Beautiful basketball to watch; back when passing actually looked real. Plus, one almost forgets that Jordan did have some real competition in the beginning years of his NBA career--Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, none-the-less.
The thing about this game, the Lakers looked relaxed. Sure Jordan caught them sleeping a few times, but the Lakers never had to go into 5th gear. Best team of all time.
@Random Hajile No doubt it is high pressure for every one - There's a natural flow to the Laker game which is rarely seen. I saw glimpses of it with Shaq & Kobe early and then at times with the Durant Warriors. Yet most teams are always reaching, I didn't see that with this Magic-Kareem Lakers, even if Jordan's savagery made them dig a little.
Mj is just on a different level love watching highlights especially young mj dude is just on another level you really can’t compare no one to him and I’m the biggest lebron fan watching live had to be awesome
this was basketball at its best, MAGIC at his best, KAREM with his unbelievable 36,000th points, and talented exciting, and fearless competitor young JORDAN with lots to bring to the league, you could not ask for more and how often did you see 2 superstars guarding each other, JORDAN against MAGIC all the time, playing with everything they got and ultimately bring the excitement to the deserved crowds.
Wow, this is the first time i've gotten to see a full game of Magics' highlights ... Much respect, i'm absolutely dumbfounded and in awe ... What amazing passing, first of all, the accuracy in those full court passes is something i haven't ever seen since i started following the NBA in 2003, That one pass from the 3 pt to inside the paint ABOVE a bunch of defenders was unbelievable!! And even his shooting, that fastbreak fake+layup, the hook shots and the game winner, mannnn, what a guy!!
His stats in the 80's were mind blowing. Pippen never emerged as superstar until the 90's. I think these MJ performances against stacked superstar teams like the 80's lakers, Celtics and Pistons who are all by the way in the top 5 greatest teams of all time say something about Jordans talent. Especially since his stats were better in the 80's then in the 90's.
Thanks for posting this one, great to see Kareem & Magic going against Jordan! I for got that Kareem did play against Jordan! When Magic developed that jumper, it really changed his game & made it difficult for the defense!
Man.. that sky hook is a beast. Wow. Everyone is always looking for another "Jordan" how about a Magic Johnson. A tall point guard, I like his style of play. Also the NBA was nice back then, leaner players, fast and more physical.
The most powerful weapon...the undefendable shot. Cap was the best at it! I can hear Chick Hearn calling it..."Magic to Kareem, swing left, shoot right..12 feet out, good!"
Better fundamental play...i enjoy the athleticism of today's players, but back in this era? The give and go was one of my favorite plays to watch. A great screen and Magic's timing? Just watching him feed Worthy on the fast break or to catch Byron Scott on the wing for his beautiful jump shot without missing stride to keep "B" in his shooting rhythm. Artistry on the hardwood!
lol Jordan makes the tough shot at 7:20 instead of giving Paxson open jumper and on the 8:35 possession Paxson responds by refusing not once but twice to even look for Jordan, instead the Bulls get...Corzine from 20. Classic.
MJ was the most coddled and protected superstar in NBA history after his first retirement. People couldn't play any defense on him or the refs would blow the whistle. Remember, handchecking was removed in 1994 and the 3 second rule was implemented in the paint which greatly benefited MJ who was slowing down and unable to dominate like he used to. But 75% of bball fans in the 90's love MJ so much that they ignore the fact that he got so much preferential treatment and every important call.
I think this is Jordan’s 3rd year in the NBA, playing against what I consider the greatest team of all time, the ‘87 Lakers!!! Jordan was unstoppable back then, even though he hadn’t reached his prime!!! ‘72 Lakers vs ‘83 Sixers vs ‘86 Celtics vs ‘87 Lakers vs ‘89 Pistons vs ‘95 Bulls vs ‘17 Warriors?!!! Who do you take among these great teams? ☮️🖖🏽
What an era that was, to be in attendance that night would have been a basketball junkies wet dream. Magic, Kareem and a hungry young guy called Jordan all on the court at the same time. And what a game it was, the fans certainly got their money's worth that night. Topped off with history in the making with Kareem scoring his 36,000th point..!
Underrated my ass... Jordan is a 9X first team All-NBA defense. 3X steals champion Only player in NBA history to record over 200 steals and 100 blocks in the same season 3X'S And the only guard/Wing in NBA history to finish in the top 5 for DPOY voting a record 7x's. Why you think he's largely recognized as the Greatest player of All-time... Because his defense was just as lethal as his offense.
People need to understand that Jordan had to compete with Magic and Larry Bird in the 1980's; BOTH of whom were pure basketball geniuses. Absolute geniuses! That's what helped to make Jordan so great. Who is Lebron competing against now?
