Actual result: the Lakers win their second title in three years, beating the Sixers; Magic and Bird trade off titles in their three NBA seasons.
MVP: Moses Malone
East Semis: Celtics d. Bullets 4-1
Sixers d. Bucks 4-2
West Semis: Lakers d. Suns 4-0
Spurs d. Sonics 4-1
Simulation: The Celtics have won back to back titles, the "real" NBA Title has been in the East Finals the last two years, Boston beating Philly both times - and sure enough, round 3 between the teams with the two best records is coming up in this year's Eastern Conference Finals. After a year away, the Lakers are back in the West Finals, they'll take on Ice Gervin's Spurs. They started in the ABA in Dallas in '68, moving to San Antonio in '74, joined the NBA in '77 (losing to the Celtics in the East playoffs). The Spurs have made the playoffs in every season since the move to the NBA and here they are in the West Finals.
East Finals (May) Boston Celtics (63-19) v. Philadelphia 76ers (58-24)
West Finals (May) Los Angeles Lakers (57-25) v. San Antonio Spurs (48-34)
East Finals Game 1 (Boston) Celtics 116 Sixers 99
The Celtics attempt to take out the Sixers in the East Finals for the 3rd straight year opens with an easy home win. 28 points and 13 rebounds for Larry Bird, back to back MVP of those East Finals. Double digit scoring for 7 Celtics. The Sixers leading scorer was Bobby Jones, with 17 off the bench. Julius Erving held to 13 points on 6 of 17 from the floor.
East Finals Game 2 (Boston) Celtics 118 Sixers 100
Boston cruises in game 2 and the series heads to Philly with the Sixers down 2-0. The Chief leads the way with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Bird has his first conference finals triple double, 12 pts, 16 rebounds, 10 assists. 22 points for Tiny Archibald. 25 pts, 11 rebounds for the Doctor in the defeat.
East Finals Game 3 (Philly) Sixers 115 Celtics 111
Philly holds on at home to take their first game. The Doctor scores 31, the Sixers trailed by as many as 11 in the 4th, not taking their first lead until 2 minutes to play, Caldwell Jones blocks Bird with 12 seconds left on an attempted game tying shot. Jones double/double. Cedric Maxwell scores 23 in the loss, 20 pts/15 rebounds for Bird.
East Finals Game 4 (Philly) Sixers 118 Celtics 89
Tiny Archibald is out with injury and it may have tipped this series; the Sixers blow the Celtics out, evening the series at 2. Darryl Dawkins comes off the bench and scores 23 with 12 rebounds in 26 minutes. 10 of 13 from the floor. 22 and 13 for Erving, Andrey Toney scores 21. 20 and 10 for Bird in the loss. Double/double for Parish.
East Finals Game 5 (Boston) Sixers 135 Celtics 126
The difference between the teams is slight, Boston won games 1 and 2, lost Archibald to injury very early in game 3 and Philly has controlled ever since, winning game 5 on the road. Erving scores 24, 23 for Toney. 31 points and 14 rebounds for Bird in the losing effort, 22 for Gerald Henderson, filling in for Archibald.
East Finals Game 6 (Philly) Celtics 115 Sixers 97
For the second straight year, the Eastern Finals will go 7 games. Robert Parish scores 24, 12 rebounds to pace the Celts to the road win. Danny Ainge comes off the bench for 21, double/double for Bird. The Doctor goes for 30 in the loss.
One more time, the two greatest words in all of sports - Game Seven.
East Finals Game 7 (Boston) Celtics 122 Sixers 112
For the third consecutive year the Celtics take out the Sixers in the East Finals and they will head back to the NBA Finals with an opportunity for the threepeat. Robert Parish scored 42 in game 4 of last year's NBA Finals and he continued that domination in this year's playoffs, he's the East Finals MVP, 28 pts, 19 rebounds. 23 for Danny Ainge, double/double for Bird and Kevin McHale. 32 for Julius Erving and once again, the Sixers fall just short; fair to say they have been the second best team in the league each of the past 3 years.
