Triple-Double Machine: Magic's Total Dominance in 1987

The 1986-87 season was when Magic Johnson's individual stats and team leadership exploded together. He averaged near triple-double (scoring, assists, rebounds all present) and won Regular Season MVP uncontested — his first such award and a key sign of Showtime's maturity.

More importantly, Magic turned stats into wins. The Lakers posted the league's best record, balanced on both ends. He was no longer just a "fast-break engine" but a versatile hub who could break down any half-court defense with his back, passing, and clutch scoring. At 6'9" he roamed four positions, maximizing his mismatch edge.

In the playoffs, Magic's experience and court vision were the Lakers' steadiest anchor. Against any opponent he adjusted: score when needed, feed when needed, slow the pace when needed. That "change with the enemy" ability put Los Angeles on top multiple times in the 80s.

The 1987 double of Regular Season MVP and Finals MVP pushed Magic onto the "era's No.1 point guard" throne. From 1979 to 1987, eight years wrote him into the greatest-point-guard conversation.

Related Reading

• 1987 NBA Finals MVP: Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)
• 1987 NBA MVP: Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)
• 1989 NBA MVP: Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)
• 1990 NBA MVP: Magic Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers)
• Magic Johnson: Glory and Idol— How a Six-Foot-Nine Point Guard Redefined "Superstar"