The 1979-80 L.A. Lakers

The 1980 Payoffs and Championship series.

[@leafer1250]

who’s here after watching winning time? 😂

[@Samuelfish2k]

I’m here after watching Lebums Lakers miss the play in tournament.

[@timhoward5]

Your mom.

[@cuisonginno]

Yeeeah buddy

[@Blackman19498]

Everyone!!

[@bossmanjohnson8240]

@@Samuelfish2k you a weirdo

[@paulonyra6019]

I watched this after watching “winning time”. Good to see lakers’ roots.

[@muhammadfarhan581]

Lakers root was george mikan kid. Know your history

[@Blackman19498]

Winning time is probably the best thing to happen to the lakers this year!! Great show!!

[@DNSKansas]

Not completely accurate

[@kingdave31]

Check out young Pat Riley as a Lakers assistant, with his big glasses and fluffy hair! You can see Chuck Daly on Philly's bench as a Sixers assistant, too.

[@siyonqoba4810]

When i started watching the NBA as a kid to check out all the hype around the lakers. Magic will always be my favorite.

[@mariepavlov9144]

I found out that I became pregnant during the 1980 NBA Finals (my second son wasn't born until November 19, 1980). The 1979-80 NBA season was the season that saved professional basketball that we know today.

[@depaola63]

A classic time in the NBA!

[@bonitaboggan8432]

The Los Angeles Lakers own the 1980's. They were the most watched and the most popular team. They were popular all over the country as well as over-seas. Their 9 visits to the NBA championship arena and their 5 championships made them the team to beat. They were the greyhounds of the NBA; and they were indeed fun to watch. Although I still enjoy watching Dr. J. and his team, the Lakers brought a new exciting style to the game of the 80's.

[@madcapper6]

+Bonita Boggan The Lakers had more titles in the '80s but the greatest team of the decade was the '86 Celtics, so the overall decade's historical significance between the two teams was a push.

[@CarlosMunoz1980]

madcapper6 ha ha ha the greatest team. ha ha ha you mean the ugliest team. what about the 87 Celtics

[@ckobo84]

The Sixers might have been the greatest team of the 80's if Andrew Toney doesn't go down with injury. Toney was ready to take over as the main man with the addition of Charles Barkley to provide the energy.

[@ckobo84]

I guess I should add if Bird doesn't hurt his back and Len Bias doesn't go dying on the Celtics...

[@realg5276]

@@madcapper6 The Greatest Team of the Decade was the 1987 Lakers.

[@moetmoet5176]

Thumbs Up if Winning Time brought you here

[@michaeldunahee4537]

I was at Dodger Stadium the night of Game 6 when the Lakers won the championship. All of those radios that were usually tuned to Vin Scully were listening to Chick Hearn that night. Every time the Lakers scored, the crowd cheered. And when the Laker game ended, it was one of the greatest standing ovations I've ever seen. The Pittsburgh Pirates definitely looked confused coming out of their dugout to see what was going on.

[@Jiltedin2007]

Perhaps neither of the Pirates were Basketball Fans. Imagine if you had the Phillies in town that Friday Night instead. I was a Senior in High School that year, and I was home that Friday Night watching the game, which probably ended roughly around 6:30 to 7:00 P.M. which would’ve been long before the first pitch at Dodger Stadium since Friday Night Games in 1980 normally started at 7:30.

[@Samuelfish2k]

@@Jiltedin2007 Are you saying his story is complete bullshit?😃

[@Jiltedin2007]

@@Samuelfish2k Excuse me? What are you trying to say?

[@Samuelfish2k]

@@Jiltedin2007 Are you calling him a liar?

[@Jiltedin2007]

@@Samuelfish2k NO! I was explaining where I was when the Lakers won over the 76ers at the time. If I do recall, Friday Night Baseball Games started at 7:30, but Stadiums normally open 1 1/2 hours before game time so the Fans who were there to watch the game definitely had the Lakers on their minds at that time, first and foremost. If I was there, I would have yelled the loudest after the Lakers won the World Championship. And yes, the Dodgers were hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates that Friday Night and they won that game 8-6. What else do you need to know?

