More than 30 years after retiring from the Lakers, Hall of Famer Michael Cooper still hates the Celtics.
There are very few rivalries in sports that truly rile people up on a massive scale, even those who would seem perfectly neutral. There are the New York Yankees versus the Boston Red Sox, the Green Bay Packers against the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Boston Celtics.
The Lakers-Celtics rivalry was at its best in the mid-1980s when the two teams met in the NBA Finals three times in a four-year span. Hall of Fame Lakers wing Michael Cooper was a central character back then, as he was tasked with guarding Celtics legend Larry Bird and did so as well as anyone.
On his “Showtime” podcast, Cooper was asked who he would start, bench and cut among Jayson Tatum, Scottie Pippen and James Worthy. He said he would start Pippen, the six-time NBA champion, and bench Worthy, his former Lakers teammate and fellow Hall of Famer.
That leaves Tatum, whom Cooper would bench. Cooper said he would do it because of his hatred for the Celtics, although he admitted Tatum is a very good player.
“I’m starting Scottie Pippen and I’m benching Worthy and I’m cutting Tatum… I’m hating on the Celtics. No, Tatum is a hell of a player, I’ve got to give him that. You know, that’s a tough three. All of them are good players.”
Team loyalties aside, it’s easy to see why one would feel the way Cooper did. Pippen was one of the greatest defensive players in basketball history who also scored a consistent 18-20 points a game and was one of the NBA’s first “point forwards.” Meanwhile, Worthy would often play above his standards in big games, especially in the NBA Finals against the Celtics and Detroit Pistons.
While Tatum is a bona fide star, he has a habit of underperforming on the big stage. When the Celtics won it all in June, he shot just 38.8% from the field in the championship series while Jaylen Brown took home the Finals MVP award.
James Worthy clearly doesn’t approve of the Lakers selecting Bronny James at No. 55.
Los Angeles Lakers legend and NBA Hall of Famer James Worthy went off on Bronny James and the Lakers while on a hot mic after being live for JJ Redick’s first Lakers’ press conference. The comments, shared by LakersDaily, came from a recent interview with Worthy, who was part of the great Showtime Lakers teams of the 1980s. Worthy and his co-hosts on Spectrum SportsNet threw shade at former USC guard Bronny James.
“Who we gonna be waiting for on the second day? Well, he’s the ‘greatest’ young player ever right now, Bronny, that’s what I’m gonna say,” Worthy said in a sarcastic voice.
“They took their time. They waited, while we were trading (Brandon) Ingram, (Julius) Randle, (Kentavious Caldwell) Pope gone, brotha up in Sacramento (Malik) Monk gone… and then we weren’t getting anything for it, (Russell) Westbrook gone.
“The ink will lead back to the problem,” Worthy added.
The Lakers are projected to take Bronny James at pick No. 55 in the second round which is on Day 2 of the 2024 NBA draft.
James Worthy and the Lakers media crew accidentally were caught unfiltered after their show 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/wKfaTl0mik
A look back at the 1987-88 Lakers, who had to rely on grit and toughness, and not just “Showtime,” to repeat as NBA champions.
Over a span of several decades, the Los Angeles Lakers became the gold standard of basketball by winning championship after championship. They did so with a formula that consisted of transcendent leaders, star players, selfless supporting contributors and a healthy team concept.
The Lakers are one of very few teams in sports that have had multiple dynasties. They had one in their embryonic years in Minneapolis, one during the Showtime era of the 1980s and yet another one in the first decade of the 21st century. As such, not every one of their championship teams can be put on a top 10 list.
We continue our ranking of the 10 greatest Lakers teams to win it all with one that solidified the decade of the 1980s as one that belonged to the franchise.
Upping the Ante
After being unceremoniously upset in the 1986 Western Conference Finals by the Houston Rockets, the Lakers recommitted themselves to their core values heading into the 1986-87 season — with a twist. They re-emphasized their commitment to fast-break basketball, but with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar nearing his 40th birthday, head coach Pat Riley shifted the offensive burden to Magic Johnson, asking Johnson to become the team’s No. 1 offensive option.
It resulted in 65 regular season wins and the Lakers’ fourth NBA title of the decade, which was won in six games over the Boston Celtics.
But the team was heading into the late 1980s, and the wear and tear, both physically and emotionally, was building up for it. It had been done in by complacency in 1986, so Riley guaranteed at the championship parade that it would repeat as world champions in 1988.
No NBA team had gone back-to-back since 1969, back when there were 14 teams in the league. By the 1987-88 campaign, there were 23 teams, and it was thought to be nearly impossible to win two straight titles. But Riley didn’t care. He knew that if his Lakers were to make their argument as the greatest team in league history, they had to win it all again for a second straight year.
They started the season 8-0, then went into a slump that saw them lose six of their next nine games. It was starting to look like perhaps they were becoming old and tired and that the rest of the league was catching up with them. But they then recaptured their old mojo and ripped off 38 wins in their next 42 contests.
