1982 NBA Finals
Encyclopedia
The 1982 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1981-82 NBA season
, the top level of competition in men's professional basketball
in North America. The series saw the Los Angeles Lakers
face the Philadelphia 76ers
.
The 1982 NBA Finals documentary "Something To Prove" recaps all the action of this series. It was the last NBA video documentary to exclusively use film in all on-court action. Dick Stockton
narrated the documentary, with the condensed USA Network
version narrated by Al Albert.
The series ended June 8, the latest end to an NBA season to date. The previous record was June 7, 1978. This record was eclipsed two years later when the finals ended on June 12, 1984.
by the surprising Houston Rockets
in a 3-game mini-series, the Lakers were back in championship form. Led by new coach Pat Riley
, along with the return to championship form of Magic Johnson
, and new Laker Bob McAdoo, the Lakers swept the San Antonio Spurs
in the Western Conference Finals.
The 76ers had to play a mini-series since they finished second to the Boston Celtics
in the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia swept the New Jersey Nets
2-0, and then ousted the Central Division champion Milwaukee Bucks
(the 76ers had home-court advantage due to a better overall record) 4-2. In the Eastern Conference finals, the 76ers blew out the Celtics twice at The Spectrum
to take a 3-1 lead, only to lose the next two games in a harrowing replay of the 1981 playoffs, which saw Boston overcome a 3-1 deficit in the same round vs. Philadelphia en route to the world championship, winning Game 7 at the Boston Garden
91-90.
The 76ers exorcised the demons of 1981 by blowing out the Celtics 120-106 in Game 7. As time wound down, the Boston Garden crowd began to chant "Beat L.A.!", encouraging the 76ers to defeat the hated Lakers in the championship round.
After the game, Sixers coach Billy Cunningham
commented that the Sixers weren't affected that much by the trapping Laker defense, just cold shooting and sloppy play. However, he also questioned whether or not it was a "zone defense", which was illegal at the time.
took a different defensive approach, assigning Magic Johnson
to cover Julius Erving
straight-up on defense. While Magic couldn't match the Doctor's athleticism, the move did keep Erving from the offensive boards.
In Game 2 that wasn't quite enough, as Erving brought the Sixers back with 24 points and 16 rebounds, mostly defensive. Billy Cunningham
used all his centers, Caldwell Jones
, Darryl Dawkins
and Earl Cureton
at different points to guard Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
. The Sixers got 38 offensive rebounds for 50 second-chance points, while the Lakers only had six offensive boards.
The Sixers used that advantage to take a 110-94 win that evened the series. In a balanced scoring attack, Maurice Cheeks
had 19 points and eight assists, Jones added 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Bobby Jones and Clint Richardson
each scored 10.
, the Lakers completely dominated Game 3. Norm Nixon
scored 29 points as the Lakers marched to a 129-108 victory. Andrew Toney
scored 36 and Julius Erving
21, but no one else came through.
. On the defensive end, they kept up the pressure with their zone trap. The Lakers went up, three games to one, with a 111-101 win. Jamaal Wilkes
and Magic Johnson
had 24 points each, while Abdul-Jabbar added 22 and Bob McAdoo 19 off the bench. Hard-charging bruiser Kurt Rambis
pulled down 11 rebounds.
was held to just six points, a career playoff low, thanks to the spirited defense of Darryl Dawkins
. In the midst of the offensive explosion, Dawkins also contributed 20 points and nine rebounds to the effort.
In the third period, the Sixers' defense turned it up a notch. They held Los Angeles to 20 points for the quarter and several times cut the lead to one point. Super-sub Bob McAdoo, known more for his offense, made a key defensive play late in the third when he blocked a Julius Erving
layup on a breakaway that would have given the Sixers the lead.
The Lakers came back and surged early in the fourth period to boost their lead to 11. Andrew Toney
, who led all scorers with 30 points, and Erving, who had 29, responded by trimming the lead to 103-100 with about four minutes left. But, then Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
scored and was fouled and made the free throw to put Los Angeles up by six. Moments later, Wilkes got a breakaway layup to close it out, 114-104.
Jamaal Wilkes
led the Lakers with 27 points, and Magic Johnson
, with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists, was named the series MVP. McAdoo, who had 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, was pretty much reborn as a player in this series after being cast off by several teams as a selfish, non-team player.
