1987 NBA Finals
Encyclopedia
The 1987 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1986-87 NBA season
. The match took place between the Los Angeles Lakers
and the Boston Celtics
. The Lakers won 4–2, beating the Celtics in the Finals. The key moment of the series was Magic Johnson
's junior sky hook
in Game 4. This was the tenth time that the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA Finals (far more than any other Finals matchup) and would also mark the Celtics' last appearance overall until the two teams met again in 2008
.
This was the first NBA Championship Series conducted entirely in the month of June. The last time there were no NBA Championship Series games in the month of May was in the 1970-1971 season, when the finals (a four-game sweep that year) ended on April 30. It is also the first NBA Finals series to be conducted on a Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday rotation, which was in use until 1990
and revived since the 2004 NBA Finals
; in between the NBA Finals were conducted on a Sunday-Wednesday-Friday rotation.
, died of a heart attack after consuming cocaine while celebrating his pick-up by the Celtics. Throughout the season, the Celtics battled injuries and fatigue to finish the season with a 59-23 record, topping the Eastern Conference, despite finishing with a sub-par road record. The Celtics lost backup swingman Scott Wedman
to an ankle injury early in the season, while Bill Walton
's frequent foot injuries returned and Kevin McHale
played on a broken foot late in the season. In the playoffs, the Celtics swept the Chicago Bulls
, but had to squeak past the Milwaukee Bucks
and Detroit Pistons
in a pair of seven-game series.
After being eliminated in the Western Conference
Finals a year earlier, the Lakers returned to the NBA Finals and were rewarded with homecourt advantage as they accumulated a 65-17 record while the Celtics finished the season with a 59-23 record. During the season head coach Pat Riley
made an offensive adjustment by assigning Magic Johnson
as the focal point of the offense and acquired Mychal Thompson from the San Antonio Spurs
to lessen Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
's minutes as the season wore on. The Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets
, then beat the Golden State Warriors
in five, before earning another playoff sweep against the Seattle SuperSonics
in the conference finals.
The first two games would be played in Los Angeles
, the next three games in Boston, and the final two games were scheduled to be played in Los Angeles. The Lakers defeated the Celtics four games to two.
Game 4 of this series is widely regarded as one of the most exciting in NBA Finals history as it came down to a flurry of activity and multiple lead changes in the final seconds.
and a tired and hobbled Celtic team coming off a grueling seven-game win over the Detroit Pistons
, the result was anticlimactic. Magic Johnson
led a 126-113 victory with 29 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and no turnovers. James Worthy
, on the receiving end of many of Johnson's passes, had 33 points and nine rebounds. The Lakers ran 35 fast breaks in the first two quarters and led by 21 at intermission.
. Danny Ainge
, who at 6'5" had the height to deal with the 6'9" Magic, was successful for a short time, but that only freed up Michael Cooper to emerge.
With the Lakers leading by seven in the second quarter, Cooper pushed the Lakers through a 20-10 outburst, scoring or assisting on all 20 points. When it was over, he had popped in 6 of 7 three-point attempts, a playoff record.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
added 23 points on 10 of 14 shots, while Magic posted 20 assists and 22 points. In Cooper's big second quarter, he racked up eight assists, tying a Finals record. It all added up to a 141-122 rout, Boston's sixth straight road loss in the playoffs.
, provided the spark. Kite, entering the game late in the first quarter when Robert Parish
encountered foul trouble, played 20 minutes, and while he failed to score, he grabbed nine rebounds, blocked a Magic Johnson
layup, and did solid body work on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
. The defensive minutes Kite gave Boston from the bench were just enough, as Larry Bird
scored 30 points and Dennis Johnson
hit 11 of 22 attempts from the field to finish with 26 points. The resurgent Celtics shot 17 of 21 from the floor in the second quarter.
Kevin McHale
had limped off the floor in Game 2 after further aggravating his ankle injury. The Celtics' forward bounced back in Boston with 21 points and 10 rebounds while letting the air out of James Worthy
's game, limiting the Lakers' forward to only 13 points and three rebounds. Magic led the Lakers with 32 points in the 109-103 loss.
said. "This (Game 3) was the most important game of the series for us. If we lost, it might've been tough to get up for Game 4. Now it's going to be easy."
