Hardwood Classics

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1960-throwback-meets-the-2020-remix

1960 Throwback meets the 2020 Remix

Joey Ramirez

The Lakers are honoring their 1986-87 championship team’s 30th anniversary by wearing Hardwood Classics throwbacks for select games. The following is a part of a series chronicling that team’s title run.

After a decade of battles, the Showtime era concluded its chapter of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry with one last duel in the 1987 NBA Finals.

Magic Johnson — named NBA MVP after averaging a career-high 23.9 points and a league-best 12.2 assists — led a Los Angeles team that had won the second-most regular-season games in franchise history (65) and was now standing before its 10th title.

On the other side, Hall of Famer Larry Bird directed the defending-champion Celtics, who had defeated the Lakers in eight of their previous nine Finals meetings.

The series began with a statement at the Forum, as the Lakers bolted out to a 21-point halftime lead. Johnson played about flawlessly — with 29 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists and zero turnovers — while James Worthy racked up 33 points. The duo was more than enough to overcome a 33-point night from No. 33, Bird, as the Lakers cruised to a 126-113 win.

Boston changed course in Game 2 by focusing on shutting down Magic to force someone else to try to take over. L.A.’s shooting guards accepted the challenge, as Michael Cooper drained a then-playoff record 6-of-7 3-pointers, while Byron Scott led his team with 24 points. And for all the effort on preventing a big game from Magic, he still ended up with 22 points and 20 assists in his team’s 141-122 rout.

But the Celtics weren’t about to surrender as the series shifted to Massachusetts. Game 3 saw a classic duel between Johnson (32 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists) and Bird (30 points, 12 rebounds), as Boston barked back to capture a 109-103 win.

Then came the defining game of the Showtime era.

Looking to even up the series, the Celtics led by as many as 16 points in Game 4 before the Lakers rallied to tie the game at 95 with 5:30 left.

Boston then rolled off eight unanswered points, though L.A. held strong and eventually took the lead in the final minute on an alley-oop from Magic to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

But Bird stayed cool and splashed a 3-pointer for a 106-104 edge with 12 seconds left. Abdul-Jabbar was fouled on the next possession but went 1-of-2 from the line. Mychal Thompson fought with Kevin McHale for the rebound and caused the Celtic to nudge it out of bounds, giving the Lakers the ball and Johnson his stage.

With the clock running out, Magic drove through the lane and lifted one of the most famous shots in NBA history. His junior skyhook soared over the arms of McHale and Robert Parish before finding the bottom of the net and handing the Lakers a 107-106 victory.

After such a dramatic win, the Lakers couldn’t find the same groove in Game 5, as Boston refused to lose the series at home. In spite of 29 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists from Johnson, the Celtics won 123-108.

With the Finals back in Los Angeles, it appeared that Boston was on its way to forcing Game 7, as it took a five-point halftime lead.

Yet Abdul-Jabbar — who had shown up to the game with his head shaven, ready for business — wouldn’t be denied his fifth ring.

The 40-year-old had allowed head coach Pat Riley to make Johnson the focal point of the Lakers’ offense that season, but Game 6 was all about him. Kareem poured in 32 points as the Lakers’ comeback was sparked by the biggest play of Worthy’s career.

Early in the second half, Worthy tracked down a loose ball and went into a full, outstretched dive to save it from going out of bounds. The famous hustle play resulted in a dunk from Magic and a 57-56 lead that the Lakers would never surrender.

After the game, Johnson — who led his team in scoring (26.2 ppg), rebounds (8.0), assists (13.0) and steals (2.3) — was named NBA Finals MVP.

Having vanquished the Celtics, the Lakers celebrated with their customary championship parade, which saw Riley guarantee that the team would repeat next season. Indeed, the promise was fulfilled a year later, as Johnson, Worthy and co. beat the Detroit Pistons for the final title of the Showtime era.

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Hardwood Classics: 1987 NBA Finals

For a juggernaut Lakers team that finished the season 68-17, the Denver Nuggets amounted to little more than a speed bump on their way to the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

The Lakers had swept all five regular-season games against Denver and were about to add three more to that total.

The Nuggets had limped into the eighth seed with a 37-45 record, and Most Valuable Player Magic Johnson set the tone in Game 1 by hitting an 88-foot buzzer-beater to cap off a first half that saw the Lakers pile up 82 points.

James Worthy racked up 28 points on 12-of-14 shooting that night to lead the Lakers to a 128-95 win in their playoff opener.

Game 2 was the closest contest in terms of score, but the result was never in question considering Los Angeles ended the first quarter with a 40-23 lead.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the way with 28 points and four blocks, while Johnson (21 points, 15 assists) and A.C. Green (16 points, 13 rebounds) threw in double-doubles during L.A.’s 139-127 win.

Facing a sweep, the Nuggets came out strong on their home floor in Game 3, taking a 26-25 lead in the first quarter. However, the Lakers stopped fooling around from there, outscoring them by 38 the rest of the way for a 140-103 victory.

Byron Scott (25 points) and Worthy (22 points) filled the bucket, while Johnson (16 points, 14 assists) and Green (18 points, 10 rebounds) once again doubled up to knock out the Nuggets.

