A Look Back at the 1980 NBA Finals

The 1980 NBA Finals was a classic matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers, led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were the defending champions, while the 76ers, led by Julius Erving were looking to dethrone them. The series went to a full seven games, with the Lakers ultimately coming out on top. Here’s a look back at that classic Finals matchup.

The 1980 NBA Finals A Look Back

The 1980 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s 1979–80 season, and the conclusion of the season’s playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2.

The series was played between May 27 and June 10, 1980. At the time, it was the longest NBA Finals in history, lasting for 15 games. Moses Malone of the 76ers was named as the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), becoming the first player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP without being on the winning team in an earlier round of playoffs.

The teams that battled in the 1980 NBA Finals

The 1980 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s 1979–80 season, and the culmination of the season’s playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia
76ers defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2. The victory was the Sixers’ first NBA Championship since 1966–67, when they defeated the San Francisco Warriors By winning, Philadelphia ended a streak of three consecutive NBA titles by the Lakers.

The Key Players in the 1980 NBA Finals

The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics met in the NBA Finals for the first time in their storied history in 1980. The two teams had been the dominant forces in the NBA for much of the 1970s, with the Lakers winning five titles and the Celtics winning three.

The key players in the series were undoubtedly Magic Johnson of the Lakers and Larry Bird of the Celtics. Magic had just won the Rookie of the Year Award and was already one of the best point guards in the league. Bird was in his second season and was already one of the best shooters in NBA history

The two players did not disappoint, with Magic averaging 18 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds per game and Bird averaging 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists per game The series went to seven games, with the Lakers winning 115-109 in Game 7 to take home their sixth championship.

The defining moments of the 1980 NBA Finals

The 1980 NBA Finals was the Championship Series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s 1979–80 season, and the conclusion of that year’s playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2.

Game 1 took place on May 27, 1980, at The Forum in Inglewood, California.

The Sixers were led by Julius Erving and Moses Malone, while the Lakers were led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson This was the first NBA Finals appearance for Johnson, who would go on to win a record nine NBA championships Abdul-Jabbar had won four titles with the Milwaukee Bucks earlier in his career.

The Sixers took control of the series with a Game 2 victory at home, followed by a win in Game 3 at The Forum. The Lakers bounced back with a Game 4 victory at home, but the Sixers won Game 5 at The Forum to take a 3–2 series lead.

It was then that one of the most iconic moments in NBA history occurred. In Game 6 at Philadelphia’s Spectrum, with the Sixers leading 107–106 and time running out, Lakers’ forward Jerry West took an unlikely shot from 60 feet (18 m) away that seemingly tied the game at 107 apiece. However, time had actually expired before West’s shot went through the basket; although it is considered one of the most memorable shots in NBA history[1], it did not count and Philadelphia won 107–106 to take their first NBA Championship since 1955–56.[2][3] Philadelphia radio announcer Merle Harmon famously called it “a desperate heave … from long distance … [and] Jerry West has given birth to a genius.”[4]

The impact of the 1980 NBA Finals

The 1980 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s 1979–80 season, and the conclusion of that season’s playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2.

The 1980 NBA Finals was destine to be a rematch between the two teams that had faced each other in The Finals for three consecutive seasons, with each taking one championship during that span. But things did not go according to plan for either team. The young upstart Sixers were swept by the defending champion Lakers in the Conference Finals and it seemed as if they were destined to meet again in The Finals.

However, fate intervened in the form of an injury to one of the Key Players on each team. Sixers center and reigning NBA MVP Julius Erving suffered a Knee Injury that forced him to miss the final four games of the series. For the Lakers, their star player Kareem Abdul Jabbar suffered an ankle injury in Game 5 that also forced him to miss Games 6 and 7.

With both teams at less than full strength, it was anyone’s guess as to who would win the title. In the end, it was the Sixers who triumphed, winning Game 6 on their home court to take the series 4-2. While it may not have been the matchup everyone wanted to see, there is no doubt that the 1980 NBA Finals left a lasting impact on both teams and th

The legacy of the 1980 NBA Finals

When the 1980 NBA Finals came to a close, the Los Angeles Lakers had been crowned champions. But, in the decades since, the series has taken on a much different meaning. For some, it is remembered as one of the most important moments NBA history For others, it is seen as a black mark on the league. Regardless of how it is remembered, there is no doubt that the 1980 NBA Finals left a lasting impression on the sport of basketball.