The Celtics took it right to the Lakers, controlling the boards and taking a 55-47 lead into halftime. The Celtics had a balanced scoring attack with Kevin McHale
, Robert Parish
, Danny Ainge
, and Dennis Johnson
all scoring in double figures. In the 3rd quarter, Bird finally got hot by scoring 12 in the quarter and helping the Celtics lead by as many as 16 points. But Los Angeles fought back to cut the Celtics lead to 85-78 going into the 4th.
In the 4th quarter the Lakers continued fighting back until they managed to tie the game at 95-95 on a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
skyhook with 5:30 remaining. The Celtics responded on both ends of the court by going on an 8-0 run, helped by good defense which led to 2 fast-break lay-ups to take a 103-95 lead with 3½ minutes left. Mychal Thompson and Abdul-Jabbar broke the Lakers' scoring drought by each hitting 1-of-2 from the line to cut the lead to six. Then, on the Celtics' next possession, Robert Parish
lost the ball to Michael Cooper. Cooper passed the ball ahead to Magic Johnson
, who started a break. Cooper spotted up in 3-point territory, while Magic drove, forcing Cooper's defender to help out. Magic then kicked the ball out to a now wide open Cooper who drained the trey to cut the lead to 103-100.
On the Celtics next possession, Larry Bird
forces a pass to Kevin McHale
in the post, which instead sailed out of bounds, giving possession right back to the Lakers. James Worthy
then hit a tough fade-away over Kevin McHale
and Robert Parish
in the lane to cut the deficit to one. On the very next possession, Bird missed a step-back jumper over the outstretched frame of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
, and the Lakers got the ball back with just under 45 seconds remaining. The Lakers called a timeout to set up a pick for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
. But Magic told him to fake it as his defender, Robert Parish
, attempted to fight through the pick, and then roll to the basket. He did. The pass was there for an alley-oop dunk, and the Lakers took a 104-103 lead; their first lead since early in the 1st quarter. The Celtics called timeout with 29 seconds left in the game.
Out of the timeout Bird threw the ball inbounds and was immediately face-guarded by James Worthy
. In fact, Worthy had a fist-full of Bird's jersey to make sure Bird wouldn't score. With Worthy's defense, the Celtics couldn't get their best player the ball and instead went through the motions of their offense until Danny Ainge
got open. That forced Worthy to let go of Bird and help out on Ainge. Bird immediately got himself open by going to the 3-point line right in front of the Lakers' bench. Ainge found Bird wide open and Bird hit the three point bomb with 12 seconds left, to put Boston up 106-104 and sent the Boston Garden crowd into a frenzy.
On the next possession, Abdul-Jabbar was fouled and went to the line, where he made the first and missed the second. McHale and Thompson both went up for the missed shot, and the officials ruled that McHale forced the ball out of bounds. The Celtics protested that the ball was off Thompson, but possession was awarded to the Lakers with seven seconds left.
What followed was another play for the ages. Magic set a pick on Kevin McHale, which almost opened up a lay-up for Worthy, but Dennis Johnson
was able to switch over in time on help defense. However, that left McHale scrambling to guard Magic who just got open and received the inbounds pass near the left sideline. Twenty feet from the basket, Magic had the advantage on the post-defender McHale. Magic dribbled, hesitated to get McHale off-balance, then drove into the key. Magic then lofted a hook shot
, which just cleared the fingertips of both McHale and Parish, and swished through the net giving the Lakers a 107-106 lead with only 2 seconds left. The Celtics still had one last shot, but Bird missed the potential game-winner at the buzzer. The Boston crowd let out a collective groan as the Lakers' bench stormed the court to celebrate the hard-fought victory, which gave the Lakers a commanding 3-1 series lead.
set the tone by nailing 5 of 6 from 3-point range to give Boston early control.
