1980 NBA Playoffs

The 1980 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1979-1980 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers four games to two in the Finals. The Lakers earned their seventh NBA championship, second since moving from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Magic Johnson of the Lakers became the first (and as of 2007, only) rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award, leading the Lakers to a clinching victory in Game 6 with 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists. With center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar out with a severely sprained ankle, Johnson started at center in his stead, and ultimately played all five positions on the court during the game.

Philadelphia earned their third Eastern Conference championship but were unsuccessful in capturing their second NBA championship.

Bracket

4RoundBracket-Byes | RD1=1st Round

RD1=First Round
RD2=Conference Semifinals
RD3=Conference Finals
RD4=NBA Finals
group1=Western Conference
group2=Eastern Conference

RD1-seed03=4
RD1-team03=Phoenix
RD1-score03=2
RD1-seed04=5
RD1-team04=Kansas City
RD1-score04=1

RD1-seed05=3
RD1-team05=Seattle
RD1-score05=2
RD1-seed06=6
RD1-team06=Portland
RD1-score06=1

RD1-seed11=4
RD1-team11=Houston
RD1-score11=2
RD1-seed12=5
RD1-team12=San Antonio
RD1-score12=1

RD1-seed13=3
RD1-team13=Philadelphia
RD1-score13=2
RD1-seed14=6
RD1-team14=Washington
RD1-score14=0

RD2-seed01=1
RD2-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD2-score01=4
RD2-seed02=4
RD2-team02=Phoenix
RD2-score02=1

RD2-seed03=3
RD2-team03=Seattle
RD2-score03=4
RD2-seed04=2
RD2-team04=Milwaukee
RD2-score04=3

RD2-seed05=1
RD2-team05=Boston
RD2-score05=4
RD2-seed06=4
RD2-team06=Houston
RD2-score06=0

RD2-seed07=3
RD2-team07=Philadelphia
RD2-score07=4
RD2-seed08=2
RD2-team08=Atlanta
RD2-score08=1

RD3-seed01=1
RD3-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD3-score01=4
RD3-seed02=3
RD3-team02=Seattle
RD3-score02=1

RD3-seed03=1
RD3-team03=Boston
RD3-score03=1
RD3-seed04=3
RD3-team04=Philadelphia
RD3-score04=4

RD4-seed01=W1
RD4-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD4-score01=4
RD4-seed02=E3
RD4-team02=Philadelphia
RD4-score02=2

Western Conference

Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

1st Round

(1) Los Angeles Lakers and (2) Milwaukee Bucks have first-round byes.

(3) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers:"Sonics win series 2-1"
*Game 1 @ Seattle: Seattle 120, Portland 110
*Game 2 @ Portland: Portland 105, Seattle 95
*Game 3 @ Seattle: Seattle 103, Portland 86

(4) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) Kansas City Kings:"Suns win series 2-1"
*Game 1 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 96, Kansas City 93
*Game 2 @ Kansas Citie: Kansas City 106, Phoenix 96
*Game 3 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 114, Kansas City 99

Conference Semifinals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Phoenix Suns:"Lakers win series 4-1"
*Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 119, Phoenix 110
*Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 131, Phoenix 128
*Game 3 @ Phoenix: Los Angeles 108, Phoenix 105
*Game 4 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 127, Los Angeles 101
*Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 126, Phoenix 101

The Suns were no match for the Lakers, losing the first three games before winning Game 4. The Lakers cruised at home in Game 5.

(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (3) Seattle SuperSonics:"Sonics win series 4-3"
*Game 1 @ Seattle: Seattle 114, Milwaukee 113
*Game 2 @ Seattle: Milwaukee 114, Seattle 112
*Game 3 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 95, Seattle 91
*Game 4 @ Milwaukee: Seattle 112, Milwaukee 107
*Game 5 @ Seattle: Milwaukee 108, Seattle 97
*Game 6 @ Milwaukee: Seattle 86, Milwaukee 85
*Game 7 @ Seattle: Seattle 98, Milwaukee 94

The Sonics won a thrilling 7-game series overcoming a 3-2 series deficit to beat the Bucks in which 6 of the 7 games were decided by 5 points or less.

Conference Finals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Seattle SuperSonics:"Lakers win series 4-1"
*Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Seattle 108, Los Angeles 107
*Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 108, Seattle 99
*Game 3 @ Seattle: Los Angeles 104, Seattle 100
*Game 4 @ Seattle: Los Angeles 98, Seattle 93
*Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 111, Seattle 105

After the Lakers lost Game 1 in heartbreaking fashion by 1 point they swept the Sonics out of the Playoffs in 4 straight, including a 20-point comeback in game 4.

Eastern Conference

Champion: Philadelphia 76ers

(1) Boston Celtics and (2) Atlanta Hawks have first round byes.

(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Washington Bullets:"76ers win series 2-0"
*Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 111, Washington 96
*Game 2 @ Washington: Philadelphia 112, Washington 104

(4) Houston Rockets vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs:"Rockets win series 2-1"
*Game 1 @ Houston: Houston 95, San Antonio 85
*Game 2 @ San Antonio: San Antonio 106, Houston 101
*Game 3 @ Houston: Houston 141, San Antonio 120

Conference Semifinals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Houston Rockets:"Celtics win series 4-0"
*Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 119, Houston 101
*Game 2 @ Boston: Boston 95, Houston 75
*Game 3 @ Houston: Boston 100, Houston 81
*Game 4 @ Houston: Boston 138, Houston 121

The Celtics recorded an easy sweep over the Rockets in a one sided series winning every game by 18 or 19 points. The teams would meet the following year in the 1981 NBA finals.

(2) Atlanta Hawks vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers:"76ers win series 4-1"
*Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 107, Atlanta 104
*Game 2 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 99, Atlanta 92
*Game 3 @ Atlanta: Atlanta 105, Philadelphia 93
*Game 4 @ Atlanta: Philadelphia 107, Atlanta 83
*Game 5 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 105, Atlanta 100

The Sixers took down the Hawks, destroying them on their home court in Game 4. The home team won every other game.

Conference Finals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers:"76ers win series 4-1"
*Game 1 @ Boston: Philadelphia 96, Boston 93
*Game 2 @ Boston: Boston 96, Philadelphia 90
*Game 3 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 99, Boston 97
*Game 4 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 102, Boston 90
*Game 5 @ Boston: Philadelphia 105, Boston 94

The Inexperienced Celtics lost in a hard fought 5 game series would have to wait another year to get their revenge on the Sixers.

NBA Finals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers:Lakers win series 4-2
*Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 109, Philadelphia 102
*Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Philadelphia 107, Los Angeles 104
*Game 3 @ Philadelphia: Los Angeles 111, Philadelphia 101
*Game 4 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 105, Los Angeles 102
*Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 108, Philadelphia 103
*Game 6 @ Philadelphia: Los Angeles 123, Philadelphia 107

It was a hard fought series, the teams splitting the first 4 games, going 1-1 each on their court. In Game 4 Julius Erving made an incredible Baseline Move, an incredible, behind-the-board reverse layup. The Lakers took Game 5 at home to go up 3-2. Earvin "Magic" Johnson who was in his rookie year scored 42 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists in Game 6 starting in place of an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in one of the most memorable performances in the history of the NBA as the Lakers routed the Sixers in Philadelphia to claim their first NBA title since 1972.

External links

* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1980.html Basketball-Reference.com's 1980 NBA Playoffs page]