NBC Sports: NBA 1991-Los Angeles Lakers @ Portland Blazers: First Quarter

Source:The New Democrat

The Lakers and Blazers, clearly the two best teams in the Western Conference in 1991. And the only real threats to deny the Chicago Bulls their first NBA Championship that year as well. The Lakers and Blazers were the only two complete all around teams in the Western Conference. Teams with a good offense and defense, could score in the half court, score in transition, defend in transition and could rebound both offensively and defensively. The Eastern Conference was weak in 1991, with really only the Bulls being a great team that year. SO the only question was really who would the Bulls play in the NBA Finals and would have home court advantage or not. The Lakers were out to prove that they still owned the West and were the team to beat. The Blazers obviously had other ideas.

CBS Sports: NBA 1986-WCF-Game 5-Houston Rockets @ Los Angeles Lakers: Intro

Source:CBS Sports- The NBA on CBS, with Tom Heinsohn and Dick Stockton.

Source:The Daily Post

"NBA on CBS Intro of the pivotal classic Game 5 between Rockets and Lakers in the 1986 NBA Western Conference Finals.

Announcers: Tom Heinsohn and Dick Stockton."

From Cool Blue Moon 

When the NBA was important and worth watching or at the very least at its best and perhaps the best major pro sports league in the world, it was on CBS. They had the best announcers, the best music, the best intros, and the NBA had the best players, coaches, teams, and fans.

Source:CBS Sports- The NBA on CBS.

I miss the old NBA intros on CBS with Dick Stocton. This was the NBA at its best when it was really about basketball and not about celebrity culture and NBA players just using their NBA careers to make as much money in and out of basketball. But when the NBA was actually about basketball and winning as much as possible. The NBA on CBS whether they had the best TV ratings or not and again they were dealing with a different more basketball oriented audience that truly loved the league and its history, was the best NBA show ever. At least as far as how they covered their games and the caliber of players and teams they featured.

As far as this game, the defending NBA Finals Champions Lakers were in a real must win. Win this game or go home, because they were down 3-1 to a team in the Rockets that was a good young team. But they really only had one great player in Hakeem Olajuwon. Ralph Sampson was a very talented center/power forward, but he was sort of work in progress who would look great at times and then would disappear. This was Hakeem’s team and they had solid players around him. Like Robert Reid and Rodney McCray, but Akeem and Sampson led this team, especially Hakeem. And when they played well, their teammates would play well as well. But this wasn’t a deep team as far as talent and great players.

The Rockets got hot in the Western Conference Playoffs on Akeem’s back . With their defense and rebounding and that is how they beat the Lakers. A team with three franchise players in Kareem, Magic and James Worthy. With great role players and a very good bench. As well as the best head coach in the league at least at this point in Pat Riley. But Akeem dominated them in the post. Because they needed Kareem to cover Ralph Sampson whose 7’4 in the post. Which meant covering Akeem who was a bull in the post at 6’11 250 pounds of muscle or whatever he was, with great quickness, footwork and athletic ability, with a power forward. Who wasn’t use to covering players that big and strong.

CBS Sports: NBA 1980- NBA Finals-Game 5- Philadelphia 76ers @ Los Angeles Lakers: Julius vs Kareem

Source:CBS Sports- with coverage of the 1980 NBA Finals.

Source:The Daily Post 

“Kareem had 40 pts, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks. This is also the game where Kareem injured his ankle leaving the stage open for Magic in Game 6. The injury occurs at 3:40. Kareem comes back at the start of the fourth period and hits heroic shots to win the game. Magic’s performance might be the most memorable thing to come out of this series but equally, if nor more, impressive was Kareem’s dominance in the first five games. If not for those clutch shots, the Lakers probably wouldn’t have the 3-2 series lead which provided them the opportunity to knockout the Sixers in game 6.

Also included a couple of smooth Dr. J and Dawkins plays here.”

From Fish

I think Rod Hundley has the most interesting comment in this video. When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar goes down with the ankle injury and he says he doesn’t believe that Lakers can beat the 76ers without Kareem. Well, of course that is exactly what the Lakers did in game 6. They beat the 76ers without Kareem who was home with the ankle injury. Now, probably no one would’ve predicted that, but that’s exactly what happened.

6’9 Magic Johnson, whose a point guard normally, filled in for Kareem at center in game 6. And the Lakers win that game to clinch the 1980 NBA Finals. Now no one including Hot Rod knew how great of a player that Magic was at this point. And I’m not sure Magic didn’t either, in defense of Hot Rod.

As far as this game, the 76ers had no one who could defend Kareem. And most of the NBA didn’t either in 1980. And this Lakers team had so much talent around Kareem, including Magic, but Jamal Wilkes, Norm Nixon and others, that if you paid a lot of attention to Kareem, Kareem would set up his other teammates the whole game and the other players would’ve beaten the 76ers. The Lakers didn’t have anyone who could stop Julius Erving, but they had two or three guys who could cover The Doctor in stretches and make him work for his points: Jamal Wilkes, Michael Cooper and Magic, at different points of the game.

This was a great finals for several reasons. The two best players in the game at that time, Kareem and The Doctor. The two best teams in the league, 76ers and Lakers. And they both matched up well with each other. They had to cover each other and could make the other team work on offense and defense. Without any real weakness’s on other team. Other than the 76ers not having true quality starting center who played both ends of the court real well. Caldwell Jones was primarily a shot blocker and rebounder. Darryl Dawkins was primarily a scorer, but who wasn’t very consistent there. And that was the difference with Kareem being able to dominate either of the 76ers centers.