Magic countered for Los Angeles with 29 points, 12 assists, eight rebounds and four steals, but he received little help. Before the game Bird had told his teammates, "If they want to celebrate, let's not let them do it on the parquet." At one point during the contest, the Lakers' staff even iced down several cases of champagne. But the Celtics had incentive enough. They got their second win, 123-108, and the series jetted back across the continent.
This win would turn out to be the Celtics' last win in the NBA Finals until 2008, and would also be the last NBA Finals game ever in the Boston Garden
.
arrived for Game 6 with a shaved head and a determination to close out this series. For a while, though, it appeared like the Celtics would steal it. Magic Johnson
had only four points at the half and Dennis Johnson
poured in 18 for the Celtics on his way to a game-high 33 as Boston led 56-51 at intermission.
The Lakers scored the first two baskets of the second half to cut it to 56-55. On the Celtics' ensuing possession, the ball came loose toward the sideline and James Worthy
gave chase. Worthy went to the floor, batted the ball inbounds to a breaking Magic Johnson
, and Magic slammed home a breakaway dunk. This gave the Lakers their first lead of the game, 57-56, and they never trailed from that point, winning 106-93.
Worthy would finish with 22 points, and Mychal Thompson had 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, but the play of the Lakers' two stalwarts, Magic and Kareem, would be the dagger that finished off the Celtics. Magic recovered from his cold first half to post 16 points, 19 assists, and eight rebounds, and Kareem would pump in a team-high 32 points.
"Magic is a great, great basketball player," Bird stated flatly, settling the issue for the moment. "The best I've ever seen."
Indeed, Magic would gain the NBA Finals MVP award and his fourth championship ring.
"Back in the High Life Again
" by Steve Winwood
was the closing song at the end of this series.
For the Lakers
, This would be their last NBA Finals
series triumph over the Celtics
until 2010
.
, recaps the Lakers' magnificent 1987 season en route to a fourth title of the 1980s.
CBS' James Brown
filled in for Pat O'Brien
when he attended the birth of his son. Brown was on for Games 3 and 4. Both Brown and O'Brien reported on the Lakers' sideline. While Lesley Visser
was on for all the games as sideline reporter for CBS as she reported on the Celtics' sideline.
, but would be the last for the 'Big Three' of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. In K.C. Jones' final season as Celtics' coach they still won the Atlantic Division title by winning 57 games, but the Celtics fell in six games to the Detroit Pistons
, in the rematch of their Eastern Conference Finals showdown in 1988
. The Celtics would not reach that far again for the next 14 years.
Following their championship win, Lakers coach Pat Riley guaranteed a repeat championship during the team's championship parade a few days after winning the NBA Finals. The 1987-88 NBA season
, despite winning three games less than the previous year, was still a success for the Lakers. However their playoff run wouldn't be smoother than expected. Other than a three-game first round sweep of the San Antonio Spurs
, the Lakers were pushed to a Game 7 by the Utah Jazz
, Dallas Mavericks
, and Detroit Pistons before claiming the first repeat championship since the Celtics of 1969
.
1986-87 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:* Most Valuable Player: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers* Rookie of the Year: Chuck Person, Indiana Pacers* Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Lakers...
. The match took place between the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. The Lakers won 4–2, beating the Celtics in the Finals. The key moment of the series was Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
's junior sky hook
Hook shot
A hook shot, in basketball, is a play in which the offensive player, usually turned perpendicular to the basket, gently throws the ball with a sweeping motion of his arm in an upward arc with a follow-through which ends over his head. Unlike the jump shot, it is shot with only one hand; the other...
in Game 4. This was the tenth time that the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA Finals (far more than any other Finals matchup) and would also mark the Celtics' last appearance overall until the two teams met again in 2008
2008 NBA Finals
The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
.
This was the first NBA Championship Series conducted entirely in the month of June. The last time there were no NBA Championship Series games in the month of May was in the 1970-1971 season, when the finals (a four-game sweep that year) ended on April 30. It is also the first NBA Finals series to be conducted on a Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday rotation, which was in use until 1990
1990 NBA Finals
The 1990 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1989-90 NBA season. The series pitted the Detroit Pistons against the Portland Trail Blazers...
and revived since the 2004 NBA Finals
2004 NBA Finals
The 2004 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2003–04 National Basketball Association season. The Finals were between the Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference and the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference; the Lakers held home court advantage...
