After choking away the 1984 NBA world championship to the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers were extremely eager throughout the 1984-85 season to get another crack at their old rivals.
The two teams met again in the 1985 NBA Finals, but in Game 1, it looked bad for L.A., as it was rolled, 148-114, in what became known as the “Memorial Day Massacre.”
However, in Game 2, the Lakers made it clear they weren’t going to back down. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led them to a 109-102 win and a 1-1 series split.
Once the series moved to Southern California, the Lakers were intent on unleashing Showtime on the Celtics while proving they weren’t soft.
Los Angeles dominated Game 3, overcoming a second-quarter deficit to take control in the third quarter and run away with a 136-111 victory.
The Lakers’ fast-break game was excellent, but it was their physicality that impressed and even surprised people.
Multiple times during the contest, L.A. flexed its newfound muscles and toughness as it got into skirmishes with Celtics players.
Abdul-Jabbar had another outstanding outing: 26 points on 10-of-13 shooting, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks. Meanwhile, James Worthy led the team in scoring with 29 points while Magic Johnson dished 16 assists.
The Lakers now had a leg up on Boston with a 2-1 series lead and the next two contests at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.
