Kareem @ 75
And remembering an NBA Finals performance for the ages
Yesterday (April 16), Kareem Abdul Jabbar, perhaps basketball’s most significant and its greatest player ever, turned 75. It is a milestone for an athlete who has transcended the sport he has defined. Along with his post-basketball career full of writing, study, and activity as a public citizen, Abdul-Jabbar is not just a great athlete but a great human being.
In honor of his 75th trip around the sun, I decided to take a look back at just one of Abdul-Jabbar’s most iconic moments. It was 1985, Kareem Abdul Jabbar was 38 years old and his Los Angeles Lakers were seeking redemption against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. Many suggested Abdul-Jabbar was washed up.
The year before, the Lakers had lost to the Celtics 4–3 in a classic finals, but again, talk was the Lakers could not beat the Celtics in the end. In 1985, the Lakers dedicated themselves to breaking the jinx and to beat the Celtics at last. Never had any Laker team broken through and beaten the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics had homecourt advantage for the series, so right away the Lakers were in a tough spot. The two-three-two format was always a juggernaut for the road team.
And when the Celtics blew the Lakers out 148–114 in Game 1 in the infamous Boston Garden…