; in between the NBA Finals were conducted on a Sunday-Wednesday-Friday rotation.
Background
The Celtics' star recruit from the 1986/87 NBA draft, Len BiasLen Bias
Leonard Kevin "Len" Bias was a first team All-American college basketball player at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Boston Celtics as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft on June 17, but died two days later from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose...
, died of a heart attack after consuming cocaine while celebrating his pick-up by the Celtics. Throughout the season, the Celtics battled injuries and fatigue to finish the season with a 59-23 record, topping the Eastern Conference, despite finishing with a sub-par road record. The Celtics lost backup swingman Scott Wedman
Scott Wedman
Scott Dean Wedman is a former NBA basketball player. He was drafted by Kansas City-Omaha Kings in the first round in the 1974 NBA Draft.-Kansas City Kings:...
to an ankle injury early in the season, while Bill Walton
Bill Walton
William Theodore "Bill" Walton III is a retired American basketball player and television sportscaster. The "Big Red-Head", as he was called, achieved superstardom playing for John Wooden's powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the early '70s, winning three straight College Player of the Year Awards, while...
's frequent foot injuries returned and Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
played on a broken foot late in the season. In the playoffs, the Celtics swept the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, but had to squeak past the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
and Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
in a pair of seven-game series.
After being eliminated in the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
Finals a year earlier, the Lakers returned to the NBA Finals and were rewarded with homecourt advantage as they accumulated a 65-17 record while the Celtics finished the season with a 59-23 record. During the season head coach Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
made an offensive adjustment by assigning Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
as the focal point of the offense and acquired Mychal Thompson from the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
to lessen Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
's minutes as the season wore on. The Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
, then beat the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in five, before earning another playoff sweep against the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
in the conference finals.
The first two games would be played in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, the next three games in Boston, and the final two games were scheduled to be played in Los Angeles. The Lakers defeated the Celtics four games to two.
Game 4 of this series is widely regarded as one of the most exciting in NBA Finals history as it came down to a flurry of activity and multiple lead changes in the final seconds.
Series summary
| Game | Date | Home Team | Result | Road Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Tuesday, June 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | 126-113 (1-0) | Boston Celtics |
| Game 2 | Thursday, June 4 | Los Angeles Lakers | 141-122 (2-0) | Boston Celtics |
| Game 3 | Sunday, June 7 | Boston Celtics | 109-103 (1-2) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 4 | Tuesday, June 9 | Boston Celtics | 106-107 (1-3) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 5 | Thursday, June 11 | Boston Celtics | 123-108 (2-3) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 6 | Sunday, June 14 | Los Angeles Lakers | 106-93 (4-2) | Boston Celtics |
Game 1
With the well-rested Lakers coming off a four-game sweep of the Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
and a tired and hobbled Celtic team coming off a grueling seven-game win over the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, the result was anticlimactic. Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
led a 126-113 victory with 29 points, 13 assists, eight rebounds and no turnovers. James Worthy
James Worthy
James Ager Worthy is a retired Hall of Fame American college and professional basketball player. Named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, "Big Game James" was a seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA champion...
, on the receiving end of many of Johnson's passes, had 33 points and nine rebounds. The Lakers ran 35 fast breaks in the first two quarters and led by 21 at intermission.
Game 2
The Celtics plan for Game 2 was to concentrate on stopping Magic JohnsonMagic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
. Danny Ainge
Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge is an American basketball manager and retired professional basketball and baseball player, currently serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics....
, who at 6'5" had the height to deal with the 6'9" Magic, was successful for a short time, but that only freed up Michael Cooper to emerge.