[@stephanieharris4595]

Awesome 🤩 Thanks for posting this!

[@injailoutsoon1998]

Watching this now thanks to the new TV show

[@Samuelfish2k]

I’m watching this after Lebums Lakers missed the play in tournament.

[@vincentthomas9817]

One of the greatest moves in mid-air. The Dr.J move.

[@lloydkline1518]

Dr. dr.j ❤️ him fancy moves toward the basket

[@1990758]

And I remember him saying that was not one of his toughest moves.

[@loydkline]

Really; hard to believe

[@damianbaileyfitness9348]

Love the jive time music

[@youtuber3328]

I'm really glad I found this video

[@hammer3353]

A rookie point guard, playing center, dropping 42 points on us. As a Sixers fan, every time I think about this, it makes me want to vomit.

[@MissT813]

…But it was Magic Johnson.

[@hammer3353]

@@MissT813 Magic clinched it, but the MVP of that series was Jabbar. He was unguardable…and was the biggest reason the Lakers won 3 out of the first 5.

[@MusicFromNBAFilms]

Soundtrack (so far), in order: Robert Patterson - Strings in Bondage Craig Palmer - U.S. Grant Paul Zaza - Feelin´Good Craig Palmer - A La Valentino 30' UNKNOWN UNKNOWN Craig Palmer - Manhattan Craig Palmer - Barren Journey UNKNOWN UNKNOWN Francis Monkman - Strident Theme Brian Bennett - Drama Montage Robert Patterson - Strings in Bondage

[@jackkitchen737]

I was 13 when this series took place, and was a lifelong (well, since Kareem got traded to LA lol) Lakers fan. I watched all of these games (except gm 6), staying up late and living and dying through all the drama. Some great talent on both sides. Game 6 was on Friday night on tape delay in the Cleveland market, starting at 11:30 on Channel 8 (CBS).....I remember calling WAKR sportsline (535-9593) to get the score and at halftime it was 60-60. I was stunned that the Lakers were still alive without Kareem. Then, around 11PM EST, I fell asleep, which was rare for a Friday night. I woke up around 3AM and called the sportsline again to get the score. Unbelievably, the Lakers won. What a night. What a season. And it all ended by May 14 lol....big difference from just a couple years later, when the season started running into late June.

[@elwin38]

I just turned 12 as a matter of fact i turned 12 during the finals. Game 6 was on tape delay in Memphis at 10:30(Central time) on our local CBS affiliate WREG-TV channel 3. I was one who wanted to know who won BEFORE the game and on our local news they flashed the score. I watched the game anyway and it was worth it!!

[@eboooo]

Jack Kitchen when I was 13 the Lakers won as well, I became obsessed with them after Horry's shot.

[@mariepavlov9144]

Jack Kitchen, I remember that 1980 NBA Finals Game 6, it was shown on tape delay in the Youngstown, Ohio market (WKBN-TV 27). In fact, in the Cleveland market, (WJKW-TV 8) had Big Chuck and Lil' John that night, pre-empting CBS' NBA Finals Game 6 coverage.

[@jackkitchen737]

Ok if your memory is correct and it was indeed preempted by Big Chuck and Lil' John, then I did stay up late like usual which makes more sense than me falling asleep so early lol. I loved that show, by the way. I just was dying for the Lakers to win that series. Thanks for commenting, Marie.

[@youtuber3328]

magic johnson's passing DIDN'T equal the scoring from kareem abdul-jabbar

[@Jiltedin2007]

I was a Senior in High School that year.

[@MGAF688]

Back in the day when only the Sixers, Celtics and Lakers had any realistic shot at winning a title. Those 3 clubs won every title from 79-80 through 87-88 and one of them came in as runner up 6x. Sixers v Lakers 3x, Celtics v Lakers 3x.

[@blueblur2329]

Not true. Bucks, Pistons and Rockets had shots at winning the title those years as well.

[@JAWrightonline]

BlueBlur23 The Bucks were never in the NBA Finals in the '80s.

