Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, the 20-year-old rookie, had to assume Abdul-Jabbar's position at center. Johnson sky-hooked and rebounded the Lakers to victory with 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steal. He even jumped for the opening tap. Johnson became the first rookie ever to win the Finals MVP Award.
In the first month, 7-2 Tom Burleson of the Atlanta Hawks fell on Johnson's left knee, forcing him to miss 45 games with a torn cartilage. He came back in time for the Lakers' best-of-3 playoff series against the Houston Rockets. After this injury, in the locker room the reporters heard…