With the Lakers leading by seven in the second quarter, Cooper pushed the Lakers through a 20-10 outburst, scoring or assisting on all 20 points. When it was over, he had popped in 6 of 7 three-point attempts, a playoff record.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
added 23 points on 10 of 14 shots, while Magic posted 20 assists and 22 points. In Cooper's big second quarter, he racked up eight assists, tying a Finals record. It all added up to a 141-122 rout, Boston's sixth straight road loss in the playoffs.
Game 3
The Celtics recovered from their two knockout blows in Games 1 and 2 with a counterpunch of their own. A little-used backup center, Greg KiteGreg Kite
Gregory Fuller Kite is an American retired professional basketball player in the NBA. A 6'11" center from Brigham Young University, he was selected 21st overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1983 NBA Draft. As a Celtic, he won two championship rings in 1984 and 1986 before being waived by the team...
, provided the spark. Kite, entering the game late in the first quarter when Robert Parish
Robert Parish
Robert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
encountered foul trouble, played 20 minutes, and while he failed to score, he grabbed nine rebounds, blocked a Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
layup, and did solid body work on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
. The defensive minutes Kite gave Boston from the bench were just enough, as Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
scored 30 points and Dennis Johnson
Dennis Johnson
Dennis Wayne Johnson nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers...
hit 11 of 22 attempts from the field to finish with 26 points. The resurgent Celtics shot 17 of 21 from the floor in the second quarter.
Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
had limped off the floor in Game 2 after further aggravating his ankle injury. The Celtics' forward bounced back in Boston with 21 points and 10 rebounds while letting the air out of James Worthy
James Worthy
James Ager Worthy is a retired Hall of Fame American college and professional basketball player. Named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, "Big Game James" was a seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA champion...
's game, limiting the Lakers' forward to only 13 points and three rebounds. Magic led the Lakers with 32 points in the 109-103 loss.
Game 4
After their Game 3 win, Larry BirdLarry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
said. "This (Game 3) was the most important game of the series for us. If we lost, it might've been tough to get up for Game 4. Now it's going to be easy."
The Celtics took it right to the Lakers, controlling the boards and taking a 55-47 lead into halftime. The Celtics had a balanced scoring attack with Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
, Robert Parish
Robert Parish
Robert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
, Danny Ainge
Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge is an American basketball manager and retired professional basketball and baseball player, currently serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics....
, and Dennis Johnson
Dennis Johnson
Dennis Wayne Johnson nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers...
all scoring in double figures. In the 3rd quarter, Bird finally got hot by scoring 12 in the quarter and helping the Celtics lead by as many as 16 points. But Los Angeles fought back to cut the Celtics lead to 85-78 going into the 4th.
In the 4th quarter the Lakers continued fighting back until they managed to tie the game at 95-95 on a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
skyhook with 5:30 remaining. The Celtics responded on both ends of the court by going on an 8-0 run, helped by good defense which led to 2 fast-break lay-ups to take a 103-95 lead with 3½ minutes left. Mychal Thompson and Abdul-Jabbar broke the Lakers' scoring drought by each hitting 1-of-2 from the line to cut the lead to six. Then, on the Celtics' next possession, Robert Parish
Robert Parish
Robert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
lost the ball to Michael Cooper. Cooper passed the ball ahead to Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
, who started a break. Cooper spotted up in 3-point territory, while Magic drove, forcing Cooper's defender to help out. Magic then kicked the ball out to a now wide open Cooper who drained the trey to cut the lead to 103-100.
On the Celtics next possession, Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
forces a pass to Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
in the post, which instead sailed out of bounds, giving possession right back to the Lakers. James Worthy
James Worthy
James Ager Worthy is a retired Hall of Fame American college and professional basketball player. Named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, "Big Game James" was a seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA champion...
then hit a tough fade-away over Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
and Robert Parish
Robert Parish
Robert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
in the lane to cut the deficit to one. On the very next possession, Bird missed a step-back jumper over the outstretched frame of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
, and the Lakers got the ball back with just under 45 seconds remaining. The Lakers called a timeout to set up a pick for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
. But Magic told him to fake it as his defender, Robert Parish
Robert Parish
Robert Lee Parish is a retired American basketball center. He was known for his strong defense and jump shooting, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003...
