1985
Los Angeles Lakers
Series Flow
4
Wins
2
Losses
Regular Season
62–20
Win–Loss
Playoff Record
15–4
Win–Loss
Finals
4–2
vs Boston Celtics
Finals MVP
Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem
Los Angeles Lakers
62–20Boston Celtics
63–19The defending champions. The deepest team in the NBA. Bird, McHale, Parish, Dennis Johnson, Danny Ainge — the Celtics had beaten the Lakers the year before and expected to repeat. They were two points from forcing a Game 7 before the Lakers closed it out in the Garden.
Finals MVP
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
#33 · Center
30.6
PPG
9.2
RPG
2.2
BPG
At 38, his finest Finals series. Overcame the 1984 loss to Boston to author a personal redemption story.
Finals MVP at age 38 — the oldest player to win the award in NBA history
Averaged 30.6 PPG against the same Boston team that had beaten the Lakers the year before
How the Series Unfolded
G1 · L
0–1
G2 · W
1–1
G3 · W
2–1
G4 · L
2–2
G5 · W
3–2
G6 · W
4–2
114
LAL
148
BOS
The "Memorial Day Massacre" — Boston destroyed the Lakers 148-114 on national television. McHale, Bird, and Parish dominated every facet. The Lakers were humiliated.
BOS
Larry Bird
30 pts · 12 reb · 8 astThe Garden on Memorial Day. Bird was terrifying.
Kevin McHale
26 pts · 11 rebMcHale in the Garden is the closest thing to an unstoppable force.
109
LAL
102
BOS
Kareem's response to the Memorial Day Massacre: 30 points, 17 rebounds. Magic dished 15 assists. The Lakers answered.
Los Angeles Lakers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
30 pts · 17 rebThe skyhook was back. The real Lakers had shown up.
Magic Johnson
21 pts · 15 astThe ideal point guard performance — made Kareem unstoppable.
136
LAL
111
BOS
Showtime at home. The Forum exploded as Worthy (29 pts) and Kareem (26 pts) dismantled Boston on the fast break.
Los Angeles Lakers
James Worthy
29 pts · 9 rebPerfect athlete against Boston's slower, older team.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
26 pts · 14 rebThe skyhook in the Forum is as natural as breathing.
105
LAL
107
BOS
Boston survived a tight one at the Forum. Dennis Johnson hit a go-ahead bucket late; Bird's defensive intensity made the difference.
Los Angeles Lakers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
30 pts · 9 rebGave the Lakers a chance — LA just couldn't get stops.
BOS
Larry Bird
28 pts · 11 rebControlled the tempo on the road — the mark of a great champion.
120
LAL
111
BOS
Kareem's 36 points and Magic's 26/17 gave the Lakers a 3-2 series lead heading back to Boston.
Los Angeles Lakers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
36 pts · 7 rebThe most dominant game of the series — a masterclass at 38.
Magic Johnson
26 pts · 17 ast17 assists — Magic elevating everyone around him.
111
LAL
100
BOS
The Lakers won at the Boston Garden — something they had failed to do in the 1984 Finals. Kareem's 29-point championship performance completed one of sport's great personal redemptions.
Los Angeles Lakers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
29 pts · 11 reb · 5 blkWon the championship at the scene of the 1984 humiliation. 38 years old. Immortal.
Magic Johnson
18 pts · 19 ast19 assists in a championship-clinching game at the Boston Garden. Magic.
They Pushed Us to the Limit
The defending champions. The deepest team in the NBA. Bird, McHale, Parish, Dennis Johnson, Danny Ainge — the Celtics had beaten the Lakers the year before and expected to repeat. They were two points from forcing a Game 7 before the Lakers closed it out in the Garden.
23.0
PPG
11.0
RPG
6.0
APG
Played brilliantly but couldn't match Kareem's unexpected surge at age 38.
History Written in 1985
Los Angeles Lakers
9th NBA Championship — revenge for the 1984 Finals loss to Boston
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Finals MVP at 38 years old — the oldest Finals MVP in NBA history
Los Angeles Lakers
First Lakers team to win a Finals game at Boston Garden since 1969
Magic Johnson
Averaged 14 assists per game — the highest assists average in Finals history
Beyond the Box Score
The 1984 Finals was the nadir — the Lakers blew a 2-1 series lead and lost to Boston in seven games, with Magic struggling down the stretch and Kareem being outplayed by Bird. Pat Riley vowed revenge. The 1985 Finals was it.
The Memorial Day Massacre — Game 1, 148-114 — looked like an omen. Instead it was a provocation. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 38 years old, responded with one of the most dominant individual championship performances in history. The skyhook is eternal.
The Full Story
The 1984 Finals had stung. The Lakers blew a 2-1 series lead and lost to the Celtics at home, in Game 7. Pat Riley never forgot. Kareem never forgot. Magic never forgot.
One year later, the Lakers came back. The Memorial Day Massacre in Game 1 looked like history repeating. Then Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — 38 years old — put on one of the greatest Finals performances in NBA history. 30.6 points per game. Magic dishing 14 assists. Redemption series by series.
When the Lakers clinched Game 6 in Boston Garden — the first time they had won in that building in a Finals since 1969 — it was complete. The skyhook had silenced the parquet.