1985 NBA Finals
Encyclopedia
The 1985 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1984–85 NBA season.
The Boston Celtics
were looking to repeat as NBA Champions for the first time since the . The Celtics had homecourt advantage for the second year in a row as they finished the regular season with a 63-19 record while the Los Angeles Lakers
compiled a 62-20 record. The Lakers looked to bounce back from the previous year's painful loss to the Celtics in the championship series, and were still seeking to beat Boston for the first time ever in NBA Finals history. Also for the first time, the Finals went to a 2-3-2 format with Games 1 and 2 in Boston while the next three games were in Los Angeles. The final two games of the series would be played in Boston, if required. This change of format came after David Stern
had a conversation with Celtics legend Red Auerbach
in 1984, who didn't like the frequent traveling between games.
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Celtics four games to two to defeat the Celtics for the first time in Laker history in the NBA Finals.
It would mark the last time the NBA World Championship Series branding would be in use as the NBA Finals branding would replace it the next season.
The video documentary Return to Glory recaps the 1985 NBA Playoff
action. It would be the last documentary until 1989 narrated by Dick Stockton
.
Television: CBS - Announcers: Brent Musburger
(host), Dick Stockton
(play-by-play), Tom Heinsohn (color commentatory), Pat O'Brien
(Lakers
' sideline), and Lesley Visser
(Celtics
' sideline).
, the Lakers entered the 1984–85 NBA season with a mission. Once again using the effective Showtime offense, they ran away with the Western Conference-leading 62 wins. They eliminated the Phoenix Suns
, Portland Trail Blazers
and Denver Nuggets
, going 11-2 in the three playoff rounds. James Worthy
had emerged as a force in the wing position, while Magic Johnson
continued his usual passing brilliance. In addition, Byron Scott
provided scoring off the bench.
The Celtics repeated with the NBA's best record by winning 63 games. For the second straight season, Larry Bird
won the MVP award
, while Kevin McHale
won Sixth Man Award
for the second year running, despite making the transition from bench cog to starter late in the season with Cedric Maxwell
nursing a knee injury. The Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers
, Detroit Pistons
and Philadelphia 76ers
, finishing with an 11-4 record heading into the finals.
had only 12 points and 3 rebounds in his matchup with Robert Parish
, and Magic Johnson
pulled down only one rebound. Danny Ainge
of the Celtics started hot, scoring 15 points in the first quarter. Scott Wedman
made all 11 shots he took from the field. Afterwards, Abdul-Jabbar apologized to his teammates for his terrible performance.
Before Boston's 131-92 victory over the Lakers in Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals
, this was the most lopsided finals game in the history of the Lakers–Celtics rivalry.
, took a 65-59 lead at halftime. The Lakers pulled away in the second half and won the game 136-111. During the game, Abdul-Jabbar became the league's all time leading playoff scorer. Meanwhile, Larry Bird
's shooting slump from game 2 continued. He shot 17 of 42 from the field. He had been troubled by a bad back and a sore right elbow, although most people believed he was having trouble with Michael Cooper's defense.
hit a jumper as time expired.
made three shots while Kareem added four more shots and the Lakers came away with a 120-111 victory to take a 3-2 series lead. It was the first Game 5 to be played in the 2-3-2 Finals format in which the team without home court advantage hosted.
scored 32 points in the losing effort. Thanks to Michael Cooper's defense and an injured right hand (which led to Bird's offensive numbers plummeting midway through the postseason, and was later revealed to have been suffered during a fight with a Boston bartender named Mike Harlow), Larry Bird had a mediocre 12-for-29 shooting performance in the final game. It was the first (and to date, the only) time an opposing team had claimed an NBA championship in the Boston Garden
. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named MVP of the series, only his second Finals MVP award (he also won it in 1971
). In the Lakers' four victories, Abdul-Jabbar averaged 30.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.0 blocks. In one memorable sequence, Abdul-Jabbar grabbed a rebound, drove the length of the court and swished a sky-hook. He also dove for a loose ball. "What you saw," Laker head coach Pat Riley
told Sports Illustrated
, "was passion."