West Finals Game 1 (LA) Lakers 141 Spurs 105
I'm not going to say this series is over, it's one game, despite it being a 36 point margin, however, hard not to look forward to Lakers/Celtics, Magic/Bird, it would, as Gorilla Monsoon said, be a happening. Kareem scores 27, 14 rebounds to lead the way. 26 for Jamaal Wilkes, 24 for Michael Cooper off the bench. 22 points and 12 assists for Norm Nixon and a double/double for Magic. Ice Gervin scored 23, Mike Mitchell 22 in the loss
West Finals Game 2 (LA) Lakers 125 Spurs 94
Never in doubt, the Lakers overwhelm San Antonio. 23 points and 16 rebounds for Magic, 20 for Kareem and a double/double for Norm Nixon. 29 for George Gervin in the defeat.
West Finals Game 3 (SA) Lakers 127 Spurs 105
Get ready to rev up the bus - we're about to see the 8th NBA Finals between the Celtics and the Lakers. Not yet though, LA still has 1 win to go, Bob McAdoo is the Lakers leading scorer with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Both Magic and Kareem double/double. 27 for Gervin and a double/double for Dave Corzine in the defeat.
West Finals Game 4 (SA) Lakers 106 Spurs 103
The 11x champion Lakers return to the Finals for the first time in 9 years. Kareem Abdul Jabbar scores 30 in this closeout game and is named West Finals MVP. Double/double for both Nixon and Magic. 22 points and 20 rebounds for Mike Mitchell, 20 and 12 for Mark Olberding.
NBA FINALS (May) BOSTON CELTICS v. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
The Lakers are the most storied franchise in NBA history, sporting 11 titles; they've faced the Celtics in 7 NBA Finals and have won the last 6.
1953: Celtics 4-3
1955: Lakers 4-3
1962: Lakers 4-2
1966: Lakers 4-3
1968: Lakers 4-2
1972: Lakers 4-3
1973: Lakers 4-1
The rivalry renews; this time Boston comes in riding back to back championships, looking to become the only franchise, other than the Lakers, to win 3 straight. They do so with 2 time Finals MVP Larry Bird; in 1979, he and Magic Johnson met in what will almost certainly forever be the highest rated NCAA Finals game of all time. Magic won that game - and once again they are on opposite sides of the floor.
It's Celtics v. Lakers, it could hardly be a bigger, most eagerly anticipated series.
Boston is largely the same group that has won the past two years, Parish (4th in MVP) Bird (2nd in MVP) Maxwell on the front line, McHale now getting nearly as much run as Cornbread. Archibald/ML Carr is the backcourt; Tiny (once again, an All Star) suffered a dislocated shoulder in the East Finals, we will go, but in partial minutes, in this series. Gerald Henderson absorbs most of Tiny's minutes; Danny Ainge/Rick Robey/Chris Ford round out the rotation.
Pat Riley took over the head job in LA early this season; in the middle is the captain, Kareem is 34, finals MVP with the Bucks in '71, he's been a Laker since '76 and is making his first Finals appearance in 11 years. Joining him on the front line are 28 year old Jamaal Wilkes and 23 year old Kurt Rambis; Wilkes was Rookie of the Year with the Warriors in '75 and has been a Laker since '78. The PF during most of the regular season was Mitch Kupchak, but he's lost with injury in the playoffs, the rookie Rambis draws the starting assignment but the lions share of those minutes go to 30 year old Bob McAdoo, who is with his 6th NBA team including a short 1979 run with the Celtics. McAdoo was NBA MVP in '75 as a Buffalo Brave. The backcourt is 26 year old Norm Nixon and 22 year old Magic Johnson; both All Stars this year. Short bench for the Lakers, 25 year old Michael Cooper absorbs a lot of minutes and essentially thats the end of the playoff rotation.
