Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Robert Marvi

On this date: Michael Cooper’s block gives Lakers 3-0 lead in WCF

The Showtime Lakers of the 1980s were a cohesive unit, and each member of the team knew and accepted their role.

Magic Johnson was the orchestrator and leader, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the foundation and backbone on both ends, James Worthy was a go-to guy in the low post and in transition and Byron Scott was their designated 3-point shooter.

Michael Cooper had several different roles for L.A., and he often shifted back and forth between them depending on what the team needed, but one thing was constant: He was their defensive stopper.

He would guard a wide range of stars such as Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas and do a good job of containing them and making them work for their points.

In 1987, Cooper was recognized as the Defensive Player of the Year, and in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals versus the Seattle SuperSonics, he showed why.

The Lakers led the series 2-0 and looked to pull away, but the Sonics stuck with them step by step.

Down by three with less than a minute left, Seattle attempted to run Dale Ellis, who was a great outside shooter, around a screen, but Cooper fought through the screen and blocked Ellis’ shot attempt, allowing L.A. to hold on for the win.

The Lakers then went on to finish off Seattle in a four-game sweep to advance to the NBA Finals, where they handled the Boston Celtics in six games for their fourth would championship of the decade.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.