Aside from the Doctor's and Toney's efforts, no one else stepped up for the Sixers. Darryl Dawkins
fouled out and only had 10 points and one rebound in 20 minutes played. Dawkins would soon be shipped to the New Jersey Nets
, and the 76ers acquired the final piece of their championship puzzle: Moses Malone
, an MVP center from the Houston Rockets
.
weekend, which was used in 1980 and 1981 to avert another tape delay broadcast. This was also the first of nine straight NBA finals (1982-1990) that Dick Stockton would call for CBS Sports. Stockton also announced the starting lineups of the 1982 NBA Finals in lieu of P.A. announcers Dave Zinkoff
and Lawrence Tanter
.
. The Sixers, bolstered by the addition of league MVP Moses Malone
, won 65 games, and steamrolled through the playoffs, in which they lost only once (denying Malone's famous "Fo, Fo, Fo" prediction) en route to their third NBA title overall (they won in 1955
as the Syracuse Nationals
, and in 1967
). The Lakers finished the regular season with 58 wins, but were overmatched by the hungrier Sixers in the Finals. Then-rookie and future Hall of Famer James Worthy
did not play in the series because of a late-season leg injury. The Detroit Pistons
won the 1989 NBA Finals
in a near-similar manner, losing to the Lakers the previous year, then sweeping them in the next.
1981-82 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Moses Malone, Houston Rockets*Rookie of the Year: Buck Williams, New Jersey Nets*Coach of the Year: Gene Shue, Washington Bullets*All-NBA First Team:**Larry Bird, Boston Celtics...
, the top level of competition in men's professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
in North America. The series saw the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
face the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
.
The 1982 NBA Finals documentary "Something To Prove" recaps all the action of this series. It was the last NBA video documentary to exclusively use film in all on-court action. Dick Stockton
Dick Stockton
Dick Stockton is an American sportscaster. He is currently employed by Fox Sports and Turner Sports as a football, baseball, and basketball play-by-play announcer.-Early life and career:...
narrated the documentary, with the condensed USA Network
NBA on USA
The NBA on USA is the de facto name is for the USA Network's National Basketball Association television coverage. The program ran from the season through the season.-Manhattan Cable and HBO:...
version narrated by Al Albert.
The series ended June 8, the latest end to an NBA season to date. The previous record was June 7, 1978. This record was eclipsed two years later when the finals ended on June 12, 1984.
How They Got Here
After being upset in the 1981 NBA Playoffs1981 NBA Playoffs
The 1981 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament which followed National Basketball Association's 1980–81 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics winning their 14th overall championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets in...
by the surprising Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
in a 3-game mini-series, the Lakers were back in championship form. Led by new coach Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
, along with the return to championship form of Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
, and new Laker Bob McAdoo, the Lakers swept the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the Western Conference Finals.
The 76ers had to play a mini-series since they finished second to the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia swept the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
2-0, and then ousted the Central Division champion Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
(the 76ers had home-court advantage due to a better overall record) 4-2. In the Eastern Conference finals, the 76ers blew out the Celtics twice at The Spectrum
The Spectrum
The Spectrum may refer to:* The Spectrum at Northlands Park* The Spectrum , a channel on Sirius XM Radio* The Spectrum , the student newspaper of the University of St...
to take a 3-1 lead, only to lose the next two games in a harrowing replay of the 1981 playoffs, which saw Boston overcome a 3-1 deficit in the same round vs. Philadelphia en route to the world championship, winning Game 7 at the Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
91-90.
The 76ers exorcised the demons of 1981 by blowing out the Celtics 120-106 in Game 7. As time wound down, the Boston Garden crowd began to chant "Beat L.A.!", encouraging the 76ers to defeat the hated Lakers in the championship round.
Series summary
| Game | Date | Home Team | Result | Road Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Thursday, May 27 | Philadelphia 76ers | 117-124 (0-1) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 2 | Sunday, May 30 | Philadelphia 76ers | 110-94 (1-1) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 3 | Tuesday, June 1 | Los Angeles Lakers | 129-108 (2-1) | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Game 4 | Thursday, June 3 | Los Angeles Lakers | 111-101 (3-1) | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Game 5 | Sunday, June 6 | Philadelphia 76ers | 135-102 (2-3) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 6 | Tuesday, June 8 | Los Angeles Lakers | 114-104 (4-2) | Philadelphia 76ers |
Game 1
Fresh from holding off the Celtics in the conference finals, the Sixers worked their offense to precision and held a 15-point lead midway through the third quarter. But, then, the Lakers began to turn it up on defense using a "zone trap" defense. The Lakers went on a 40-9 run over the game's next 11 minutes on the way to a 124-117 Game 1 win, thereby stealing the home-court advantage.After the game, Sixers coach Billy Cunningham
Billy Cunningham
William John "Billy" Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid.- Beginnings :...
commented that the Sixers weren't affected that much by the trapping Laker defense, just cold shooting and sloppy play. However, he also questioned whether or not it was a "zone defense", which was illegal at the time.