However, along the way, the signs of the wear and tear that had accumulated over the last several years became apparent. James Worthy struggled with knee problems that eroded his legendary explosion. Michael Cooper, L.A.’s invaluable sixth man, suffered a severely sprained ankle in February and was out for most of the next two months. Magic Johnson was forced to sit for 10 games late in the schedule with a groin injury that would continue to affect him afterward.
While the Lakers finished with a league-high 62 wins in the regular season, they looked a bit vulnerable going into the playoffs.
Seven, Seven, Seven — Jackpot
The Lakers were a lot healthier when the playoffs started than they were during the second half of the regular season. They swept the San Antonio Spurs in the first round — then ran into plenty of trouble in their quest to repeat.
The Utah Jazz, who had two young future Hall of Famers named Karl Malone and John Stockton, were L.A.’s second-round opponent. They took a 2-1 series lead over the defending champs, but Johnson and crew had just enough ability and resourcefulness to win Game 5 by two points, allowing them to survive and eventually prevail in Game 7.
The Lakers then faced the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. Dallas had been building a contender for the past several years, and it felt like its time had come.
After the Lakers won the first two games at home easily, Dallas tied the series at two games apiece. The Lakers responded with a blowout win in Game 5, narrowly lost Game 6 in Texas and then put away the Mavs in Game 7.
Their opponents in the 1988 NBA Finals would be not the Celtics but the Detroit Pistons, another team that had been gradually building a winning program. The Pistons had also been building what many would consider a thug academy that reviled in physically beating up opponents and committing the type of fouls that would have them facing the prospect of arrest in this day and age.
Detroit won Game 1, causing concern that L.A.’s reign was about to end. The Purple and Gold won the next two games, even though Johnson was suffering from flu-like symptoms, then dropped the next two contests to fall behind 3-2 in the series. They were one game away from giving up the NBA crown to a team that was widely hated and the antithesis of Showtime.
Los Angeles survived a 25-point third quarter from a hobbled Isiah Thomas to scrape by in Game 6 by one point. It then rallied from a five-point halftime deficit in Game 7 to build a 15-point lead, only to see the Pistons fight back like a pack of ravenous animals and come to within one point with six seconds left.
But the Lakers ended up winning, 108-105, to claim basketball’s grand prize once again. Worthy had the game of his life with 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists, earning him the finals MVP award.
They were now firmly the team of the 1980s and quite possibly the best team the NBA had ever seen, or will ever see.
A number of former and current Lakers stars reflected on the life and legend of Bill Walton after he died on Monday.
On Monday, the NBA world lost a giant figure when Bill Walton passed away at the age of 71 due to cancer.
In the 1970s and 1980s, he was a Hall of Fame center with the Portland Trail Blazers, San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics. While his career was cut short by numerous foot injuries, he won NBA championships in 1977 and 1986.
Before that, he was a big part of the University of California, Los Angeles’ basketball dynasty under head coach John Wooden. While Walton was there, the team won an incredible 88 games in a row and back-to-back national titles. Those who were around back then still remember him going 21-of-22 and scoring 44 points in the 1973 national championship game against Memphis State University, which the Bruins won.
Multiple Lakers legends paid tribute to his memory, including fellow Bruins great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Magic Johnson talked about how Walton was ahead of his time with his skill set.
Rest in peace to a friend, 2X NBA Champion, Hall of Famer, and one of the most skilled centers we’ve ever seen Bill Walton! His NCAA Championship performance as a UCLA Bruin against Memphis is by far the most dominate NCAA Championship performance ever – he shot 21 for 22 and had…
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 27, 2024
Walton not only had the ability to score, rebound and defend, but he was especially praised for his passing skills, both out of the low post and from the high post.
James Worthy reminisced about meeting Walton in 1982 and his relationship with the former Clipper.
I met Bill my rookie year in Anchorage Alaska for Lakers/Clippers preseason game. At the same hotel I came down early 4 breakfast & Bill invited me 2 his table. To this day we never talked basketball-just love, life, happiness & peace. A true friend & mentor. You will be missed pic.twitter.com/FUP1gozxMC
Byron Scott, yet another member of those Showtime Lakers of the 1980s, sent good vibes to Walton’s survivors.
The thing that I loved about you the most was that you would say just about ANYTHING! I'm going to miss you my friend. One of the best defensive center to ever play the game. Rest in Heaven "Big Red". My heart and prayers go out to Lori, Luke Walton and the rest of the Walton… pic.twitter.com/Tt83DLz2Si
In 2016, Walton’s son Luke became the Lakers’ head coach after a stint as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors. Even though the younger Walton was fired in 2019, he coached LeBron James for one season.
James sent his best wishes to the elder Walton’s soul.
