Actual Result: Fo, Five, Fo, the Sixers win 65 in the regular season and steamroll their way to the NBA Title.
MVP: Moses Malone
East Semis: Bucks d. Celtics 4-0
Sixers d. Knicks 4-0
West Semis: Lakers d. Blazers 4-1
Spurs d. Nuggets 4-1
Simulation: There will not be the first ever team to win 4 consecutive NBA Titles, the Celtics are swept out of the playoffs in the East Semis by Milwaukee. The Bucks won the NBA Title in '71 with Kareem and Oscar, the longtime Celtic Don Nelson took over as Head Coach in '77, they made the West Finals in '78, moved to the East in '81, the Sixers have knocked them out of the postseason the past two years. The Sixers won back to back titles in '77 and '78, then lost the East Semis to Boston in '80, '81, '82 and are back again with a chance to go to the East Finals, this time with NBA MVP Moses Malone. The West Finals are a rematch of last year, Lakers facing the Spurs.
East Finals (May) Philadelphia 76ers (65-17) v. Milwaukee Bucks (51-31)
West Finals (May) Los Angeles Lakers (58-24) v. San Antonio Spurs (53-29)
East Finals Game 1 (Philly) Sixers 104 Bucks 84
After 3 straight Eastern Conference Finals losses, the Sixers have the best record in the NBA and are firing on all cylinders, having swept the Knicks in the semis. 23 for Julius Erving, 22 for Bobby Jones, Moses Malone has 16 points and 26 rebounds, double/double for Mo Cheeks. Huge game for Marques Johnson in the defeat, 35 pts, 11 rebounds.
East Finals Game 2 (Philly) Sixers 128 Bucks 105
Non competitive game 2, Moses was regular season MVP and stakes his claim on the postseason, 43 pts, 16 rebounds. 21 and 10 for the Doctor and a Bobby Jones double/double. Once again, Marques Johnson leads the Bucks, 27 pts. 22 for Sidney Moncrief, 21 and 11 for Junior Bridgeman.
East Finals Game 3 (Mil) Sixers 120 Bucks 105
Philly is 7-0 in the postseason after posting 65 wins in the regular season, 24 and 17 for Moses, 20 for Mo Cheeks and a Julius Erving double/double. Moncrief with 23 in the loss, 20 for Marques Johnson.
East Finals Game 4 (Mil) Sixers 112 Bucks 90
Fo-Fo. The Sixers sweep the Bucks and return to the NBA Finals for the first time since their back to back titles in '77 and '78. Moses Malone is the East Finals MVP, he goes 24 and 12. Double/double for Cheeks. Marques Johnson is 22 and 10 in the loss. Bob Lanier double/double.
West Finals Game 1 (LA) Lakers 104 Spurs 102
Lakers led by 10 with 4 minutes left but when Artis Gilmore hit from the lane with 90 seconds left the Spurs had cut it to 2. At 9 seconds to go, George Gervin laced through the Laker defense to tie the score, but at the buzzer it was Jamaal Wilkes, top of the key, burying the game winning jumper. Kareem went 20 and 12, Magic had 4 triple doubles in last year's NBA Finals and does it again here, 14 pts, 13 assists, 10 rebounds. In the loss, Gervin had 29, double double for Gilmore, Mike Mitchell, Johnny Moore.
West Finals Game 2 (LA) Lakers 117 Spurs 108
LA takes the first two at home, the Sixers and Lakers met in the Finals in '65, Philly winning in 7 - in the 50s, the Minneapolis Lakers faced off 3 times against the Syracuse Nationals, the Lakers winning twice. LA is 2 away from claiming the West title and facing Philly in the Finals. Kareem has 25, Wilkes 22, how about another Magic triple double, 18 pts, 17 boards, 13 assists. Double/double for Kurt Rambis. Huge game for Gilmore in the defeat, 26 points, 26 rebounds. Mike Mitchell had 24, double/double for Gene Banks and Johnny Moore
West Finals Game 3 (SA) Lakers 121 Spurs 114
The Lakers are a game from returning to the NBA Finals for the 17th time. This was Norm Nixon's game, 31 points to lead all scorers. 20 for Kareem and yes, another Magic Johnson triple double, 20 pts, 15 rebounds, 11 assists. Bob McAdoo double/double. Gene Banks went for 25 in the defeat. 21 for Gervin. Double/double for Gilmore.