During a postgame interview with Brent Musburger
, Lakers owner Jerry Buss
stated that "this trophy
removes the most odious sentence in the English language: It can never be said again that 'the Lakers have never beaten the Celtics'"—a reference to the Lakers' eight failed attempts at beating Boston in the World Championship. Since 1985, the Lakers have won 3 out of 4 times they faced the Celtics in the Finals, with head-to-head wins in 1987 and 2010, while Boston notched its 9th Finals win over L.A. in 2008.
with President
Ronald Reagan
, where Kareem Abdul-Jabbar presented the President with a jersey. The following Tuesday would be declared "Laker Day" by Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley
with a parade beginning at 9th and Broadway.
, acquiring Bill Walton
and Jerry Sichting
to strengthen an already fragile bench. With contributions from everywhere the Celtics won 67 games, 40 of which came at home, the best home record all-time in an NBA season. They would lose just once en route to their third straight trip to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately, a third consecutive Lakers-Celtics final never materialized.
The Lakers, despite winning 62 games, fell in five games to the Houston Rockets
in the Western Conference Finals, the last straw came when Rockets forward Ralph Sampson
sank a 20-foot jumper at the buzzer in Game 5. The Celtics would win their 16th NBA championship in six games over the Rockets in the finals. The Lakers suffered primarily due to the departures of key bench players such as Bob McAdoo and Jamaal Wilkes
, as well as the aging of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
. After the season, the Lakers would bring in Mychal Thompson in midseason to back up Kareem, as well as promoting then-second year forward A. C. Green
to the starting unit. Led by MVP
Magic Johnson, the Lakers regained the NBA title by defeating the erstwhile defending champion Celtics in 1987
, their first of two consecutive.
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...
were looking to repeat as NBA Champions for the first time since the . The Celtics had homecourt advantage for the second year in a row as they finished the regular season with a 63-19 record while 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...
compiled a 62-20 record. The Lakers looked to bounce back from the previous year's painful loss to the Celtics in the championship series, and were still seeking to beat Boston for the first time ever in NBA Finals history. Also for the first time, the Finals went to a 2-3-2 format with Games 1 and 2 in Boston while the next three games were in Los Angeles. The final two games of the series would be played in Boston, if required. This change of format came after David Stern
David Stern
David Joel Stern is the commissioner of the National Basketball Association. He started with the Association in 1966 as an outside counsel, joined the NBA in 1978 as General Counsel, and became the league's Executive Vice President in 1980. He became Commissioner in 1984 succeeding Larry O'Brien...
had a conversation with Celtics legend Red Auerbach
Red Auerbach
Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...
in 1984, who didn't like the frequent traveling between games.
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Celtics four games to two to defeat the Celtics for the first time in Laker history in the NBA Finals.
It would mark the last time the NBA World Championship Series branding would be in use as the NBA Finals branding would replace it the next season.
The video documentary Return to Glory recaps the 1985 NBA Playoff
1985 NBA Playoffs
The 1985 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1984-85 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics, four games to two, in the NBA Finals...
action. It would be the last documentary until 1989 narrated by 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:...
.
Television: CBS - Announcers: Brent Musburger
Brent Musburger
Brent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...
(host), 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:...
(play-by-play), Tom Heinsohn (color commentatory), Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (television)
Pat O'Brien is currently a radio host with Fox Sports Radio as well as an author. He is best known for his time as a sportscaster with CBS Sports and as anchor/host of Access Hollywood and The Insider .O'Brien covered five Olympic Games, two for CBS...
(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...
' sideline), and Lesley Visser
Lesley Visser
Lesley Candace Visser is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and sportswriter. Visser is the first female NFL analyst on TV, and the only sportscaster in history, male or female, who has worked on Final Four, NBA Finals, World Series, Triple Crown, Monday Night Football, the Olympics, the...
(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...
' sideline).
Background
After losing to the Celtics in the previous year's finals1984 NBA Finals
The 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the 1983-84 NBA season. In 1984, the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game Finals, winning Game 7 111-102. Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the award of...
, the Lakers entered the 1984–85 NBA season with a mission. Once again using the effective Showtime offense, they ran away with the Western Conference-leading 62 wins. They eliminated the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
, Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
and Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, going 11-2 in the three playoff rounds. 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...
had emerged as a force in the wing position, while 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...
continued his usual passing brilliance. In addition, Byron Scott
Byron Scott (basketball)
Byron Antom Scott is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current head coach of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He was formerly the head coach of the NBA's New Jersey Nets and New Orleans Hornets. He attended Arizona State University, but left school in his junior year to...
provided scoring off the bench.
