Magic Johnson: NBA Finals Highlights (1980-88)

The title is a bit misleading because I didn't include any highlights from the '83 and '84 Finals since the Lakers were defeated both times. Instead I chose to focuse on just the championship seasons. This is a video that I've wanted to make for a while now because I felt Magic wasn't getting enough recognition on YouTube. It was also something I wanted to do for younger fans like myself who never got to see legends like Magic when he played and for older fans who might want to relive the good old days. A few things stood out in my mind while editing these games. I knew Magic had led the league in steals for a few years but I had no idea he was such a good team defender. I've often seen people say that his defense was horrible which wasn't the case. Clearly he wasn't a standout individual defender but he was no slouch either. Another thing that stood out to me was the fact that he was so poised in the 1980 Finals despite the fact that he was only 20 years old at the time. From the day he stepped onto an NBA court he was ready to dominate and we saw a glimpse of his potential with that stellar Game 6 performance in Philly. That performance as well as the series' he had against Boston in '87 and Detroit in '88 when he was counted on to score more rank as some of the greatest Finals performances of all-time. It wasn't just the fact that Magic was able to contribute to five championships but that he was so great when it mattered most. The true legends perform well on the biggest stage.

This is what places Magic among the greatest we've ever seen. It's no coincidence that the Lakers were a good team and suddenly turned into an all-time great when he arrived. Magic brought so many things to the table that elevated the play of his teammates. His infectious personality, his great leadership, his competitive drive, the unselfish play and most importantly, taking a backseat to Kareem so the team's chemistry wouldn't take a hit. Over the course of his 13 years in the NBA the Lakers made 9 Finals appearances, never won less than 54 games and won 5 championships in arguably the greatest era in history. So sit back and enjoy the greatest point guard and Laker of all-time at his absolute best.

Notable performances

1980
Game 4: 28 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists
Game 6: 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists (Greatest Postseason Performance of All-Time)

1982
Game 6: 13 points, 13 rebounds, 15 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks

1985
Game 2: 14 points, 3 rebounds, 13 assists, 3 steals
Game 5: 26 points, 6 rebounds, 17 assists, 2 steals
Game 6: 14 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists

1987
Game 1: 29 points, 8 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
Game 2: 22 points, 5 rebounds, 20 assists, 3 steals
Game 3: 32 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists
Game 4: 29 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists (Skyhook Game)
Game 5: 29 points, 8 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 steals
Game 6: 16 points, 8 rebounds, 19 assists, 3 steals

1988
Game 1: 28 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals
Game 2: 23 points, 7 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals (Flu Game)
Game 3: 18 points, 6 rebounds, 14 assists, 3 steals
Game 5: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 17 assists, 2 steals, 1 block
Game 6: 22 points, 4 rebounds, 19 assists, 2 steals
Game 7: 19 points, 5 rebounds, 14 assists, 2 steals


NBA Finals Records

Highest Assist Per Game Average In A Finals Series

14 apg - vs. Boston, 1985
13.6 apg - vs. Boston, 1984
13 apg - vs. Boston, 1987
13 apg - vs. Detroit, 1988

Most Assists In A Finals Game

21 - vs. Boston, June 3, 1984
20 - vs. Boston, June 4, 1987
20 - vs. Chicago, June 12, 1991

Most Assists In One Half

14 - vs. Detroit, June 19, 1988
13 - vs. Boston, June 4, 1987

Most Assists In One Quarter

8 - vs. Boston, June 3, 1984
8 - vs. Boston, June 4, 1987
8 - vs. Detroit, June 16, 1988
8 - vs. Detroit, June 19, 1988