West Finals Game 4 (SA) Lakers 117 Spurs 108
Both conference finals are 4 game sweeps leading to the two top teams in basketball meeting in the 1983 NBA Finals. 31 for Jamaal Wilkes to lead the scoring. 20 and 12 for Kareem, 24 for McAdoo, 20 rebounds for Rambis and a double/double for Magic, the series MVP. Mike Mitchell scored 28 and Johnny Moore double/double in the loss.
NBA FINALS (May) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS v. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Laker Finals History
1949 d Capitols 4-2
1950 d Nationals 4-2
1953 L Celtics 4-3
1954 d Nationals 4-2
1955 d Celtics 4-3
1959 L Nationals 4-1
1962 d. Celtics 4-2
1963 L Royals 4-1
1965 L Sixers 4-3
1966 d Celtics 4-3
1968 d Celtics 4-2
1969 d Knicks 4-1
1970 d. Knicks 4-3
1972 d Celtics 4-3
1973 d Celtics 4-1
1982 L Celtics 4-3
Wins: 11 Losses 5
This Laker team is the same one that lost in last year's Finals, Kareem is now 35, 2nd team All NBA, 29 year old Jamaal Wilkes joins him on the front line, he made the All Star team, 24 year old Kurt Rambis gets the start at the other forward, really splitting time with 31 year old veteran Bob McAdoo. James Worthy finished 3rd in the rookie of the year race but is out with injury, leaving the Lakers with essentially a 7 man rotation. Magic and 27 year old Norm Nixon is the backcourt, 23 year old Magic was 3rd in the MVP award; 26 year old Michael Cooper finished third in Defensive Player of the Year. Longtime Sixer Steve Mix is on the roster, but not the rotation.
Sixers Finals History
1950 L Lakers
1952 L Royals
1954 L Lakers
1959 d. Lakers
1965 d. Lakers
1967 d. Warriors
1977 d. Blazers
1978 d. Nuggets
Wins 5 Losses 3
Julius Erving was the Finals MVP in '77 and is looking for his 3rd NBA Championship here. The Doctor is 32, finished 5th in the MVP this year. He is joined this year by 27 year old Moses Malone, regular season MVP, East Finals MVP. 26 year old Marc Iavaroni joins them on the front line, splitting time with the veteran Bobby Jones (do these teams seem like mirror images?) 6th man of the year. Clem Johnson also sees frontline minutes. 26 year old Mo Cheeks was first team all defense, his backcourt mate Andrew Toney made the All Star team. Clint Richardson is the third guard.
SIXERS
HC Billy Cunningham
C Moses Malone (27) MVP, 1st Team All NBA
PF Marc Iavaroni (26)
SF Julius Erving (32) 5th MVP, 1st Team All NBA
PG Maurice Cheeks (26) 3rd Defensive Player of the Year, All Star
SG Andrew Toney (25) All Star
F Bobby Jones (31) 6th Man of the Year, 3rd Defensive Player of the Year
LAKERS
HC Pat Riley
C Kareem Abdul Jabbar (35) 2nd Team All NBA
PF Kurt Rambis (24)
SF Jamaal Wilkes (29) All Star
PG Norm Nixon (27)
SG Magic Johnson (23) 3rd MVP, 1st Team All NBA
G Michael Cooper (26) 3rd Defensive Player of the Year
F Bob McAdoo (31)
NBA FINALS GAME 1 (Philly) Sixers 115 Lakers 99
The Sixers havent lost an NBA Finals series since moving to Philly and they open with a win here. Julius Erving owns this one, 31 pts and a dozen rebounds. 25 pts, 21 rebounds for Moses Malone. Kareem scores 23 in the loss, double/double for Magic Johnson
NBA FINALS GAME 2 (Philly) Sixers 124 Lakers 121 (OT)
Free throws by Erving gave the Sixers a 9 point lead with 5 left in regulation, three minutes later, Nixon scored in traffic to cut it to 1. With a minute left, Magic hit from 17, Lakers led by a point. Erving and Toney each hit FT giving the Lakers the ball, down 3, with 15 seconds left. Jamaal Wilkes hit a buzzer beater to win game 1 of the West Finals - he triples at the buzzer to send the game to OT. OT played out similarly, the Sixers hitting end of game FT, the Lakers having one last chance hit a game tying 3 - but Magic missed and we head to LA, Sixers having won all 10 of their playoff games. Moses scores 30 and has 18 rebounds; the Doctor has 27 and 15, 20 with 10 assists for Mo Cheeks and Andrew Toney was a rebound away from a triple double. Speaking of triple doubles, Magic has his 5th NBA Finals triple double of his career, 24 pts, 16 boards, 14 assists. 21 pts, 11 assists for Norm Nixon. 23 and 14 for the Captain.