[@blueblur2329]

@@JAWrightonline Just because they weren't in the Finals doesn't mean they didn't have a shot at winning a title. In 81 the Sixers, Celtics and Bucks all won 60+ game. Bucks finished 2nd in the conference and lost to the Sixers in 7 games by 1 pt. The Sixers then went on to lose to the Celtics in 7 who eventually won the championship to the Rockets in 6 who eliminated the Lakers in the 1st round. So the Bucks had a shot at a title that year and were at the top of the EC with the Celtics and 76ers throughout most of the 80s

[@MGAF688]

@@blueblur2329 Technically, everyone has a shot at the beginning of the season since all teams start out 0-0. But it is sort of like saying that anyone else has just as realistic of a chance to win the NBA Championship these days (2015-19) other than Golden State or LeBron James' team. We all know the NBA is structured to give GS the inside advantage as the lead man with everyone else playing supporting roles.

[@nomedigaasi]

Is Magic the only basketball player to ever win an NCAA championship and an NBA Finals back to back?

[@JAWrightonline]

Nope. 1955 and 1956--Bill Russell; 1972 and 1973--Henry Bibby; Magic, of course; and 1986 and 1987--Billy Thompson. Since then, I am not sure.

[@Trancymind]

Magic is the only NBA player to ever win an NBA Finals MVP as a rookie. Only 20 years old at the time.

[@luciusoglesby2469]

Man that music at the end was so nice and 70s

[@entertainmentsportsandmore5783]

1979-80 Los Angeles Lakers season: "That Magic Season" produced by NBA Films.

[@youtuber3328]

the passing from magic johnson DIDN'T equal the scoring from kareem abdul-jabbar

[@youtuber3328]

the 1980's lakers best statistics were #1 the scoring from kareem abdul-jabbar #2 the passing from magic johnson and #3 the rebounding from kareem abdul-jabbar

[@youtuber3328]

in BOTH 1980 and 1982 the finals mvp should've been awarded to kareem abdul-jabbar and/or if anything AT ALL a TIE between magic johnson and kareem abdul-jabbar

[@mrtruthhurts2307]

Earvin Magic Johnson greatest point guard ever

[@rokyericksonroks]

Damien Hargrove The thing is, the Lakers already had Norm Nixon at the time. Magic could do it all and could deliver from any position in the lineup.

[@lloydkline1518]

Westbrook; jason kidd; ( one man fast break)

[@Samuelfish2k]

@@lloydkline1518 WestBrick*

[@lloydkline1518]

@@Samuelfish2k jason kidd : one man fastbreak

[@yummyyum36719]

@M Ok but we are basketball fans...so....

[@DoubleVisionandco]

6:00 I like that sign. "We stuffed your Bird now where's your Magic?" Where was Magic? Walking away with your title. Stuffed Bird, must have been some cheap stuffing instead of Stovetop. Bird flew south then returned the next year and dominated everybody. The 80's became the Bird and Magic Show, Where the Lakers and the Celtics Reigned.

[@Jiltedin2007]

Winning Time brought me here.

[@ningxiawolfberry]

That was an unbelievable basket by Dr J. 20:21

[@abrahammitchell5599]

SHOW TIME STARTS!

[@vondamn9943]

I prefer this to modern nba

[@jefferyrobertson7520]

1979 Los Angeles Lakers are greatest team in NBA history clinch World Championship professional basketball post Jerry West era 8 years apart 1971 and 1979 Lakers are magical year

[@profrob9017]

1971-72 Lakers with West and Chamberlain were pretty awesome, setting a record 33 game winning streak. Who ended the winning streak? The Milwaukee Bucks with Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Oscar Robertson.

[@noirsaba]

Brent Musburger thought he was dropping bars all through this narration and the disco music.....all hilarious....

[@ElectricCool]

It's 1980 my man, what'd you expect? LOL

[@ProfessorBMedia]

RIP Darryl "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins

[@Jiltedin2007]

When did he die?

[@ShogunX11]

Jiltedin2007 a few years ago along with Moses Malone during that same year

[@lloydkline1518]

Underated offensive low post player

[@sparkofgenius3372]

I'm only here to enlighten basketball fans about Coach, John McLendon. This Black Man is the real Creator of the "FAST BREAK" & Constant Motion. Check out the Documentary about Coach John McLendon. Winning Time is taking too many liberties with basketball history. Hopefully, it'll spark the interest of fans to learn the truth?