, attempted to fight through the pick, and then roll to the basket. He did. The pass was there for an alley-oop dunk, and the Lakers took a 104-103 lead; their first lead since early in the 1st quarter. The Celtics called timeout with 29 seconds left in the game.
Out of the timeout Bird threw the ball inbounds and was immediately face-guarded by James Worthy
James Worthy
James Ager Worthy is a retired Hall of Fame American college and professional basketball player. Named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, "Big Game James" was a seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA champion...
. In fact, Worthy had a fist-full of Bird's jersey to make sure Bird wouldn't score. With Worthy's defense, the Celtics couldn't get their best player the ball and instead went through the motions of their offense until Danny Ainge
Danny Ainge
Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge is an American basketball manager and retired professional basketball and baseball player, currently serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics....
got open. That forced Worthy to let go of Bird and help out on Ainge. Bird immediately got himself open by going to the 3-point line right in front of the Lakers' bench. Ainge found Bird wide open and Bird hit the three point bomb with 12 seconds left, to put Boston up 106-104 and sent the Boston Garden crowd into a frenzy.
On the next possession, Abdul-Jabbar was fouled and went to the line, where he made the first and missed the second. McHale and Thompson both went up for the missed shot, and the officials ruled that McHale forced the ball out of bounds. The Celtics protested that the ball was off Thompson, but possession was awarded to the Lakers with seven seconds left.
What followed was another play for the ages. Magic set a pick on Kevin McHale, which almost opened up a lay-up for Worthy, but Dennis Johnson
Dennis Johnson
Dennis Wayne Johnson nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers...
was able to switch over in time on help defense. However, that left McHale scrambling to guard Magic who just got open and received the inbounds pass near the left sideline. Twenty feet from the basket, Magic had the advantage on the post-defender McHale. Magic dribbled, hesitated to get McHale off-balance, then drove into the key. Magic then lofted a hook shot
Hook shot
A hook shot, in basketball, is a play in which the offensive player, usually turned perpendicular to the basket, gently throws the ball with a sweeping motion of his arm in an upward arc with a follow-through which ends over his head. Unlike the jump shot, it is shot with only one hand; the other...
, which just cleared the fingertips of both McHale and Parish, and swished through the net giving the Lakers a 107-106 lead with only 2 seconds left. The Celtics still had one last shot, but Bird missed the potential game-winner at the buzzer. The Boston crowd let out a collective groan as the Lakers' bench stormed the court to celebrate the hard-fought victory, which gave the Lakers a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Game 5
The Celtics had to win Game 5 in the Garden, and would control most of the game. Danny AingeDanny Ainge
Daniel Ray "Danny" Ainge is an American basketball manager and retired professional basketball and baseball player, currently serving as President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics....
set the tone by nailing 5 of 6 from 3-point range to give Boston early control.
Magic countered for Los Angeles with 29 points, 12 assists, eight rebounds and four steals, but he received little help. Before the game Bird had told his teammates, "If they want to celebrate, let's not let them do it on the parquet." At one point during the contest, the Lakers' staff even iced down several cases of champagne. But the Celtics had incentive enough. They got their second win, 123-108, and the series jetted back across the continent.
This win would turn out to be the Celtics' last win in the NBA Finals until 2008, and would also be the last NBA Finals game ever in the Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
.
Game 6
Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
arrived for Game 6 with a shaved head and a determination to close out this series. For a while, though, it appeared like the Celtics would steal it. Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
had only four points at the half and Dennis Johnson
Dennis Johnson
Dennis Wayne Johnson nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics and coach of the Los Angeles Clippers...
poured in 18 for the Celtics on his way to a game-high 33 as Boston led 56-51 at intermission.
The Lakers scored the first two baskets of the second half to cut it to 56-55. On the Celtics' ensuing possession, the ball came loose toward the sideline and James Worthy
James Worthy
James Ager Worthy is a retired Hall of Fame American college and professional basketball player. Named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, "Big Game James" was a seven-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA champion...
gave chase. Worthy went to the floor, batted the ball inbounds to a breaking Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
, and Magic slammed home a breakaway dunk. This gave the Lakers their first lead of the game, 57-56, and they never trailed from that point, winning 106-93.