Magic and Kareem - their skyhook is just so flawless and beautiful. How they perfected that shot is the result of countless hours of practice. It is near impossible to block those kind of shots - if I had to defend against them, I'd just foul them like crazy to throw them off their game.
@jordanpopov1 The year before Magic came to the Lakers they went out in the 2nd round of the playoffs with Kareem and Wilkes. KAJ was 33 in Magic's rookie season and seriously considering retirement. He was smart enough to know that Magic kid could make his life easy in the 80s so he stuck around.
Just watching this game makes you realize how much better the NBA was in the mid late 80's. Notice the ball movement. It wasn't just one guy dribbling while 4 other guys just stood there watching. Even this Bulls teams which didn't exactly have great players other then Jordan had fundamentals and skill which can make up for a lack of talent sometimes.
+Chris Kavanagh So many rule changes since then, too. The brawling got out of control in the late 90's early 00's. Now it's like the slightest contact is an automatic foul. It slows the game down considerably. Makes it harder to get into a flow, a tempo. The Showtime Lakers of the 80's would practically be stuck in neutral with today's rules. Aside from that I would agree the fundamentals are not really a part of today's game. Back then they had basketball players. Today you have athletes. Not the same thing.
You gotta love the Lakers of the 80's...8 finals appearances, 5 titles... They could beat you so many ways... An unselfish unit that played solid team D. This game was the year before Pippen came in to the league... The Jordan-Bulls couldn't beat the Lakers until Pippen arrived... Pippen D'd up on Magic better than anyone... Jordan and Phil Jackson both said so...
Yeah...thats just too much work for MJ to have to score and then guard Magic...and the the Kareems skyhook. Pippen and Grant arriving the next year was a breath of fresh air for MJ
Another thing this generation will never understand when comparing all-time legends: The NBA was not an ESPN Sportcenter highlight fest until later in the 80's. Before this "highlight reel generation," sports only got a few measly seconds and the coverage was terrible. Only one main thing mattered: WHAT WAS THE FINAL SCORE. Just imagine who much different Dr. J's career would've been with the marketing of today.
INSANITY IN CHICAGO!!! MJ and Magic going at it like true greats! Kareem scores 36,00 points!! This brings back some great memories as I just moved back to Chicago from L.A. that year and was fortunate enough to see both these players "every night" when they were schooling the league! And The Captain and his unstoppable skyhook. Thanks for bringing this game to RUclips and showing some younger folks what these guys could do on any given night.
MJ in half a season at PG did not come close to Magic's best season in APG. I'm convinced that Jordan fans think MJ shits gold and his tears cure cancer.
Jordan is the GOAT but Magic, Worthy, and Kareem make for a seriously stacked team. Kudos to the Bulls crowd for showing respect to Kareem the way they did, Kareem was such a phenomenal player and none will ever pull off a hook like he did.
Jordan used the backboard really well as a young scoring champ. Before he developed more range on his jumpshot. Mike slashed into the paint and put up alot of stuff off the glass.
Jordan or Kobe would NOT have any rings if it weren't for Phil and the Triangle. Magic is the best Non Athletic player EVER. He just brings out the best in EVERYBODY
Why does Phil Jackson not have the Knicks in the playoffs if he is so good. I bet if he had MJ on the Knicks right now, they would come out of the East.
@@mrworldpeace He was quick and very fast. Couldn't jump though
4 года назад
@@RatedRex1 No, he wouldn't. The Knicks don't have another bonafide star on the team. MJ couldn't even keep his team above .500 as the solo star in the tougher 80s era before acquiring Pippen and Grant in the NBA draft.
This proves wrong that Jordan was some kind of incredible lock-down defender. He didn’t shut down Magic at all when it took to guarding him. In fact, look throughout his career and you rarely ever see him shut down the other team’s best player. Jordan’s oft-lauded defense was largely weak-side help; otherwise he was usually matched up against some no-name guard while Scottie, Horace, or Dennis took care of the tough defensive assignments.
OMG I thought I was the only one on the planet who knew this. I agree 100 percent. Jordan was excellent but he shot the ball 100 times a game. I think Magic was the best all around player, Bird the best shooter. I believe the media created alot of what Jordan was, for some reason they decided he was marketable and they commercialized him.
