The 1985 NBA Finals wasn't just another basketball series. Honestly, it was a collective exorcism for the city of Los Angeles. If you ask anyone who lived through the Showtime era about who won the 1985 NBA finals, they won't just give you a name. They’ll give you a sigh of relief. The Los Angeles Lakers won, beating the Boston Celtics in six games, but that dry fact doesn't even begin to cover the psychological warfare involved.
Before '85, the Lakers were 0-8 against the Celtics in the Finals. Think about that. Eight times they reached the summit, and eight times the guys in green pushed them off the cliff. It was a loop. A nightmare. People called them "soft." They said Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was washed up. Then came Memorial Day 1985.
The Memorial Day Massacre and the Rebirth of Kareem
The series started in the most humiliating way possible. Game 1 is still known as the "Memorial Day Massacre." The Celtics didn't just win; they dismantled the Lakers 148-114. It was a bloodbath. Kareem, at 38 years old, looked every bit his age, finishing with only 12 points and 3 rebounds. Robert Parish basically ran him off the floor.
Critics were sharpening their pens. The narrative was written: the Lakers were done. But Pat Riley, in his typical high-intensity fashion, forced the team to watch the film of that blowout over and over. He didn't let them look away.
Kareem’s response? Total legendary status. In Game 2, he came out like a man possessed, putting up 30 points, 17 rebounds, and 8 assists. He was diving for loose balls. At nearly 40. This shifted the entire energy of the series. The Lakers took Game 2 in Boston, which was huge because winning at the old Boston Garden was like trying to win a fistfight in a dark alley.
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Why the 1985 NBA Finals Still Matters Today
This series changed how we view the "Showtime" Lakers. Before this, they were the fast-break team that looked pretty but couldn't handle the physical grind of the Eastern Conference. By winning the 1985 NBA Finals, they proved they could win ugly.
It was also the first time the NBA used the 2-3-2 format for the Finals. This meant the Lakers had three straight games at the Forum in Inglewood. They took two out of three, heading back to Boston up 3-2. Usually, heading back to the Garden for Game 6 was a death sentence for visiting teams. The heat, the dead spots on the parquet floor, the fans—it was a pressure cooker.
But Game 6 was different. Kareem was named Finals MVP, and for good reason. He averaged 25.7 points for the series. The Lakers won 111-100. It remains the only time an opposing team has ever clinched an NBA championship on the Celtics' home floor in the old Garden. Imagine the silence in that building when the buzzer sounded. It was the end of a hex that had lasted over two decades.
Key Stats That Defined the Series
Magic Johnson was, well, Magic. He averaged 14 assists per game. Think about the vision required to do that against a defense anchored by Kevin McHale and Larry Bird. Meanwhile, James Worthy—"Big Game James"—was proving why he earned that nickname, shooting over 56% from the field.
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The Celtics weren't bad; they were actually incredible. Larry Bird was the reigning MVP. Kevin McHale was becoming the best post player in the league. But they looked tired by Game 6. The Lakers’ depth, with guys like Bob McAdoo coming off the bench to provide instant scoring, was just too much.
The Tactical Shift: How Riley Outmaneuvered KC Jones
Pat Riley realized he couldn't just outrun Boston. He had to out-physical them. He started playing a "bruise brothers" style of defense that people didn't think the Lakers had in them. Kurt Rambis was throwing elbows. Byron Scott was chasing Danny Ainge through every screen.
The Lakers also started double-teaming Bird the second he touched the ball in the high post. It forced other Celtics to beat them, and while McHale got his points, the supporting cast couldn't bridge the gap.
It's sorta crazy to think that if the Lakers hadn't won this, the 80s would be remembered entirely as the Celtics' decade. Instead, it became a tug-of-war. This win gave the Lakers the confidence to go back-to-back in '87 and '88. It all started with breaking the green wall in 1985.
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Actionable Insights for Basketball Historians and Fans
If you want to truly understand the gravity of who won the 1985 NBA finals, you have to look at the psychological shift in the rivalry.
- Watch the "Memorial Day Massacre" highlights: Contrast it with Game 6. The difference in Kareem’s mobility and aggression is the best clinic on veteran leadership you'll ever see.
- Study the 2-3-2 format impact: See how the Lakers utilized the middle three games to gain momentum. The NBA eventually moved back to 2-2-1-1-1 because the 2-3-2 felt like it gave too much of an advantage (or disadvantage) depending on the swing.
- Analyze Magic’s transition game: Even in the half-court sets of the 80s, Magic found ways to push the pace after Celtic makes, which is a precursor to the modern "seven seconds or less" offense.
The 1985 Finals was the moment the Lakers stopped being the "bridesmaids" and became the dominant force of the era. They didn't just win a trophy; they killed a ghost.
To dig deeper into this era, look for the documentary Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies. It features interviews with Magic and Bird that clarify just how much Game 6 in the Garden haunted the Celtics for years afterward. You can also find the full box scores on Basketball-Reference to see the ridiculous efficiency Kareem maintained throughout the final five games.