Worthy would finish with 22 points, and Mychal Thompson had 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, but the play of the Lakers' two stalwarts, Magic and Kareem, would be the dagger that finished off the Celtics. Magic recovered from his cold first half to post 16 points, 19 assists, and eight rebounds, and Kareem would pump in a team-high 32 points.
"Magic is a great, great basketball player," Bird stated flatly, settling the issue for the moment. "The best I've ever seen."
Indeed, Magic would gain the NBA Finals MVP award and his fourth championship ring.
"Back in the High Life Again
Back in the High Life
Back in the High Life is the fourth solo album by English rock musician Steve Winwood. It was a top ten hit on the album charts in the United States, hitting #3, and has sold over five million copies...
" by Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
was the closing song at the end of this series.
For the Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, This would be their last NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
series triumph over the Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
until 2010
2010 NBA Finals
The 2010 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association championship series for the 2009–10 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and defending NBA champions, and the Boston Celtics, champions of the Eastern Conference...
.
Team rosters
Television coverage
The Boston Celtics season documentary Home of the Brave, narrated by David Perry, recaps Boston's 1987 injury-plagued season while the Los Angeles Lakers documentary Drive for Five, narrated by legendary Lakers announcer Chick HearnChick Hearn
Francis Dayle "Chick" Hearn was an American sportscaster. Known primarily as the long-time play-by-play announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association, the legendary Hearn is remembered for his rapid fire, staccato broadcasting style, inventing colorful phrases such...
, recaps the Lakers' magnificent 1987 season en route to a fourth title of the 1980s.
CBS' James Brown
James Brown (TV personality)
James Brown , commonly called "J.B.", is an American sports announcer known for being the host of The NFL Today on CBS and Inside the NFL on Showtime. He is the former host of the FOX network's NFL pregame show, Fox NFL Sunday.-Early life:Born on February 25, 1951 in Washington, D.C. to John and...
filled in for Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (television)
Pat O'Brien is currently a radio host with Fox Sports Radio as well as an author. He is best known for his time as a sportscaster with CBS Sports and as anchor/host of Access Hollywood and The Insider .O'Brien covered five Olympic Games, two for CBS...
when he attended the birth of his son. Brown was on for Games 3 and 4. Both Brown and O'Brien reported on the Lakers' sideline. While Lesley Visser
Lesley Visser
Lesley Candace Visser is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and sportswriter. Visser is the first female NFL analyst on TV, and the only sportscaster in history, male or female, who has worked on Final Four, NBA Finals, World Series, Triple Crown, Monday Night Football, the Olympics, the...
was on for all the games as sideline reporter for CBS as she reported on the Celtics' sideline.
Quote from the Finals
Aftermath
The 1987 Finals would be the Celtics' last until 20082008 NBA Finals
The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
, but would be the last for the 'Big Three' of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. In K.C. Jones' final season as Celtics' coach they still won the Atlantic Division title by winning 57 games, but the Celtics fell in six games to the Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, in the rematch of their Eastern Conference Finals showdown in 1988
1988 NBA Playoffs
The 1988 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1987-1988 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons four games to three in the Finals...
. The Celtics would not reach that far again for the next 14 years.
Following their championship win, Lakers coach Pat Riley guaranteed a repeat championship during the team's championship parade a few days after winning the NBA Finals. The 1987-88 NBA season
1987-88 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Mark Jackson, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls...
, despite winning three games less than the previous year, was still a success for the Lakers. However their playoff run wouldn't be smoother than expected. Other than a three-game first round sweep of the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
, the Lakers were pushed to a Game 7 by the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
, and Detroit Pistons before claiming the first repeat championship since the Celtics of 1969
1969 NBA Finals
The 1969 NBA World Championship Series to determine the champion of the 1968-69 NBA season was played between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, the Lakers being heavily favored due to the presence of three formidable stars: Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and Jerry West...
.