NBA FINALS GAME 3 (LA) Sixers 125 Lakers 115
Fo-Fo...the Sixers are staking their claim as the greatest of all time, one game from sweeping their way to the 6th NBA Title in franchise history. Julius Erving at 32 years old has been the best player of the series, its really the crowning moment of his career, 37 points, 12 rebounds. Moses has been a force, 24 points, 23 boards. Andrew Toney scores 26, Mo Cheeks double/double. Kareem goes for 28 and 11 in the loss, 23 and 10 for Magic.
NBA FINALS GAME 4 (LA) Lakers 112 Sixers 105
Nope. The Lakers wont allow the sweep, Jamaal Wilkes takes 30 shots, scoring 38 points and LA forces game 5. 24 for Kareem and Magic's 6th all time Finals triple double. Moses drops 40 with 29 rebounds, he is an unstoppable force. 22 for Toney, 20 for Erving.
NBA FINALS GAME 5 (Philly) Lakers 113 Sixers 103
The Lakers have made this interesting, they win game 5, they now trail 3-2 and we will go back to LA for Game 6. Magic leads the winners with 29 points and 12 rebounds, 24 and 10 for Kareem, in the defeat, Moses scores 23 with 29 boards. Toney and Cheeks both go for 21, Michael Cooper moved to the starting lineup in game 4, slowing Erving's production.
NBA FINALS GAME 6 (LA) Lakers 124 Sixers 97
The pride of the Lakers really shows up here, they blow Philly out - tying the series at 3, a hugely unexpected turn of events - we will go back to Philadelphia to the Spectrum for an incredibly anxious crowd and game 7. Magic's 7th career Finals triple double is his most impressive, 36 points, 10 boards, 10 assists. 24 and 14 for Kareem, 23 for Wilkes. Bob McAdoo missed the prior two games, he comes back with 20 and 12 in 26 minutes. Moses has 26 and 16 in the loss. 22 for Erving, double/double for Cheeks and Bobby Jones.
The Lakers lost in 7 last year - the two greatest words in all of sport - GAME SEVEN.
NBA FINALS GAME 7 (Philly) Sixers 126 Lakers 124
An all time legendary game. The Lakers led by 5 entering the 4th quarter, Magic hit a fallaway jumper a minute in to make it 7, Toney scores two straight buckets to make it 3, McAdoo comes back with a 15 footer and the Lakers again lead by 5, 10 to play. A total of 11 points in the next minute of play, 5 of them from Mo Cheeks, his 3 pointer cuts the deficit to 2. The Doctor then scores the next 3 buckets, ending with a thunderous dunk, and with 7 to play Philly is up 4. Two minutes later, Erving's added 2 more buckets, Moses also scores, it's a huge Philly run and they lead by 10 with 5 to play. That ten point lead holds until a Kareem dunk at 3:45. At 2:30, Wilkes has hit 2 FT, Kareem sky hook, that Sixer lead was 4. 90 seconds later comes the next basket - a Rambis dunk, Sixers now by 2, one minute to play. Moses and Kareem trade baskets, the Lakers foul Toney with 15 seconds left, he hits one, giving LA a chance, down 3. The Sixers foul Magic, not letting LA get up the game tying shot - he hits both. Toney is fouled again with 7 seconds left, and again, hits 1. Lakers stop the clock - it's Wilkes who takes the final shot - a potentially game winning 3 - it clanks off the back rim and the Sixers hold on for the 6th NBA Championship in franchise history. Andrew Toney is the leading scorer, 30 points. 25 points and 11 assists for Erving - for the first time in NBA history there is a tie for Finals MVP, Erving and Moses, who had 24 points and 23 rebounds. Bobby Jones went 20 and 10 off the bench. 28 and 11 for Kareem in the devastating loss, 23 for Michael Cooper, 22 for McAdoo, and Magic does get his 8th career Finals Triple 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. Los Angeles Lakers (4-3) MVP; Moses Malone C, 27/Julius Erving SF 32)
