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Examining the Lakers’ rich history of dominant duos: Magic and Worthy

By Jairier Rivera

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 27: (L-R) Assistant coach Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (L) of the Los Angeles Lakers is congratulated by former Laker champions James Worthy and Magic Johnson after receiving his 2009 NBA Championship ring before the season opening game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on October 27, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 27: (L-R) Assistant coach Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (L) of the Los Angeles Lakers is congratulated by former Laker champions James Worthy and Magic Johnson after receiving his 2009 NBA Championship ring before the season opening game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on October 27, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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This week we’ll continue with our look at the Los Angeles Lakers’ rich history of dynamic duos. Magic Johnson and James Worthy are up next.

Last week I began a series that explores the Los Angeles Lakers‘ historically great duos. Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar were our first studied duo and as a testament to his greatness, Magic also makes up one half of another great Laker duo. The other half? James Worthy.

Big Game James came into the league during the 1982-83 season as the 1st overall pick. His impact was felt immediately coming in off the bench for the team and providing a scoring spark by averaging 13.4ppg while shooting 58% from the field.

Worthy stepped up as Kareem started to fade away due to his age. Making for a smooth transition as Magic’s running mate. Worthy became a regular starter by the 1984-85 season, which coincidentally I chose as the best Magic and Kareem season.

Big Game James was an integral cog in the purple and gold’s title-winning machine during that season. However, that was only the beginning for #42.

Heading into the 1986-87 season, the Lakers were coming off a disappointing end to their championship defense after losing in 5 to the Houston Rockets in the Conference Finals. Kareem had just turned 39 and his inevitable decline was incoming.

Father Time was and still is undefeated. For the first time in his career, Kareem averaged less than 20ppg during the regular season. His field goal attempts per game went down from 16.9 the previous season to 12.7. Worthy’s field goal attempts actually stayed almost unchanged from the 1985-86 season to 86-87.

But the key reason that the 1986-87 Lakers were crowned champions and are considered one of the greatest teams ever has a name: Magic Johnson.

The gist of these articles is to examine duos and sure James Worthy was a darn good player, but Magic Johnson is one of the 5 greatest players ever for a reason. The 1986-87 season that Magic had was one of the greatest individual seasons anyone’s ever had. When I first looked at his averages for that season, I scoffed at it.

The man was a cheat code. Here are the stats in case you were wondering:

23.9ppg, 6.3rpg, 12.2apg while shooting 52.2/20.5/84.8

Magic earned his first NBA regular season MVP award for his legendary efforts during the season. The Lakers went 65-17 during the regular season which was the best record in the league. We have discussed Magic’s exploits during the season. How about we discuss James Worthy’s?

Here is Worthy’s stat line:

19.4ppg, 5.7rpg, 2.8apg while shooting 53.9/0/75.1

Both players were named to that season’s all-star game (Kareem too btw) and Magic earned a spot on the All-NBA First Team. This Lakers team has the 3rd highest offensive rating in NBA History. An offense piloted by Magic Johnson will do that for you.

Let’s move on to the playoffs. Magic was his usual great self, but James Worthy took a big step forward. Worthy led the team in scoring throughout the playoffs and his efg jumped from 54% to 59%. Playoffs represent a smaller sample size, but the intensity of play is much higher therefore upping the degree of difficulty. Let’s look at both players’ stat lines for the playoffs.

  • Magic: 21.8ppg, 7.7rpg, 12.2apg while shooting 54/20/83
  • Worthy: 23.6ppg, 5.6rpg, 3.5apg while shooting 59/0/75.3

The Lakers romped through the Western Conference playoffs sweeping the Alex English led Denver Nuggets in the first round, defeating the Sleepy Floyd led Golden State Warriors in the West semis and barreling through Xavier McDaniel and the Seattle Supersonics (on a side note: BRING THE SONICS BACK) in the Conference Finals.

Waiting for them in the NBA Finals was a familiar and disliked foe: the Boston Celtics. The Celtics were defending NBA champions and were seeking revenge for their defeat in the 1985 NBA Finals.

The first two games were blowouts in favor of the Lakers. Boston turned it up at home and took care of Game 3 setting up the stage for Game 4. In that 4th game, one of the most memorable plays in NBA History happened. Taking a page out of Kareem’s handbook, Magic made a game-winning skyhook with 2 seconds remaining in the game. The Lakers prevailed and ended up winning in 6. Los Angeles had now beaten Boston in their last two Finals series when they had never beat them previously. LA and Boston would not face each other in a Finals series until 2008.

Magic took home the Finals MVP completing a season for the ages. The Lakers won their 10th championship and later made good on Pat Riley’s promise of a repeat by winning it in 1988 as well (James Worthy won Finals MVP for his efforts in those finals).

Next. Pass or pursue on 10 marquee free agents. dark

LA later embarked on an 11-year title drought culminating with next week’s duo The Big Diesel and the Black Mamba.

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