1984-85 One of the best NBA drafts in history. The Lakers win over the
Celtics.
1984-85 One of the best NBA drafts in history. The Lakers win over the
Celtics.
The 1984 NBA draft was one of the best in basketball history, giving such
players as Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and John Stockton,
as well as many otherss. Olajuwon had been chosen first by Houston, Jordan as
the third by Chicago, Barkley as the fifth by Phinix, and Stockton 16th by Utah
Jazz. In New York, Bernard King enjoyed the scoring title (32.9 ppg) despite his
injury in the season.
But the NBA was all about the Celtics - Lakers matchup. During the season,
Boston won 63 victories, and Larry Bird had his best seasonin his career
(averaging 28.7ppg, 10.5 rpg, 6.6 apg). Each member of Boston's starting five -
Bird, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, Dennis Johnson, and Danny Ainge - played over
2500 minutes during the season. The Lakers tried to answer how they had let the
title slip right through their fingers. Magic Johnson played as though each game
was to bring him closer toward a rematch with the Celtics, thanks to which the
Lakers won 62 games, easily beat Phoenix, Portland, and Denver to face the
Finals. Boston won over Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia to fight again for
the highest trophy. Led by the 38-year-old Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and a healthy
James Worthy, the Lakers were back after a horrible 148-114 defeat in the
starting game, winning the series in six games at Boston Garden.
Lthe Lakers win the title on the Boston Garden's parquet. Wilt
Chamberlain had two NBA Championship rings. Jerry West got his in 1972. A ring
was the only thing that Elgin Baylor hadn't had in the NBA. Only the St. Louis
Hawks with Bob Pettit in 1958 had managed to beat the Celtics in the Finals.
After that event, Boston had won eight straight titles. Except for the 1958
Championship, Boston made the Finals 15 times and each one of them brought home
the title.
The Lakers won two of the three games in Boston, including the deciding Game 6.
The silence in Boston Garden was sweet music for the Lakers' fans.
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