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Actual Result: Back to Back Championships for the Lakers, they take out the Pistons in 7.
MVP: Michael Jordan
East Semis: Celtics d. Hawks (4-3)
Pistons d. Bulls (4-1)
West Semis: Lakers d. Jazz (4-3)
Mavs d. Nuggets (4-2)
Simulation: The Celtics dominance of the 80s continues, 5 titles in 8 seasons, Bird and Parish now tied for 3rd in all time NBA Championship wins. They win a tough 7 game semi-final with the Hawks to once again reach the Eastern Finals - it's a rematch from last year, they again face the Pistons, who knocked off the league MVP Michael Jordan in the semis. In the West, the Lakers are back, they've won the Western conference four times in the decade, with 2 NBA Championships and are coming off last year's loss to Boston. They face a newcomer, the Dallas Mavericks were an expansion team in '81, made the playoffs for the first time in '84, and this is their first ever conference finals.
East Finals (May) Boston Celtics (57-25) v. Detroit Pistons (54-28)
West Finals (May) Los Angeles Lakers (62-20) v. Dallas Mavericks (53-29)
East Finals Game 1 (Bost) Celtics 113 Pistons 87
The defending champs roll through game 1. Kevin McHale was last year's Finals MVP, he goes for 36. 28 and 14 for Larry Bird. Double/double for Danny Ainge and Robert Parish. 16 pts for Isiah leads for the Pistons.
East Finals Game 2 (Bost) Celtics 126 Pistons 104
Boston takes both games at home and head to Michigan up 2-0. 36 points, 19 rebounds for Larry Bird, 28 and 12 for Kevin McHale. Dennis Johnson double/double. Adrian Dantley leads for Detroit with 23, double/double for Isiah and Rick Mahorn.
East Finals Game 3 (Det) Celtics 130 Pistons 125
Boston goes up 3-0, they're about to head to their 6th NBA Finals of the decade. Kevin McHale has really asserted himself, he scores 48, in last year's NBA Finals McHale took the scoring load for himself and has kept that energy here. 27 and 13 for Bird. Isiah scores 30, Dumars 29 in the defeat.
East Finals Game 4 (Det) Celtics 112 Pistons 94
The Boston Celtics sweep their way back to the NBA Finals, Dennis Johnson leads in scoring with 30, the series MVP is Kevin McHale who goes 26 and 16, Larry Bird adds 23 and 13, 23 for Adrian Dantley in the loss. Laimbeer double/double.
The 10x World Champion Boston Celtics win their 19th conference title and head back to the NBA Finals, trying to threepeat for the second time in the 80s.
West Finals Game 1 (LA) Mavericks 120 Lakers 114 (OT)
The Mavs take game 1 at the Forum; how about a 41 point 10 rebound game for Mark Aguirre, 22 points and 21 rebounds off the bench for Roy Tarpley, 21 for Derek Harper, a double/double for Sam Perkins, the Mavs stun the Lakers on their home floor. James Worthy with 28 in the loss, Magic triple/double in the loss, double/double for AC Green.
West Finals Game 2 (LA) Lakers 120 Mavs 104
The Lakers even it up as the series shifts to Texas. James Worthy leads with 23, 20 and 11 assists for Magic. 22 for Aguirre in the loss. Double/double for Derek Harper and Roy Tarpley.
West Finals Game 3 (Dall) Lakers 109 Mavs 91
The Lakers regain the series advantage with a road win of their own, Worthy again paces LA with 19, double/double off the bench for Mychal Thompson. Rolando Blackman scores 20 for the Mavs, 20 and 12 for Tarpley, 20 for Aguirre.
West Finals Game 4 (Dall) Lakers 122 Mavs 108
Here we go again, the Lakers are a game from meeting the Celtics for the third time in the decade in the NBA Finals, Boston having won the prior 2. 23 pts and 14 rebounds for Magic, 22 for Worthy. Sam Perkins goes for 23 in the defeat. Another Tarpley double/double.
West Finals Game 5 (LA) Lakers 115 Mavs 100
Would you like to do it again? One more Bird/Magic - one more Celtics/Lakers. Byron Scott is the high man with 21, AC Green double/double, Worthy scores 18 and is series MVP. 26 for Aguirre in the loss. The Lakers head to their 21st NBA Finals.