The elder Walton, of course, became a well-known broadcaster for many years after his playing career ended. While some found him annoying, he was very entertaining, and the fact he overcame a lifelong stuttering problem to be a longtime broadcaster was a major accomplishment.
The UNC basketball program released a hype video ahead of the Sweet 16 matchup against Alabama.
The North Carolina Tar Heels are getting ready to face Alabama in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night in Los Angeles, with the winner punching their ticket to the Elite 8.
North Carolina advanced by beating Wagner and Michigan State in Charlotte. The Crimson Tide took care of Charleston and then Grand Canyon. As North Carolina is getting set to play in another Sweet 16, the lights will be bright in Los Angeles. And arguably no one knows that better than a former Tar Heel.
To get fans ready for the game, former UNC basketball star James Worthy narrated a hype video centered on Los Angeles:
The video showcases the bright lights of Los Angeles as Worthy talks about his career with the Lakers as well as that 1982 title game. Worthy offers some advice for the current team who is looking to make a run of their own this season.
The winner of North Carolina and Alabama will face Clemson.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
How has the UNC basketball program fared in the NCAA Tournament since 1982? We take a look back at each season.
The North Carolina Tar Heels are one of college basketball’s premier programs with six national championships, 20 Final Fours, 28 Elite Eights and 34 Sweet 16 appearances. They are among the winningest college programs of all time and have a history that is almost unmatched.
When you go to North Carolina, playing in the Big Dance is an expectation and most years so is getting to a Sweet 16 and beyond. While there have been some rocky years here and there, UNC has been in the tournament 36 times since the 1982 season. With another tournament looming, we wanted to look back at the Tar Heels’ NCAA Tournament history since ’82 which features Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace, Sean May, Raymond Felton, Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Marcus Paige, Joel Berry and more.
Here’s a look at how the Tar Heels have done in the tournament since 1982 when Jordan drained the jumper to beat Georgetown to deliver Dean Smith a title in Chapel Hill.
More NCAA Tournament History from the College Wires Network:
In Tuesday’s quarterfinal game of the in-season tournament, Anthony Davis surpassed Lakers Hall of Famer James Worthy in career points.
The Los Angeles Lakers remained undefeated in the inaugural NBA in-season tournament on Tuesday by outlasting the Phoenix Suns, 106-103, in the quarterfinal round. They move on to a semifinal against the New Orleans Pelicans in Las Vegas on Thursday.
LeBron James led the way on Tuesday with 31 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. While it wasn’t an efficient night for Anthony Davis, he still filled up the stat sheet with 27 points, 15 rebounds and two blocked shots. He had nine of L.A.’s 21 offensive rebounds, and he helped his team score 19 second-chance points.
Along the way, the big man scored his 16,321st point to move past Lakers Hall of Fame forward James Worthy into 109th place on the NBA’s all-time career scoring list.
Anthony Davis reached 16,321 career points to pass James Worthy for 109th all-time with 2 free throws at the 3:32 mark of the 3rd Q tonight. https://t.co/BfE8DjGx5i
Worthy was a very potent scorer for the dynastic Showtime Lakers in the 1980s. He was one of the greatest finishers at the hoop of all time, especially in transition, and he had one of the greatest low-post games the league had seen.
Worthy averaged 17.6 points a game in the regular season, but he increased that to 21.1 points a game in the playoffs, and he had a number of big scoring outings in his six trips to the NBA Finals. His tendency to play his best under pressure earned him the nickname “Big Game James,” not to mention the 1988 NBA Finals MVP award after putting up 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in Game 7 of that series.
More and more people believe LeBron James is the greatest player in NBA history these days. However, where he stands among the greatest players in Los Angeles Lakers history is a different story.
He has played just five seasons for the Purple and Gold, and while he led them to a world championship in 2020, plenty of other greats who have played for the team have done better than that.
Three legendary Lakers — Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kobe Bryant — each won five titles with the franchise. Shaquille O’Neal took home three while in L.A.
Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar and O’Neal all have statues outside of Crypto.com Arena, and it is assumed the late Bryant will get one soon. It begs the question of whether James has already earned a statue of his own.
Hall of Famer James Worthy, who played alongside Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar for much of the 1980s and won three rings with them, chimed in.
“It depends on what he does here out,” Worthy said at the Teqball USA Pre-ESPY party. “Personally — and I think he’d agree — he hasn’t been here long enough.”
“But I think his overall greatness, when you have a player like LeBron, who breaks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s (all-time scoring) record in Los Angeles, does it as a Laker, then wins a championship as a Laker, you can’t argue that he could get a statue in Los Angeles.”
Those who think James has already earned the right to become bronzed in Los Angeles may point out that Jerry West, who also won one title with the Lakers, and Elgin Baylor, who retired early in the season West won that ring, both have statues. However, West and Baylor put the team on the map right after it moved to Southern California in the years when locals took a while to warm up to pro basketball.