The 1980 NBA Finals was a rematch of sorts between the Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers. The two teams had met in the previous year’s NBA Finals with Philadelphia winning in six games. This time around, though, it was Los Angeles who would come out on top. The Lakers won the series in six games, giving them their first championship since 1972.

The biggest story to come out of the 1980 NBA Finals was not about who won or lost, but rather about a player who did not even step foot on the court. that player was Magic Johnson Prior to the start of the series, Johnson had been diagnosed with HIV. As a result, he announced his retirement from basketball just days before Game 1 was set to tip off.

While Johnson’s HIV diagnosis would eventually lead to his tragically early death in 1991, at the time it served as a powerful reminder of how deadly the virus can be. For many Americans, Johnson was their first real exposure to HIV/AIDS and hisdiagnosis helped bring more attention to an epidemic that was still largely misunderstood.

In addition to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, Magic Johnson’s retirement also had a significant impact on basketball itself. After years of dominance by teams like the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers Johnson’s departure opened up the door for new teams to compete for titles. In fact, just two years after Johnson’s retirement, another up-and-coming team would win its first championship: The Chicago Bulls

The 1980 NBA Finals may have been just another Championship Series at the time, but its legacy has endured for 40 years and counting.

What made the 1980 NBA Finals so special?

The 1980 NBA Finals was a best-of-seven series between the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers and the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers won the series 4–2 to win their ninth NBA Championship The series was played under a modified playoff format in which the first two games were played at neutral sites. The series also holds the distinction of being the last to be played in the 2–3–2 format, prior to its adoption of the current 2–2–1–1–1 format in 1985.

How the 1980 NBA Finals changed the NBA

In the 1980 NBA Finals the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games. The Finals were immensely popular, averaging a then-record 19.2 million television viewers. The success of the 1980 NBA Finals led to a resurgence in popularity for the NBA. After the 1980 NBA Finals the NBA saw a dramatic increase in TV ratings, ticket sales and merchandise sales. The 1980 NBA Finals also resulted in an influx of new fans to the sport of basketball.

The lasting legacy of the 1980 NBA Finals

The 1980 NBA Finals was a best-of-seven championship series played between the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers and the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia
76ers. The Lakers defeated the Sixers four games to two, winning the NBA Finals for the ninth time in franchise history. The victory also marked the first time since 1954 that an NBA team had won a championship after losing the first two games of the series.

The series was played under unusual circumstances. First, it was only the second ever Finals series to end in June, due to a late start to the season caused by a player strike. Secondly, Magic Johnson normally the Lakers’ starting point guard was moved to center due to an injury to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This meant that Johnson would have to defend Sixers’ star Julius Erving, who was widely regarded as one of the best players in the league.

Despite these obstacles, Johnson and his teammates were able to win four out of six games against Philly. Thanks in part to Johnson’s outstanding play (he averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists per game), as well as contributions from guys like Jamaal Wilkes and Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles ultimately prevailed. The 1980 NBA Finals is remembered as one of the most exciting and significant series in Basketball History

Why the 1980 NBA Finals remain one of the greatest Finals series of all time

The 1980 NBA Finals will always remain one of the greatest Finals series of all time. It featured two of the league’s best teams in the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers, and it went down to the wire in a dramatic seven-game series.

Even though it was nearly 40 years ago, the 1980 NBA Finals still has a lot to offer today’s fans. Here’s a look back at why this series is still so special.

First, there was the competitiveness between the two teams. The Lakers and 76ers were evenly matched throughout the series, with each team winning three games apiece heading into the seventh and final game The match-up between Lakers’ center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Sixers’ center Darryl Dawkins was also must-see TV, as two of the league’s best big men went head-to-head.

Second, the 1980 NBA Finals featured some of the greatest players of all time. In addition to Abdul-Jabbar and Dawkins, both teams had other Hall of Fame caliber players such as Julius Erving, Larry Bird Magic Johnson and James Worthy It was truly a meeting of basketball royalty.

Third, the seventh and final game of the series was an instant classic. The Lakers edged out the Sixers 111-108 in a thriller that went down to the wire. Johnson hit a clutch jumper with just seconds remaining to seal the victory for Los Angeles cementing his status as one of basketball’s all-time greats.

The 1980 NBA Finals is still remembered fondly by basketball fans today because it had everything you could want in a championship series: great teams, Great players and a thrilling finish. It truly is one of the greatest finals series of all time.