LAKERS v. CELTICS FINALS HISTORY
1953 Celtics 4 Lakers 3 (MVP-Cousy, the Celtics first NBA Championship)
1955 Lakers 4 Celtics 3 (MVP-Lovellette, it's the Minneapolis Lakers 4th and final title)
1962 Lakers 4 Celtics 2 (MVP-Baylor, the first Lakers title in Los Angeles)
1966 Lakers 4 Celtics 3 (MVP-Baylor)
1968 Lakers 4 Celtics 2 (MVP-Baylor)
1972 Lakers 4 Celtics 3 (MVP-West)
1973 Lakers 4 Celtics 1 (MVP-McMillan, the Lakers win 6 straight Finals over their rivals)
1982 Celtics 4 Lakers 3 (MVP-Bird)
1987 Celtics 4 Lakers 1 (MVP-McHale, the Celtics win their 5 title in 8 years)
NBA FINALS (June) LOS ANGELES LAKERS v. BOSTON CELTICS
From 1966-73 the Lakers won 6 NBA Championships, its the greatest dynasty in NBA history and the Celtics are looking to match. Larry Bird is a 5 time NBA Champion and only trails Wilt (8) and West (6) for all time NBA Titles. McHale and Parish each have 4, they'd be all by themselves with 5 with a win here. KC Jones was part of the Celtics '61 title team and is attempting to win his 3rd as the Celtics head coach after 3 as an assistant with Bill Fitch. 31 year old Larry Bird is a 4 time Finals MVP, no one has ever won 5, he finished second in the MVP this season; he's joined on the front line by 30 year old Kevin McHale and 34 year old Robert Parish. McHale, like Bird, was an All Star this year and so was 28 year old Danny Ainge. The fifth starter is 33 year old Dennis Johnson. The bench has gotten really short in the postseason, 30 year old Jim Paxson is the third guard and everyone else really plays only nominal minutes, including 38 year old Artis Gilmore, in the final season of his Hall of Fame career, searching his first NBA Title.
This might be 28 year old Magic Johnson's last chance to beat Bird in the NBA Finals, he was 3rd in the NBA race this season, also making the All Star team was 26 year old James Worthy and the now 40 year old Kareem Abdul Jabbar, in his penultimate campaign. 24 year old AC Green and 26 year old Byron Scott round out the lineup. 33 year old Mychal Thompson and 31 year old Michael Cooper get a lot of run off the bench. Both Celtics and Lakers with the same starting 5 as last year, that might be unprecedented.
Lakers
HC-Pat Reilly
C Kareem Abdul Jabbar (40) All Star
PF AC Green (24)
SF James Worthy (26) All Star
PG Magic Johnson (28) 3rd MVP, 1st Team All NBA
SG Byron Scott (26)
C Mychal Thompson (33)
G Michael Cooper (31)- 5th Defensive Player of the Year
Celtics
HC-KC Jones
C Robert Parish (34)
PF Kevin McHale (30) All Star
SF Larry Bird (31) 2nd MVP, 1st Team All NBA
PG Dennis Johnson (33)
SG Danny Ainge (28) All Star
G Jim Paxson (30)
NBA FINALS GAME 1 (LA) Celtics 120 Lakers 110
The Celtics take game 1 in Los Angeles. Larry Bird dominates, 37 pts, 10 rebounds. 25 and 14 for Kevin McHale, 21 pts, 14 assists for Dennis Johnson. Double/double for the Chief. Magic just cant get past Larry, 22 pts and 18 assists. 23 for Mychal Thompson, 21 for Byron Scott, Kareem double/double.
NBA FINALS GAME 2 (LA) Lakers 118 Celtics 105
With games 3-5 in Boston, the Lakers had to have this one. James Worthy leads the way with 31 and 11 boards. 22 for Magic adds 22, double/double for Kareem and AC Green. Larry goes for 30 in the loss.
NBA FINALS GAME 3 (Bos) Celtics 123 Lakers 114
Boston moves within 2 games of its 6th title of the decade. Larry Bird is undeniable, 42 pts. McHale adds 22, the Chief double/double. 21 for James Worthy, Magic triple double in the loss, his 12th career Finals triple double.
NBA FINALS GAME 4 (Bos) Celtics 108 Lakers 100
Boston is up 3-1, and a home game 5 under the current 2-3-2 format from once again winning the NBA Championship. Larry Bird is about to win his unprecedented 5th Finals MVP, 32 pts and 14 rebounds. 25 for McHale, Dennis Johnson double/double. 22 pts, 11 assists for Byron Scott in the loss.
NBA FINALS GAME 5 (Bos) Celtics 118 Lakers 103
For the 6th time in 9 seasons, the Boston Celtics are champions of the world. It's their 11th World Championship. Larry Bird is the first man in NBA history to win the Finals MVP 5 times, 32 pts, 16 rebounds. 21 for McHale. Kareem's 19 pts lead the way for LA, Magic and AC Green double/double.
