The 1987 NBA Finals was another installment of the biggest basketball rivalry of the 80s: Lakers vs Celtics.

Not only was the series a classic, but game four was one of - if not the most - celebrated Finals game in the long and storied history of the Lakers vs. Celtics rivalry that has spanned decades and has dominated the sport.

We knew a Celtics/Lakers game was a must do for the podcast and felt this was a perfect fit. We're glad we did because it gave that iconic Magic baby hook shot some additional context as to why it was so special. 

These 1987 NBA Finals saw the Lakers take the first two games at the Great Western Forum, followed by the Celtics holding home court in Game 3. That takes us to game 4, which would decide either a Lakers commanding series lead or the Celtics drawing even and looking to take a series lead in a home game 5 at the Boston Garden.   In this episode we discuss:

• Some statistics on just how dominant these two teams were in the 80's and NBA parity as a whole
• The Boston Garden in the 80's
• Ben gets a history lesson in all things Tommy Heinsohn
• Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and the rest of the star studded players on the court that night
• This game even had HOF refs
• Did everyone have a hook shot in the 80s?
• Summaries of each quarter and a deep dive into the final 2 minutes and how it shaped NBA history
• Was the baby hook to win the game the signature shot of Magic Johnson's career? 

This was a great game and arguably one of the best of the 80s. Join us for a look back 34 years ago and visit our website to watch the broadcast for yourself: https://distantreplaypodcast.com/ep-80-1987-nba-finals-game-4-la-lakers-boston-celtics/