Joel Villarreal - you ridiculous people are hilarious with this watered down theory. Guess what - expansion happened mostly in the 80's and both Magic and Bird played against almost all the expansion teams. Another fact - before expansion, teams that didn't belong in the playoffs with poor records got there anyway. The reality is there was an entire new contingent of talent in the '90's and teams were overflowing with players. And both the lakers and the Celtics couldn't three peat because they weren't good enough - that's it. The Lakers couldn't get past the Pistons period. You Lakers fans are hilariously delusional and have countless excuses. Teams get old as do players and the next crop comes in. MJ dominated individually from day 1 but unlike Bird or Magic who were drafted to incredibly stacked teams, he was drafted on to a 27-55 team without one single player from his championship team in '91. The Bulls from '84 to '89 had 30+ different players, 3 different starters each season and three different coaches. When they finally made Phil Jackson head coach in '89 and he instituted the Triangle, this allowed them to flourish. That's why they started to dominate. However, MJ individually dominated from DAY 1!
This video is all you need to show how much better the NBA was 25 years ago than it is today. There's no way either Dallas or Miami could conceive of staying with this Lakers team. Hell, they'd have a helluva time staying with this Bulls team. The Celtics, Lakers and Pistons of the 80's would crush the teams of today.
Biggest mistake Jordan ever made was not insisting on being the Bulls every possession point guard like Magic always demanded. It hurt the Bulls not having the ball in Michaels hands with a minute thirty left on the clock in this game.
i would have loved to see Magic, Mike and Larry all in their prime together. Mag and Larry, chock full of championships and a lot of miles, played Mike when he was on top of his game. still some great games.
Handchecking went away in 1994 (although was still allowed below free throw line extended), a year Jordan wasn't even an active NBA player to start the season. Although you could still handcheck in the post, which Jordan preferred to play out of when he came out of retirement. Defensive 3 second violation came in 2001, after Jordan's reign of dominance had ended.
Magics ROOKIE season. Jabbar hurt and unable to play championship game 6 vs Sixers . Magic sits in Jabbars seat on the plane, plays the CENTER position. Shoots skyhooks and scores 42 POINTS (still a record for a rookie) 15 Reb. 7 Assist 3 steals to lead LA to an NBA CHAMPIONSHIP & Playoff MVP! Magic is THE best all around player EVER. Him & Bird humble to say Jordan the best. Magic hurt vs Pistons or would be ANOTHER title. MAGIC revolutionized. 6'9 passing guard and leader from day 1!
MJ stripped the hell out of the Magic Man in this game! But Magic did his thing and the better overall team by a mile (Lakers) won. But make no mistake, Mike was coming for the crown!! G.O.A.T.
+HoustonIsImmortal And Magic passed around MJ and posted him up and scored on him too. I'll take 28 points on 60% shooting, 16 assists, and 6 rebounds over 33 points on 40% shooting, 5 assists, and 2 rebounds every time. MJ was guarding Magic so it's not like he stopped him. Worth noting that Phil Jackson put Pippen on Magic years later in the 91 Finals when Magic was SLOWER.
Marx Aur Also worth noting that MJ fans never give that team any credit for the titles. It's always "MJ won 6 rings". But on this particular point (MJ guarding Magic), it's clear that MJ could not stop Magic.
Well, everyone has their own opinion but there are pretty good arguments about MJ being the greatest. Just a few them are: - #1 all time in regular season and playoff ppg - #1 all time in blocks for a guard - #2 all time in steals - #3 all time in rebounds for a guard There are a lot more but just those few are pretty compelling.
@willsmackyoudown The '91 Lakers weren't showtime any longer. They were good but old and injured. Worthy and Scott only played 2 games I believe, in the finals. Kareem was retired. The Bulls were young and hungry. The Lakers weren't even supposed to beat Portland.
Can't forget about the Oaktree(Charles)who was great in Chicago but even better in N.Y.! What else is there to say about Kareem(3-time NCAA Champion, 6-time nba Champion, 6-time mvp, as well as kicking Bruce Lee's butt in "The Game Of Death", playing a pilot in Jon Davidson's spoof "Airplane", as Stan Lee used to say "Nuff Said"!!!
Notice at 3:07 when Kareem shoots the skyhook on the bulls center(a 7 footer) the announcer said " there's no way to stop that" .That sums up Kareem in so many ways
Magic just played his position, the Magic Johnson spot. He played and filled any position. Scored inside outside, rebound, ran offense, and was a team leader and motivator. His vision and passing are bar none the best. He got easy baskets nobody has duplicated, not Stockton, Nash or Kidd. Kobe and Vince Carter have shown you copy MJ to a degree. Nothing close to copying Magic, style wise or in leadership. Would you build an army with, the ultimate general or the greatest assassin?
