1984 NBA Finals
1984 basketball championship series
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1984 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 1983–84 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs.[1] The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. Celtics forward Larry Bird averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds a game during the series, earning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). The 1984 NBA Finals has been often regarded as one of the greatest finals ever played, and is considered the "peak" of the 1980s Celtics-Lakers rivalry
(Boston Celtics)
Larry Bird (1998)
Dennis Johnson (2010)
Kevin McHale (1999)
Robert Parish (2003)
Lakers:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1995)
Michael Cooper (2024)
Magic Johnson (2002)
Bob McAdoo (2000)
Jamaal Wilkes (2012)
James Worthy (2003)
Coaches:
K.C. Jones (1989, player)
Pat Riley (2008)
Officials:
Darell Garretson (2016)
Hugh Evans (2022)
Earl Strom (1995)
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| Dates | May 27–June 12 | |||||||||
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| MVP | Larry Bird (Boston Celtics) | |||||||||
| Hall of Famers | Celtics: Larry Bird (1998) Dennis Johnson (2010) Kevin McHale (1999) Robert Parish (2003) Lakers: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1995) Michael Cooper (2024) Magic Johnson (2002) Bob McAdoo (2000) Jamaal Wilkes (2012) James Worthy (2003) Coaches: K.C. Jones (1989, player) Pat Riley (2008) Officials: Darell Garretson (2016) Hugh Evans (2022) Earl Strom (1995) | |||||||||
| Eastern finals | Celtics defeated Bucks, 4–1 | |||||||||
| Western finals | Lakers defeated Suns, 4–2 | |||||||||
This series was a rematch of the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics after their rivalry was revived in 1979 with the Magic Johnson–Larry Bird pair entering the league. After alternating wins with the Lakers, the Celtics won Game 7 and the series with a score of 111–102.
This was the last NBA Finals to use the 2–2–1–1–1 format until 2014. The following year, the NBA Finals format was changed to 2–3–2 after Celtics president Red Auerbach complained to NBA Commissioner David Stern about the constant travel during the Finals (at the time, all NBA teams still traveled primarily by commercial aircraft, and players were sometimes forced to cram themselves into coach seats if first or business class seats were not available).[2][3][4][5] Although the 2–2–1–1–1 format remained intact for the remainder of the playoff rounds, the 2–3–2 format would be used up through 2013.
As of 2025, MLB is the only major professional sports league to retain the 2-3-2 format for its playoff series.[6]
Background
The seeds of the 1984 Finals were first sown five years earlier, during the 1979 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. In the final game of the tournament, Larry Bird and his erstwhile unbeaten Indiana State Sycamores lost to Magic Johnson and his Michigan State Spartans by the score of 75–64. After the tournament, both entered the NBA in the 1979–80 season with high expectations. Bird, who was selected 6th in the 1978 NBA draft but committed back to Indiana State for his senior season, was named Rookie of the Year after leading the Celtics to a 32-game turnaround from the previous year, going from 29 to 61 wins. The expected Celtics–Lakers finals, however, never happened. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Celtics in the conference finals before losing to the Lakers in the 1980 NBA Finals, with Johnson earning Finals MVP honors for his Game 6 performance. Since then Bird won a championship in 1981, then Magic led the Lakers to the finals in 1982 and 1983, winning in the former.
Boston Celtics
In the 1983–84 season, the Celtics won 62 games to lead the league. The Celtics were led by Bird, who won his first MVP award, and was complemented by 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell, first-time all-star and Sixth Man Award winner Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Gerald Henderson and Danny Ainge. Boston's most crucial addition was Dennis Johnson, whom they acquired from the Phoenix Suns in the offseason in hopes of addressing their porous back-court defense.
In the playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Washington Bullets in four, the New York Knicks in seven, and the Milwaukee Bucks in five.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers were coming off a four-game sweep by the Philadelphia 76ers in the previous year's finals. Before the season began, the Lakers traded long-time guard Norm Nixon to the San Diego Clippers in exchange for the draft rights to Byron Scott. The trade signaled a transition period, as some of the key players from the first two championships gave way to younger talent. Despite the changes, it did not stop the Lakers from finishing with the best record (54–28) in the Western Conference, powered by their one-two punch of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.
During the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Kansas City Kings in three, the Dallas Mavericks in five, and the Phoenix Suns in six. However, the Lakers suffered a key injury when their 3rd leading scorer, Jamaal Wilkes (17 PPG) was ruled out of the finals. This cost the Lakers valuable depth, as James Worthy, a key contributor off the bench, would now have to start in Wilkes' place.