Worthy was a wrecking ball throughout the series, averaging a team-best 23.0 points on 72.2 percent shooting. Meanwhile, Scott put up 19.3 points and Johnson provided 17.7 points and 14.3 assists.

On the other end, the Lakers corralled future Hall of Famer Alex English — who was the NBA’s third-leading scorer that year (28.6 ppg) — by holding him 10 points below his season average.

L.A. would go on to face the Golden State Warriors, who also didn’t provide much of an obstacle in their championship run.

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Hardwood Classics: 1987 Opening Round

The Lakers are honoring their 1986-87 championship team by wearing Hardwood Classics jerseys for select games this season. Showtime Laker Mychal Thompson joins host Joey Ramirez on The Popcorn Machine to discuss what it was like on such a dominant team and how it felt to beat the dreaded Boston Celtics for the title.

You can also subscribe to the Popcorn Machine via iTunes.

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Popcorn Machine: Honoring the 1986-87 Title Team With Mychal Thompson

After sweeping Denver in the opening round of the 1987 playoffs, the Lakers made sure to avoid being upset by a Golden State team that went just 42-40 during the regular season.

Los Angeles (65-17) very nearly fell down that path in Game 1, trailing by seven at halftime. However, league MVP Magic Johnson and All-Star starter James Worthy had other plans.

The Lakers exploded for a 49-23 third quarter, pushing ahead for 125-116 win, as Worthy led the scoring with 28 points, while Johnson collected a monster triple-double with 25 points, 16 rebounds and 14 assists.

Game 2 was a scoring bonanza for the purple and gold, which had six players reach double figures in a 116-101 win. Thirty-nine-year-old Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the way with 25 points and four blocks, while Johnson (23 points) and Worthy (20) were excellent, per usual.

Plus, Defensive Player of the Year Michael Cooper shined on the other side of the ball, tallying 12 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists off the bench.

Game 3 was simply a beatdown, as the Lakers cruised to a 133-108 victory behind Worthy’s 28 points and another triple-double by Johnson (20 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists). Former No. 1 pick and mid-season acquisition Mychal Thompson got in on the action, racking up 23 points and 12 rebounds.

Game 4 appeared to be more of the same, as the Lakers took a 14-point lead heading into the final quarter. However, Golden State’s Sleepy Floyd wasn’t going to allow his team to be swept.

An All-Star for that year only, Floyd set NBA postseason records by scoring 29 points in the fourth quarter and 39 in the second half to finish with 51 on 18-of-26 shooting from the field and 13-of-14 on free throws.

Though Byron Scott (28 points) and Abdul-Jabbar (27) had the Lakers lined up for a win, Floyd added 10 assists and four steals, while receiving help from fellow one-time All-Star Joe Barry Carroll (23) and Larry Smith (16 rebounds), as the Warriors survived with a 129-121 victory in Oakland.

However, their season would end soon after. The Lakers once again built a big lead in Game 5, going up by 22 in three quarters, but this time buried Golden State, 118-106. Worthy led the way with 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting, while A.C. Green (20 points) and Johnson (19 points, 13 assists) did the rest.

Worthy was an animal throughout the series, averaging 22.0 points on a  62.0 percent clip (44-of-71). Johnson — whose 12.2 assists per game led the league just ahead of Floyd (10.3) — won the battle between top point guards by putting up 20.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 10.8 assists.

However, Floyd wasn’t a slouch, providing his team 22.6 points and 10.4 assists. In fact, with the likes of Carroll (20.0 points), Smith (13.8 points, 15.6 rebounds) and future five-time All-Star Chris Mullin all competing under first-year head coach George Karl, the Warriors were certainly a team capable of pushing the Lakers closer to elimination.

Nonetheless, Coach of the Year Pat Riley and co. ensured that one game was all Golden State would take, as the Lakers moved to 5-1 all-time against the Warriors in the playoffs.

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Hardwood Classics: 1987 Western Conference Semifinals

Thirty years after one of the greatest teams of all-time took the floor in Los Angeles, the Lakers will honor their 1986-87 championship squad by wearing special Hardwood Classics uniforms for three games this season.

Modeled after the jerseys worn by the Lakers during the Showtime era, the current Lakers will suit up in tribute to the team that went 65-17 — the second-best regular season record in franchise history.

The Lakers will wear these uniforms against three of the teams that stood in the way of the organization’s playoff run to a 10th championship.

The Lakers will debut the threads on Nov. 4 against the Golden State Warriors, whom Coach of the Year Pat Riley led L.A. past in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Two months later, the jerseys will be worn again on Jan. 17 against Denver, which the Lakers swept in the opening round thanks in part to All-Stars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy, as well as Defensive Player of the Year Michael Cooper.

Finally on March 3, the Lakers will suit up in their Hardwood Classics for their bitter rivals — the Boston Celtics — 30 years after regular-season and NBA Finals MVP Magic Johnson hit his legendary junior skyhook and fueled Los Angeles’ triumph.

The Lakers will wear these uniforms at home against each team from that postseason run, with the exception of the Seattle SuperSonics. L.A. will try to have similar success against these clubs in 2016, as the 1986-87 team finished with a 15-3 playoff record — one of the best in league history.