Magic, Kareem Push Lakers Past 76ers in Double-OT Thriller on Feb. 26, 1982
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On February 26, 1982, the Los Angeles Lakers outlasted the Philadelphia 76ers in double overtime at the Great Western Forum, extending their winning streak to six games and setting the stage for that season’s NBA Finals.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar dominated the paint, pouring in 41 points and grabbing 19 rebounds against a Philadelphia front line that had no answer for his skyhook. Magic Johnson complemented the captain with a triple-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, while Jamaal Wilkes added 24 points to round out Los Angeles’ primary scoring.
Philadelphia relied on sixth-man Andrew Toney, who came off the bench for 27 points. Julius “Dr. J” Erving contributed 22 points, six rebounds and four assists, but the visitors could not close out the game in either overtime period.
The matchup marked the third regular-season meeting between the clubs in four years to later culminate in an NBA Finals showdown. A few months after the February contest, Los Angeles defeated Philadelphia in six games to capture the 1982 championship, repeating the feat accomplished in 1980. The 76ers eventually claimed their revenge in 1983 after adding center Moses Malone, but on this night in Inglewood, Magic and Kareem kept the Lakers on course for their second title of the decade.
Source: Lakers Nation