Road to the Finals
| Los Angeles Lakers (Western Conference champion) | Boston Celtics (Eastern Conference champion) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regular season |
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| Defeated the (8) Kansas City Kings, 3–0 | First round | Defeated the (8) Washington Bullets, 3–1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defeated the (4) Dallas Mavericks, 4–1 | Conference semifinals | Defeated the (5) New York Knicks, 4–3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defeated the (6) Phoenix Suns, 4–2 | Conference finals | Defeated the (2) Milwaukee Bucks, 4–1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Regular season series
The Los Angeles Lakers won both games in the regular season series:
Series summary
| Game | Date | Road team | Result | Home team |
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| Game 1 | May 27 | Los Angeles Lakers | 115–109 (1–0) | Boston Celtics |
| Game 2 | May 31 | Los Angeles Lakers | 121–124 (OT) (1–1) | Boston Celtics |
| Game 3 | June 3 | Boston Celtics | 104–137 (1–2) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 4 | June 6 | Boston Celtics | 129–125 (OT) (2–2) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 5 | June 8 | Los Angeles Lakers | 103–121 (2–3) | Boston Celtics |
| Game 6 | June 10 | Boston Celtics | 108–119 (3–3) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 7 | June 12 | Los Angeles Lakers | 102–111 (3–4) | Boston Celtics |
Game 1
May 27 |
| Los Angeles Lakers 115, Boston Celtics 109 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 34–22, 31–30, 27–36, 23–21 | ||
| Pts: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 32 Rebs: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 8 Asts: Magic Johnson 10 |
Pts: Kevin McHale 25 Rebs: Larry Bird 14 Asts: Larry Bird 5 | |
| Los Angeles leads the series, 1–0 | ||
Led by Magic Johnson, the Lakers fast break offense scored 52 points en route to a 115–109 victory at Boston Garden to open the series.[7]
Game 2
May 31 |
| Los Angeles Lakers 121, Boston Celtics 124 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–36, 33–25, 28–29, 26–23, Overtime: 8–11 | ||
| Pts: James Worthy 29 Rebs: Magic Johnson 10 Asts: Magic Johnson 10 |
Pts: Larry Bird 27 Rebs: Larry Bird 13 Asts: Ainge, Henderson 5 each | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts Attendance: 14,890 Referees:
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In Game 2, the Lakers led 113–111 with 18 seconds left when Gerald Henderson stole a James Worthy pass to score a game tying layup. The Lakers then inbounded the ball and Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled the clock out during regulation time. With the Celtics down by one near the end of overtime, Scott Wedman hit a shot from the baseline with 14 seconds remaining to put Boston ahead. The Lakers' chance to win on the ensuing possession was thwarted by a Robert Parish steal, followed by Larry Bird sinking a pair of free throws to secure the 124–121 victory for the Celtics.[7]
Game 3
June 3 |
| Boston Celtics 104, Los Angeles Lakers 137 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–29, 20–28, 33–47, 25–33 | ||
| Pts: Larry Bird 30 Rebs: Robert Parish 12 Asts: Cedric Maxwell 5 |
Pts: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 24 Rebs: Magic Johnson 11 Asts: Magic Johnson 21 | |
| Los Angeles lead the series, 2–1 | ||
In Game 3, the Lakers raced to an easy 137–104 victory as Magic Johnson dished out 21 assists, an NBA Finals record. After the game, Larry Bird said his team played like "sissies" in an attempt to light a fire under his teammates. It was Boston's worst playoff defeat in franchise history to that date.
