1981 NBA Playoffs: Houston Rockets vs. LA Lakers

[SuperPolska14]

Moses was called Octo-Bull. Half octopus and half bull.

[landrykkb]

No wonder Houston won this series;it was a best-2-out-of-3 1st round format.I don't mean that as any disrespect to them,but it's a lot easier to pull off an upset under that structure,don't you all think?

[thenintendogamer]

Man, I wish the Rockets were as good as they used to be with Malone, Olajuwon and Drexler.

[newguydrewman]

THIS ISNRARE FOOTAGE NICE THIS IS DARN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND. I DONT KNOW OF TO MANY COLLECTORS WHO HAVE A DVD OF THIS SERIES

[nonplayerzealot4]

I'm the only person I know of who has Game 3 of this series (I have the originals of Gms 1 and 2 as well, master tapes). #3 became a "lost game" for some reason, I'd like to know why because it was a CBS broadcast. That was the infamous airball by Magic at the end game.

[btc1988]

@nonplayerzealot4

You should upload it

[riotusa1]

@nonplayerzealot4 I have been looking for that game 3 for years. I remember watching it when it happened. That Rockets team was the first I followed from start to finish and I have a special place in my heart for them. If you don't want to upload it, then I would like to purchase a copy of it. Get back to me if you are interested

[alexaadap]

Moses just dominated Kareem

[ErikS1975FreeState]

1981 should've been the first Battle of the Super Powers between Magic's Lakers & Legend's Celtics. But the overachieving Rockets got in the way.

[jburnett22]

Also George Mikan, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Gail Goodrich, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, & Norm Nixon were all drafted by the Lakers. Kobe Bryant and Byron Scott were traded before they ever played for the Hornets or Clippers (so basically draft picks). Only Shaq signed as free agent. We traded for Wilt, Kareem, and Gasol.

Trades are part of basketball.

[jburnett22]

Whats funny is when you subtract the Jerry West/Elgin Baylor years the Lakers have 15 titles in 21 appearances. 15/21 isnt bad. The problem is from 1959-1973 the Lakers were 1-9 in the Finals.

Coincidently the Celtics won 11 of their 17 Championships during that period (1957-1969). What that means is the Celtics were the best team of that era.

However when you look at the entire history of the NBA the Lakers have been consistently dominate.

[GoingOn9Lives]

@jburnett22

Of course you are consistenly dominate. You're the biggest market. You cant go 3 or 4 years without buying a superstar or trading for one. You're like the yankees you championships dont count cause you buy all your players. Lets see you traded for Wilt, Kareem, Shaq top 3 greatest centers of all time. You drafted Magic, West, Stole Kobe from Charlotte. So you've had 3 of the greatest guards of all time. from 1980 on you lost like 7 times in the finals.

[elpolarbear]

If I'm not mistaken,Houston was the only losing team to ever make the Finals?

[GoingOn9Lives]

The lakers by far had the best team in the 80's. Magic, Kareem, Worthy, Cooper all fantastic. You should have won more than 5 to be honest.

[PeekaPeep]

Loved how Moses always played handball with the backboard. Never get tired of seeing him working the glass.

:-)

[Ldale11]

The fakers totally quit against the Rockets. Houston was only 40-42 in the regular season.

[conni70]

you sound like a real moron...the "fakers" not only dominated the 80's but are an elite organization...there's nothing fake about winning 15 world titles and going to more than half of all finals in NBA history...

[Gerkinstock]

16 titles, actually. They won the 1948 NBL title before moving to the BAA. They clearly self-destructed in 1981 but rebounded the following season with Pat Riley at the helm.

Occassionally, the Lakers don't do as well as expected in the NBA finals/postseason: 1969, 1973, 1977, 1981, 1986, 1990, 1997, 1998 & 2004 come to mind.

[GoingOn9Lives]

And lost over half of those finals. The "fakers" Is a just name for the lakers because not only have you managed to buy all of your superstars you have undoubtedly have the worst upsets in history. 1971 lakers with Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain ( who you guys bought) lost the championship despite having the better team and the better record. Two huge upsets by the houston rockets?? 1981 and 1986. An upset in 2004 by the pistons? The 08 slaugheter by boston. I mean it goes on.. and on.

[conni70]

you're a complete moron...do you like the Lakers or hate them? first you're trashing them, then you're praising them? are you schizophrenic?

[GoingOn9Lives]

No dumbass. I was saying you had the better team. You usually do have the better team, yet you still manage to lose. Thats what Im saying. Do you understand? Or do I have to break it down further for you. Fucking idiot.

[conni70]

and at 22 years old you've managed to become quite the basketball expert, yeah? look, anyone who knows anything about basketball and respects the history of the game understands the significance of the Lakers organization... some of the greatest players to lace up in NBA history have donned the purple and gold...and Jerry West was drafted by the Lakers, he wasn't "bought"...you need to do your research before you blabber nonsense, you "fucking idiot"...

[GoingOn9Lives]

Look retard. LA is a huge fucking market. Do you understand how markets work? You bought the lakers from Minnesota. It was the Minneapolis lakers. Theres not even a fucking lake in your nasty state.

[nonplayerzealot4]

@GoingOn9Lives Jerry West was a draft pick. Chamberlain was traded for.

Boston was the best team in the league in 2008.

[Celticsfran]

more than half of all finals... but losing half of them... which means they are the biggest losers of all time!

[conni70]

so according to your logic, the NY Yankees are "the biggest losers" in baseball...the Yankees have lost more World Series than any other team, but are hardly considered the "biggest losers" in baseball...Celticsfran, you're real fucking stupid...save your amateur analysis for soccer or bullfighting...

[nonplayerzealot4]

@Ldale11 They didn't quit, the Rockets had the personnel (starting w/ Moses) to slow the tempo down to a grind and made the games ugly as hell. I'm a Laker fan and I've seen the entire series. It was a legit defeat. Moses Malone was the only guy Kareem couldn't handle 1:1 and 81 was proven not to be a fluke by Phila sweeping LA in 83 after losing 2 Finals to them in previous yrs w/o Moses.

[chrisuncleahmad]

IMO, the Rockets' 1981 run was a bigger surprise than 1995. The 1995 team at least finished with a winning record!

Of course, people have differing opinions on whether Moses Malone was better than Hakeem.

[Ldale11]

Moses was a beast around the basket. All effort! But Olajuwon was a better athlete and better defender. All-time leading shot blocker.

[magicnix95]

Jabbar is the best

[NowitzkiForTraylor]

Billy Paultz was nicknamed "Whopper" due his large wiener. The only NBA player with a larger one was Ken Norman who had the nickname "Snake".

[USAGiant]

What was a 'mini series?"

I know the modern NBA playoff format has been effect i think since 1988. Someone explain the playoff format before David Stern became 'boss?" thanks

[shoofirbin]

it was a best 2 out of 3 series. back then the #1 seed in each conference got a first-round bye.

[fballjones]

the playoff format was 12 teams participated in the and disivion winners got 1st round byes

[TRJ22487]

yeah these were quirky days in the NBA. There was a 2 of 3 rule for free throws too at one point

[ma7799]

Yes, and they eliminated that rule two seasons later.

[LuigiLaker]

Since 1983-84'..not '88.

[landrykkb]

@USAGiant Except that the first round format changed to best 4 out of 7 in the mid 2000's.

[SFFOOL76]

MOSES MALONE was a beast!

[LuigiLaker]

These wild card playoffs were a huge upset..