Magic is 3" taller, 30 lbs heavier, and had that hook shot. It's really apples & oranges. I am a Laker fan and love Magic, but that's not a fair comparison.
here i thought Magic wasn't such a great player. was i wrong. his height was a big help to him, being able to see everything on the floor. thats what made him such a special player being able to play the PG position, beautiful passes, simple yet very effective. can also shoot from the outside and post up. MJ was a scoring machine that season. individually he can take his man and score on him, get by him, needed double teams to slow him down. very good fundamental jumpshot learned from college.
MJ's the best. But he didn't play all 5 positions like magic did..that's versatility..what made MJ THE man was his absolute competitiveness and will to win.
MJ is the biggest star player of any sport ever. Anyway, Lebron's career isn't over yet - he just hit his peak, so people need to stop with the hate that he isn't MJ until his career finishes.
Same season he scored the exact same hook shot against the Celtics in game 4 of the Finals. It's a classic. And by the way, this is one of the greatest teams in NBA history. Only the '86 Celtics were better.
Kareem, Magic and Mike on the same court. Doesn't get better than that.
Chenga09 rare
Exactly👍
Dont forget worthy was a hof also. That was alot of talent on one team
@Dan Chapowski Ha!
the dream team?
0:36 My god, the vision this guy had. Best passer of all time.
Magic's passing
Jordan's dunking
Kareem's 36,000 pts.
That crowd didn't know how good they had it!
Oh what a night it was :)
@@lesgrant7861 That had to be a crazy game to attend! Wow
3 of the greatest players of all time on the court! Kareem doesn't take 2nd place to any NBA player in history. Jordan included!
They actually did
The 3 greatest players of all-time on the court. Youll never see that again.
@@sdfishinn you must be Fox
Greatest PG and Greatest SG and arguably the Greatest Center
Beautiful basketball to watch; back when passing actually looked real. Plus, one almost forgets that Jordan did have some real competition in the beginning years of his NBA career--Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, none-the-less.
Haters say he played against plumbers 😂😂😂
I don't worry about comparisons. I just enjoy the amazing level of all these legends.
Thank you!
Everyday we hear « Lebron vs Jordan »
Can’t we just appreciate both players?
The thing about this game, the Lakers looked relaxed.
Sure Jordan caught them sleeping a few times, but the Lakers never had to go into 5th gear.
Best team of all time.
@Random Hajile No doubt it is high pressure for every one - There's a natural flow to the Laker game which is rarely seen. I saw glimpses of it with Shaq & Kobe early and then at times with the Durant Warriors. Yet most teams are always reaching, I didn't see that with this Magic-Kareem Lakers, even if Jordan's savagery made them dig a little.
Mj is just on a different level love watching highlights especially young mj dude is just on another level you really can’t compare no one to him and I’m the biggest lebron fan watching live had to be awesome
Wow. The fact that Jordan almost dunked over Kareem at the beginning. He just had no fear.
I was at this game with my Dad, old Chicago Stadium, when i absolutely loved Showtime, but now we finally had a superstar in Jordan
this was basketball at its best, MAGIC at his best, KAREM with his unbelievable 36,000th points, and talented exciting, and fearless competitor young JORDAN with lots to bring to the league, you could not ask for more and how often did you see 2 superstars guarding each other, JORDAN against MAGIC all the time, playing with everything they got and ultimately bring the excitement to the deserved crowds.
The level of play in this game was proly higher than any playoff game ive seen in the last decade
Magic Johnson best player of all time
Before LeBron James came.
@@TWDtv 🤣🤣🤣🤣Damn, you stuck on STUPID!!!
MJ the goat ,lebron second greatest of all time
@@TWDtvHe said what He said! Magic was the 🐐!!
Wow, this is the first time i've gotten to see a full game of Magics' highlights ... Much respect, i'm absolutely dumbfounded and in awe ... What amazing passing, first of all, the accuracy in those full court passes is something i haven't ever seen since i started following the NBA in 2003, That one pass from the 3 pt to inside the paint ABOVE a bunch of defenders was unbelievable!! And even his shooting, that fastbreak fake+layup, the hook shots and the game winner, mannnn, what a guy!!
MJ, Magic, Kareem and Worthy on the same court battling it out classic!!!
This truly is the best era of basketball... Prime Larry, Magic, and MJ averaging 35+ppg, all 3 top 5 players imo
Don't forget Isiah.
@@radar0412 yeah true, even into 85 you had Dr. J with a young Barkley as well. Dominique is an all time underrated name to be honest!
@@christopherfoerstel9116 Yep. Throw in Ewing, Hawkeem, Drexler, Stockton and Malone. All would get to finals.