[@RickGerlock]

The Lakers had the 80s by the balls

[@jaxsonfugate9353]

3:56...young(er) Jack. Always at the Laker games lol

[@sterlin1m]

Tell Jerry West to chill I like his character in Winning Time. I think he's mad about people finding out he didn't want Magic Johnson 🤷🏿‍♂️.. Players mess up bro💯😂😂😂😂😂

[@diamonddog13]

The finals featured two hall of fame coaches - as assistants.

[@markprice2225]

I been watching my Philadelphia 76ers championship highlights from 83 and had to check out this. The NBA Finals 2-3-2 setup clearly had an effect on the entire series not only this year but really all the Boston Finals. Wonder why they got rid of it, made sense🤔

[@leonroxas2523]

Here because of winning time!!

[@Mrsadgirl99]

Kareem overpowering hooking fucking awesome

[@delvindelvintumbling8452]

Lakers own the 80s

[@chasugc3740]

Showtime,🤩 baby.🔥

[@Samuelfish2k]

Lakeshow baby. It sucks. Lol

[@chasugc3740]

@@Samuelfish2k You're just trolling for attention. Anyone can see that. Bye.

[@Samuelfish2k]

@@chasugc3740 not trolling. It’s the truth.

[@chasugc3740]

@@Samuelfish2k Bye.

[@Samuelfish2k]

@@chasugc3740 I don’t care if you leave.

[@quairan2099]

Coaches in the 80s didn't like chairs. They'd rather squat.

[@thespacesbetweenstudio3346]

HUGE Lakers fan here but stopped following after they added Lebron. But the history of this franchise is amazing. The 80s were the ultimate entertainment.

[@hankpikuni7024]

18:19 was the Sixers assistance coach Chuck Daly?

[@KingGeorge24]

Hey when did the NBA Start doing these docs. Was this the first one?

[@RikSchneider]

All the Lakers needed was magic to become NBA Finals champions again in 1980

[@youtuber3328]

okay the 1997 heat INACCURATELY called the road warriors because they went 1-7 in the playoffs

[@youtuber3328]

okay road warriors certain teams who COMPLETELY qualify for that COMPLETELY accurate title are were and will be the 1971 bucks and 1980 lakers led by kareem abdul-jabbar

[@youtuber3328]

@@RikSchneider no i was making comparisons

[@smoothbro9711]

I didn't know that back then the Milwaukee Bucks were in the Western Conference and SAN Antonio was in the Eastern Conference

[@johnstreeter8931]

Houston was in the east and Chicago was in the west too.

[@romeomeade-ortiz8552]

The dr is everyone's favorite players favorite player

[@tfrf0042]

💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

[@worseto1]

The Lakers were America's team in the 80s .

[@MusicFromNBAFilms]

Music @ 18:38? Anyone? Thanks.

[@youtuber3328]

m all-time favorite male athletes/jocks ever are were and/or will be #1 tied wilt chamberlain and bill russell #2 kareem abdul-jabbar and #3 hakeem olajuwon

[@kincamell2]

Heavy

[@MacRoss781]

Was that Jack Nicholson cheering on the Lakers at the 3:55 min mark???

[@edwardrichardson9543]

How did the Lakers gain the #1 pick in the 1980 draft?

[@CTubeMan]

The New Orleans Jazz traded the pick as part of a package deal to get Gail Goodrich from the Lakers.

[@edwardrichardson9543]

CTubeMan gail goodrich? i know the jazz organization regretted that decision

[@fballjones]

Gail Goodrich signed with the Utah Jazz and the Jazz compensated them by giving them 3 first round picks, the Jazz finished with the worst record in the league during the 1978-79 season so the Lakers got the number 1 pick.

[@bonitaboggan8432]

+Edward Richardson I think that the NBA set-up Magic Johnson with the Lakers and Larry Bird with the Celtics to bring the fan base back to a dwindling sports game. The most watched basketball game of all time in 1979 was the Indiana State Univ. VS Michigan State Univ. with Bird and Magic. I think that they gambled well because the first Celts and Lakers NBA finals were a sell-out. They actually thought that they would meet in the finals in 1980, but the interest was growing.