The Celtics repeated with the NBA's best record by winning 63 games. For the second straight season, Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
won the MVP award
NBA Most Valuable Player Award
The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1955–56 NBA season. The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is named in honor of the first commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement...
, while Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
won Sixth Man Award
NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Sixth Man of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the league's most valuable player for his team coming off the bench as a substitute . A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout...
for the second year running, despite making the transition from bench cog to starter late in the season with Cedric Maxwell
Cedric Maxwell
Cedric Bryan Maxwell is a retired American professional basketball player now in radio broadcasting. Nicknamed "Cornbread", he played 11 seasons in the NBA, and played a key role in two championships with the Boston Celtics.-College career:Maxwell was a star forward/center for the Charlotte 49ers...
nursing a knee injury. The Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, 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...
and 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...
, finishing with an 11-4 record heading into the finals.
Series summary
| Game | Date | Home Team | Result | Road Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Monday, May 27 | Boston Celtics | 148-114 (1-0) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 2 | Thursday, May 30 | Boston Celtics | 102-109 (1-1) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 3 | Sunday, June 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | 136-111 (2-1) | Boston Celtics |
| Game 4 | Wednesday, June 5 | Los Angeles Lakers | 105-107 (2-2) | Boston Celtics |
| Game 5 | Friday, June 7 | Los Angeles Lakers | 120-111 (3-2) | Boston Celtics |
| Game 6 | Sunday, June 9 | Boston Celtics | 100-111 (2-4) | Los Angeles Lakers |
Game 1
The Celtics beat the Lakers 148-114 in a game that came to be known as the "Memorial Day Massacre." The game was a profound embarrassment for the Lakers. 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...
had only 12 points and 3 rebounds in his matchup with Robert Parish
Robert Parish
Robert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
, 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...
pulled down only one rebound. Danny Ainge
Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge is an American basketball manager and retired professional basketball and baseball player, currently serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics....
of the Celtics started hot, scoring 15 points in the first quarter. Scott Wedman
Scott Wedman
Scott Dean Wedman is a former NBA basketball player. He was drafted by Kansas City-Omaha Kings in the first round in the 1974 NBA Draft.-Kansas City Kings:...
made all 11 shots he took from the field. Afterwards, Abdul-Jabbar apologized to his teammates for his terrible performance.
Before Boston's 131-92 victory over the Lakers in Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals
2008 NBA Finals
The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
, this was the most lopsided finals game in the history of the Lakers–Celtics rivalry.
Game 2
The Lakers responded with a 109-102 win, as Abdul-Jabbar totalled 30 points, 17 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, and 8 assists. Laker swingman Michael Cooper helped in the cause by finishing with 22 points on an 8 for 9 shooting performance. The series was evened at 1-1.Game 3
The Celtics held a 48-38 lead in the second quarter before the Lakers, led by James WorthyJames 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...
, took a 65-59 lead at halftime. The Lakers pulled away in the second half and won the game 136-111. During the game, Abdul-Jabbar became the league's all time leading playoff scorer. Meanwhile, Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
's shooting slump from game 2 continued. He shot 17 of 42 from the field. He had been troubled by a bad back and a sore right elbow, although most people believed he was having trouble with Michael Cooper's defense.
Game 4
The Celtics tied the series in the fourth game with a 107-105 win, as Dennis JohnsonDennis Johnson
Dennis Wayne Johnson nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers...
hit a jumper as time expired.
Game 5
In this game, the Lakers stomped out the Celtics by jumping out to a 64-51 lead and stretched it to 89-72 before the Celtics cut the deficit to 101-97 with six minutes remaining. However, Magic JohnsonMagic 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...
made three shots while Kareem added four more shots and the Lakers came away with a 120-111 victory to take a 3-2 series lead. It was the first Game 5 to be played in the 2-3-2 Finals format in which the team without home court advantage hosted.