3 of the 5 best players of all time i this game... Kareem, Magic.Jordan
MJ = Best Scorer
Magic = Best Passer
:47
Routine pass by Magic would make most PG's highlight reel these days. GOAT playmaker for sure.
Maybe the most greatness on one court at once i ever seen
His stats in the 80's were mind blowing. Pippen never emerged as superstar until the 90's. I think these MJ performances against stacked superstar teams like the 80's lakers, Celtics and Pistons who are all by the way in the top 5 greatest teams of all time say something about Jordans talent. Especially since his stats were better in the 80's then in the 90's.
Thanks for posting this one, great to see Kareem & Magic going against Jordan! I for got that Kareem did play against Jordan!
When Magic developed that jumper, it really changed his game & made it difficult for the defense!
Man.. that sky hook is a beast. Wow. Everyone is always looking for another "Jordan" how about a Magic Johnson. A tall point guard, I like his style of play.
Also the NBA was nice back then, leaner players, fast and more physical.
The most powerful weapon...the undefendable shot. Cap was the best at it!
I can hear Chick Hearn calling it..."Magic to Kareem, swing left, shoot right..12 feet out, good!"
Better fundamental play...i enjoy the athleticism of today's players, but back in this era?
The give and go was one of my favorite plays to watch. A great screen and Magic's timing?
Just watching him feed Worthy on the fast break or to catch Byron Scott on the wing for his beautiful jump shot without missing stride to keep "B" in his shooting rhythm.
Artistry on the hardwood!
lol Jordan makes the tough shot at 7:20 instead of giving Paxson open jumper and on the 8:35 possession Paxson responds by refusing not once but twice to even look for Jordan, instead the Bulls get...Corzine from 20. Classic.
man..magic definitely was the man..
Magic was amazing this game
Magic was Amazing for his entire Gotdam career.
@@AHMAD-2324 Facts!!
In Today's NBA there would've been like 20 Fouls called.
MJ was the most coddled and protected superstar in NBA history after his first retirement. People couldn't play any defense on him or the refs would blow the whistle. Remember, handchecking was removed in 1994 and the 3 second rule was implemented in the paint which greatly benefited MJ who was slowing down and unable to dominate like he used to.
But 75% of bball fans in the 90's love MJ so much that they ignore the fact that he got so much preferential treatment and every important call.
I think this is Jordan’s 3rd year in the NBA, playing against what I consider the greatest team of all time, the ‘87 Lakers!!! Jordan was unstoppable back then, even though he hadn’t reached his prime!!!
‘72 Lakers vs ‘83 Sixers vs ‘86 Celtics vs ‘87 Lakers vs ‘89 Pistons vs ‘95 Bulls vs ‘17 Warriors?!!! Who do you take among these great teams? ☮️🖖🏽
'87 lakers
86 Celtics
95' Bulls?? Why not 96' Bulls?
Anytime you make it to the pros you're great.
Magic took the Cake with his on going Shenanigans from 79 until 92.
Magic Johnson
Rock On
This was the best Lakers team.
Magic Johnson had 28 points 16 assist and 6 rebounds in this game.
87 Lakers: best team to ever have played in the NBA!
What an era that was, to be in attendance that night would have been a basketball junkies wet dream.
Magic, Kareem and a hungry young guy called Jordan all on the court at the same time. And what a game it was, the fans certainly got their money's worth that night.
Topped off with history in the making with Kareem scoring his 36,000th point..!
Jordan defense is underrated! He just make 3 steals on magic who was the best point guard
How is his defence underrated Since he is considered one of the best Perimeter defender in NBA history
Underrated my ass... Jordan is a 9X first team All-NBA defense.
3X steals champion
Only player in NBA history to record over 200 steals and 100 blocks in the same season 3X'S
And the only guard/Wing in NBA history to finish in the top 5 for DPOY voting a record 7x's.
Why you think he's largely recognized as the Greatest player of All-time... Because his defense was just as lethal as his offense.
His defense was just as good as his offense
People need to understand that Jordan had to compete with Magic and Larry Bird in the 1980's; BOTH of whom were pure basketball geniuses. Absolute geniuses! That's what helped to make Jordan so great. Who is Lebron competing against now?
9:16 says it all. LAKERS AND MAGIC #1 ALL TIME
Magic GOAT.
• beat bird in college
• won rookie finals
• game seven finals 42 pts playing center.
Game six
One of the goats*
Magic's Showtime Lakers beat out Birds Celtics for the most championships in the 80's too.
Agreed Magic is the GOAT, followed closely by Birr and then MJ
That was Michael Jordan at his best as a scorer.
And Magic Johnson at his best as a scorer too.
And Kareem being Kareem.
