1980 NBA Finals Game 6: Magic Johnson's rookie double-double

Lore & Background

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league's MVP, but suffered a severely sprained ankle in Game 5. He did not travel to Philadelphia for Game 6. Magic Johnson started at center and played all five positions, scoring 42 points, grabbing 15 rebounds, and handing out seven assists. Jamaal Wilkes added 37 points and 10 rebounds. Johnson's performance earned him the 1980 NBA Finals MVP. This was the first NBA Finals to use the three-point line. Many consider this victory the birth of Showtime.

In Their Own Story

The arena hummed with a tension that only a Finals clincher could produce. On one side stood the established giants of Philadelphia; on the other, a young guard in purple and gold who had never played center before. As the clock wound down, the crowd held its breath, not for the Nets, but for the improbable hero rising to meet the moment in Los Angeles.

Reader's Guide

The Lakers won Game 1 109–102, with Abdul-Jabbar scoring 33 points. The 76ers won Game 2 107–104. The Lakers won Game 3 111–101. The series then continued with the Lakers winning in six games. Julius Erving executed the legendary Baseline Move in Game 4.

Did You Know?

• Magic Johnson was a 20-year-old rookie who had left college after two years.
• Jamaal Wilkes scored 37 points in Game 6, which Magic Johnson later called 'unbelievable'.
• The 76ers were coached by Billy Cunningham, who doubted Abdul-Jabbar would miss Game 6.
• This was the first of ten NBA Finals in the 1980s, all featuring either the Celtics or Lakers.