NBA Finals History
1947 (BAA): Philadelphia Warriors d. Chicago Stags (4-1)
1948 (BAA): Baltimore Bullets d. Philadelphia Warriors (4-2)
1949 (BAA): Minneapolis Lakers d. Washington Capitols (4-2)
1950: Minneapolis Lakers d. Syracuse Nationals (4-2)
1951: Rochester Royals d. New York Knicks (4-3)
1952: Rochester Royals d. Syracuse Nationals (4-3) - MVP: Jack Coleman (PF 27 yrs)
1953: Boston Celtics d. Minneapolis Lakers (4-3) - MVP: Bob Cousy (PG, 24)Back
1954: Minneapolis Lakers d. Syracuse Nationals (4-2) - MVP: George Mikan (C, 29)
1955: Minneapolis Lakers d. Boston Celtics (4-3) - MVP: Clyde Lovellette (C, 25)
1956: Philadelphia Warriors d. St Louis Hawks (4-0) - MVP: Neil Johnston (C, 26)
1957: Boston Celtics d. St Louis Hawks (4-2) - MVP Bob Pettit (C, 24)
1958: Boston Celtics d. St Louis Hawks (4-1) - MVP Bob Cousy (PG, 29)
1959: Syracuse Nationals d. Minneapolis Lakers (4-1) - MVP Dolph Schayes (PF, 30)
1950s Playoffs All NBA
1st Team
C George Mikan (Lakers)
F Bob Pettit (Hawks) - Playoff Player of the Decade
F Dolph Schayes (Nationals)
G Bob Cousy (Lakers)
G Bill Sharman (Lakers)
2nd Team
C Bill Russell (Lakers)
F Neil Johnston (Warriors)
F Clyde Lovellette (Lakers)
G Slater Martin (Lakers/Hawks)
G Paul Seymour (Nationals)
1960: St Louis Hawks d. Boston Celtics (4-2) - MVP Bob Pettit (PF, 27)
1961: Boston Celtics d. St Louis Hawks (4-0) - MVP Bill Russell (C, 26)
1962: Los Angeles Lakers d. Boston Celtics (4-2) MVP Elgin Baylor (SF, 27)
1963: Cincinnati Royals d. Los Angeles Lakers (4-1) MVP Oscar Robertson (PG, 24)
1964: San Francisco Warriors d. Cincinnati Royals (4-3) MVP Wilt Chamberlain (C, 27)
1965 Philadelphia 76ers d. Los Angeles Lakers (4-3) MVP Wilt Chamberlain (C, 28)
1966 Los Angeles Lakers d. Boston Celtics (4-3) MVP Elgin Baylor (SF, 31)
1967 Philadelphia 76ers d. San Francisco Warriors (4-2) MVP Wilt Chamberlain (C, 30)
1968 Los Angeles Lakers d. Boston Celtics (4-2) MVP Elgin Baylor (SF, 33)
1969 Los Angeles Lakers d. New York Knicks (4-1) MVP Jerry West (SG, 30)
1960s Playoffs All NBA
1st Team
C Wilt Chamberlain (Warriors/Sixers/Lakers) Playoff Player of the Decade
F Elgin Baylor (Lakers)
F John Havlicek (Celtics)
G Jerry West (Lakers)
G Sam Jones (Celtics)
2nd Team
C Bill Russell (Celtics)
F Bob Pettit (Hawks)
F Chet Walker (Sixers)
G Oscar Robertson (Royals)
G Hal Greer (Sixers)
1970 Los Angeles Lakers d. New York Knicks (4-3) MVP Wilt Chamberlain (C, 33)
1971 Milwaukee Bucks d. New York Knicks (4-3) MVP Kareem Abdul Jabbar (C, 23)
1972 Los Angeles Lakers d. Boston Celtics (4-3) MVP Jerry West (PG, 33)
1973 Los Angeles Lakers d. Boston Celtics (4-1) MVP Jim McMillan (SF 24)
1974 Boston Celtics d. Chicago Bulls (4-0) MVP John Havlicek (SF 33)
1975 Washington Bullets d. Chicago Bulls (4-0) MVP Elvin Hayes (PF, 29)
1976 Phoenix Suns d. Boston Celtics (4-2) MVP Paul Westphal (PG, 25)
1977 Philadelphia 76ers d. Portland Trail Blazers (4-3) MVP Julius Erving (SF, 26)
1978 Philadelphia 76ers d. Denver Nuggets (4-2) MVP Doug Collins (SG, 26)
1979 Seattle SuperSonics d. Washington Bullets (4-3) MVP Dennis Johnson (SG, 24)
1970s Playoffs All NBA
1st Team
C Wilt Chamberlain (Lakers)
F John Havlicek (Celtics)
F Julius Erving (Sixers)
G Jerry West (Lakers) Playoff Player of the Decade
G Jo Jo White (Celtics)
2nd Team
C Dave Cowens (Celtics)
F Elvin Hayes (Bullets)
F Bob Dandridge (Bullets)
G Doug Collins (Sixers)
G Walt Frazier (Knicks)
1980 Boston Celtics d. Seattle SuperSonics (4-1) MVP Larry Bird (PF, 23)
1981 Boston Celtics d. Kansas City Kings (4-0) MVP Larry Bird (PF, 24)
1982 Boston Celtics d. Los Angeles Lakers (4-3) MVP Larry Bird (PF, 25)
1983 Philadelphia 76ers d.LA Lakers(4-3) MVP Moses Malone C 27/Julius Erving(SF 32)
1984 Los Angeles Lakers d. Milwaukee Bucks (4-3) MVP Kareem Abdul Jabbar (C, 36)
1985 Los Angeles Lakers d. Philadelphia 76ers (4-2) MVP Magic Johnson (PG, 25)
1986 Boston Celtics d. Houston Rockets (4-1) MVP Larry Bird (SF, 29)
1987 Boston Celtics d. Los Angeles Lakers (4-1) MVP Kevin McHale (PF, 29)
1988 Boston Celtics d. Los Angeles Lakers (4-1) MVP Larry Bird (SF, 31)
