When it comes to Magic Johnson, the first thing many fans think of is the leader who leads the "show time" Lakers. As the starting point guard of the Purple and Gold Army that year, Magic Johnson's imaginative passing and excellent vision have allowed him to remain firmly seated as the number one point guard in history. However, do readers know that Magic, the god of point guards in NBA history, was forced to play the center position when he played in the finals for the first time? What happened at that time? How did Magic perform after switching to center?
In the 1979 draft, the Lakers selected the 2.06-meter-tall, talented big point guard Earvin Johnson with the No. 1 pick, also known as Magic. Magic showed his ultimate talent in his rookie season. In the 1979-80 season, Magic averaged 18 points and 7.3 assists per game. In addition, relying on his unique height advantage, Magic's rookie season He averaged 7.7 rebounds per game, which is excellent among guards. It also paved the way for him to switch to center.
In the playoffs that year, the Lakers, led by the two superstars Magic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, went smoothly and easily reached the finals. Their opponent was led by Dr. J. Julius- Led by Irving, the Philadelphia 76ers are also full of talent. The two sides were inseparable in the first five games. The Lakers finally relied on the outstanding performance of absolute core Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to temporarily lead the 76ers 3:2. In the first five games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar averaged 33.4 points, 13.6 rebounds and 4.6 blocks per game. He is also a key figure in the Lakers' stalemate with the 76ers.
However, the Lakers, who have been running out of ammunition in G5, have bad news. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played well in the first five games, will miss all the remaining games due to an ankle injury. In addition, after the second game With Haywood, the main power forward who was later suspended, the Lakers' inside line is already in danger, which also casts a thick shadow on the Lakers. In that era when the center occupied an absolute core position, the lack of a superstar player who averaged nearly 34 points per game was undoubtedly worse for the Lakers. Philadelphia fans were overjoyed when they learned the news that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was unable to play before Game 6. Some media even believed that Philadelphia's championship was within reach.
At this time, the Lakers head coach made a bold decision, which was to let the original team's point guard Magic switch to center. As we all know, Magic has a proud height of 2.06 meters. This height allows him to take advantage of any defender. However, when the 76ers center Caldwell Jones, who is 2.11 meters tall, stands in front of Magic, Magic The teacher looked very short. But since the Lakers had no one available inside, Magic, who was called upon at the last minute, could only bite the bullet and play.
When the whole world thought that the Philadelphia 76ers would crush the Lakers inside like the Roman cavalry, Magic said to them, "No". In Game 6, Magic, who played center for the first time, was like a god descending from heaven. He scored 42 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Not only did he not let the Lakers' weak inside line suffer, he even gained an advantage. In addition, Magic, who was a point guard, also sent 7 assists and 3 steals. Especially at the last moment, he scored 9 points in a row from inside and outside, which directly killed the suspense of the game. The Lakers also won the game incredibly. .
In the end, the Lakers relied on Magic's outstanding performance to win the 1980 championship trophy. As a rookie, Magic also defeated his teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who had previously performed well because of this game. Winning the FMVP trophy, he is also the youngest FMVP in NBA history. Magic's critical appearance as a center in the Finals has become a legend in the history of basketball.