[@bonitaboggan8432]

They gained Magic from the New Orleans Jazz based on a previous trade so the Jazz had to pay that draft pick to the Lakers.

[@smoothbro9711]

Wow back then Milwaukee was in the Western conference

[@BoxingFan821]

If everyone can please tell me who they would have voted for Finals MVP in this series? I would have voted for Abdul-Jabbar and I feel he got robbed. Who do yo guys think deserved MVP?

[@blueblur2329]

Yep. Even Magic said in Kareem's Minority of One documentary that Kareem should have got MVP. Kareem was definitely the best player for the 1st 5 game of the series. Magic had a spectacular Game 5 but that 1 game should not have overshadowed the 5 great games played by Kareem earlier. They gave it to Magic because it was the better story.

[@mrho4speed]

Boxing Fan, The FMVP was actually won by Kareem after Magics fabulous game 6 but CBS did not want to present the award to an empty chair so they asked the voters to change their votes so Magic would win the award. This is covered in the book "Kareem" pages 140-141. Bill Livingston was one of the 7 voters and to clear his conscience and out of respect for Kareem, he unveiled what really happened. The 1980 FMVP trophy should be in Kareem's home.

[@MGAF688]

If these other tales are true, then Kareem deserves it. But there is nothing that can be done to change the fact that Magic won. Manny Fernandez should have won SB VIII MVP. Rod Martin should have won SB XV MVP. James Washington should have won SB XXX MVP. Derrick Brooks should have won SB XXXVII MVP. But things happen.

[@DNSKansas]

Why couldn't Dr. Buss or Bill Sharman (Lakers GM at the time) or Westhead have accepted the MVP on Kareem's behalf? CBS' logic was seriously flawed.

[@bossmanjohnson8240]

I GOT SLAVE AUCTION VIBES WHEN HE SAID MAGIC FILL NAME THEN SAID HIS HEIGHT AND WEIGHT

[@rjm22nd]

I'm starting to imagine more of Quincy Isaiah than Magic Johnson.

[@romeomeade-ortiz8552]

Game 4 was all about the Doctor

[@ElectricCool]

That song starting at 18:38. Anyone know the title? Or who does it?

[@MusicFromNBAFilms]

Xavier Jackson Probably from Bruton or KPM, circa 1979/1980.

[@vincentthomas9817]

The great Grover Washington Jr.

[@youtuber3328]

the finals mvp in BOTH 1980 and 1982 SHOULD'VE been kareem abdul-jabbar but he still wasn't QUITE as legendary as oscar robertson bill russell and wilt chamberlain

[@profrob9017]

trust me, he was pretty legendary at that time. He won a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks, in 1970-71, a bottom feeder team before he joined the team. That's 10 years of legendary sky hook prior to this 1980 video. 😀

[@youtuber3328]

@@profrob9017 you make sense

[@jalalstephens7457]

Sixers had no answer for Kareem

[@thorntonwilliams3851]

No one did

[@aledaandytaylor2613]

Jesus is coming back really soon amen 🙏!!!! Glory to god

[@nettajohnson4840]

V

[@user-cg2yn3ru4v]

✌️ the real MJ magic johnson 1st NBA player to EARN $ 1,000,000.00 a million dollars contract 🎉🏀👑 beginning of the 1980-81 season 🏆👍✌️

[@megagalvatron281]

1979-80 nba season is when the true nba started with bird and magic rookie years and the debut of the 3pt line in the nba . The league pretty much sucked before this. And i will nerver put wilt or bill russell in my top 10 their era was to weak.

[@profrob9017]

that's nonsense. 🙂

[@megagalvatron281]

@@profrob9017 dont like it. Go screw youself

[@jcdova29]

Is this a championship or a murder mystery film. The music and narration is so gloomy.

[@youtuber3328]

the jazz have zero championships and the sonics won it all in 1979 and michael jordan wasn't quite as legendary as kareem abdul-jabbar oscar robertson wilt chamberlain and bill russell