1987 NBA Finals Game 6 vs Boston Celtics
One shot. One dynasty. The night Magic Johnson conquered Boston.
June 14, 1987. Inside the Great Western Forum, the air crackled with the weight of history. This wasn't just Game 6; it was the final nail in a decade-long coffin for their historic rivals. The 'Showtime' Lakers completed their sweep, but the night belonged to one man: Magic Johnson, whose iconic 'Baby Hook' didn't just win the game—it announced the Lakers as the undisputed kings of the NBA.
- Date
- June 14, 1987
- Venue
- Great Western Forum (Inglewood, CA)
- Final Score
- Lakers 106, Celtics 93
- Series Result
- Lakers win 4-2
- Key Play
- Magic Johnson's 'Baby Hook' with 18 seconds remaining
- MVP of Series
- Magic Johnson (averaged 26.2 PPG)
- Historical Significance
- First Finals sweep against Boston since 1972
Lore & Background
The defining moment came with 18 seconds left and the Lakers leading by one. Instead of passing to a perimeter shooter or driving for a layup, Magic rolled to the basket on a screen from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, caught the pass, and executed an unguardable baby hook shot over Robert Parish's outstretched arms. The crowd erupted as the ball swished through the net, sealing the victory and ending one of the most intense chapters in NBA history with a moment of pure, improvisational genius.
In Their Own Story
The air inside the Forum was thick enough to choke on, a cacophony of 17,000 voices screaming for just one more possession. Magic Johnson dribbled near the top of the key, his eyes scanning the floor, seeing not just defenders but openings in time itself. The clock read 18 seconds. He signaled the play, then ignored it. Rolling hard to the basket after drawing Robert Parish, he elevated with a sudden, fluid motion for the hook. It wasn't the power of Kareem, nor the speed of A.C., but the pure finesse of Magic. The ball arced high, defying gravity and logic, dropping softly through the net as the buzzer sounded. In that split second, the ghosts of Boston were laid to rest, and a new era was born.
Reader's Guide
This game closed the book on the Lakers' quest to avenge their heartbreaking loss to these same Celtics in 1984. Holding a 3-2 series lead, Los Angeles needed just one win on home court to complete the sweep. Magic's decision to take over in the dying seconds defined the 'Showtime' era—proving that skill and flair could dismantle traditional grit. It wasn't merely a title; it was the moment the Lakers officially claimed the throne from Boston.
Did You Know?
- Magic Johnson's 'Baby Hook' was a move he had practiced specifically for this matchup against the Celtics' size.
- This victory gave the Lakers their fifth championship in Los Angeles history, following wins in 1972, 1980, 1982, and 1985.
- Robert Parish, who guarded Magic on the play, later admitted that no one could stop that specific hook shot at that range.
- The game marked the end of the Celtics' last serious contention for a title until the early 2000s.