{"id":1454062,"date":"2021-12-13T10:30:08","date_gmt":"2021-12-13T15:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1454062"},"modified":"2021-12-13T10:30:09","modified_gmt":"2021-12-13T15:30:09","slug":"kareem-abdul-jabbar-brushed-aside-jealousy-magic-johnson-put-winning-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/kareem-abdul-jabbar-brushed-aside-jealousy-magic-johnson-put-winning-first\/","title":{"rendered":"Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Brushed Aside Jealousy Over Magic Johnson to Put Winning First"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar<\/a> had already secured six MVPs by 1980. The Los Angeles Lakers legend<\/a> still had four more NBA championships to be won \u2014 and winning came first. He teamed with Magic Johnson on the Showtime Lakers<\/a> as Magic got much of the spotlight and then a big, fat contract. Abdul-Jabbar simply bit his lip and led the Lakers to four more titles in the next seven years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson led the Lakers to eight NBA Finals appearances in the 1980s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Kareem
(L-R) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Orlando Woolridge of the Los Angeles Lakers look on against the Indiana Pacers during an NBA basketball game circa 1988 at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana. | Focus on Sport\/Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Johnson came into the NBA after his well-publicized college matchup with Larry Bird<\/a> in the 1979 NCAA men's title game. He was the No. 1 pick in the 1979 NBA Draft after the Lakers won a coin flip with the Chicago Bulls to earn the right to pick first. The Bulls settled for David Greenwood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abdul-Jabbar had already spent four seasons with the Lakers when Johnson came on board. He played six seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he led the NBA in scoring in his second and third seasons. He won three MVPs with the Bucks before they made one of the worst trades in history,<\/a> shipping him off to the Lakers. With LA, Abdul-Jabbar was crowned the NBA's top player three more times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was in Johnson's first year with the team when Abdul-Jabbar won his sixth award. Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar formed quite the tandem, winning the NBA title their first year together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They went on to earn a berth in the NBA Finals each year in the 1980s, except 1981 and 1986 when the Houston Rockets made appearances. The duo won five championships together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar put winning before jealousy over Magic Johnson<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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