Game 2
In this game, Laker coach Pat RileyPat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
took a different defensive approach, assigning Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
to cover Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
straight-up on defense. While Magic couldn't match the Doctor's athleticism, the move did keep Erving from the offensive boards.
In Game 2 that wasn't quite enough, as Erving brought the Sixers back with 24 points and 16 rebounds, mostly defensive. Billy Cunningham
Billy Cunningham
William John "Billy" Cunningham is an American former professional basketball player and coach, who was nicknamed the Kangaroo Kid.- Beginnings :...
used all his centers, Caldwell Jones
Caldwell Jones
Caldwell "Pops" Jones is a retired American professional basketball player.Jones was drafted from Albany State University by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 14th pick in the 1973 NBA Draft...
, Darryl Dawkins
Darryl Dawkins
Darryl Dawkins is a retired American professional basketball player, most noted for his days with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, although he also played briefly for the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz late in his career...
and Earl Cureton
Earl Cureton
Earl Cureton is a retired American professional basketball player. His nickname was "The Twirl".-NBA player:...
at different points to guard Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
. The Sixers got 38 offensive rebounds for 50 second-chance points, while the Lakers only had six offensive boards.
The Sixers used that advantage to take a 110-94 win that evened the series. In a balanced scoring attack, Maurice Cheeks
Maurice Cheeks
Maurice Edward "Mo" Cheeks is a retired American professional basketball player and assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association from May 23, 2005 to December 13, 2008...
had 19 points and eight assists, Jones added 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Bobby Jones and Clint Richardson
Clint Richardson
Clint Richardson Jr. is a former professional basketball player who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2nd round of the 1979 NBA Draft...
each scored 10.
Game 3
Back at home at The ForumThe Forum (Inglewood, California)
The Forum is an indoor arena, in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. From 2000 to 2010, it was owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which occasionally used it for church services, while also leasing the building for sporting events, concerts and other events.Along with Madison...
, the Lakers completely dominated Game 3. Norm Nixon
Norm Nixon
Norman Ellard "Norm" Nixon is a retired American professional basketball player for the NBA, who spent twelve seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers.-Early life:...
scored 29 points as the Lakers marched to a 129-108 victory. Andrew Toney
Andrew Toney
Andrew Toney is an American former professional basketball player who played for the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers from 1980 to 1988...
scored 36 and Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
21, but no one else came through.
Game 4
The Lakers controlled the tempo in Game 4 by going to their half-court game, passing down low to Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
. On the defensive end, they kept up the pressure with their zone trap. The Lakers went up, three games to one, with a 111-101 win. Jamaal Wilkes
Jamaal Wilkes
Jamaal Wilkes is a retired American basketball player who played the small forward position and won four NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. Wilkes was also a key player in the run of NCAA championships accumulated during the John Wooden era of UCLA basketball...
and Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
had 24 points each, while Abdul-Jabbar added 22 and Bob McAdoo 19 off the bench. Hard-charging bruiser Kurt Rambis
Kurt Rambis
Darrell Kurt Rambis is a retired American professional basketball player and former head coach for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.-Biography:...
pulled down 11 rebounds.
Game 5
Back in Philadelphia, the Sixers took out their frustrations and destroyed the Lakers, 135-102. Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
was held to just six points, a career playoff low, thanks to the spirited defense of Darryl Dawkins
Darryl Dawkins
Darryl Dawkins is a retired American professional basketball player, most noted for his days with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, although he also played briefly for the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz late in his career...
. In the midst of the offensive explosion, Dawkins also contributed 20 points and nine rebounds to the effort.
Game 6
The Sixers' strong showing in Game 5 gave them hope for Game 6 in the Forum. But, the Lakers got the early lead and were up, 66-57, at the half.In the third period, the Sixers' defense turned it up a notch. They held Los Angeles to 20 points for the quarter and several times cut the lead to one point. Super-sub Bob McAdoo, known more for his offense, made a key defensive play late in the third when he blocked a Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
layup on a breakaway that would have given the Sixers the lead.
