How Magic Johnson Won Five NBA Championships
Contents
- How Magic Johnson won his first NBA Championship
- How Magic Johnson won his second NBA Championship
- How Magic Johnson won his third NBA Championship
- How Magic Johnson won his fourth NBA Championship
- How Magic Johnson won his fifth NBA Championship
- What Magic Johnson did to win his first NBA Championship
- What Magic Johnson did to win his second NBA Championship
- What Magic Johnson did to win his third NBA Championship
- What Magic Johnson did to win his fourth NBA Championship
- What Magic Johnson did to win his fifth NBA Championship
How Magic Johnson Won Five NBA championships is an article that will explore the amazing career of one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
How Magic Johnson won his first NBA Championship
In his rookie year, Johnson led the Lakers to a then-record 33 wins in a season where they had been expected to win just 27 games. He was immediately given the starting point guard position, and played all 82 games that year. He averaged 18.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game and was named to the NBA All-Star team, as well as being named NBA Rookie of the Year. The Lakers improved by nine games in Johnson’s first season, and made the playoffs for the first time since 1976
How Magic Johnson won his second NBA Championship
On June 12, 1991, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls in Game 5 of the NBA Finals The victory gave the Lakers their second consecutive NBA Championship and Johnson his fifth NBA title overall.
Johnson had a stellar performance in the deciding game, finishing with 21 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds. He also played a key role in shutting down Bulls superstar Michael Jordan who was held to just 18 points on 7-of-26 shooting. After the game, Jordan praised Johnson as the best player he ever faced.
It was a fitting end to a dominant run by Johnson and the Lakers, who won back-to-back championships in 1990 and 1991. They would go on to win three more titles in 2000, 2001, and 2002.
How Magic Johnson won his third NBA Championship
In his third season, Magic Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers to their first NBA Championship in nine years. The Lakers won a then-record setting 62 games, and Johnson was named the NBA Finals MVP.
How Magic Johnson won his fourth NBA Championship
In his 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson won five championships. He was named the Finals MVP three times, in 1980, 1982, and 1987. In 1980, at age 20, he became the youngest player ever to be named Finals MVP In 1987, he was named co-Finals MVP with teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
In his fourth championship season, 1984–85, Johnson played in all 82 regular season games and averaged a league-leading 18.6 points per game as well as 9.5 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game He was again named the NBA Finals MVP as the Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in six games.
How Magic Johnson won his fifth NBA Championship
In his final season with the Lakers, Johnson played a vital role in the team’s fifth NBA Championship He averaged 19.4 points per game 7.3 assists per game and 5.5 rebounds per game in the Finals series against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers won the series 4-2, with Johnson winning his fifth and final NBA championship
What Magic Johnson did to win his first NBA Championship
In his rookie season, Johnson led the Lakers to the 1980 NBA Finals where they defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games. The victory gave the Lakers their ninth title overall and first since 1972. Despite being heavier than most players at his position and not known for his outside shooting, Johnson played all five positions on the court at various points in the game. He was named Finals MVP becoming the first rookie ever to receive the honor.
What Magic Johnson did to win his second NBA Championship
In the 1980-81 season, the Los Angeles Lakers had the best record in the Western Conference and Magic Johnson was named the NBA Finals MVP as they beat the Philadelphia 76ers in four games. But after losing in the first round of the playoffs in each of the next two seasons, Johnson and the Lakers were determined to win it all again in 1984.
To improve their chances, they brought in veteran center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who had won four championships with the Milwaukee Bucks Abdul-Jabbar was still one of the best players in the league at age 38, and he would team up with Johnson to form one of the most dominant frontcourts in NBA history
The Lakers also added another key piece to their puzzle by drafting forward James Worthy with the first overall pick in 1982. Worthy would go on to be named Finals MVP in 1988, but he was already an impact player as a rookie, averaging 13.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
With Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson and Worthy leading the way, the Lakers won sport America’s first championship since 1976, defeating Karl Malone and John Stockton’s Utah Jazz 4-2.
What Magic Johnson did to win his third NBA Championship
In his third NBA season Magic Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers to their first League Championship in nine years. The team had a regular season record of 54-28, 11 games better than the previous year. In the playoffs, they defeated the Seattle SuperSonics Portland Trail Blazers and Philadelphia 76ers, before meeting the Boston Celtics in the Finals. The Lakers won the series 4-2, with Johnson averaging 18.6 points, 9.5 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game. He was named the Finals MVP for his efforts.
What Magic Johnson did to win his fourth NBA Championship
After winning his first three NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson decided to retire in 1991. However, he returned to the Lakers in 1996 and helped them win their fourth championship. Here are some of the things Magic Johnson did to help the Lakers win their fourth NBA championship
-He averaged 19.4 points per game 8.3 assists per game and 5.8 rebounds per game during the Regular Season
-He was named the Most Valuable Player of the Finals.
-He led the Lakers in assists during the Finals.
-He had a triple-double in Game 6 of the Finals.
What Magic Johnson did to win his fifth NBA Championship
Johnson was traded to the Lakers in the off-season, and formed a “Showtime” partnership with All-Star center Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The team also added rookie forward James Worthy to an already strong lineup that included Norm Nixon, Michael Cooper and Jamaal Wilkes. The result was one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history as the Lakers won sixty-three games and steamrolled through the playoffs. Johnson won his fifth championship, earning Finals MVP honors in the process.