Based on Livingstons story, Kareem initially had the votes to win, but Johnson took home the prize. 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. Check out the links below.NBA League Pass: The most live games plus NBA TV. 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. 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. BA1 1UA. Did Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Magic Johnson win the 1980 NBA Finals MVP? "We went to Philadelphia and won a championship.". Sign up for the Layup Lines newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. 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 [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. The Utah Jazz were tied with the Spurs for the best record, but they led the league in wins for most of the season before slumping in the final month. 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. "My not being there in Philadelphia to receive the trophy on camera was a major inconvenience as far as the television people were concerned," Abdul-Jabbar wrote, making it clear he only cared about winning the game. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. 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. 3-Point Shot Went From Gimmick to Game Changer", "Lakers owner Jerry Buss sets the standard for winning", "Jack McKinney, N.B.A. 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. His appearance aroused the Forum regulars and, despite the bad ankle, scored 11 points and had two key blocked shots down the stretch. In reality, Haywood wrote in a 1988 account in People magazine, he blamed Westhead, who had actually kicked Haywood off the team following Game 3. Rap in the 90s was apparently not his go-to genre. 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. Johnson won three MVPs from 1987 to 1990 but was unable to win all three in consecutive seasons. The general opinion across the NBA when Karl Malone beat out Michael Jordan for MVP in 1997 was: "Oh, so the voters decided to give it to someone other than Jordan." 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. 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. Magic Johnson's performance in Game 6 and the series earned him the 1980 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). But was Abdul-Jabbar the one who actually convinced Haywood to get clean? NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. 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? The 7-foot-2-inch Abdul had ledhis team through the finals, gutting out aMVP-worthy Game 5 victory despite a severelyinjuredankle. Not too manyteams can have their supporting cast change early in the season, yet still maintain their defensive identity despite the turnover. Back at the Forum, the Lakers held a two-point lead late in the third quarter when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar stepped on Lionel Hollins' foot as he was running upcourt after a Laker basket and twisted his ankle. "Winning Time" features Spencer Haywood (Wood Harris) plottingto kill the Lakers after the teamvoted to kick out the troubled forwardbecause of his cocaine use. Bird apparently received 63 of the 66 votes. 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. 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. Because May 16, 1980, was a Friday, the network did not want to preempt its two highest-rated shows, The Dukes of Hazzard and Dallas, even though both shows were already in reruns: the 197980 TV season had ended early, back in March (Dukes and Dallas both aired their season finale March 21), in anticipation of a strike that summer by the Screen Actors Guild. This was also the year of Kobe's great 81 point game. Paul Westhead does also thank Jack McKinney in his remarks, and the players (including Norm Nixon) make sure to single out Kareems contributions. In between, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was acquired, and the Lakers returned to prominence in 1977, but Kareem couldn't do it alone. But his numbers: 15.5 ppg and 11.5 apg seemed awfully meager for the league's most valuable player. Crazy amount of offense that series. 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. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Nate Archibald of the Boston Celtics wins the game's MVP award. 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 averaged 37.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 43.9 minutes per game. No. Basketball isnt just a sport for this 26-year-old, who hails from Mumbai. Lakers center Kareem Abdul Jabbar was crowned the regular season MVP. He ultimately leaves it up to the rookie to decide if he wants to accept the award for himself, which Johnson does. 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. "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). Magic winning the 1980 Finals. There is no doubt that Magics performance in Game Six was phenomenal, shooting 60.9% from the field and 100% from the free-throw line. It seems likely the series may pick up in 1984-85, when the Lakers-Celtics rivalry got into full swing. The pundits gave the Lakers little chance of winning without Abdul-Jabbar, given his prolific form in the series. Johnson, a rookie, became the third playerto win an NCAA title and NBA title in back-to-back years. 1 seed in the East for the first time in franchise history. Narrative. "I turned all my anger toward Westhead, who I felt had snatched it from me. You can see here where Kareem is hurt in the clip below. He did not begrudge Johnson for the win, writing,"the outcome was never a problem between Magic and me.". The final controversy in Winning Time episode 10 delivers another rather surprising true story. Over the years, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the 1980 Final MVP award. 