Life
Subtopic 1
One factor that greatly affected the NBA in the 1980s was the players. In 1979 Magic Johnson and the Michigan State Spartans faced off against Larry Bird and Indiana State. This was the beginning of a huge rivalry in the 1980s. Towards the end of the 1970s and in the beginning of the 1980s the Philadelphia 76ers were a very good team in the NBA. With the help of Moses Malone and Julius Erving the 76ers made it to the NBA Finals in 1977, 1980, 1982 but lost. Finally they won the NBA Championship in 1983 and Moses Malone was Finals MVP. In the 1984 NBA Draft there were a number of players that were drafted that were later to become stars. Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon was selected as first pick. He would later play with the Houston Rockets and win two championships with them (1994, 1995). Michael Jordan was selected as third pick. He later became arguably the best player in NBA history. He led the Chicago Bulls to six championships in the 1990’s, (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998), and together with the Chicago Bulls they had a 72-10 season in the 1995-1996 season. Charles Barkley was selected as 4th pick. He was a great overall player in the 1980s and the 1990s. At 16th pick John Stockton was selected. He is to this day the all-time leader in assists and steals. Although the players that were drafted in the 1984 NBA made a big spark in NBA history the rivalry between the Lakers and the Celtics made and even bigger spark on NBA history. The 1979 NCAA finals marked the start of a big rivalry in the 1980s. The Lakers had Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, while the Celtics had Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale. The Celtics beat the Lakers in 1984 and the Lakers beat the Celtics in 1985, 1987. Although the Lakers were a good team in the mid 80s the Detroit Pistons were a very good at the end of the 1980s. With the help of Isaiah Thomas and Joe Dumars the Pistons won the NBA championship in 1989 and 1990.
One factor that greatly affected the NBA in the 1980s was the players. In 1979 Magic Johnson and the Michigan State Spartans faced off against Larry Bird and Indiana State. This was the beginning of a huge rivalry in the 1980s. Towards the end of the 1970s and in the beginning of the 1980s the Philadelphia 76ers were a very good team in the NBA. With the help of Moses Malone and Julius Erving the 76ers made it to the NBA Finals in 1977, 1980, 1982 but lost. Finally they won the NBA Championship in 1983 and Moses Malone was Finals MVP. In the 1984 NBA Draft there were a number of players that were drafted that were later to become stars. Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon was selected as first pick. He would later play with the Houston Rockets and win two championships with them (1994, 1995). Michael Jordan was selected as third pick. He later became arguably the best player in NBA history. He led the Chicago Bulls to six championships in the 1990’s, (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998), and together with the Chicago Bulls they had a 72-10 season in the 1995-1996 season. Charles Barkley was selected as 4th pick. He was a great overall player in the 1980s and the 1990s. At 16th pick John Stockton was selected. He is to this day the all-time leader in assists and steals. Although the players that were drafted in the 1984 NBA made a big spark in NBA history the rivalry between the Lakers and the Celtics made and even bigger spark on NBA history. The 1979 NCAA finals marked the start of a big rivalry in the 1980s. The Lakers had Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, while the Celtics had Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale. The Celtics beat the Lakers in 1984 and the Lakers beat the Celtics in 1985, 1987. Although the Lakers were a good team in the mid 80s the Detroit Pistons were a very good at the end of the 1980s. With the help of Isaiah Thomas and Joe Dumars the Pistons won the NBA championship in 1989 and 1990.