Magic and Kareem - their skyhook is just so flawless and beautiful. How they perfected that shot is the result of countless hours of practice.
It is near impossible to block those kind of shots - if I had to defend against them, I'd just foul them like crazy to throw them off their game.
Kareem skyhook deadly
@jordanpopov1 The year before Magic came to the Lakers they went out in the 2nd round of the playoffs with Kareem and Wilkes. KAJ was 33 in Magic's rookie season and seriously considering retirement. He was smart enough to know that Magic kid could make his life easy in the 80s so he stuck around.
And in 80-81 when Magic got hurt the lakers I think fell in the 1st or 2nd round.
Just watching this game makes you realize how much better the NBA was in the mid late 80's. Notice the ball movement. It wasn't just one guy dribbling while 4 other guys just stood there watching. Even this Bulls teams which didn't exactly have great players other then Jordan had fundamentals and skill which can make up for a lack of talent sometimes.
No doubt the league was much better. Better all around players made for better all around games. I can hardly stand to watch an NBA game now days.
+Chris Kavanagh So many rule changes since then, too. The brawling got out of control in the late 90's early 00's. Now it's like the slightest contact is an automatic foul. It slows the game down considerably. Makes it harder to get into a flow, a tempo. The Showtime Lakers of the 80's would practically be stuck in neutral with today's rules. Aside from that I would agree the fundamentals are not really a part of today's game. Back then they had basketball players. Today you have athletes. Not the same thing.
you hear the road crowd "oooooohhh" at :38
best passer ever
Kareem scores 36,000! GOAT!
Jordan punished his body. It’s amazing how long he stayed great for.
You gotta love the Lakers of the 80's...8 finals appearances, 5 titles... They could beat you so many ways... An unselfish unit that played solid team D. This game was the year before Pippen came in to the league... The Jordan-Bulls couldn't beat the Lakers until Pippen arrived... Pippen D'd up on Magic better than anyone... Jordan and Phil Jackson both said so...
Yeah...thats just too much work for MJ to have to score and then guard Magic...and the the Kareems skyhook. Pippen and Grant arriving the next year was a breath of fresh air for MJ
That pass at :39 was sick...warp speed.
Wow, what a game. Really nice post. Thanks!
Another thing this generation will never understand when comparing all-time legends:
The NBA was not an ESPN Sportcenter highlight fest until later in the 80's.
Before this "highlight reel generation," sports only got a few measly seconds and the coverage was terrible. Only one main thing mattered: WHAT WAS THE FINAL SCORE.
Just imagine who much different Dr. J's career would've been with the marketing of today.
I love magics compete level dude for real
INSANITY IN CHICAGO!!! MJ and Magic going at it like true greats! Kareem scores 36,00 points!! This brings back some great memories as I just moved back to Chicago from L.A. that year and was fortunate enough to see both these players "every night" when they were schooling the league! And The Captain and his unstoppable skyhook. Thanks for bringing this game to RUclips and showing some younger folks what these guys could do on any given night.
the first pass by magic was nuts. I dont know of any pg in the league that could do that nowadays.
Damn, I like that by the crowd. Great spirit of the game.
I'm shocked none of today's NBA players are using the sky hook.. unstoppable.
MJ in half a season at PG did not come close to Magic's best season in APG.
I'm convinced that Jordan fans think MJ shits gold and his tears cure cancer.
5:25 and only MJ can do that !
Jordan is the GOAT but Magic, Worthy, and Kareem make for a seriously stacked team. Kudos to the Bulls crowd for showing respect to Kareem the way they did, Kareem was such a phenomenal player and none will ever pull off a hook like he did.
Happy birthday MJ. That little step at 7:20 is just wicked. I strive to make steps like that in life. My little Jordan moments.
Jordan used the backboard really well as a young scoring champ. Before he developed more range on his jumpshot. Mike slashed into the paint and put up alot of stuff off the glass.
MJ is a scorer. his mentality is to score first..but it doesnt mean that he's selfish..it's just the way his basketball instincts are...
Look at Magic and Kareem. That's why I keep telling these young kids that Kobe isn't even the best Laker of all time.
1. Magic
2. Kareem
3. Shaq
4. Kobe
5. West
6. Baylor
7. Wilt
8. Goodrich
9. Worthy
10. Mikan
Jordan or Kobe would NOT have any rings if it weren't for Phil and the Triangle. Magic is the best Non Athletic player EVER. He just brings out the best in EVERYBODY
Why does Phil Jackson not have the Knicks in the playoffs if he is so good. I bet if he had MJ on the Knicks right now, they would come out of the East.
Magic was very athletic.