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. When hes not writing as Terrell, hes writing under his pseudonym Tavion Scott, creating scripts for his audio drama podcasts. The NBA's MVP award has been chosen annually by a panel of media members since the 1980-81 season. A new face of the league after a decade (70s) where the league nearly died, Finals weren't even being televised live iirc. Scottie Scheffler becomes the third player to win The Masters at age 25 or younger in the last 40 years. "Look at any TV show or movie based on a sports event that really happened, whether it's '42,' 'We Are Marshall,' 'A League of Their Own,'" he says. But Worthy had 36/16/10 on 68-60%, 68% TS in G7. 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). 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. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty season finale sees the LA Lakers competing for the highest honor in basketball, the NBA Championship. 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. 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. Hollyoaks spoilers: REUNITED! Read More: Did Spencer Haywood Really Order a Hit on His Lakers Teammates? That's better than every other NBA team's HOME winning percentage. Julius Erving scored the only three-pointer of the series (and first in NBA Finals history) in this game. Sixth Man of the Year. "[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 hobbles thereafter, but they dont immediately call a time-out to remove him. Was this actually the final count? The statistics give Kareem a massive lead as far as facts are concerned. The Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals, themselves in six games, in the World Series. 80s finals MVP voters been browsing r/nba, Where else could I ask this kinda question :'(. However, that wasn't enough to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the championship. Additionally, Abdul-Jabbar was named the 1980 NBA MVP, reflective of his work from that entire season. Jerry West - 1969. But, this time, he got very little help as the Laker break never got going. Darryl Dawkins led the Sixers with 26 points and Erving added 23. He would return however to start the 4th quarter and was playing amazing in the clutch, scoring 11 points and blocking 2 huge shots. Of course, the benefit of hindsight would cast judgement on the decision as Barry would advance to the finals and win a title in one of the greatest upsets in finals history, while McAdoo would lose in the second round of the playoffs. 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. 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. Mo Cheeks the 5th or 6th best offensive player in the series, 14.7 ppg on 57.7% FG. Mourning never really had a chance. Western Conference Finals MVP. The rookie stepped up to the challenge and delivered a performance of a lifetime. Now an ardent fan, Arjun supports Stephen Curry and the Warriors but also enjoys watching Giannis Antetokounmpo own the paint. The Bulls have secured the top seed in the league and Rose has become the unquestioned leader of the team. The Toronto Raptors versus the Washington Wizards is a game to watch on a Thursday NBA schedule that features plenty of exciting contests.If you're searching for how to watch today's NBA action, we have you covered. 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. Many consider this victory as the birth of Showtime. [1] Here are Page 2's 10 most controversial MVP races in sports since 1990: 1. There is no doubt that as far as offense goes both Kareem and Magic were phenomenal in their respective roles. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 14 point 4th quarter on a bad ankle capped an overall 40-point performance. To read our interview with Adrien Brody, who portrayed Lakers assistant coach Pat Riley, click here. Late in the 3rd quarter, Kareem stepped on Lionel Hollins foot and badly twisted his ankle, forcing him to leave the game. The Eagles lost Super Bowl XV to the Oakland Raiders in January 1981. 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. Temporary bans may be handed out to users who post memes and other low-effort or off-topic comments in this thread. Juliet Nightingale has fun with Imran! It represented a 16 game improvement for the team over the previous season. [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. The Sixers led by as much as 20 in the fourth period, but the Lakers roared back, trimming the lead to 105104 late in the game. "1. playoffs aren't a factor 2. the Nuggets would've been a non . However, the Sixers turned the ball right back over by stepping out of bounds on a desperation 3-point attempt. In the finals, the talismanic captain of the LA Lakers scored 167 points at an average of 33.4 points per game. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2. Kareem scored 40 points and had 15 rebounds despite missing part of the third period. The Celtics forward became the most recent player to collect three straight MVPs, doing so from 1984 to 1986 as Boston won two championships. Norm Nixon had 23 points and Jamaal Wilkes finished with 20 while the Lakers did an excellent job double-teaming Julius Erving. 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. So, whatd you guys think? He began watching the sport after stumbling upon a court in his society, helping him identify an undiscovered passion for the game of hoops. Then, Jones popped in a jumper with seven seconds left, and that was enough for a 107104 Philly win that tied the series at a game apiece. 1980 nba finals mvp controversy Joy.Thats what you have given me on my birthday and every day in between. For the record, I think Rose is very deserving of the award. Compared to Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson averaged only 21.5 points per game and 11.2 assists per game. He was a five-time NBA champion during his time in the league. Thanks so much for A good well thought out answer! 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. The Lakers, however, ended those hopes by taking a 15-point lead in the first quarter. Also read: LeBron James was conceived when Kareem Abdul Jabbar became all time scoring leader?: Weird theory on Lakers stars birth. 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