The 1980 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1979-80 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, their second since moving from Minneapolis.
Magic Johnson of the Lakers became the first and (as of 2010), 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 7 assists. With center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar out with a severely sprained ankle, Johnson started at center instead, 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.
The Milwaukee Bucks appeared in the playoffs for the last time as a member of the Western Conference; the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs likewise appeared for the last time playing for the Eastern Conference. They would switch conferences (along with the Chicago Bulls) in the 1980-81 season with the addition of the Dallas Mavericks.
Contents |
| First Round | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | NBA Finals | |||||||||||||||
| 1 | L.A. Lakers | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Phoenix | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Phoenix | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Kansas City | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | L.A. Lakers | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Seattle | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Seattle | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Portland | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Seattle | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Milwaukee | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| W1 | L.A. Lakers | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Philadelphia | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Boston | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Houston | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Houston | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | San Antonio | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Boston | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Philadelphia | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Philadelphia | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Washington | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Philadelphia | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Atlanta | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
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
(4) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) Kansas City Kings: Suns win series 2-1
Conference Semifinals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Phoenix Suns: Lakers win series 4-1
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
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
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.
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
(4) Houston Rockets vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs: Rockets win series 2-1
Conference Semifinals
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Houston Rockets: Celtics win series 4-0
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
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
The inexperienced Celtics lost in a hard fought 5 game series, and would have to wait another year to get their revenge on the Sixers.
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers: Lakers win series 4-2
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-backboard reverse layup. The Lakers took Game 5 at home to go up 3-2. Magic Johnson, in his rookie year, scored 42 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists in Game 6 starting in place of an injured Kareem 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.
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