For the second consecutive season, the NBA Finals comprised of the best rivalry in the league with the Los Angeles Lakers looking for redemption against the Boston Celtics.
After splitting the first two games in Boston, the series shifted to The Forum on June 2, 1985, where the Lakers looked to gain an edge with their newfound homecourt advantage.
The Lakers and Celtics nearly traded shot-for-shot in the first quarter, but it was the latter that carried a four-point lead after the first 12 minutes of play.
Los Angeles, though, would get a jolt from their bench unit in the ensuing period and outscored Boston by 10 points — subsequently entering halftime with a six-point advantage.
The third quarter was much of the same for the Lakers, as they continued their scoring attack with 35 points compared to the Celtics’ total of 26.
Los Angeles put the finishing touches on an impressive win in the fourth quarter and defeated their rival by a final score of 136-111 — taking a 2-1 series in the lead. The Lakers would go on to defeat the Celtics in six games, claiming their ninth championship in franchise history.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the way offensively with a double-double, recording 26 points and 14 rebounds in 35 minutes on the floor. He additionally dished out seven assists while collecting two steals and two blocks on the defensive end.
With the performance, Abdul-Jabbar became the all-time leading scorer in NBA playoffs history, surpassing Hall-of-Fame Lakers point guard Jerry West’s total of 4,457 points.
Lakers’ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record was eventually broken
In 20 NBA seasons, Abdul-Jabbar would accumulate 5,762 points in the playoffs. His record would stand for 13 years before Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan surpassed him in 1998, and ultimately finishing his career with 5,987 points.
Jordan, too, would get leapfrogged, as LeBron James became the all-time leading scorer in NBA playoffs history in Game 5 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals.
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