{"id":1470072,"date":"2022-01-22T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-22T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1470072"},"modified":"2022-01-22T08:00:02","modified_gmt":"2022-01-22T13:00:02","slug":"james-worthy-8-words-explain-alex-english-more-points-any-other-player-1980s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/james-worthy-8-words-explain-alex-english-more-points-any-other-player-1980s\/","title":{"rendered":"James Worthy Needed 8 Words to Explain Why Alex English Scored More Points Than Any Other Player in the 1980s"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Some NBA players boast the kind of dominant scoring ability that surpasses any rationale or explanation. Kevin Durant is probably the best example of this idea in the modern game. As Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> great James Worthy once explained, former Denver Nuggets<\/a> star Alex English also had that transcendent offensive game, and he had it in spades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

English has garnered a reputation as perhaps the most underrated player in league history<\/a>. But Worthy and fellow wing defenders who had to guard the Hall of Famer understood his quality. They simply could not contain him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

James Worthy and the Lakers played Alex English and the Nuggets in the 1985 Western Conference Finals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"L-R:
James Worthy (L) and Alex English (R) | Left to Right: Both images via Focus on Sport\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

James Worthy made a crucial error in the 1984 NBA Finals that contributed to the Boston Celtics beating LA and, nearly 40 years later, provides a memory that still gives him night sweats<\/a>. However, Worthy and the Lakers sought redemption in 1985.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Purple and Gold won 62 games during the 1984-85 campaign. Worthy made a leap in his third season, as his scoring average rose from 14.5 points in 1983-84 to 17.6 points in 1984-85.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worthy also dominated in the playoffs. He averaged 18.7 points on 68.8% shooting in a first-round sweep of the Phoenix Suns before racking up 19.4 points per game on 57.6% shooting in the conference semifinals against the Portland Trail Blazers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having made quick work of their first two playoff opponents, the Lakers prepared to square off against Alex English and a high-powered Nuggets team that led the NBA in scoring during the 1984-85 season. English dominated during the regular season, averaging 27.9 points on 51.8% shooting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Denver offered LA a stern test as the Lakers hoped to get back to the Finals. For his part, Worthy had no idea how he planned to contain English.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worthy asked for divine intervention to assist him in guarding English<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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