Game 6
In the last game, the Lakers were led by Abdul-Jabbar who scored 29 points as the Lakers defeated the Celtics 111-100. Celtics' forward Kevin McHaleKevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
scored 32 points in the losing effort. Thanks to Michael Cooper's defense and an injured right hand (which led to Bird's offensive numbers plummeting midway through the postseason, and was later revealed to have been suffered during a fight with a Boston bartender named Mike Harlow), Larry Bird had a mediocre 12-for-29 shooting performance in the final game. It was the first (and to date, the only) time an opposing team had claimed an NBA championship in 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...
. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named MVP of the series, only his second Finals MVP award (he also won it in 1971
1971 NBA Finals
The 1971 NBA Finals was played at the conclusion of the NBA's 25th Anniversary season of 1970-71. The Western Conference Champion Milwaukee Bucks, who were born just three years earlier, swept the Eastern Conference Champion Baltimore Bullets in four games...
). In the Lakers' four victories, Abdul-Jabbar averaged 30.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.0 blocks. In one memorable sequence, Abdul-Jabbar grabbed a rebound, drove the length of the court and swished a sky-hook. He also dove for a loose ball. "What you saw," Laker head 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...
told Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, "was passion."
During a postgame interview with Brent Musburger
Brent Musburger
Brent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...
, Lakers owner Jerry Buss
Jerry Buss
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
stated that "this trophy
Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy
The Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy is a trophy awarded to the National Basketball Association team that wins the NBA Finals at the conclusion of every NBA season....
removes the most odious sentence in the English language: It can never be said again that 'the Lakers have never beaten the Celtics'"—a reference to the Lakers' eight failed attempts at beating Boston in the World Championship. Since 1985, the Lakers have won 3 out of 4 times they faced the Celtics in the Finals, with head-to-head wins in 1987 and 2010, while Boston notched its 9th Finals win over L.A. in 2008.
Quotes of the Finals
Celebration
The Lakers were invited to a reception at the White HouseWhite House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
with President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, where Kareem Abdul-Jabbar presented the President with a jersey. The following Tuesday would be declared "Laker Day" by Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley
Tom Bradley (politician)
Thomas J. "Tom" Bradley was the 38th Mayor of Los Angeles, California, serving in that office from 1973 to 1993. He was the first and to date only African American mayor of Los Angeles...
with a parade beginning at 9th and Broadway.
Team rosters
Aftermath
The Celtics made key off-season moves that would set the tone for the 1985-86 NBA season1985-86 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics*Rookie of the Year: Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs...
, acquiring Bill Walton
Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
and Jerry Sichting
Jerry Sichting
Jerry Lee Sichting is a retired American basketball player in the NBA.-1972-1975:Jerry Sichting, the 6'1", 175 lb guard, attended Martinsville High School, located in Martinsville, Indiana...
to strengthen an already fragile bench. With contributions from everywhere the Celtics won 67 games, 40 of which came at home, the best home record all-time in an NBA season. They would lose just once en route to their third straight trip to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately, a third consecutive Lakers-Celtics final never materialized.
The Lakers, despite winning 62 games, fell in five games to 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...
in the Western Conference Finals, the last straw came when Rockets forward Ralph Sampson
Ralph Sampson
Ralph Lee Sampson, Jr. is a retired American college and professional basketball player.A 7-foot-4 phenom, three-time College Player of the Year, and No...
sank a 20-foot jumper at the buzzer in Game 5. The Celtics would win their 16th NBA championship in six games over the Rockets in the finals. The Lakers suffered primarily due to the departures of key bench players such as Bob McAdoo and 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...
, as well as the aging of 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...
. After the season, the Lakers would bring in Mychal Thompson in midseason to back up Kareem, as well as promoting then-second year forward A. C. Green
A. C. Green
A.C. Green, Jr., is a retired American NBA basketball player who played in more consecutive games than any other player in NBA and ABA history. With 1,192 straight games played, he earned the nickname "Iron Man". He played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat...
to the starting unit. Led by MVP
NBA Most Valuable Player Award
The National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1955–56 NBA season. The winner receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is named in honor of the first commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement...
Magic Johnson, the Lakers regained the NBA title by defeating the erstwhile defending champion Celtics in 1987
1987 NBA Finals
The 1987 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1986-87 NBA season. The match took place between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. The Lakers won 4–2, beating the Celtics in the Finals. The key moment of the series was Magic Johnson's junior sky hook in Game 4...
, their first of two consecutive.