@@mrworldpeace He was quick and very fast. Couldn't jump though
@@RatedRex1 No, he wouldn't. The Knicks don't have another bonafide star on the team. MJ couldn't even keep his team above .500 as the solo star in the tougher 80s era before acquiring Pippen and Grant in the NBA draft.
@ EVERY player needs help. Show me a player with no help and I will show you a guy on a losing team.
The magic man owns!
MVP Magic vs Jordan in his prime should be the title .
Why do you think they named him Magic?
he is my hero and always will be
Battle of Magic and Jordan with their flash, but it was the old man Kareem with the most unstoppable shot ever, who closed the door. Kareem GOAT
SLIP NORRIS I love all these comments about Kareem being too old, but it's funny how Kareem was the offensive focal point at the end of games.
This proves wrong that Jordan was some kind of incredible lock-down defender. He didn’t shut down Magic at all when it took to guarding him. In fact, look throughout his career and you rarely ever see him shut down the other team’s best player. Jordan’s oft-lauded defense was largely weak-side help; otherwise he was usually matched up against some no-name guard while Scottie, Horace, or Dennis took care of the tough defensive assignments.
Tell me how MJ split 2 ppl right there in front of him for a reverse score
OMG I thought I was the only one on the planet who knew this. I agree 100 percent. Jordan was excellent but he shot the ball 100 times a game. I think Magic was the best all around player, Bird the best shooter. I believe the media created alot of what Jordan was, for some reason they decided he was marketable and they commercialized him.
M Jordan became King of the NBA only because the Lakers and Celtics got old...and the rest of the NBA was 5 steps behind Jordan's Bulls
+keith clark Lol no.
+keith clark
Agreed. The 90s Bulls never had to deal with teams like the 80s Celtics and Lakers.
Michael hit his prime when all the old team of the 80s got old and when they were in their prime mike wasn't in his prime yet
Joel Villarreal - you ridiculous people are hilarious with this watered down theory. Guess what - expansion happened mostly in the 80's and both Magic and Bird played against almost all the expansion teams. Another fact - before expansion, teams that didn't belong in the playoffs with poor records got there anyway. The reality is there was an entire new contingent of talent in the '90's and teams were overflowing with players. And both the lakers and the Celtics couldn't three peat because they weren't good enough - that's it. The Lakers couldn't get past the Pistons period. You Lakers fans are hilariously delusional and have countless excuses.
Teams get old as do players and the next crop comes in. MJ dominated individually from day 1 but unlike Bird or Magic who were drafted to incredibly stacked teams, he was drafted on to a 27-55 team without one single player from his championship team in '91. The Bulls from '84 to '89 had 30+ different players, 3 different starters each season and three different coaches. When they finally made Phil Jackson head coach in '89 and he instituted the Triangle, this allowed them to flourish. That's why they started to dominate. However, MJ individually dominated from DAY 1!
YES!
Great vid of great players........If I didn't know any better from seeing this. It looks like Jordan scored at least 90 points lol
This video is all you need to show how much better the NBA was 25 years ago than it is today. There's no way either Dallas or Miami could conceive of staying with this Lakers team. Hell, they'd have a helluva time staying with this Bulls team. The Celtics, Lakers and Pistons of the 80's would crush the teams of today.
Michael Jordan by himself almost beat Showtime Lakers. He’s so fuckin fast!
Biggest mistake Jordan ever made was not insisting on being the Bulls every possession point guard like Magic always demanded. It hurt the Bulls not having the ball in Michaels hands with a minute thirty left on the clock in this game.
That sky hook is unguardable.
man listen to those loose rims at the ol' chicago stadium. just perfect for dropping those line drives that mike shot in those early days.
2:48 Hahaha, the oak tree for three :-)))
That block from Oakley was clean no foul
what's crazy about these comments, isn't clear to the eye that the Lakers were a better team than the Bulls. Like way better!! Bench and all!
How amazing was Kareem. He was like 39/40 years old here? Still he has the most devastating unstoppable shot ever. aka real goat
+SLIP NORRIS Hard not to have that shot when you're 7'2" and talented.
Magic goat
i would have loved to see Magic, Mike and Larry all in their prime together. Mag and Larry, chock full of championships and a lot of miles, played Mike when he was on top of his game. still some great games.
Handchecking went away in 1994 (although was still allowed below free throw line extended), a year Jordan wasn't even an active NBA player to start the season. Although you could still handcheck in the post, which Jordan preferred to play out of when he came out of retirement. Defensive 3 second violation came in 2001, after Jordan's reign of dominance had ended.