Game 4
June 6 |
| Boston Celtics 129, Los Angeles Lakers 125 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 32–33, 26–35, 30–22, 25–23, Overtime: 16–12 | ||
| Pts: Larry Bird 29 Rebs: Larry Bird 21 Asts: Dennis Johnson 14 |
Pts: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 32 Rebs: Magic Johnson 11 Asts: Magic Johnson 17 | |
| Series tied, 2–2 | ||
The Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees:
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In Game 4, the Lakers had a five-point game lead with less than a minute to play, but made several execution errors, including Magic Johnson's bad pass to Robert Parish late in the fourth quarter, and missing two crucial free throws in OT as the Celtics tied the game and then came away with a 129–125 victory in overtime. Johnson was called "Tragic Johnson" by Celtics fans due to the two crucial errors he committed in Game 4 (the Parish steal, followed by two botched free throws in OT). The Lakers took an early lead in overtime, but a controversial foul call on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with 16 seconds remaining in regulation, had been his 6th foul, and he was out of the game. The Laker momentum was stalled, and Larry Bird came up with a crucial jumper over Magic Johnson with 16 seconds remaining in overtime, then M.L. Carr stole James Worthy's inbounds pass followed by a dunk to seal the win. The game was also marked by Celtic forward Kevin McHale's clothesline take-down of Laker forward Kurt Rambis on a breakaway layup which triggered the physical aspect of the rivalry. Larry Bird would go after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar later on in the third quarter, and 1981 Finals MVP Cedric Maxwell further antagonized the Lakers by following a missed James Worthy free throw by crossing the lane with his hands around his own neck, symbolizing that Worthy was "choking" under pressure. Also, Bird pushed Michael Cooper to the baseline following the inbound play during the second quarter.
Game 4 of the 1984 Finals marked the last Finals game to go into overtime until Game 2 of the 1990 NBA Finals.
Game 5
June 8 |
| Los Angeles Lakers 103, Boston Celtics 121 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–26, 27–29, 24–33, 26–33 | ||
| Pts: James Worthy 22 Rebs: Kurt Rambis 9 Asts: Magic Johnson 13 |
Pts: Larry Bird 34 Rebs: Larry Bird 17 Asts: Gerald Henderson 9 | |
| Boston leads the series, 3–2 | ||
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts Attendance: 14,890 Referees:
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In Game 5, the Celtics took a 3–2 series lead with a 121–103 victory, as Larry Bird scored 34 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. The game was known as the "Heat Game", as it was played under 97 °F (36 °C) heat, and without any air conditioning, at Boston Garden. The Celtics did not warm up with their sweat pants on because of extreme heat, and an oxygen tank was provided to give air to an aging Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Referee Hugh Evans became dehydrated and fainted at one point in the first half. He worked the first half, but was replaced by John Vanak for the second half.[8] It was also the last time that a team with home court advantage in the NBA finals played Game 5 on its own floor until 2014. The next year, the NBA Finals switched to the 2-3-2 format with Game 5 going to the team without home-court advantage, which continued through 2013.
Game 6
June 10 |
| Boston Celtics 108, Los Angeles Lakers 119 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 33–29, 32–30, 22–24, 21–36 | ||
| Pts: Larry Bird 28 Rebs: Larry Bird 14 Asts: Larry Bird 8 |
Pts: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 30 Rebs: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 10 Asts: Magic Johnson 10 | |
| Series tied, 3–3 | ||
The Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees:
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In Game 6, the Lakers evened the series with a 119–108 victory. In the game the Lakers answered the Celtics' rough tactics when Laker forward James Worthy shoved Cedric Maxwell into a basket support. After the game a Laker fan threw a beer at Celtics guard M.L. Carr as he left the floor, causing him to label the series "all-out-war."
Game 7
June 12 |
| Los Angeles Lakers 102, Boston Celtics 111 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 30–30, 22–28, 26–33, 24–20 | ||
| Pts: James Worthy 21 Rebs: Kurt Rambis 9 Asts: Magic Johnson 15 |
Pts: Cedric Maxwell 24 Rebs: Robert Parish 16 Asts: Cedric Maxwell 8 | |
| Boston wins the series, 4–3 | ||
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts Attendance: 14,890 Referees:
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In Game 7, the heat that was an issue in Game 5 was not as bad (indoor temperatures hovered around 91 °F (33 °C) during the game, due to additional fans being brought in to try to cool the air). The Celtics were led by Cedric Maxwell who had 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as they came away with a 111–102 victory. In the game, the Lakers rallied to cut a 14-point-deficit to three with one minute remaining when Cedric Maxwell knocked the ball away from Magic Johnson. Dennis Johnson responded by sinking two free throws to seal the victory. Larry Bird was named MVP of the series.
The series was the eighth time in NBA history that the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA finals, with Boston winning each time, and the first championship that the Celtics claimed at home since 1966.
