RetroSeasons recaps past sports seasons through stories, photos, videos, and stats from every team, league, and stadium in history. Coverage includes the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, as well as vintage media from defunct teams and leagues.
The 1981–82 NBA season was the 36th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the NBA Championship, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.
* The 1982 NBA All-Star Game was played at the new Brendan Byrne Arena (now the Meadowlands Arena) in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with the East defeating the West 120–118. Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics wins the game's MVP award. This season also marked the New Jersey Nets first season in the new arena.
* On March 6, 1982, San Antonio beat Milwaukee 171-166 in three overtime periods to set the record for most points by two teams in a game. The record was broken two seasons later.
* Magic Johnson secures his second NBA Finals MVP award several months before his 23rd birthday.
* The Los Angeles Lakers begin a string of nine consecutive seasons as the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
* The Denver Nuggets scored at least 100 points in every single game of the season, while also allowing 100 points in every game. It remains the only time this has occurred in NBA history.
* After a few years of success in NCAA basketball, the breakaway rim became standardized equipment in the NBA.
* This season marked Isiah Thomas' rookie season.
* The three-to-make-two free throw rule, along with the two-to-make one rule (both used when a team exceeded five team fouls in a quarter), were both eliminated.
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NBA Playoffs Game 5 - Baltimore Bullets vs New York Knicks - Radio Broadcast
On April 8, 1973, the Baltimore Bullets faced the New York Knicks in Game 5 of the NBA Semi-Finals, a pivotal matchup in the series. The season had been charged with intense competition, and both teams arrived at this game with a lot to prove. The Bullets, led by their tenacious defense and dynamic scoring, were determined to assert their dominance and shift the series momentum in their favor. On the other side, the Knicks, known for their cohesive team play and strategic prowess, aimed to capitalize on their home court advantage at Madison Square Garden to edge closer to the championship dreams that had eluded them the previous seasons.
The game unfolded with high intensity, reflecting the stakes involved. Key players from both teams stepped up, providing memorable moments that thrilled the audience. As the clock ticked down, strategies were adjusted on the fly, with coaches and players alike navigating the pressures of the playoff atmosphere. This game not only highlighted individual brilliance but also underscored the tactical battles between the coaching staffs, setting the tone for what would be a highly competitive continuation of the series.
Ryan, Channing, and Fred sit down with one of the most iconic athletes who just...
Isiah Thomas 12x NBA All Star on Detroit Bad Boys, Magic Johnson & Feud w/ Michael Jordan / Ryan, Channing, and Fred sit down with one of the most iconic athletes who just happens to be their long time idol, NBA hall of famer, Isiah Thomas. The original Bad Boy of Detroit Pistons is opening up and talking everything from his relationship with Magic Johnson to Detroit Pistons changing the game to sharing his side of the infamous Michael Jordan feud.
Isiah starts the show saying very simply that he is going to state facts and you can’t argue facts and that it’s one thing to win a championship in the NBA but it’s another to win a championship at every level ever played.
Growing up on the West Side of Chicago, Isiah shares how his upbringing was shaped by his mother’s guidance and a family first mentality where his mother cared more about the type of man he’d become vs the money and opportunity being offered. His mom’s influence was so great, it became her decision where he played college basketball and also who he played for.
Explaining how he ended up in Bloomington, Indiana playing for Bobby Knight, he expounds on the life lessons that shaped him there not just winning back to back collegiate championships.
The West Side of Chicago is home to many activists and organizations such as Fred Hampton, Martin Luther King Jr, and The Black Panther Party. Isiah grew up in this environment and recalls marching alongside his mother with Dr.King. Spearheading change at the national level, Isiah used his local groundwork in Detroit to advocate for Black journalists covering the team, more rights for Black NBA players leaving a greater impact with his legacy not just on the court but in culture.
Isiah makes his case known for why so many people overlook Detroit Pistons as transcending the NBA and shares what the team really did for the league and how they were the firsts to do many things back then setting the example of how teams should be and move.
Known for his historic rivalry with Michael Jordan, Ryan asks what were his thoughts on the way his character was portrayed by Jordan in The Last Dance. Isiah provides The Pivot with an exclusive inside look to his true relationship with MJ and goes on to say that he always looked out for Michael and that their families were even close. He also speaks about how rules within the NBA were changed to protect Michael Jordan. Isaih doesn’t hold back as he shares his thoughts on while he was deemed the a-hole of the NBA when in fact he was the nice guy.
Lastly, Isiah lets the guys in on the history of his and Magic’s close relationship and what led up to their legendary interview. He gives credit to the current legends playing the game such as Lebron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant, and says they’ve transformed the game in
1 Comment
I sincerely appreciate the research work, and the information being shared. It is important and interesting history.
I sincerely appreciate the research work, and the information being shared. It is important and interesting history.