1985 NBA Championship

Lore & Background

With the help of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, the Los Angeles Lakers achieved their first NBA Finals victory over the Boston Celtics after losing all eight prior Finals meetings. The Lakers recovered after losing in a rout in Game 1, dubbed as the 'Memorial Day Massacre'. The series was not the last time the NBA World Championship Series branding would be in use, as the NBA Finals branding had already been in use before 1985.

In Their Own Story

The Boston Garden was deafening, the air thick with tension as the clock wound down in Game 7. On the bench, Magic Johnson watched his teammates execute one last play. When James Worthy sank the final shot needed to seal the victory, silence briefly fell before erupting into pandemonium. The Lakers players embraced on the hardwood floor, knowing they had conquered the toughest stage possible.

Reader's Guide

The Lakers won the series 4 games to 2. The series used a 2–3–2 format with Games 1 and 2 in Boston, the next three games in Los Angeles, and the final two games in Boston if required. The Lakers clinched the championship in Game 6 at Boston Garden, becoming the first road team to clinch a title there.

Did You Know?

• The 38-year-old Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named MVP of the series, his second Finals MVP award and first since 1971.
• The 2–3–2 format was used for the first time since 1955 and would be used until the 2013 NBA Finals.
• The Lakers shot 51.2% as a team for the series.