It is in the playoffs that a legend is created, and that of Julius Erving was reinforced this evening of 1980. We are on May 11, 43 years ago to the day, at the heart of the 1980 Finals between the Lakers and the Sixers.
It’s the fourth inning, and the Sixers, at home, want to tie the series. They will succeed, in the snatch, but we will only retain one action. This baseline layup of “Dr. J” where his “hangtime” allows him to go behind the circle to avoid the insides of the Lakers.
A move he used to pull off in the ABA, but it was an NBA first. Initially, Julius Erving wanted to dunk, but he saw Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and he changed his mind. Almost in a second.
“I took off, I rose, and I found myself in the air… I just waited for the last moment, and to find myself on the other side of the racket to put a little retro effect on the ball. »
Then rookie, future champion and MVP of the 1980 Finals, Magic Johnson was smug with admiration.
“I was there trying to win a title, and my mouth was wide open. He really did that? I thought, ‘What should we do? Put the ball in touch? Ask him to do it again?’ It’s still the most beautiful move I’ve ever seen on the field. The most beautiful of all time. »