CELTICS
HC Bill Fitch
C Robert Parish (28)-4th MVP, 2nd Team All NBA
PF Larry Bird (25)-2nd MVP, 1st Team All NBA
SF Cedric Maxwell (26)
PG Tiny Archibald (33)-All Star
SG ML Carr (31)
LAKERS
HC Pat Riley
C Kareem Abdul Jabbar (34) All Star
PF Kurt Rambis (23)
SF Jamaal Wilkes (28)
PG Norm Nixon (26) All Star
SG Magic Johnson (22) 2nd Team All NBA
SG Michael Cooper (25) 1st Team All Defense
NBA FINALS GAME 1 (Boston) Celtics 120 Lakers 118
Game 1 lives up to expectations. With 3 left Robert Parish gave the Celtics a 6 point lead with a dunk - Kareem then scored 3 straight buckets to the score with 90 seconds left. A Norm Nixon foul line jumper with 70 seconds left gave the Lakers their first lead of the qtr. Danny Ainge hit two FT to tie the score, the Lakers came up empty on their final trip, missing 3 shots on goal - the Celtics had the final possession, Bird misses from deep - but it's the Chief with the putback at the buzzer to give the Celtics the win. 36 points, 11 rebounds for Parish, 32 points, 18 rebounds for Bird. Double/double for Maxwell. Magic's first NBA Finals game is a triple double, 28 pts, 19 rebounds, 10 assists. Nixon scores 22, Silk Wilkes and Kareem both go for 21.
NBA FINALS GAME 2 (Boston) Celtics 123 Lakers 93
The Celtics win by 30 and are 2 games away from the threepeat. 29 points and 11 rebounds for Larry Bird to lead the Celts. 20 and 15 for Parish. Kareem is 21 and 10 in the loss, double/double for Nixon.
NBA FINALS GAME 3 (LA) Lakers 123 Celtics 105
The Lakers take game 3 at home; Norm Nixon scores 31 to pace LA. 21 apiece for Wilkes and Kareem and a double/double for Magic, 26 and 16 for the Chief in the loss, Bird scores 22.
NBA FINALS GAME 4 (LA) Celtics 135 Lakers 107
The Celtics whip the Lakers in game 4 and they will head back to Boston with a 3 games to 1 lead. Larry Bird has a triple double of his own, 35 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists. Robert Parish is at the top of his game, 31 points, 20 rebounds. Kareem goes for 26 and 12. 24 points/16 assists for Magic.
NBA FINALS GAME 5 (Boston) Lakers 124 Celtics 114
A win here might have bee one of the biggest of Red Auerbach's life, to close out the Lakers at home, winning their 3rd straight title - the Celtics first Finals win over the Lakers since '53...but it didnt happen, the Lakers win game 5 and we head back to LA. Kareem scores 27, going 10 for 14 from the field. 24 and 11 for Jamaal Wilkes and Magic has his second triple double of the series, 20 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists. Bob McAdoo scores 21 off the bench. The best player in the series has been Robert Parish, 31 points, 11 rebounds. 23 and 11 for Bird
NBA FINALS GAME 6 (LA) Lakers 125 Celtics 122 (OT)
Why not? Lets go 7 games. Neither team led by more than 3 in the 4th quarter, it took a Bird game tying triple with under ten seconds left in regulation to force OT. Boston scored the first 5 in OT, with 2 left the Lakers has taken the lead on a Wilkes 16 footer. Boston doesnt score in the final 3 minutes, Bird missing 2 potentially game tying triples and the Lakers had forced game 7. Jamaal Wilkes led the Lakers with 27. Magic Johnson had his third triple double of the series, 26 pts, 16 rebounds, 13 assists. Kareem also scored 26. Gerald Henderson led the Celtics in scoring with 22, Bird went 20 and 10 and Parish double/doubled.
For the 5th Time in NBA History - a Lakers/Celtics Finals is going to game 7. Lets go to the Boston Garden.
NBA FINALS GAME 7 (Boston) Celtics 125 Lakers 114
The Boston Celtics threepeat, beating the Lakers in the NBA Finals for the first time in nearly 3 decades, its Boston's 8th NBA Championship, second only to the Lakers 11. Larry Bird triple doubles in the closeout, 21 points, 16 assists, 13 rebounds, he wins the Finals MVP for an unprecedented 3rd straight year. Tiny Archibald, playing through his dislocated shoulder, scores 20 in 28 minutes, going 8 of 11 from the floor in an all time gut check game. In the loss, Magic triple doubled for the 4th time in the series (Bird had 3, the two headliners did not disappoint; this was every drop the series the NBA wanted/needed at this point in its history, really ushering the league into the modern TV era) 21 pts, 16 rebounds, 15 assists. 26 for Kareem. Larry Bird has won the NBA Finals MVP in the first 3 seasons of his career. Welcome to the 1980s.
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)
No comments
Post a Comment