The Lakers came back and surged early in the fourth period to boost their lead to 11. Andrew Toney
Andrew Toney
Andrew Toney is an American former professional basketball player who played for the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers from 1980 to 1988...
, who led all scorers with 30 points, and Erving, who had 29, responded by trimming the lead to 103-100 with about four minutes left. But, then Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
scored and was fouled and made the free throw to put Los Angeles up by six. Moments later, Wilkes got a breakaway layup to close it out, 114-104.
Jamaal Wilkes
Jamaal Wilkes
Jamaal Wilkes is a retired American basketball player who played the small forward position and won four NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. Wilkes was also a key player in the run of NCAA championships accumulated during the John Wooden era of UCLA basketball...
led the Lakers with 27 points, and Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
, with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists, was named the series MVP. McAdoo, who had 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, was pretty much reborn as a player in this series after being cast off by several teams as a selfish, non-team player.
Aside from the Doctor's and Toney's efforts, no one else stepped up for the Sixers. Darryl Dawkins
Darryl Dawkins
Darryl Dawkins is a retired American professional basketball player, most noted for his days with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Nets, although he also played briefly for the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz late in his career...
fouled out and only had 10 points and one rebound in 20 minutes played. Dawkins would soon be shipped to the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, and the 76ers acquired the final piece of their championship puzzle: Moses Malone
Moses Malone
Moses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association...
, an MVP center from the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
.
Team rosters
Television coverage
Unlike previous years, where weeknight games were shown on tape delay, all games in the Finals were televised live by CBS. As a compromise to CBS to allow the live telecasts, the NBA returned the start of its season to late October after starting it earlier in October the previous two seasons, meaning the finals would start after the conclusion of the mid-May sweeps period. The later date also eliminated the back-to-back games on Mother's DayMother's Day
Mother's Day is a celebration honoring mothers and celebrating motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, yet most commonly in March, April, or May...
weekend, which was used in 1980 and 1981 to avert another tape delay broadcast. This was also the first of nine straight NBA finals (1982-1990) that Dick Stockton would call for CBS Sports. Stockton also announced the starting lineups of the 1982 NBA Finals in lieu of P.A. announcers Dave Zinkoff
Dave Zinkoff
Dave Zinkoff was a sports public address announcer, memorable for his inimitable and colorful delivery. He worked for the Philadelphia Phillies at Shibe Park in the 1940s, the Philadelphia Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers, as well as various colleges and boxing and wrestling matches held at the...
and Lawrence Tanter
Lawrence Tanter
Lawrence Tanter is an American public address announcer best known for his work for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association...
.
Aftermath
Both teams would meet in the Finals again in 19831983 NBA Finals
The 1983 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1982–83 NBA season.-Overview:The final piece of the Philadelphia 76ers' championship puzzle was completed before the 1982-83 season when they acquired center Moses Malone from the Houston Rockets...
. The Sixers, bolstered by the addition of league MVP Moses Malone
Moses Malone
Moses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association...
, won 65 games, and steamrolled through the playoffs, in which they lost only once (denying Malone's famous "Fo, Fo, Fo" prediction) en route to their third NBA title overall (they won in 1955
1955 NBA Finals
The 1955 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1954-55 NBA season. The best-of-seven series was won by the Syracuse Nationals, who defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons in the final game when Syracuse's George King made a free throw with 12 seconds left to put the Nationals up by one point...
as the Syracuse Nationals
Syracuse Nationals
The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...
, and in 1967
1967 NBA Finals
The 1967 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1966-67 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 1967 NBA Playoffs. The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Conference champion San Francisco Warriors and the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia...
). The Lakers finished the regular season with 58 wins, but were overmatched by the hungrier Sixers in the Finals. Then-rookie and future Hall of Famer James Worthy
James Worthy
James Ager Worthy is a retired Hall of Fame American college and professional basketball player. Named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, "Big Game James" was a seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA champion...
did not play in the series because of a late-season leg injury. The Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
won the 1989 NBA Finals
1989 NBA Finals
The 1989 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1988–89 NBA season. The series was a rematch of the previous year's championship round between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers....
in a near-similar manner, losing to the Lakers the previous year, then sweeping them in the next.