound up only the second seed, and Howard's Magic were fourth. REMINDER: This thread is only for serious and thought-provoking analysis. 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. Missing 17% of a series makes it tough to win MVP, Thatd be winning league MVP playing 68 games. #1 Magic Johnson - 20 Years Old (1980) In 1980, Magic became the first . Though, there is no doubt Magic Johnson was great in the Finals. Steve Nash is the only repeat MVP winner that has never appeared in an NBA Finals game. Greenmark Group - 1980 nba finals mvp controversy % May 13, 2022 by tottenham leicester whoscored. Comparing statistics between Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson during the 1980 NBA Finals Johnson won three MVPs from 1987 to 1990 but was unable to win all three in consecutive seasons. He ultimately leaves it up to the rookie to decide if he wants to accept the award for himself, which Johnson does. 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. 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals. The Lakers, however, ended those hopes by taking a 15-point lead in the first quarter. The Lakers were the top seed in the western conference and would have the home-court advantage going into the Finals. 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 Lakers also received strong performances from Jamaal Wilkes with 37 points and 10 rebounds,[3] and Norm Nixon. 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/. As such, when a player receives the . Granted, Derrick Rose has not actually won the award yet, but the general consensus around the league appears to be that you're more likely to see the Mayor of Cleveland declare "LeBron James day" in the city than for Rose not to win the award. In the playoffs, they eliminated the Washington Bullets in two games, and the Atlanta Hawks in five games. 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). TGT Play! Odds Deals Podcasts US USA Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Louisiana To be sure, Malone had a great season. And a fun fact is he's completely dialed into the TLC90 Day Fiancuniverse. Now, this is not to say that Nash's impact on the Suns was not felt. Hence, it is safe to say that the shows depiction of Abdul-Jabbar being the original 1980 NBA Finals MVP has some merit. But by the second time, it was getting serious. 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. Did Nash really belong in that distinguished company? edit: complaint about pts/reb/ast order, changed it universally to pts/reb/ast. But Haywood eventually came to his senses and changed his mind after a conversation with his mother. [10] The Lakers advanced to that year's NBA Finals and McKinney was fired by Buss mid-series on May 13, 1980. Arjun Julka is a NBA author at The SportsRush. 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." According to "Showtime,"the idea was suggested by Lakers head coach Paul Westhead (played by Jason Segel in the series),and Johnson loved it. Kareem was listed out for Game Six. Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar (who called the series "deliberately dishonest") and former Laker superstar and general manager Jerry West have criticized the show's portrayals. Please refresh the page and try again. The NBA's MVP award has been chosen annually by a panel of media members since the 1980-81 season. The Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals, themselves in six games, in the World Series. Scottie Scheffler becomes the third player to win The Masters at age 25 or younger in the last 40 years. Magic Johnson - 3 1987, 1989, 1990 In 1987, Bird's rival took the torch. So, whatd you guys think? Jerry West - Getty Images. Los Angeles opened the third period with a 140 run, keyed by Jamaal Wilkes, who had 16 points in the quarter. Therefore, Magic had monumental shoes to fill. For a while, he managed to stay clean and play for a team in Italy before returning to play in the NBA. The 2015 award, however, has become slightly more controversial with time. 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. The latest in the sports world, emailed daily. However, NBA's executive vice president at the time, David Stern (Andy Hirsch), had another idea. Unlikely. 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. When hes not writing as Terrell, hes writing under his pseudonym Tavion Scott, creating scripts for his audio drama podcasts. Also, and this is weird: Jeanie Buss who does run the LA Lakers now, having inherited her fathers team and legacy in 2013 is 60 and dating Jay Mohr of SNL fame. "I turned all my anger toward Westhead, who I felt had snatched it from me. Happiness. It may have been the best game of Magics entire career, as he scored 42 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. All rights reserved. For example, was the voting in the race for Rookie of the Year in 1980 really that lopsided in favor of Larry Bird? I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. You will receive a verification email shortly. On the other hand, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, which would be his careers last season MVP award. 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. Johnson scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, either matching or eclipsing Abdul-Jabbars contributions in any single previous match of the series. 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. After winning the NBA Finals, it is said that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is going to be the MVP, but David Stern tells Magic Johnson that he could take the award instead since Kareem isn't there. But with Abdul-Jabbar stuck watching the game from his Los Angeles home, giving the award to an empty chair was bad TV.. "Winning Time" shows a locker room-bound Johnson agreeing to take the finals MVP award instead ofAbdul-Jabbar on the strong suggestion ofDavid Stern, the league's executive vice president forlegal affairs (and future commissioner). But at least in 2001 the Spurs were the conferences top seed. Abdul-Jabbar in particular was not a fan and reportedly wasnt shy about letting that be known. Johnson, who had played point guard all season, was tasked to replace the captain of the Purple and Gold as the starting center. What to Watch is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. But Kobe Bryant was just sensational this season, posting 35.4 ppg (first in the league), 5.3 rpg, and 4.5 apg. Johnson had no problem and was up to the challenge, although he would lose the famous opening tip to Caldwell Jones. 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. That performance earned Magic his first of 3 career Finals MVP awards. "We went to Philadelphia and won a championship.". Can he be the most valuable player if his team has more talent and experience than the team of another MVP contender? 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. "Winning Time" features Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris) plottingto kill the Lakers after the teamvoted to kick out the troubled forwardbecause of his cocaine use. "Spencer, of course, I forgive you," Westhead recalled responding. 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. However, reporters apparently had to change their votes since the NBAs broadcaster did not want to present the award to an absent player. [14][15] After the Lakers won the series for their first of five NBA titles in nine seasons, Buss hired Westhead to permanently replace McKinney.[16]. Best offensive player in the Western Conference champion Los Angeles took an early advantage in quarter. Tuesday ended in a 119-116 victory over the years, 1980 nba finals mvp controversy has been lot..., became the first five of the year in 1980, Magic Johnson - 3 1987 1989. That Nash 's impact on the team race in 1999 was quite fun watch..., he managed to stay clean and play for a while, he led in..., they eliminated the Washington Bullets in two games, led Golden State to the and! Against the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 ; s rival took the torch up to the best in... Plus, who depicted Lakers head coach Paul Westhead, who depicted head... 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