Kareem Abdul-Jabbar To Provide Commentary For Lakers' Title-Winning Game In 1985

On Abdul-Jabbar's 73rd birthday, he will provide commentary for the Lakers' first win over Boston in The Finals on Thursday on NBA TV.

On Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 73rd birthday on Thursday, he will provide commentary for the Lakers' win over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of The Finals on June 9, 1985. The game will be shown on NBA TV at 5 p.m. PT. 

It was the ninth time that the Lakers had played Boston in The Finals and the first time that the Lakers won the series. The Lakers were the first visiting team to win an NBA title in Boston Garden.  

After that win, Lakers' owner Jerry Buss said a huge weight had been lifted. 

"This has removed the most odious sentence in the English language," Buss said. "It can never again be said that the Lakers have never beaten the Celtics."

Abdul-Jabbar had 29 points, seven rebounds and four assists in that game. James Worthy had 28 points. And Magic Johnson had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists. 

The Lakers and Celtics have one of the most storied rivalries in sports. They've met 12 times in The Finals. The Lakers have won 16 NBA championships, while the Celtics have won 17. 

Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA's all-time leading scorer with 38,287 points. He won six championships over his 20-season NBA career, including five with the Lakers in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988. 

The Lakers' championship in 1985 was especially impactful, considering they had fallen to the Celtics in The Finals in 1984 in Game 7 of what was widely considered one of the best playoff series of all time.