Lakers-76ers once was one of NBA’s best rivalries

As the Lakers prepare to host Philadelphia on Sunday evening, thoughts turn to a time when the team’s games meant something. Of all the rivals of the Showtime Lakers, only the Celtics were bigger. Los Angeles faced the 76ers in the NBA Finals three times in the 80s, winning twice.

Those, of course, were the Lakers of Magic Johnson. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. James Worthy. Norm Nixon and later Byron Scott. Philadelphia was led by the incomparable Dr. J, Julius Erving. Henry Bibby, Moses Malone, Maurice Cheeks, the Jones boys, Bobby and Caldwell, and Doug Collins were on some of those teams.

In 1980, Johnson’s rookie year, the Lakers beat the 76ers in the Finals, four games to two. Abdul-Jabbar had to sit out Game 6 in Philadelphia and Magic started at center, scoring 42 points to lead Los Angeles to the clinching victory.

1980 Finals

Two years later, the teams again met in the Finals. Again, the Lakers emerged with a win in six games. This was especially painful for the 32-year-old Erving, who had now lost in the Finals three times since coming to Philadelphia. Some wondered if he had enough left in the tank to earn a title.

They got their answer the next year. The team acquired Malone in the off-season and marched through the regular season with a 65-17 record. When they met the Lakers again in the Finals, it was a whole different story. Malone manhandled Abdul-Jabbar and the Lakers went down in a four-game sweep.

Things are certainly different today. Philadelphia did make it to the NBA Finals in 2001, losing to the Lakers in five games. But since that season, the 76ers have fallen on hard times. Earlier this year, they traded Allen Iverson to Denver. They are currently 8-21, last in the Atlantic Division, tied for the second-worst record in the league. Los Angeles is second in the Pacific, but may be a question mark for the postseason if they don’t get Lamar Odom back soon.

It’s a far cry from the old days.

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Posted in General on December 29, 2006

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