Magics ROOKIE season. Jabbar hurt and unable to play championship game 6 vs Sixers . Magic sits in Jabbars seat on the plane, plays the CENTER position. Shoots skyhooks and scores 42 POINTS (still a record for a rookie) 15 Reb. 7 Assist 3 steals to lead LA to an NBA CHAMPIONSHIP & Playoff MVP! Magic is THE best all around player EVER. Him & Bird humble to say Jordan the best. Magic hurt vs Pistons or would be ANOTHER title. MAGIC revolutionized. 6'9 passing guard and leader from day 1!
MJ stripped the hell out of the Magic Man in this game! But Magic did his thing and the better overall team by a mile (Lakers) won. But make no mistake, Mike was coming for the crown!! G.O.A.T.
+HoustonIsImmortal Lakers won
+HoustonIsImmortal
And Magic passed around MJ and posted him up and scored on him too.
I'll take 28 points on 60% shooting, 16 assists, and 6 rebounds over 33 points on 40% shooting, 5 assists, and 2 rebounds every time. MJ was guarding Magic so it's not like he stopped him. Worth noting that Phil Jackson put Pippen on Magic years later in the 91 Finals when Magic was SLOWER.
+HarpoSpoke Worth Noting MJ had HELP in 1991 as opposed to 1986.
Marx Aur
Also worth noting that MJ fans never give that team any credit for the titles. It's always "MJ won 6 rings".
But on this particular point (MJ guarding Magic), it's clear that MJ could not stop Magic.
HarpoSpoke
True. Hence the name *Magic*
Well, everyone has their own opinion but there are pretty good arguments about MJ being the greatest. Just a few them are:
- #1 all time in regular season and playoff ppg
- #1 all time in blocks for a guard
- #2 all time in steals
- #3 all time in rebounds for a guard
There are a lot more but just those few are pretty compelling.
@willsmackyoudown The '91 Lakers weren't showtime any longer. They were good but old and injured. Worthy and Scott only played 2 games I believe, in the finals. Kareem was retired. The Bulls were young and hungry. The Lakers weren't even supposed to beat Portland.
karem+magic= jordan the king
It wasn't easy to steal the ball from Magic. Jordan does it twice here.
Can't forget about the Oaktree(Charles)who was great in Chicago but even better in N.Y.! What else is there to say about Kareem(3-time NCAA Champion, 6-time nba Champion, 6-time mvp, as well as kicking Bruce Lee's butt in "The Game Of Death", playing a pilot in Jon Davidson's spoof "Airplane", as Stan Lee used to say "Nuff Said"!!!
Karrem makes his 36,000 points in that game
Notice at 3:07 when Kareem shoots the skyhook on the bulls center(a 7 footer) the announcer said " there's no way to stop that" .That sums up Kareem in so many ways
Wilt blocked the skyhook 4 times in a game
Magic just played his position, the Magic Johnson spot. He played and filled any position. Scored inside outside, rebound, ran offense, and was a team leader and motivator. His vision and passing are bar none the best. He got easy baskets nobody has duplicated, not Stockton, Nash or Kidd. Kobe and Vince Carter have shown you copy MJ to a degree. Nothing close to copying Magic, style wise or in leadership.
Would you build an army with, the ultimate general or the greatest assassin?
Every video I see, Jordan could not guard Magic. Ever.
Magic is 3" taller, 30 lbs heavier, and had that hook shot. It's really apples & oranges. I am a Laker fan and love Magic, but that's not a fair comparison.
NameCallingIsWeak So? There were guys smaller & less athletic than Mike who did a better job on him than he did.
@@NameCallingIsWeak I totally agree. Its like the equivalent of watching Muhammad Ali vs Mike Tyson. Definitely not fair.
He clearly guarded him well in this game at least in those highlights. Stole the ball from him 3 times
here i thought Magic wasn't such a great player. was i wrong. his height was a big help to him, being able to see everything on the floor. thats what made him such a special player being able to play the PG position, beautiful passes, simple yet very effective. can also shoot from the outside and post up. MJ was a scoring machine that season. individually he can take his man and score on him, get by him, needed double teams to slow him down. very good fundamental jumpshot learned from college.
MJ's the best. But he didn't play all 5 positions like magic did..that's versatility..what made MJ THE man was his absolute competitiveness and will to win.
MJ is the biggest star player of any sport ever. Anyway, Lebron's career isn't over yet - he just hit his peak, so people need to stop with the hate that he isn't MJ until his career finishes.
Same season he scored the exact same hook shot against the Celtics in game 4 of the Finals. It's a classic.
And by the way, this is one of the greatest teams in NBA history. Only the '86 Celtics were better.