Player statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
- Boston Celtics
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
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| Danny Ainge | 7 | 0 | 14.0 | .432 | .250 | .500 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 6.0 |
| Larry Bird | 7 | 7 | 43.6 | .484 | .667 | .842 | 14.0 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 27.4 |
| Quinn Buckner | 7 | 0 | 8.0 | .333 | .000 | .500 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| M. L. Carr | 4 | 0 | 7.0 | .364 | .000 | .833 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 3.3 |
| Carlos Clark | 3 | 0 | 3.7 | .400 | .000 | .000 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.3 |
| Gerald Henderson | 7 | 7 | 25.6 | .468 | .000 | .667 | 2.6 | 4.0 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 12.3 |
| Dennis Johnson | 7 | 7 | 36.4 | .395 | .500 | .865 | 3.0 | 4.7 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 17.6 |
| Greg Kite | 4 | 0 | 3.3 | .250 | .000 | .000 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
| Cedric Maxwell | 7 | 7 | 34.6 | .458 | .000 | .855 | 5.6 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 13.0 |
| Kevin McHale | 7 | 0 | 30.6 | .452 | .000 | .778 | 5.9 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 13.4 |
| Robert Parish | 7 | 7 | 36.6 | .440 | .000 | .588 | 11.4 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 15.4 |
| Scott Wedman | 4 | 0 | 18.3 | .459 | .500 | .000 | 5.3 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.3 |
- Los Angeles Lakers
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 7 | 7 | 38.9 | .481 | .000 | .679 | 8.1 | 4.4 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 26.6 |
| Michael Cooper | 7 | 7 | 37.4 | .468 | .500 | .773 | 3.6 | 5.3 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 13.4 |
| Magic Johnson | 7 | 7 | 42.1 | .560 | .000 | .744 | 7.7 | 13.6 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 18.0 |
| Mitch Kupchak | 3 | 0 | 4.0 | .500 | .000 | .750 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| Bob McAdoo | 6 | 0 | 24.3 | .459 | .000 | .655 | 5.5 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 12.5 |
| Mike McGee | 3 | 0 | 14.0 | .375 | .000 | .714 | 2.7 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 7.7 |
| Swen Nater | 7 | 0 | 8.6 | .421 | .000 | .857 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 4.0 |
| Kurt Rambis | 7 | 7 | 22.3 | .629 | .000 | .545 | 6.4 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 7.1 |
| Byron Scott | 7 | 0 | 15.0 | .474 | .200 | .714 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 6.0 |
| Larry Spriggs | 2 | 0 | 3.5 | .667 | .000 | .000 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| Jamaal Wilkes | 7 | 0 | 14.1 | .448 | .000 | .750 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 4.6 |
| James Worthy | 7 | 7 | 39.1 | .638 | .000 | .656 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 22.1 |
Team rosters
Boston Celtics
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Assistant(s)
Legend
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Los Angeles Lakers
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Head coach
Assistant(s)
Legend
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Television coverage
The 1984 championship series scored high TV ratings. All the playoff action was documented on the 1984 NBA Season documentary Pride and Passion, narrated by Dick Stockton. Stockton, the play-by-play announcer for the series, was joined by Tom Heinsohn, and the duo would call the next four NBA Finals until 1987.
Legacy and Aftermath
Reflecting back on the series, Magic Johnson said ". . . (the Lakers) learned a valuable lesson. Only the strong survive. . . talent just don't get it. That's the first time the (80's) Lakers ever encountered that, someone stronger minded."[9] Johnson himself would receive tremendous criticism for his performance in the Finals by fans and media, after being thoroughly outplayed by rival Larry Bird.[10][11] Following the Finals, he was jokingly named "Tragic Johnson" for his performance in the series.[12][13]
Both teams met again in the Finals the next year, although a bar fight involving Larry Bird outside a Boston bar (Chelsea's) during the 1985 Eastern Conference Finals impacted the Celtics in the series.[14] Bird suffered a temporary finger injury which affected his play; he struggled in the last two games of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Sixers and throughout the 1985 Finals. In the series, the Lakers returned the favor and defeated the Celtics in six games, clinching the title at Boston Garden after years of torment and bad misfortune at the arena. The Celtics would then win their next championship two years later over the Hakeem Olajuwon-led Houston Rockets in six games. The Celtics and Lakers met for the third time in the 1980s in 1987, which the Lakers also won in six games. Johnson, who by then had shaken and outgrown the "Tragic Johnson" nickname, would win his third NBA Finals MVP in the series, highlighted by a "baby sky hook" game winner in Game 4.[15]
In Popular Culture
The 1984 NBA Finals (as well as the 1985 and 1987 Finals) has been covered in-depth in many documentaries, including ESPN’s 30 for 30 Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies, HBO’s Celtics City and Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals.
The 1984 Finals was dramatized in the Season 2 of HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, which was based on the book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s by Jeff Pearlman.[16]