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